<p>How much would multiple USAMO qualification help in getting into Caltech?</p>
<p>I've seen posts that claim that Caltech would admit anyone with a USAMO qualification....(of course, with decent grade and stuff)...is this true?</p>
<p>Caltech certainly has a large number of people who have qualified for and won the USAMO (and the IMO) but it’s certainly not a golden ticket into Caltech. Nothing is.</p>
<p>If you feel Caltech is a good fit, you should apply.</p>
<p>I barely even knew what the USAMO was. I hadn’t taken the AMC/qualified for AIME/whatnot, and I got in.</p>
<p>That being said, I wasn’t applying for math… but I applied as a chemistry major without any major chemistry awards whatsoever…</p>
<p>I asked that question when my son was applying. I thought it was odd that just getting to USAMO would be so powerful (as opposed to people who made it onto MOP.) The adcom said that anyone who got into the USAMO would certainly get a second look. If your score is good, let them know that. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Here is a link to that post:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/367914-usamo.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/367914-usamo.html</a></p>
<p>Just wanted to make a quick note here… Ben was a student at Caltech who served on the admissions committee a few years ago. While I still think that what he said in that particular post is true, Caltech admissions office has changed pretty substantially since he was involved in it. Most of those posts from three-four years ago may not still be.</p>
<p>If you have usamo qualification + decent sats (2300+), good grades and good essays it’d make your chances very good.</p>
<p>I had USAMO ,<2300 (due to math section screw up >.<), mediocre grades, and good essays.</p>