Son accepted.
ACT 36 (36/36/36/36, Sophomore year)
GPA 4.92W/4.0UW, SAT Math 2 800, SAT Physics 800,
13 APs (all 5) plus 3 more senior year
Major awards: ISEF 3rd place category and special awards, USACO Platinum, USAPhO Silver Medal, AIME qualifier
Congratulations to all the accepted folks.
@TheVulcan, your son would be accepted in EVERY College on the planet! His credentials are unthinkable!!! if you don’t mind, could you please let me know how did your son get to Weighted 4.92 GPA? That is also a super-human achievement.
Thanks!
All of his classes short one in junior year were either honors or AP.
Decision: Rejected
Objective
I attended high schools in Shanghai, China for 10-11th grades and in Iowa, United States for 12th grade, with very different grading scales, curriculums, and student populations. I find it quite unable to calculate an exact GPA nor provide class ranks and percentiles, but I have stayed a straight-A student all throughout high school.
SAT I (breakdown): Single sitting in sophomore year, 1560 = 770 (EBRW) + 790 (Math)
SAT II: Single sitting in junior year, Math II (800), Physics (800), Biology E (800)
TOEFL: Single sitting in junior year, 116 = 30 ® + 30 (L) + 27 (S) + 29 (W)
AP (place score in parenthesis): Single sitting in junior year, Calculus BC (5, AB subscore also 5), Physics C Mechanics (5), Physics C E&M (5), Computer Science A (5)
Senior Year Course Load: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English Language & Composition, AP US Government, AP US History, Dual Enrollment Linear Algebra
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel, etc.): Twice qualified for the AIME? Top 25% for PhysicsBowl? Second Prize for the ISEF qualifying fair in Shanghai (My school ended up placing my project in the wrong subject category otherwise I might have had a shot at the national fair…)?
Subjective
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): No one wants to read a long laundry list of every trivial thing I have done, but here are the most notable ones: research experience with a university team with three papers published; president of three clubs at my high school – one of the clubs was the Eco-Marathon Team, where we built single-seat automobiles with optimized fuel efficiency and took them to national collegiate races, and our best score was around 600-700 miles per gallon. I ended up writing my Common Application essay on this.
Essays (rating 1-10, details): [5] The Caltech-specific essays were a little rushed since I wrote them the week before they are due…
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1:
[9] From my AP English Language & Composition teacher. He really likes my effort in class despite English is my second language, and he told me that he “wrote a glittering LOR” and that “they would regret it if they were not to admit me.” Well, guess how it turned out.
Teacher Rec #2:
[7] From my AP Chemistry teacher. He literally turned it in at the last minute, though I still think he would have a favorable opinion of me in class. At times I seem to be the only person paying attention to his class while everyone else is on their phones.
Counselor Rec:
[7] At least my counselor knows me quite well, compared to a majority of the 100 other seniors she works with since I seemed to have endless questions to ask her along my college application process.
Additional Rec:
[6] From my research mentor. I REALLY do not know how the recommendation turned out since I also practically asked at the last minute. I would not be surprised if it turned out to be sloppier than it’s supposed to be.
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: Information Sciences, Earth Sciences
State: Iowa
Country of Origin: China
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian/Chinese
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: $40,000 - $60,000
Hooks (URM, first-generation college, etc.): N/A
Reflection
Strengths: Life experience of attending high schools in two countries, decent test scores, senior year course load (I take every AP course offered apart from those I already tested out of, such as Calculus or Physics), research and publishing experience, a decent number of extracurriculars compared with others in the Chinese National Curriculum
Weaknesses: My identity as an international applicant from China itself, less-than-ideal extracurriculars, imperfect essays, no major awards
I did not even consider applying to Caltech over the summer when I began drafting my college plans. I simply applied because I had the time during late October. Given the competitiveness of international applicants, I was not surprised at all – both my standardized test scores and ECs were far below what Caltech expects. Last year there was a kid with an IMO gold medal at my Chinese school rejected flat-out at EA as well.
Son got rejected! Congratulations to all of you who got in!
Deferred
Caucasian female, out of state
ACT 36/36/36/36 (single sitting, first time around)
Sat Math II 800, chem 760 (because I was only halfway through IB chemistry at that point)
GPA UW 4.0 / W 4.24 (the highest possible due to my school being IB not AP with a strict curriculum)
Class rank: not reported by school, but I am on track to be valedictorian
Essay 10/10 (i got a handwritten note from one college counselor telling me how much she loved it; that is very rare for that school)
Courses: highest math level offered at my school (IB Math HL) and two science courses (chem and physics) at the same time
EC: captain of school science olympiad team (won 1st place and 2nd place in two of my events at states my freshman and sophomore years, respectively) started environmental club; youth theatre + leadership positions for many years; several science camps, one with very selective admission. No research or internships.
I’m surprised I wasn’t flat out declined for not having research/internships and not playing any instruments, haha
@TheVulcan, that’s awesome! Thanks for the reply.
So, if PE had the Honors option, he would have been 5.0 GPA!!!
Accepted
Got deferred.
What percentage of ea gets deferred?
Is it like Standford or is it like yale?
Rejected from both school.
Not even a defer.
Ouch.
Got into Caltech!
Applied CS, International Applicant (Indian Passport Holder)
@silwil My counselor told me they don’t defer a lot and that deferred students have a reasonable acceptance rate. See this thread from a while back: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/1255964-does-caltech-reject-or-defer-most-ea-applicants.html
I got deferred, but I’m too embarrassed to post my stats and extracurriculars because all of yours are so much better! I have no clue how I got deferred. I thought my application would be immediately tossed. Since my test scores, GPA, and extracurriculars aren’t as solid as the rest of yours, I’m guessing maybe my essays helped me? I think they showed a lot about my personality, but I also don’t exactly believe I have the same personality as most Caltech students. Best of luck to all of my fellow deferred students in the RD round!
For the people who were deferred:
Are you currently taking Calc BC or Math HL? I’m wondering if Caltech wants to see your grades for fall semester.
@AlwaysMoving I’m taking AP Stats. I already took Calc BC and Stats is the only option I had
OMG I GOT ACCEPTED INTO CALTECH FOR COMPUTER ENGINEERING
Here are my stats:
GPA: 3.12, 4.2
SAT: 1210
Subject test: math-660
If you have any questions feel free to ask!! 
bro are u serious ppl at my school took ap stats in middle school. y’all are lacking
@AlwaysMoving That’s weak
In terms of the AP math class, I am in a similar situation as post #54. I am taking AP Stats as a senior (did Calc BC in 10th and MVC in 11th), but I am also taking MIT OCW Linear Algebra and Discrete Math for CS. For most of us, we would have exhausted all the advanced math courses offered by our high school by 11th grade the latest. My concern is with my AP Physics though. I am taking AP Physics 1 as a senior. My school doesn’t offer AP Physics 2 and C. I have 5’s in all APs, perfect SAT general and subjects and GPA. My strength is math - ARML since 8th and have been doing well, DHR on AMC 12 and 9 in AIME. Does Caltech prefer the admitted students to have taken AP Physics 2 and C in high school?
@gRw110
You should call Caltech to confirm, but I am pretty sure AP Physics C is expected, especially if it is offered at your school. If not, I would find a way to learn the material before attending Caltech because I imagine most (if not all) entering students will have exposure to AP C