<p>Do CalTech and other top engineering schools want to see tons of ECs (volunteering in particular) or is spectacular test scores enough? I do sports and clubs but my family doesn't have much money so i have to work and don't have much time to volunteer so it puts me in a pickle however i test very well.</p>
<p>Schools like Caltech want to see high achievemt in science and mathematics. Test scores are not enough because the majority of applicants to those schools have high enough test scores.</p>
<p>johnbarron:
1.) call CalTech - Ask your question.
2.) Ask your question on the caltech thread here on CC.
3.) Keeping in mind that one story does NOT = data, my son also played sports in HS and so didn’t have a lot of time for clubs, but DID particpate in Math Club. When son was a Soph I called his top school, also highly selective, and asked your question, and they said they take sports committments into account. HS sports currently are year-round and evidently the good schools know this. Happy ending - my son got in with top scores and grades, and very few volunteer activities. </p>
<p>Good Luck to you.</p>
<p>Caltech doesn’t want (or rather doesn’t care) to see tons of ECs. Not that they hurt but they usually won’t help. What Caltech wants to see is evidence that you can survive here. Meaning not only must you be intelligent enough to handle the course work but you must also love the work we do here; mainly science. So, test scores are never enough, unless these are high test scores in the much more difficult tests, USAMO, USPHO, USACO, etc. Sufficient ECs are usually science club/math club membership + evidence of commitment to science/math in the form of either great success in national competitions or huge commitment to a science/math project in research.</p>