Decision: Accepted
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 800-800-800 (10 on essay, but idk if they see that)
SAT I superscore (breakdown): 2400
ACT (breakdown) (didn’t send but reported on Common App): 36 composite. 36 English, 35 Math, 36 Reading, 35 Math, but 8 essay so combined Essay/English would’ve been 32 
SAT II: Math 2 800; Chem 800
Weighted GPA: 4.42
Unweighted GPA: 3.96
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 20% (our school only reports in quintiles)
AP (place score in parentheses): Calc BC (5), Biology (5), US History (5), Chemistry (5), English Language (5), Government (5), Statistics (5, and independent-studied)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist. I got a few minor awards like the Wellesley College Book Award, but nothing major.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses): Science Olympiad (since 5th grade, and I was Public Relations Officer this year), Model UN, Future Problem Solvers, Astronomy Club (founder), Music for Society (VP), Key Club, Math Club,
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service: I did this summer leadership program where we volunteered around the community (60 hours). I also was a summer science camp counselor this past summer, and I tutor at school. Also in NHS.
Writing (Write a brief description and Rate Quality on 1-10 Scale; 10 as Best):
Essays (Include Subjects):
Honor Code essay was about using my notes during open-book tests in my online Algebra II class, and how I felt that it was cheating because the problems on the test were so similar to the ones in the book (made a point of contrasting that course with proof-based calculus to not-so-subtly let them know I wasn’t suicidal lol). 9/10.
Quirky fun was about how I write fanfiction in my free time and co-wrote a story with my friends (of course, I didn’t call it fanfiction, I called it “spin-off stories”). 8/10.
Diversity one was about how my participation in Model UN gave me a different perspective on science. 8/10? I was just happy I came up with something other than ethnicity (Indian).
Caltech essay: I wrote it through the eyes of me as a future student, incorporating how seminars such as Dance of the Photons would let me explore interesting subjects in a very discussion-oriented manner, the collaborative community would help with study sessions, and the honor code would allow me to take my tests in comfort so I could focus on content and learning. I personally thought it was creative. Dare I say 10/10?
Common App Main: About how the nuclear physics summer camp I attended was an environment where I was perfectly content, both because of the learning and because of the people I met there. 9/10.
What drew you to STEM: I talked about how E.T. inspired me to study astronomy, and how activities such as Science Olympiad and the Astronomy Club that I started helped further develop and allowed me to explore science so that I fell in love with it.
Recommendations/Interview:
Teacher Recommendation #1: AP Government teacher – he was very enthusiastic about writing my recommendation letter, so I’d say 9/10, though I didn’t read it.
Teacher Recommendation #2: My physics teacher. I saw his letter for a program I applied to earlier, and it was decent (well, it did point out some of my social flaws, but idk if he included those in my college rec letters). 7/10
Counselor Rec: I’m assuming it was good but really I have no idea.
Additional Rec: My teacher for my online astrophysics class I took sophomore year, who was also my research mentor my junior year.
Interview: Did not have one.
Other
Date Submitted App: Definitely before December 10, which was my school’s deadline so they could get everything in on time. I think I submitted sometime around Thanksgiving break, give or take a week or two.
State (if domestic applicant): O-H-I-O. I was considered an international applicant until the last minute because I didn’t have my green card, but I sent it in a week before decisions came out, so I assume they took that into account and considered me domestic eventually.
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Highly-ranked public school. Ranked #1 in the local area.
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 120k-140k (idk what the bracket ranges typically are). Applied for aid.
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): The possession of two X chromosomes, maybe interest in astrophysics? (Idk if that’s a hook at Caltech, but they are big in the astro field, and not too many people in general are interested in astro specifically?)
Reflection
Strengths: My application was definitely a reflection of who I was, especially my essays. Heck, I wrote about writing fanfiction as an essay for a science and tech school! But my interest in science also definitely shone through as well.
Weaknesses: Lack of decent math/science accolades (73.5 on AMC 12, but don’t remember if I reported it). Nothing in physics/chemistry olympiads, international science fairs, etc.
Why you think you were accepted: I’m still shocked that I got accepted, but I guess my activities demonstrated my passion for science, and they saw potential?
What would you have done differently?: Well, in terms of admission I got in, so I guess what I did was good enough. But in general, I would’ve focused more on math and science competitions. I didn’t know about them until I was in high school, and I didn’t know or really consider physics olympiad until this year (so naturally I tanked). By that time, it was too late to make significant progress with stuff like AMC (though based on my progress this year, I think I could’ve done it if I’d tried harder in earlier years). Ditto with learning programming so that I could do physics/astro projects for science fairs (chemistry would’ve been hard to get into a lab w/o parental connections, I feel).
Other Factors: Well, I also helped start the National Astronomy Olympiad with a few other kids (two of whom now attend Caltech). I wrote emails and created a petition, and collaborated with others to help start it. I helped grade tests, and this year though I’m taking the test myself, I will try to help out with writing proposals for finances and stuff). I wrote about that in a miscellaneous essay, so I suppose there’s that leadership thing too.
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations, etc: Caltech was my 3rd acceptance, and my first acceptance from a school I genuinely want to attend. I’m so happy and thrilled, and quite shocked to be honest. I know I shouldn’t let a college decision mean so much to me, but my self esteem has been pretty low this year and this acceptance made it go right back up! Plus, Caltech is my dream school, so I am super excited! I got rejected from MIT, but now I do feel that I can get into a place that will be a good fit for me, and though I’m worried that I’m not “nerdy enough” for Caltech (I couldn’t study for 8+ hours straight, am not a hard-core math or science nerd in terms of amount of knowledge, etc.), I think this might also be the risk I need to take to prove to myself what I can accomplish. Congratulations to all who got in! And to those who didn’t, never fear! The fact that you applied shows that you care about math, science, or engineering, and that passion is one of the most important things you’ll need in the field. You have what you need to succeed, and you all will be accepted at the places which are good fits for you. No matter what, you’ll have that passion and drive to succeed, and that’s the most important thing.
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), Awesomemath, debate camp, a upenn precollege program