At the end of the day, you took what you took. Answer the questions, keep your fingers crossed, and know that the odds of admission are low, about 10-15% (according to a subreddit I looked up).
Having said that, also know that you must be qualified or you wouldn’t have received an invite.
Correct, they are test blind. I asked for your academic stats/test scores, so posters might be able to help you target other fly in programs, if those make sense for you.
Congrats on being asked to apply for the Cal Tech program. As you go through your application and have specific questions, you should post them here and several of us can help you. I wouldn’t worry about what is good/bad and just put in the information asked for on the application. They will decide what is “good/bad” not you. Again, congrats for getting an invite to apply.
Spot on!
Our son attended Caltech. It is a research institution. Let me repeat that, it is a research institution. You will be expected to do everything on your own. Each Freshman class is about 210 to 250 students accepted from all over the world. Our son’s classmates were international and national winners of every academic contest.
You will all take the same freshman classes together. The professors will lecture and then leave the test development and grading up to grad students, most of whom, have never taught nor created nor developed any types of tests. The professors are busy doing research and then publishing the results of that research. Never the twain shall meet.
Are you sure this is where you want to study? Yes, it is picturesque and beautiful but it will not be a typical college experience because it is a place where research happens.
You must be extremely independent and be a self starter.
You must be one of the top 1-5 students at your school.
You must be proactive and the principal and staff should know you well.
Your SAT score should be over 1500 and as close to a perfect score.
It is a research institution.
Is there anyone that could help me through applying to CaltechUp Close personally?
I’m going to be blunt about this. If you can’t do this on your own, I’m strongly questioning if Caltech is the right fit. @aunt_bea knows the school far better than I do, but by it’s reputation the academics will come flying at you a thousand miles an hour with no one to hold your hand digesting it. Again, by reputation, it is the ultimate in drinking from the firehose.
Those who are cut out for it seem to be very happy for having attended. It takes a special person though.
What type of help are you looking for? Please ask specific questions and many people can help you. Attending this program and others offered is a great way to see colleges and help you decide where you would thrive.
At times these applications can seem overwhelming and it is best to just take it line by line and don’t jump ahead.
Ask your current HS before the office closes for the summer for a copy of your transcript (it does not need the official stamp) and make sure you have all your report cards/progress reports in file format too (or scan).
@nks1 Just checking to make sure you know that you can apply to CalTech whether or not you are accepted to this Fly-in event, so hopefully that alleviates some of the pressure. You can also of course apply to CalTech even if you choose not to apply to the Fly-In.
Also, though, being accepted for the Fly-In does not guarantee acceptance to CalTech when you apply in the fall. Just like not being accepted to the Fly-In doesn’t mean you won’t be accepted when you apply “for real”.
I am thinking a reasonable application would do.
It doesn’t need embellishment. In fact you should not embellish.
If you have taken complex analysis etc, and just stratight forwardly answer their questions, that is a good application right there. Don’t stress it.
They will expect you to not have any help anyway.
I am not sure scaring the student is warranted :-).
I am sure Caltech will have appropriate support once the student is admitted.
@eyemgh is being brutally honest. It does take a special kind of student. The school is on a quarter type of system. So, not only does it go rapidly, it is intense.
Caltech does have help for students, but each has to ask early in the process. They do have mental health supportive services, but again, you have to initiate that early, to perform well. Independence with confidence is expected. There is a very high stress level for expected performance… If you have a good roommate, it helps, but that may not always be the case.
I would agree with this as well! (Just returned last week from our son’s Caltech graduation!)
Not sure this is necessarily true. Our son says there were plenty of classes that had tests and problem sets created and graded by profs. And he says there were plenty of profs eager and willing to help undergrads. But he also did have classes where the grad students did the bulk of the grunt work. He also says there were plenty of office hours where undergrads could get help (and very useful help!), especially for the core classes that are required of all freshmen.
I do agree with this. Caltech is definitely primarily a research institution. However, research does NOT have to be your ultimate goal to attend Caltech and have a successful outcome. Our son did some research, a SURF the summer after freshman year (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship—a really cool program that almost all Caltech undergrads participate in), but each summer after that he got corporate internships (he’s a comp sci major). He and almost all his friends have chosen to work in industry rather than go to grad school (i.e. not research!) and they have found that Caltech has prepared them very well for this—they all have amazing jobs lined up.
That being said, Caltech is not for everyone. Our son says it was the most grueling 4 years of his life. The sets were long and difficult and seemingly unending. He says he would not have survived without his study groups and his friends. However, he says he learned so much, and most of his classes were incredibly interesting even though they were difficult. If you have a passion for math and science, Caltech may indeed be the place for you!
Good luck and I think you should definitely apply for Caltech Up Close!
I would suggest that you try not to feel intimidated by the idea of this. Often the idea of something is more daunting than reality of it. Caltech is really not that different than other schools. At the very least it could be an interesting experience.
Caltech recently opened the Center for Inclusion and Diversity. There has been a significant push for it. If you are unsure if you even want to come, I would suggest that you contact one of the staff there. I’m sure someone there could give some background. However, if you just want more info about what this is. Then I would suggest contacting the admissions office that runs it.
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