Can I get in?

Colleges & Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>I'm a junior (will be a senior in September) in upstate New York.</p>

<p>SAT I: 800m/770v. will take new one in September or October.
SAT II: 800s on Math II, Physics, and US History</p>

<p>APs: 5 on Calc BC, World History, Stats, and Comp Sci AB. Took Chem, Physics C, Physics B, US History, European History, and English Language this year; I think I got 4 on English, maybe a 5 on Euro, and almost definitely 5 on the others. </p>

<p>GPA: 97.6 (calculated a year ago), currently more like 97.2. Rank is 1/300 something, but this was calculated last year, and I'm probably second now. My school isn't into this 4-point scale or weighing the hard clases.</p>

<p>Extracurricular stuff:</p>

<p>I have been in Science Olympiad since seventh grade and will probably be captain of my team next year. I have only failed to go to the state competition once, and I have a decentmedal count (three medals at the most recent state competition).</p>

<p>I have also been on my school math team since seventh grade. I was ranked number 1 freshman, sophomore, and junior in the local math league, done rather unimpressively at NYSML, and got 5/8 at ARML this year.</p>

<p>I also started a math team and arranged a trip to Cambridge for HMMT this year.</p>

<p>Umm, this summer, I'm going to work at a local laboratory for some research, most likely physics-oriented.</p>

<p>I'll probably have around 120-150 hours of community service by the end of the summer and around 200 by the time I send my EA application, almost entirely in the form of tutoring.</p>

<p>I've played the violin for about eight years. I think I'm fairly, but not especially, good.</p>

<p>Miscellaneous stuff:</p>

<p>AMC-12: 132.5, 98.5, 116
AIME: 5(lol), 5
USNCO: Top 200 or so, but definitely not top 20</p>

<p>I've probably left out some stuff.</p>

2

<p>AMC score will help you (even in our pool it's not something you see in every application) as will the AIME and math stuff. Make sure to emphasize passion for math / research / etc. (whatever comprises the main part of your application.</p>

<p>Your stats are strong. If you do a good job selling yourself in the app (i.e. don't just sandbag on the essays) you have a good shot.</p>

3

<p>Is it bad if my English grades seem to be showing a downward trend? I have 96, 94, 91.</p>

4

<p>solid chance.</p>

5

<p>Yay, I got 5s on all my APs.</p>

6

<p>How did you take physics B and C in the same year?</p>

7

<p>I took the C test during the normal testing session and I took the make-up B test.</p>

8

<p>This year, my average is 96.6. Last year, it was 97.8 and the year before it was 97.2. Is this considered bad? My cumulative average is still in the 97s, and I'm almost certainly first or second in my class.</p>

9

<p>Frank, my grade point average wasn't even straight A's. My school used the four-point scale, but if you took my classes and averaged them, I might have a 92 if I was lucky. My school did not do rankings, but if they did I would probably have been 20th-30th. All I did was emphasize how much I love research (and I do) - I am sure, I have heard and I've seen from the people I've met - that the admissions committee really does consider you as a person. So relax. A 96.6 is pretty good already.</p>