Chances at Caltech

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>Indian-American male from Cali</p>

<p>GPA: 3.78 UW (going to a very competitive HS, one of top 30 for admissions in top 10 most selective universities according to the Wall Street Journal)
4.08 UC Weighted
Have taken 12 APs cumulatively (second highest in school)</p>

<p>SAT Is
Composite
Critical Reading - 800
Math - 800
Writing - 730
Total - 2330</p>

<p>SAT IIs
Biology-M - 800
Math Level 2 - 780
Chemistry - 780
US History - 770</p>

<p>APs
AP Computer Science A 5
AP Computer Science AB 4
AP US History 5
AP European History 5
AP Spanish Language 4
AP Biology 5
AP Calculus BC/AB Subscore 5/5
AP Chemistry 5 (self studied)
AP Statistics 5
AP Physics B
AP English Literature
AP Spanish Literature</p>

<p>ECs
Research Intern at the Children’s Hospital of Oakland Research Institute (11-12) </p>

<p>India Literacy Project (9-12) - Sold T-Shirts, Raised $1000, designed website, wrote and published articles in India West newspaper, Went to India and developed child profiles of kids at the project sites; Donated Dupont Winnings ($1500) to ILP, which was used to build flush toilets and benches </p>

<p>Democracy Matters (10-12) - Treasurer; Raised money through Club Fairs and various events. Hosted a workshop on the different kinds of elections in our democracy</p>

<p>Debate (11-12)
Varsity Tennis (9,11-12)
Band - (9-10,12)
Tutored 2nd graders in math
Taught lower schoolers tennis</p>

<p>Honors and Awards</p>

<li>First Place, Senior Division, Dupont Challenge Essay Contest 2005 (out of 5,000 contestants)- (11) </li>
<li>Siemens Westinghouse Competition Semifinalist (one of 335 nationwide, from a contestant pool of 1684) - (12) </li>
<li>AP National Scholar - (11)</li>
<li>National Merit Semifinalist - (12) </li>
<li>Awarded $3000 grant from National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for Summer research at Children’s Hospital - (11)</li>
<li>Prudential “Spirit of Community” Award: Distinguished State Finalist, one of top 10 in state of CA, out of 20,000 nationwide for my work in the India Literacy Project - (11) </li>
<li>President’s Volunteer Service Award: Based on over 1.2 yrs of involvement with ILP - (11) </li>
<li>Cal Service Corps. Office of Governor. Service and Volunteer Star: Based on Distinguished Finalist recognition - (11) </li>
<li>Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition: Honored as a top youth volunteer in state by U.S. Representative Pete Stark for my involvement with ILP - (11) </li>
<li>Public Policy Debate at California High Tournament - 2nd Place - (11) </li>
<li>Certificate of Merit (CA music teachers association) Level 5 Alto Saxophone - (9)</li>
</ol>

<p>Good Teacher Recs, Good essays</p>

2

<p>good chances good chances</p>

3

<p>I don't know... that 4 on the Spanish Language AP ....</p>

<p>Just kidding. </p>

<p>You're probably a top applicant at most schools in the country. I doubt that you can get a more specific about your chances other than that they are "pretty good."</p>

<p>Do you like science (or math or engineering)? That's a pretty important part of coming here. What was your Siemens Westinghouse competition project?</p>

4

<p>yea i love biochemistry, and i plan to major in something like that in college (or whatever major comes closest). I'm interested in pursuing undergraduate research. My Siemens project assessed the effect of oxidative stress on a protein that regulates cholesterol metabolism. Do you think my GPA could prove a hindrance? Btw, if Ben Golub is there, could u evaluate my chances?</p>

5

<p>Great chances...I like the nice awards too....</p>

6

<p>Yes, I'm here. Math set is delicious for now but I will answer your chances post soon :)</p>

7

<p>also Ben when you come back to this post...please tell me how a third retake of any test looks on a persons application.</p>

8

<p>Hmm. Have you taken the AMC? Your stats are very similar to mine (except for the ECs)!</p>

<p>I hope we both get in! :)</p>

9

<p>wrath -- your stats are impressive. Scores are fine. Especially nice are awards (1), (2), and (5). List these first since they are the most selective. For Caltech your most helpful extracurricular will be the research work at the hospital. Put that first on the listing and, if you can, include whatever report your research produced, if any.</p>

<p>You certainly have enough "raw material" in this application. Now the key is to put it together into some sort of cohesive package which presents why you do it all, etc. The worst outcome is for the activities to seem thrown together as a bunch of stuff that would "look good for college" and the best case is that they will be presented as a manifestation of your talents and passions. In your essays, you have a chance to talk further about those, and tell us what motivates you (especially intellectually). Generally good advice (for any college) is to write your essays more about you than about us; it is tempting for driven, busy applicants to tell colleges all the resources of school S they'll use when they get there -- but remember that most people reading your application will have read the viewbook, too. So focus more on your personality, your interests, your motivation.</p>

<p>There is also this hidden trap (I remember it well) of thinking that there is somewhat less need to write beautiful, honest essays because one's stats are so strong. While your scores, etc., are impressive, they are not so rare in Caltech's pool. So your goal now is to prove that you have some extra spark of curiosity, intellect, motivation, whatever, that will make you a better pick than a bunch of other people to bring those kind of stats to Caltech.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

10

<p>vampiro -- third retake not so bad. : ) I certainly wouldn't worry that it would have a serious negative effect. Under most circumstances, it would be okay.</p>

11

<p>thanks for the advice Ben, that was uplifting. I will definitely focus on my essays in my Caltech app. Btw, it seems like we both have an unhealthy tendency to stay up into the wee hours of the morning!</p>

12

<p>lol congrats wrathofgod64! Ben Golub only said my record was "pretty impressive," while he had a lot of glowing comments for your chances thread!</p>

13

<p>It was late and I was verbose. Don't read into it more than that : )</p>

<p>When I comment on chances threads (which I should probably stop doing) I tend to write more when I think there is a decent opportunity to explain how to present yourself in a strong light (which can certainly help other applicants, not just the one asking). The length of my reply does not necessarily correlate with how strong your application will be --- in fact, often it doesn't correlate at all.</p>

<p>In general -- though I hope this was clear enough already -- my answers to "chances" questions should be viewed as only a very rough idea -- basically, I would tell you if a GPA or an SAT was particularly weak in our pool and would stick out, etc. This might help applicants decide whether they need to retake something, etc.</p>

<p>Beyond that, my answers have no predictive value. Especially in the early pool, which is very competetive, I wouldn't be surprised if at least half the people I consider to have "impressive" stats don't get in. That's just the way it is nowadays; a huge number of the applicants at elite schools are "impressive".... way more (fortunately or unfortunately) than can be admitted.</p>

<p>Plus, often what tips a decision is a particularly great essay or a particular insight from a letter of recommendation. These cannot be encapsulated in a chances thread.</p>

<p>So, in short, please realize that while I do my best to give you a rough idea of how your stats compare, the actual outcomes of the decisions depend on a lot of things that you just can't put in a CC post... and so obviously nothing I say should ever be viewed as predicting how your case will come out.</p>

14

<p>I was kidding around, Ben ;) Thanks though, your post was rather informative!</p>

15

<p>Just curious, do you go to Lynbrook or Monta Vista or Gunn or Harker? I'm guessing harker since you mention "taught lower schoolers" and only at a private school would they refer to a lower school.</p>

16

<p>i actually go to neither of those schools. i go to head-royce</p>

17

<p>wow nice stats....</p>

18

<p>it seems like you are showing off your stats...how could you be doubtful with that? seriously, only if you were iffy should you post the stats. it seems like you just posted it to show off yourself</p>