Chances at Caltech?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Applying possible EA, possible RD
Indian male, 1,000,000+ income bracket</p>

<p>SAT 2400- (11 essay, no MC missed in any section); only sitting
Subject SAT: Math 2 (Freshman) 800, Biology (Freshman) 800, Chemistry (Sophomore) 800, US History (Junior) 800, Physics (Junior) 800, English Literature (Junior), 800, no more planned</p>

<p>Grades (non academic courses left out, but they were all A's anyway) [I attend a competitive HS]</p>

<p>Freshman grades
Calculus BC AP A+/A+
Biology H A+/A+
Spanish 2 A/A-
English 1 H A/A
European History (semester) A</p>

<p>Sophomore grades
World History AP A-/A-
Chemistry H A+/A-
Spanish 3H A+/A
English 2 A-/A
Computer Science A AP A/A+
Multivariable Calculus H A/A</p>

<p>Junior grades
OHS Linear Algebra: A
Physics B AP A/A-
Spanish 4 AP A/A
Computer Science AB (not AP, since the AP was discontinued) A/A
AP Environmental Science A+/A
AP US History A-/A-
AP English Language A/A</p>

<p>Senior courses
EPGY Ordinary Differential Equations: pass (couldn't do OHS this time)
Spanish 5 AP: projected A or A-
Art History AP: projected A or A-
Physics C AP Mechanics: projected A+ or A
(Next semester: Physics C AP: E&M instead)
English Literature AP: projected A
AP Comparative Govt: projected A+ or A
(Next semester: AP US Govt instead)
Biology AP: projected A+ or A</p>

<p>AP scores: Calculus AB, 5 (fr), Calculus BC, 5 (so), World History, 5 (so), Computer Science A, 5 (so), Macroeconomics, 5 (so), Microeconomics, 5 (so), Statistics, 5 (so), Chemistry, 5 (so), US History, 5 (jr), English Lang, 5 (jr), Psychology, 5 (jr), Human Geography, 5 (jr), Music Theory, 5 (jr), Environmental Science, 5 (jr), Spanish Language, 5 (jr), Physics B, 5 (jr)</p>

<p>EC:
Math Club 4 yrs, copresident (1 of 5), jr, sr years. AIME qualifier 3 years (probably 4). Fairly low AMC scores, all AMC 12; AIME score fr yr: 2. soph yr: 7. jr year: 4.
Science Club 4 yrs, VP sr year.
Tech Club 4 yrs
School newspaper 3 yrs, co-editor-in-chief sr year.
Robotics 4 yrs, very competitive team
Tennis 4 yrs (fr, so, jr JV, sr V [tryouts finished although the season does not start yet]), very competitive team; outside of school, Tennis 7 yrs
Piano 15 yrs, play at school events occasionally
Guitar 2 yrs
ASB 3 yrs, class representative</p>

<p>Weaknesses (?): high-income Indian male; weak-ish EC, low-ish AIME scores, several A- grades</p>

<p>Essays should be good.</p>

<p>What are my chances for EA? For RD?</p>

2

<p>Is this even real?</p>

3

<p>bobtheboy</p>

<p>I hope you make it!</p>

4

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes. The only part of my application that seems to be extreme is my test scores, I suppose, but I self studied a lot of those AP tests since I have a lot of free time, and the SAT 2’s were just taken after the respective classes.</p>

5

<p>My advancement in math is because I learned Algebra 2 and Pre-calculus before high school. Everything else, like my grades, SAT, and EC’s, are good but not something I should think would be suspect.</p>

<p>Edit: On an unrelated note, I am in a few other clubs but not ones that I feel are significant college-wise, or have significant time commitments (Asian Society, Frisbee club, Monopoly club). Should I include these anyway?</p>

<p>Also, I am in National Honor Society (4 years).</p>

6

<p>I think you have decent chances.</p>

<p>AIME 7 and 4 is not bad.</p>

<p>Good luck to you.</p>

7

<p>Godly test scores and grades… Lousy EC’s for Caltech, especially for an indian male. Usually, most strong math people at Caltech qualified for USAMO or an international competition. If you have any other significant math/science awards, that will help. That said, you’re pretty far ahead in math so you might have change o.O</p>

8

<p>

</p>

<p>My school doesn’t give a “math award” or subject awards. I don’t think I’m strong enough in math to make USAMO, while I found calculus a breeze it requires a very different kind of math; also, I am terrible at geometry, which has becoming increasingly dominant on the test (I got a B- both semesters in it, and that was middle school, and that was the only class I actually tried in, also the only grade lower than A- I ever got o_o.) The only olympiad I ever made was USNCO [Chemistry], semifinalist, sophomore and junior year, but that’s not that big an achievement and I forgot to put that on there. I participated in USABO and USACO too but never advanced in either. However, I’ll be majoring in chemistry, although I may minor in math, biology, or computer science.</p>

<p>What are considered good EC’s for caltech? I’m pretty sure athletics and most non-academic stuff doesn’t matter. I have participated in Science fair all 3 years but never advanced in that, either, so I probably won’t list it (unless it is a good idea to list it… is it?)</p>

9

<p>Bump…</p>

10

<p>Bumping again.</p>

11

<p>You make me feel like I’m really stupid, you’re such a genius :slight_smile: Great chances at Caltech! Although there are no guarantees for anyone</p>

12

<p>Thanks, everyone!</p>

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<p>***… im a senior in precalculus H and im applying to caltech this year too…</p>

14

<p>Geez, you amaze me. I think that you’ll get in. Although, your extracurriculars aren’t amazing you definitely demonstrate commitment to them. One thing that might hurt you is your lack of community service. You have amazing talents and a superb intelligence, but you don’t give back to the community. A great EC for you would have been tutoring kids for free.</p>

15

<p>I didn’t tutor kids directly although I helped out at a day care for about 10 hours. I have about 75 total hours of community service accumulated over all 4 years of high school, which I forgot to mention. However, this still seems like a pretty small number. Tutoring isn’t really my thing; I tried tutoring my brother once but I am a poor teacher.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>No offense, but are you sure that’s wise? Even if you get in, do you like math enough that you are willing to struggle through at least 2 years of highly advanced math (and physics/CS classes that also require advanced math)?</p>

<p>Also, aren’t you in AP Calculus AB as a junior? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/963571-high-school-class-2013-a-106.html#post13115398[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/963571-high-school-class-2013-a-106.html#post13115398&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>By the way, I believe Caltech requires a year of Calculus for admission.</p>

17

<p>Bet you you’ll make it… </p>

<p>XD</p>

18

<p>-Caltech reading admissions-</p>

<h1>1 Admission: Hey look at this admission.</h1>

<ul>
<li>admmisioners read bobtheboy’s resume-
All of them: OH SHI-
-explodes-</li>
</ul>

19

<p>Your for sure in!
Why not go for MIT man!</p>

20

<p>With all your spare time (and high intelligence, as your test scores indicate), I would expect more impressive extracurriculars. Why no olympiads, research, or academic competitions (NAQT, Science Bowl, Robotics, etc.)? Almost all asian male acceptees I’ve seen have something along those lines. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/1046529-official-caltech-class-2015-ea-rd-decisions-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/1046529-official-caltech-class-2015-ea-rd-decisions-thread.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Still, you might still get in by sheer number of APs. I really don’t know since I rarely see anything so lopsided. 50/50 chance?</p>