<p>I know I'm not smart enough to get into CalTech, but I am just thinking about applying there as a reach. So here are my stats:</p>
<p>US Permanent Resident (lived in US for 5 yrs)
In top 10 public high school in NJ.</p>
<p>SCORES</p>
<p>GPA - 3.92W/4.3 (no ranking)
SATI - 2140 (V:650 M:790 W:700)
SATII - IIC:800 IC:780 Chem:740 Bio:700 Phys:630
ACT: 34 (E:34 M:35 R:30 S:35)
AP - Calc BC:5 Chem:4 Stat:3 (taking 3 more in senior)
TOEFL - 287</p>
<p>AWARDS/HONORS </p>
<p>American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME)
Regional Mathematics League (ARML) (for top 2 from school)
AMC 10 (2nd place in school)
New Jersey Science League for Chem (1st place in school)
County Merck State Science for Chem (18th in county)
Columbia Science Honors Program (highly selective)
Accepted to Phillips Exeter Summer program (but didn't go)
PSAT Commended Student
AP Scholar Award</p>
<p>EC/VOLUNTEER</p>
<p>Numerous school clubs (3 of them as president)
Soccer (since Freshman)
County Orchestra
Korean school assistant teacher
Middle school kids tutor
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Hospital Volenteering (500 hrs)
Habitat for Humanity</p>
<p>Recs: math and science teacher
Essay:good..?</p>
<p>Thanks!
Oh, and can you suggest any match schools for me?</p>
<p>If you're a pre-med, which seems possibly with the EMT and hospital volunteering, I would seriously reconsider coming here (if you get in). It'll be much harder to keep your GPA up than at another school.</p>
<p>As for your chances, the physics grade is low, but everything else seems on track.</p>
<p>caltech doesnt really look beyond grades as much as other us colleges from what i've heard. the 650 in verbal might hurt, but then i've heard rumors that the adcom ignores verbal altogether, and mainly considers your maths score. dont know if theres much truth in that, but a high maths score is definitely more important than a high verbal score. SAT 2: i'm not sure. caltech only asks for 2c scores and scores in 1 science. Your chem and bio scores are fine, which means they'll probably give those priority over the low physics score.Again this is me speculating, so nothings certain, but from the looks of your gpa and aime scores you should have a pretty good shot</p>
<p>"caltech doesnt really look beyond grades as much as other us colleges from what i've heard"</p>
<p>Gonna have to disagree with you. I've seen more 2400 SAT, 15 AP, 4.0, Valedictorians get rejected than I care to count. It's all about the passion. Caltech realizes that if they wanted purely knowledge, they'd be better off downloading a copy of Worldbook.</p>
<p>When I applied to Caltech last year, they only looked at three SAT IIs: a math, a science, and another subject of your choice. I think this year they may have dropped the third SAT II requirement, but I'm not sure. In either case, your low Physics score shouldn't hurt you, although I am just speculating since I'm not on the admissions committee.</p>
<p>As I told my son, the top technical schools statistically don't accept anyone. So, if you are really excited about Caltech, go ahead and apply. Your grades and scores look competitive to me. IANAAO, but I would guess that your essay and ECs will have to convince the admissions folks that you would be the right sort of candidate for Caltech.</p>
<p>IAAAO, and Rick is absolutely right :-D. It's a reach, but if you write super-compelling essays about why YOU are a good match for Caltech and why YOU would add to this place and get a lot out of it, then I think there is a reasonable shot.</p>
<p>Well, to be fair, a former one. For two years I was on the Caltech Committee on Freshman Admissions. This year, I'm a senior, and am applying to graduate school. It would be too difficult, psychologically, to submit applications while evaluating others. But I'm still around to help if there are questions to be answered on this forum.</p>