<p>I'm applying RD with a 3.6 unweighted, 4.35 weighted. Taken the toughest course load available and my teachers have included in their recs that I've gone the extra mile (I'm studying beyond AP calc on my own).</p>
<p>Nothing remotely special like curing cancer or any of the monstrous things I've seen accomplished by posters on here.</p>
<p>Here are my stats in full:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=119089%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=119089</a></p>
<p>Can anyone tell me if it's a good idea to let the admissions people know that my grades slumped soph year because I was out with chicken pox? I forgot to remind my counselor to make a note of that in her rec.</p>
<p>Anyway my hook is that I'm a self motivated black guy from a third world African country who came here more or less at the beginning of high school and motivated himself (upward grade trend) especially in learning higher math, even though I am seriously quite poor. I'm teaching myself out of Apostol's Calculus book because (as you all know) AP Calc is a joke in terms of teaching a deeper understanding of the subject.</p>
<p>There is nothing quite deflating as seeing people who have done all these wonderful things (kudos to them) so I'd like to know whether it's sensible to keep my hopes up for some glimmer. I'd really like to challenge myself but that's not going to happen in the universities of my home state, NV.</p>
<p>BTW. The high school I go to is an intensely competitive magnet school. Top in the state. I also had the highest SAT score in my school, though it wasn't as brilliant as others on here. I managed to achieve top 13% in my class but that can only go up after this year with the load I'm taking.</p>
<p>Be honest. Heh.</p>
<p>If the GPA is all you're concerned about then it's much better coming from an intensely competitive magnet school at the top of the state than it is from most other schools ;)</p>
<p>You should most definitely mention chicken pox if that's the reason for your sophomore year bad grades. Without any indication of the reason, I'm looking at that thinking -- what is this, laziness? If the admissions committee knows you were ill, we look at that in a different light. And don't worry that "it'll sound like making excuses" -- there is a huge disincentive to lie about stuff like that because one phone call can confirm such a thing. </p>
<p>The fact that you studied most of Apostol should definitely be mentioned. It will have a favorable effect.</p>
<p>I think your stats seem very competitive; you are a very interesting kid, very much not a cookie cutter typical applicant. Out of sheer curiosity, could you PM me your best philosophical essay? I'm into philosophy and I'd like to give it a read.</p>
<p>where would you include such information about unusual circumstances that affected grades?</p>
<p>The easiest thing is to send an email to <a href="mailto:ugadmissions@caltech.edu">ugadmissions@caltech.edu</a> with your name and SSN in the subject line and the note you want to write in the body, and it will be included in your file. Mailing a piece of paper will have the same effect.</p>
<p>would it be okay to send the paper along with the rest of the application? with the ssn and name at the top... and maybe a title saying you want to explain circumstances</p>
<p>Yes. That is also perfect -- I just gave the advice assuming that you were doing an electronic application, but it's even easier if it's paper.</p>
<p>Hey Ben. Sorry, have been trying to get my essays done. I'll send you a PM right away.</p>