<p>I'm a caucasian senior at a competitive public school, intending to major in math.</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0 uw
SAT: 2200 (800M,700CR,700W)
SAT II's: 800 Math 2c, 800 Physics, 760 U.S. History</p>
<p>AP Classes/College Classes (my weakness...)
-9th:Calculus BC (4), Statistics AP (3)
-10th: Calculus BC (5), Statistics AP (5) (I can omit the bad scores from 9th, right?), Multivariable Calculus (4.0), Linear Algebra (3.2)
-11th: Physics AP (5), Chemistry AP (5), Differential Equations (3.7), Number Theory (4.0)
12th AP: English Language, English Literature, Computer Science AB
12th(currently) : Real Analysis 1 at local U (4.0 now....), Light/Heat (EPGY)
12th(next semester): Real Analysis 2 at local U, Modern Physics (EPGY) </p>
<p>Extracirricular Activities (also weak):
100 hours volunteering at seniors center
Math Club (9th-11th, Prez 11th)
Debate (9th-11th)
11th grade Math competitions:
USAMTS Silver Medal
AMC 12: 137
AIME:12
USAMO qualifier, score: 4
Math League: 35/36
ARML
(My math competition scores are bad from 9th-11th)</p>
<p>I'm kind of quiet in class, so accept mediocre recs. But my essays are good, I think. </p>
<p>I spend all my time on math competitions, leaving little time for anything else.</p>
<p>Your stats are very impressive, even relative to Caltech. Your AIME math score puts you among the best in the nation. And it's very clear that you're passionate in math. Caltech cares more about passion in a particular field, especially math/science, than well-roundedness and it's obvious that you do spend time on math competitions. I think you have very strong chances of getting in, provided that you don't fall into an arrogance trap and write mediocre essays.</p>
<p>And yeah, I think the 10th grade scores pretty much cancel out the 9th grade ones pretty well. "Bad scores can be attributed to many reasons, while there usually aren't many reasons to explain an exceptional score apart from ability".</p>
<p>Even if you're quiet, you're showing that you have motivation outside of school, which is what really matters. As long as the recs don't say anything particularly bad, I don't think that a person of your stats would need stellar recs (they would of course help, but it's definitely understandable if you're not very engaged in class - many teachers don't really understand and even discourage people from academic achievement. "Get a life, be well-rounded, don't study too hard, etc...").</p>
<p>I think that your 3.2 in linear algebra can be forgiven with your USAMO math qualification, high AIME score, and high grades in subsequent courses. If you have poor grades in math and no achivements to show otherwise, then that's a problem. But if you have achievements to show your ability otherwise, then I don't think it'll be much of a problem. Poor grades in a particular course can be attributed to a variety of reasons, as I mentioned above. But to explain such a high AIME score, there is little reason other than natural ability.</p>
<p>The SAT's are only slightly lower than what I've become accustomed to seeing on this forum, but given everything else I'd say epeiee has nothing to worry about. The "bad grades" in college classes are also nothing to worry about. With an unweighted 4.0, six college classes completed before graduating high school, two physics courses taken outside of high school, and stellar competition scores, epeiee does not have a disadvantage of any sort, except the possibility of lackluster recs. It's a little late, but maybe if the math club has a faculty advisor you could get a rec from him/her? Good luck!</p>
<p>namkim, calculus in 9th grade isn't crazy at all, nor does it require much intelligence. I think many more people would be capable of learning calculus in 9th grade if their schools weren't so slow in teaching them it. In fact, one can simply skip geometry, which isn't needed for calculus at the AP level (it's not recommended, but that's what pretty much happened with me and the Core-Plus math program at my school). To learn it at the AP level is much easier than to do well on the AIME, or to have innovative ideas for a research project, or that sort of stuff.</p>
<p>I agree--calculus was a breeze for me, but I only scored a 3 or 4 on the AIME. It takes a lot more math instinct to score well on that thing, while you only need some intelligence and a willingness to work hard to do well in Calculus, I think.</p>
<p>Oh, not at all! I'm saying that his 12 on the AIME impresses me more than his Calculus in 9th grade. However, now that I look at it, he has spent much of his time on math contests, so what impresses me more is his enthusiasm for math rather than his raw mathematical intelligence--although he certainly is very gifted!!</p>