Class of 2012 RD Thread & Profile

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
21

<p>ACCEPTED</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: Public IB School, quite competitive
GPA: UW (4.0): W(7.4):
Class Rank: 5/10322 (district rank)
AP/IB [5]: AP Calculus AB [5], AP Comp Sci [5], AP U.S. History [5], AP Macroeconomics [5], AP Microeconomics [5], AP Statistics [5], AP Euro History [4], AP English Lang [4]
SR YR AP/IB: AP Chem, AP Bio, AP English Lit, IB Spanish, IB Math HL, IB History
SAT I: Math (800); CR(730); W(770, Essay 10)
SAT IIs: IIC:800 CHEM:800 BIO/M:800 U.S. History:780
OTHER:</p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: Research: National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Classical Piano, Orchestra (violin), Spanish Honor Society, Tri-M, Summer Research Project dealing with heart hormones. </p>

<p>Leadership positions: NHS President, Math Club Team Captain, Honor Council, Student Gov't Parliamentarian. </p>

<p>Athletic Status: Nothing really except for 1 year of swim team</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: NHS activities (100+ hours), IB CAS hours (250+)</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar, All County Orchestra Assistant Concertmaster, Yale Book Award, Mediocre Math Awards, Regional Piano Competition Awards.</p>

<p>Essays: Nothing overt about love of science and math, completely revolves around a Halloween Community Service Project and problem solving skills (admissions ppl said it was innovative). </p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: Yes, about natriuretic peptides (IB Extended Essay). </p>

<p>Reccs: Math and English, both pretty good.</p>

<p>Hooks: Good question....</p>

<p>OTHER: Asian. </p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID: Don't be cliche about your love of math/science.</p>

22

<p>Yepp. Narwhals for the win. :'D</p>

23

<p>WAITLISTED</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: Private, Small
GPA: UW (3.69): W(School doesn’t weight):
Class Rank: School Doesn’t Rank
AP/IB [5]: US History (5), Bio (4)
SR YR AP/IB: AP Calculus AB
SAT I: Math (690); CR(720); W(730/12 essay)
SAT IIs: IIC: 740 US: 780 BIO/M: 800
OTHER: </p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: Research and Science Fair competitions. I was Best in Category and 1st place in Medicine and Health at the International Science Fair (ISEF) last year. I was also best in fair at State. See my profile for a more extensive list. </p>

<p>Leadership positions: Student Body VP, Model UN Chair and delegate, only clarinet in Jazz band</p>

<p>Athletic Status: At Caltech? hahaha</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: Standard hospital volunteering</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS </p>

<p>ISEF Best in Category Med. Health
ISEF first in category Med. Health
Siemens Westinghouse Semi-finals
Best in Fair at State/1st in Category
Assortment of other science research based awards- see profile if you really want</p>

<p>Essays: I liked them.</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: Yes</p>

<p>Reccs: Didn’t see them</p>

<p>Hooks: Alumni, Science Research</p>

<p>OTHER: No doubt this is a polite rejection. My GPA, Math SAT, lack of advanced science/math courses/ AP's would have gotten me outright rejected if I wasn’t alumni. I would get grilled at Caltech anyway, can’t really see myself there. Congrats to everyone else!</p>

24

<p>
[quote]
rejected with a 2360 and a 3.75 uw/top 5%. oh well :/

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh it's so sad. I am sorry, you will have a good school</p>

25

<p>yey! I'm so excited... caltech's pretty smart for sending out acceptances so early and drawing us all to them :) </p>

<p>ACCEPTED</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: public charter school
GPA: UW 3.983
Class Rank: school doesn't rank
AP: Bio (5) Calc AB (5) US History (5)
SR YR AP: Calc BC, Physics, Chemistry, Comparative Government
SAT I: Math (800); CR(790); W(780)
SAT IIs: IIC: (800) Bio (800) US History (790)</p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: NHS, Key Club, choir, soccer </p>

<p>Leadership positions: NHS VP, Key club Treasurer, Soccer captain and coach, Camp counselor</p>

<p>Athletic Status: Select Soccer, not that it matters to a school with no girls soccer!</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: Key Club, soccer coach, Camp counselor</p>

<p>Other: Summer engineering programs several years in a row</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
National merit finalist, AP scholar</p>

<p>Essays: they were my last, so hopefully best!</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: no... </p>

<p>Reccs: Good</p>

<p>Hooks: well, I'm a girl, which doesn't hurt</p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID: My ECs aren't really that typical for a caltech applicant, so maybe that helped :)</p>

26

<p>REJECTED after being deferred</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: small (5 people in my class, no joke) liberal-arts focused school for first two years then homeschooled
GPA: UW (): 3.97
Class Rank: 1/1
AP: Calculus BC [5], Calculus AB [5], Physics B [5], Macroeconomics [4], English Language [4]
SR YR AP: Latin Vergil, Chemistry, Physics C, Stats, Comp Sci AB, US History, Music Theory, also Multivariable Calc and Linear Algebra
SAT I: Math (800); CR(790); W(800)
SAT IIs: IIC: 800 PHYSICS: 800</p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: Violin and lots of orchestras, competitions, teaching, volunteering, etc</p>

<p>Leadership positions: Student government, yearbook</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: volunteering at my church</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
Summa cum laude (9th and 10th), National Merit Finalists, AP Scholar w/ distinciton, 1st place in school science fair</p>

<p>Essays: good</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: none</p>

<p>Reccs: probably pretty good</p>

<p>Hooks: girl? obviously didn't work</p>

<p>OTHER: math tutor</p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID: I didn't have really any extra-curriculars related to math/science. It was probaby pretty clear that I'm still sort of focused on liberal arts and I'm not engineer-oriented at all (I want to go into pure math or theoretical physics). But I'm glad I gave it a shot, and I'm glad I didn't take away anyone's spot who really wanted it. But I think this shows for anyone out there planning to apply in the future, if you really want to go to Caltech, get some science ECs!!</p>

27

<p>REJECTED</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: poor/mediocre in academics
GPA UW: 3.61
AP: calc BC, phy C mec, psych, comp sci A [5], chem, euro, lang comp [4]
SR YR AP/IB: human geo, env sci, lit
SAT I: Math (800); CR(760); W(780)
SAT IIs: IIC: 800 CHEM: 790 KOREAN: 800 </p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: marching band, jazz band, math club</p>

<p>Leadership positions: math club president</p>

<p>Athletic Status: none</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: local hospital </p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
2007 USAMO
National Merit Finalist</p>

<p>Essays: Pretty good, I think.</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: none</p>

<p>Reccs: physics/english</p>

<p>Hooks: prolly none</p>

<p>OTHER: ASIAN MALE (came from Korea 5 years ago)</p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID
no idea. sum1 tell me plz..i didn't even get into the waitlist</p>

28

<p>^^^You say your school is mediocre and yet you have a 3.61. That is probably why. Sorry it did not work out for you. Waiting for any other schools?</p>

29

<p>I'm surprised that REJECTED got rejected. He has USAMO which Caltech really likes. I have a friend with a 3.2 but 2 time USAMO and RSI who got into Caltech, MIT, etc.</p>

30

<p>You guys are simply amazing. I'm not waiting for my decision anymore after having seen those 800's. My 730 Physics and 690 MathIIc is not going to make it even if I'm an international.</p>

31

<p>Wow. Accepted.</p>

32

<p>i concur with stupidkid. 3.6 is nothing to be proud of, but i would have guessed that a USAMO qualification would have been enough to redeem this to at least get him on the waitlist. im sorry REJECTED. i think you should have at least been put on the waitlist. good luck with your other schools</p>

33

<p>For my son:</p>

<p>ACCEPTED</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: Public magnet school
GPA: UW (4.0): W(4.55):
Class Rank: 4/194
AP/IB [5]: Chemistry, Physics B, US History, Calculus BC, English Language, Latin Literature ([4]: Computer Science A)
SR YR AP/IB: English Literature, Physics C Mech/E&M, Biology, Latin Vergil, Macroeconomics, US Government
SAT I: Math (800); CR(800); W(800)
SAT IIs: IIC: 800 CHEM: 800
OTHER: ACT: 36</p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: Quiz Bowl, Science Olympiad, Kung Fu, Latin Club/Certamen Team, Knowledge Masters, Research at Microbiology Lab</p>

<p>Leadership positions: Quiz Bowl Co-Founder/Vice President, Latin Club Co-President, Knowledge Masters Vice President</p>

<p>Athletic Status: 1st Degree Black Belt in Kung Fu (nothing school related)</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: Public Library, Hospital, Kung Fu Instruction, Tutoring</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
Colorado School of Mines Medal of Achievement in Math and Science, Chemistry Olympiad National Finalist (not UNSCO Camp/Team, but that is what the certificate said), National Merit Finalist, Various Quiz Bowl competition awards (competed at Nationals), Various Science Olympiad Regional and State Medals (competed at Nationals), AP Scholar with Distinction</p>

<p>Essays: Son said the long essay was strong and demonstrated scientific passion, and the humor and ethical dilemma ones were creative and interesting.</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: No</p>

<p>Recs: Two amazing teachers and additional rec from college professor in whose lab he did research.</p>

<p>Hooks: No</p>

<p>OTHER: Personalized note on admission letter said "Your Science Olympiad accomplishments are impressive!"</p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID: Test scores and essays.</p>

34

<p>^Wow, and Stanford rejected that? Didn't even defer it??? Yeah, Caltech knows where it's at.</p>

35

<p>coasterdude325, my son's aforementioned SAT1 and ACT scores are from Jan'08 and Feb'08 test dates respectively, so Stanford didn't have those scores for SCEA. They had a 2340 and a 35. Also my son forgot to mention volunteering service (400+ hrs.) in the common application. After receiving the rejection e-mail from Stanford on Dec.14'07, he found the mistake and send his volunteering update to common application to all other colleges, and retook both tests. Yeah, they didn't even defer it. My son was gobsmacked.</p>

36

<p>Why does everyone who got in have perfect scores? Makes me think Caltech is way too focused on that...</p>

<p>I got in with a 2350 (and better SAT II), but I don't want to think that's one of the top two reasons they're accepting people. Sure scores are important, but I don't know what the student body is going to be like if scores/academics are the only thing. What about intellectual insight?</p>

37

<p>Stanford only deferred 7% this year.
I am pretty sure your son did not need to retake the ACT and SAT. Good job on the perfect scores anyways!</p>

38

<p>I didn't get perfect scores either, for SAT I at least. I think it just kidn of correlates. The people who are very math/science oriented are usually very good test takers.</p>

39

<p>To those who are waitlisted: A waitlist decision at Caltech is not a "polite rejection". For the past two years, Caltech has actually taken a lot of people (I want to say around 50 two years ago, not sure how much last year but a decent amount) off the waitlist.</p>

<p><-- was waitlisted two years ago</p>

<p>And by the way, just because you were waitlisted doesn't mean you can't hack it either. I know a quite a few waitlisted kids here who have above-average GPAs in some of the most difficult majors.</p>

40

<p>Accepted</p>

<p>College Class Year: 2012</p>

<p>ACADEMICS
High School: Big high school in the South, good reputation, not outstanding
GPA: UW (3.89): W(4.43):
Class Rank: top 2%, not a rank, I know
AP/IB [5]: Chem (5) BC Calc (5) English (5) US Hist (4)
SR YR AP/IB: English, Physics, Economics, Comparative Govt, Stats
SAT I: Math (780); CR(800); W(740)
SAT IIs: IIC:800 CHEM:710 Lit:710
OTHER: 84 on AMC... doesn't seem up to par on this thread</p>

<p>EC
Key ECs: Volleyball- 8yrs club, 2 yr varsity, all district, competed nationally for club and did well. Other than that, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, nothing major</p>

<p>Leadership positions: Captain of team, NHS officer</p>

<p>Athletic Status: Varsity Athlete</p>

<p>Volunteer/Service Work: Not much</p>

<p>HONORS AND AWARDS
Girls State, normal school stuff, National Merit Finalist, All-district volleyball</p>

<p>Essays: Good short answers, Great Essay on math and science in my life. I think this helped with lack of science ECs and research</p>

<p>Caltech Research Paper submitted: No</p>

<p>Reccs: Great rec from math teacher, English rec should have been excellent</p>

<p>Hooks: Athlete, balance sports with school. I write well and am well-rounded. </p>

<p>OTHER: I am still in shock. i have to say that it is possible for a student without research and math and science ECs can get into Caltech. Yet another Stanford reject. They must look for a very different type of student.</p>

<p>WHY YOU BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THE WAY IT DID: I think that I was different from the average Caltech Applicant, in that I love math and science but spend my extracurricular time on other things. My passion for math and science, volleyball, and reading probably came through strongly in the essays.</p>