<p>I am currently a senior in high school, and am taking Calculus 1 at a community college and am planning to take Calculus 2 next semester. However I have been reading the posts in this forum and everyone seems to have taken multivariable calculus and linear algebra and differential equations, and it is getting me worried because at my school I wasn't given any of those opportunities and I had to press the counsellors to let me take Calculus at the community college at all,and they really try to prevent people from taking math classes over the summer, I don't even think they offer any of those high level math classes at Pierce college. I am very worried. In addition I only got a 3 on AP chem test, because of calculator trouble, in addition to it being a very difficult test of course, and I can't take AP Physics or AP calc BC at my school because they aren't offered so I am taking Physics 6 which is not calculus based at Pierce, and will hopefully take Physics 1 for engineers next semester. I am worried. Do all the students who apply to Caltech have such high levels of math studies? If I have not reached that level in math, what are my chances of getting in? I do have research experience with 2 separate programs will that help in overshadowing that.</p>
<p>Alot of people at CalTech obviously have gone up to high math levels..i mean its what they do. However, if you didnt have the same oppourtunities as other people it's not your fault. If you can't you can't. Though you should be able to take the BC test or any AP test if you pay for it. If not at your school at another school. Im going to be taking multivariable and differential next year..possibly linear algebra too. Im not applying to CalTech but what i did was self study for the BC test this year (whatever i didnt already know) and am going to pay for the test on my own and take it at another school probably. My school only offers AB and if they try to tell me i cant take multi-v or diffy-e they are crazy and I will laugh at them, I doubt the calc teacher at my school has even taken Calc II..pff. Try as hard as you can to get some oppourtunities, but if you cant then you cant.
GoodLuck</p>
<p>A 3 on the AP Chem test is going to look really bad - I wouldn't submit the score. Take some interesting classes at the Community College this year (I never took math over the summer, but did math at the local university my senior year, and did the standard calc 3/multivar/diff eq). Take a calculus based phys class at the CC as well, non-calc based physics is a joke and a waste of your time. Research experience, if you have solid letters of recommendation from it, is a huge boon. Especially if you wrote a paper from it.</p>
<p>galen</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply,
I also took the AP lang test and got a 3, AP Bio-4, AP US history - 4, I didn't take the AP US or AP lang classes though, will that look bad? Oh and I also took the AP Drawing test and didn't pass, I will probably withhold that score too, but I figured the only colleges that would actually consider that are Arts schools and I am not applying to any, is my assumption correct. Research will help which is encouraging. Should I withhold any of the other scores? Thanks for the advise, you are truly the most helpful person in regards to college admissions anywhere.
Shir</p>
<p>Certainly don't send any 3's; and depending on how many 5's you have, you might not want to send the 4's either (I'm too lazy to re-read your above post). If you don't have too many 5's, send the 4's as well; if you have a bunch of 5's, withhold anything but fives.</p>
<p>g</p>