I probably have no chance at Caltech, but I'm relying on a wing and a prayer.

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>Well anyways, I am applying to Caltech. This has recently been one of my dream schools to attend, so I'm going to give it a shot. Here is my profile/stats:</p>

<p>Half-Japanese-Half Serbian (In-state Californian)</p>

<p>9th Grade
Honors Geometry- A/A
Honors English 9- C/C
Honors Biology - B/A
Intro to Computers - A/A</p>

<p>10th Grade
Honors English 10- C/B
French 1- A/A
Honors Trig/Math Analysis - A/A
AP Bio- B/B
Honors World History - B/B</p>

<p>11th Grade
Ceramics - B/B
AP English Language - C/C
AP Calculus AB- A/A
AP Chemistry- B/A
French 2- A/A
Honors US History- A/A</p>

<p>12th Grade (Pending grades)
French 3
AP Physics C
AP Calculus BC
Honors Advanced Composition
AP U.S. Government
AP Psychology
AP Environmental Science</p>

<p>Weighted GPA: 4.1/4.2 ~ariound there</p>

<p>AP Tests
AP Biology - 4
AP Calculus AB - 5
AP Chemistry - 4
AP English Language - 3</p>

<p>SAT Tests
630 Critical Reading
750 Math
660 Writing 12 Essay
TOTAL: 2040</p>

<p>Total: 9 AP Classes, 8 honors courses</p>

<p>SAT IIs
750 Math Level 2
700 Chemistry</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities/Volunteer Work/Honors/Awards
Key Club International (10th Grade-12th Grade, Honorary Member)
Math Club (11th Grade-12th Grade, Member)
Science Club (10th Grade-12th Grade, Secretary)
Mentor Club (11th Grade-12th Grade, we help 9th graders prepare for college)
AIDS Walk Gold Team Member (only high school for two consecutive years to raise 5-figure amount for AIDS research) 2006 and 2007
Math/Science Tutor (I do it for free)
2007 High School Science Award
AP Scholar with Honor Award
Public Library Volunteer
Volunteered a few times at local convalescent hospital
Key Club International (about 400 hrs. of community service since 10th Grade. We actually do meaningful things including working in soup kitchens, working at homeless shelters, helping plant trees in Los Angeles, making cards for sick children at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Lotus Festival volunteering, painting elementary schools. We also helped during the Griffith Park fire when our school was an evacuation site.)</p>

<p>Misc.
I only live with my father(he's a single parent). Total annual income is less than $20,000. Don't know if that plays a role. I'm also going to be a first-generation college student. Neither of my parents have even graduated high school.</p>

<p>By the way, I really hope this drastically improves my chances, but I dont know if it will, here goes:</p>

<p>I currently tutor a Caltech student with his math homework on a regular basis.</p>

2

<p>wow, that's so cool that u tutor a Caltech student! That is certainly a good thing and it will improve your chance, but i don't know whether it will drastically improve though.</p>

3

<p>No offense (as you're a very smart and accomplished individual already, for which I applaud you), but if you're relying on a "wing and a prayer" for getting into Caltech, do you really think you have what it takes to survive Core? Caltech is HARD. I know you're hard working, but that just doesn't cut it here. That said, your math and science scores and such, while still impressive, are somewhat low for Tech (and you're somewhat lacking on the awards end as well, but that's hard for me to judge, as I've met classmates that did too and got in and are doing just fine). </p>

<p>Mentoring a Caltech student in math is interesting, but what does that mean? If you're helping a freshman solve integrals in math .9 (math 1a, section 1) ... that's really not going to help much, but if it's something more than that, then it seems inconsistent with the rest of your math stuff. But still interesting.</p>

<p>But what do I know, I'm not on admissions! Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Based on the stats you listed (just standardized tests that probably won't cut it compared to the average accepted student), you'll need to show how you're passionate for math, science, and/or engineering. If you can't do it here, you won't be able to do it for an admissions committee member reading your application.</p>

5

<p>As far as your comments about your family situation: I think that if I can correctly read the minds of the Caltech admissions committee, they DO view your data in the light of your circumstances, but they try NOT to inflate the chances of any particular type of student just because that student is at a disadvantage. </p>

<p>Caltech will also try to offer adequate financial aid to students from low-income families, and if you get in and you feel your financial aid award is insufficient you definitely should at least try to talk to them about it. Unlike grad schools, colleges don't like your trying to haggle over aid awards, but if they made a mistake they might fix it; just try to be nice about it.</p>

<p>The reason that Caltech is careful not to OVERcompensate for an applicant's circumstances is that they are concerned about admitting students who will actually do well, and not about any abstract idea of fairness. If you are at a disadvantage and they correct for that and then you fail Math 1, that's not going to help anyone -- least of all you. This is also why Caltech doesn't admit students based on athletic ability who wouldn't otherwise have gotten in. At other schools, such students can pick an easy major and somehow graduate. There is very little wiggle room for things like that at Caltech, which means that there is also little wiggle room in admissions.</p>

6

<p>I agree mostly with jaapweel above. Caltech does evaluate your accomplishments in light of your opportunities. So if someone has to work at a grocery store to help make money for the family, Caltech won't expect him to have also done some extensive science extracurriculars, whereas Caltech does expect that of the well-off applicant. But in the end, the goal is still to accept the ~500 most intellectually qualified students who apply. It's just that the signal we get is noisy and one has to adjust for the noise to try to back out what the real top 500 is.</p>

<p>With low-ish scores and grades here and there, getting into Caltech will be a stretch, but there are other schools, like the Ivies and MIT, that have less rigorous core standards and are thus able to take a chance on promising underprivileged kids more than Caltech is able to do. You should definitely apply to Harvard, MIT, and a lower Ivy (get an application fee waiver) because one of them may be willing to take a chance on you even if Caltech is not.</p>

<p>Also be careful about making too much of the "I tutor a Caltech student" business. You can certainly mention it, but make sure to use the right tone about it and make sure the student in question would agree that you do indeed help him substantially with learning the material.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
I only live with my father(he's a single parent). Total annual income is less than $20,000. Don't know if that plays a role. I'm also going to be a first-generation college student. Neither of my parents have even graduated high school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I think this part is HUGE! If Tech won't take you, I think you stand a good chance at many peer (and possibly more prestigious) schools. Why Caltech? If you got into big H (or S/P/Y), you can easily pursue a lucrative career. </p>

<p>For Caltech, you should convince the reader that you can handle the heavy load; I presume that you work really hard already so try to play that up along with your self motivation in pursuing science/math.</p>

<p>I also agree about being cautious with this "tutoring a Caltech student" business.</p>

<p>I feel I should go back to the question of Why Tech? Because you are at some disadvantage in terms of course-work compared to most students, so you will have to compensate for this if you were to attend here (ie, even more work).</p>