Importance of GPA/class rank

Colleges & Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
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<p>How important is GPA and class rank in admissions? </p>

<p>More specifically, I'm wondering about my chances of admission. Right now, I have a ~3.75 unweighted and am ranked 122/523. (As a sidenote, my school is crazy; top 10% is a 3.96) . However, I have consistently taken the hardest classes available to me. I have been doing university level math (multivariable and beyond) since my sophomore year.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT1: Math: 800 Verbal: 770
SAT2: Math: 800 Physics: 800
I will be taking writing in November. I'm anticipating doing worse on Writing than I did on Verbal, so maybe like a 730 or so.
AP:
Freshman Year: CompSci AB 4
Junior Year: CalcBC 5, AB subscore 5, Physics B 5, Physics C (Mech) 5, Psychology 5, Microecon 5, Bio 4</p>

<p>High School Classes:
Freshman Year:
Chem Study (Pre-AP Honors Chem): A/B
Concert Band II: A/A
Calc AB: A/A
Health: B
AP Compsci: A/B
American Experience: A/A
French 2: A/A
English 9: A/A</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Networking 1: A/A
English 10 TAG: A/B
Math Physics: A/A
Symphonic Band: A/A
World History: B/B
French 3: B/B</p>

<p>Right at the start of second semester freshman year I was really sick and missed a month of school. I ended up being diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. I didn't respond well to the medication I was being given, and so my grades suffered sophomore year. I was switched to a different medicine, and am currently responding well to it.</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Networking 2: A/B
Psych/AP Psych: A/B
AP Bio: A/A
American Experience 3: B
AP MicroEcon: A
Wind Ensemble: A/A
AP Physics: A
AP English 11: A/B</p>

<p>Networking 1&2 is a two year sequence of courses designed to get students their CCNA's.</p>

<p>Senior Year: (1st semester), anticipated (I've got 99s in all these classes. I'd have to work to not get an A)
Astronomy: A
Wind Ensemble: A
English 12 AP: A</p>

<p>In addition, I've taken Multivariable Differential Calculus and Number Theory (A's in both). I'm currently enrolled in Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra (One class, uses Apostol vol. 2), and getting a solid A. Next semester, I'm probably going to have to drop Astronomy at the high school because it conflicts with my university class. I'm probably going to pick up Modern Algebra and E&M at the university.</p>

<p>I also worked a research internship this summer with a physicist. I was the principal author on a research report, and will be submitting that.</p>

<p>So yeah. In general, how important of a factor are grades and class rank? And then, more specifically, how good/bad do you think my chances are? Thank you!</p>

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<p>Shoot. I meant to add that I've taken the AMC12 and AIME the past two years (I also qualified freshman year, but was sick). I got an 118 and a 6 sophomore year, and a 120.5 and a 5 last year.</p>

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<p>I'd say that you're a decently strong candidate. I know that there is some variation in how much people care about GPA, but I suspect that especially if you mention the medical thing and how that screwed up your grades sophomore year that you can carry yourself on the rest of your application. Also, it looks like you have A's in most of your Math/Science classes, which is important. So I'd apply and cross your fingers. </p>

<p>galen</p>

4

<p>I recently finished my junior year and on my way in becoming a senior!<br>
I also recieved my report card in the mail (which turned out to be a 4.0) as shows: x/x/x/x represents the four quarters...</p>

<p>Keyboarding (I was a slow typer...): A/A/A/A
Drafting: A/A/A/A
CP Algebra 2: B/A/B/A
AP English Comp: A/B/B/B
World History:A/A/A/A
Japanese 3: A/A/A/A
Chemistry: A/A/A/A</p>

<p>I recieved a 4.0 for three consecutive quarters, but sadly, a 3.8 in one of them... Anyway, my cummulative GPA is a SAD 3.5, if you're wondering of what brought my GPA average down, it was my freshman year, I sadly got 3.0's-3.3's, I wasn't much of a studious person, until sophomore year and beyond, I've worked really hard in trying to bring up my cummulative GPA, but it's only at a 3.5 now which really stinks for me... so would colleges consider the improvement I've made throughout my highschool experience???</p>

<p>I know, GPA isn't the only things college's consider when admitting you, and I'm also active in extracurricular activities, clubs, and community services, here's a list of the things I did/do besides study all the time:</p>

<p>Gear up Scholar gr: 9 and beyond
Japanese Club gr: 10 and beyond
(Treasurer during 10th gr)
Track gr: 9 and beyond
Cross Country gr: 9
Hawaiian Club gr: 9
Robotics/Botball gr: 10
Lions Club (Community Service) gr: 11</p>

<p>I plan on joining (next year) :
Environmental club
NHS: National Honor Society
Future med.'s of America</p>

<p>and like I've said earlier-
Track
Japanese Club
Gear up</p>

<p>I took the new SAT, and don't exactly know my scores, but just to let you know, I'm terrible at standardized tests... I'm currently studying for the new SAT's because I took the other one baisically, cold. Knowing of my probably bad score, I wanted to take it again, this time, knowing what would happen and actually studying for the test which should drastically improve my score.
There are colleges that don't look at SAT scores right? Are there any good ones?</p>

5

<p>I forgot to mention the classes I'm taking next year. I attend Honokaa
High by the way, and it's a lot different from other schools, anyway, here are my classes:</p>

<p>Trigonometry
Physics -at our school, we take physics as a fourth year of science, I'm not sure if it's different, but I've heard of many other schools that take it first or some other differnt time)
AP English Lit.
Geography-Psychology
Japanese 4
General Art (some colleges require a class of art...)
I'm not exactly sure about my next class... Newswriting perhaps?</p>

<p>My schedule often gets mixed up, therefore, I have to switch them around, running all around the campus telling my WRONG teachers that I'm not in their class! I have to do this almost every year, well, except my 10th gr. year.</p>

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<p>We can't tell you about "colleges". We can tell you about Caltech. This is the Caltech forum. Also, don't resurrect topics from last year. That said...</p>

<p>My personal opinion is that you're not sure what you want to do and you're not doing it very well. I have deduced this from the facts: You're blathering on about your exact grades across four quarters of a year but haven't mentioned the classes you've taken for the previous two years. You're low on AP classes, which shows that you're not challenging yourself (unless your school doesn't offer them for some reason). Your list of ECs shows very little in the way of commitment and looks like the standard list-padder's resume. You won't even be up to calculus by senior year. You've mentioned that you expect low test scores. Finally, you haven't given me a reason to disregard any of these points of inadequacy. </p>

<p>In my opinion, you won't be admitted to Caltech, and you wouldn't like it here anyway. It involves hard work.</p>

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<p>I generally agree with Steel Pangolin. Sorry. The general discussion groups could provide advice on good places where you could get in, and where you should apply.</p>

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<p>Haha, oops, my mistake, could u do me a favor and remove me from this page? I would really appreciate it... Just wanted to get an opinion. Thank you for replying</p>

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<p>Uhm, just wondering, are any of you (or do you know any) female students interested in Caltech?</p>

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<p>I am a female student at Caltech, which means I was once a female student interested in Caltech...</p>

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<p>Once in a while girls interested in Caltech post self-reported stats here, some of which show an impressive degree of passion for math or for science, which is a critical element for fitting into Caltech. I also know of a girl admitted to Caltech an admissions season or two ago who chose instead to go to a Brand X school.</p>

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<p>Thanks alleya and tokenadult. I'm a female student who's interested in Caltech--I might add, I didn't always have a passion for science and math--I enjoy these subjects generally--but I'm REALLY CRAZY about astronomy and all that outer space stuff. My intended study areas are aerospace engineering and planetary science. When I read the posts here, it seems like everybody just excels at math. Although I took Cal BC in my sophomore year and Physics C as a junior, I didn't have a chance to take higher level math. So, do I actually have a slim chance of getting in?
Oh and by the way alleya, I live in Richardson (just north of Dallas :-)</p>

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<p>
[quote]
So, do I actually have a slim chance of getting in?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Nope. Your passion for astronomy is certainly within our range, and we don't expect advanced math from everyone, just people who are very math-centric (and therefore should show some excellence in their chosen field). From what you say, which isn't that much, I'd say your chances of getting in haven't been killed at all... your application certainly has a fighting chance.</p>

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<p>How would adcoms look at a low gpa (3.8 uw/4.4 w) but a rank of 1/466 in a decently public school?</p>

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<p>Only the rank matters, so the lowish GPA won't hurt you.</p>

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<p>Are you serious? Thank God! :)</p>

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<p>Yep! Good luck :)</p>

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<p>Would my AP scores of 4 on both BC Cal and Physics C Mech hurt me? (I made 4 on US gov't and 5s on Euro history, US history, Macroecon & English Comp).</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Would my AP scores of 4 on both BC Cal and Physics C Mech hurt me?

[/quote]
Yes, a fair bit. The cutoff for making a 5 is so low on both tests that not doing so is evidence of a serious lack of mastery of the material. Unless your high school obviously sucks and was unable to prepare you, this will not help your application at all, and it may be worth considering not sending us those scores. But still apply -- people have overcome worse problems.</p>

<p>Out of curiosity, what do you think prevented you from getting a 5?</p>

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<p>I won't make any excuses. As for the BC Cal, we had a brand new teacher just graduated, and that year only one person who took tutoring outside of class made a 5, one made a 4 (me), 2 or 3 made a 3, then the rest failed. For the Physics this year, the teacher told us that there would be no questions on gravity (in space). Yes, I know that sounds funny, but he guaranteed us that the most we needed to know was the universal law of gravitation. So I believed him. And, the 2nd free response was Saturn. I wrote something random. Then I got a 4. Yes, you are right, I really should've studied more by myself . . .</p>