<p>Hi all!</p>
<p>I'm a sophomore at a highly competitive school in New Jersey. I took the SAT II Math IC and IIC in middle school, and got a 770 and an 800 on them, respectively. I also took the
SAT I test in the 8th grade an got a 2200. Freshman year, I had one of the heaviest course-loads in my grade, taking Honors Precalculus, Honors Biology, and Honors Chemistry, while taking Honors wherever I could. However, I ended freshman year miserably, with a 3.51 UW/ 4.11 W. Being a glutton for punishment, I skipped AP Calculus BC over the summer, taking Honors Multivariable Calculus sophomore year, as well as AP Biology, Honors Physics, and a bunch of other Honors classes. I am probably going to get a B in AP Biology, and I might also get one in Honors Physics.
I am a tournament-level chess player, with a USCF rating of about 1520. I have been playing chess all my life. I received a gold medal at the NJ Science Olympiad state tournament. I was also part of the team that placed 1st there. I am an avid participant in my science and math clubs, having done well in Mandelbrot, AMC and PUMAC (Princeton University Math Competition). Is there anything at all that can be done? I project my GPA will be at around a 3.7 by the start of junior year. My weighted GPA will be much higher, though not outstanding. Do I need a reality check?</p>
<p>If you took Math IIC in middle school, you obviously knew Precalculus, so why did you take it again?</p>
<p>Also, how well do you do in AMC? Did you get to AIME? USA(J)MO?
And have you retaken the SAT? What did you get?</p>
<p>I think you have a good shot if you get 5’s on your APs, try to avoid B’s in junior year, ace your SAT retake, and write great essays.</p>
<p>Thanks for your encouraging reply!
I basically took the IIC independent of my school, so I really couldn’t use my score to justify a course advance. I made AIME, but I did not make USAJMO. :(</p>
<p>Well, you are going to have to retake the SAT and those SAT II subject tests in high school, since middle school tests do not count. While you sound like exactly the kind of candidate Caltech is looking for, understand that Caltech is a unique school in that a majority of applicants and almost all acceptances have 800’s on both the SAT I math and the SAT Math II subject test. Not only do most applicants have outstanding standardized math and science test scores, many also make the AIME and USAJMO and/or are finalists in the Intel ISEF and Siemens competition. So if you really want to give yourself a shot, you are going to need to be at least on par with some of those applicants. Nevertheless, you sound like you are on track, so good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>Rah, Rah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Roma, Roma, Ma, Gaga, Ooh, la,la.</p>
<p>Bump.</p>
<p>I think you have a good chance. Caltech is hard though, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t go your way. You sound like you’re on track.</p>