<p>I really really really really want to go to MIT or Caltech...I'm terrified I won't get in though. I am a junior.</p>
<p>Sophomore year
AP Physics C - A
AP Spanish - A
AP U.S. History - A
P-AP English - A
Multivariate calculus</p>
<p>Junior year (hopefully all As)
AP European history
AP Chemistry
AP English Language
AP Music Theory
Differential equations
Modern Physics I
AP CS AB self-study
AP world history self-study
AP statistics self-study</p>
<p>Senior year
AP government
AP English lit.</p>
<p>Hopefully (but still undecided):
Organic chem 1 and 2
Modern physics 2?
Linear algebra and real analysis</p>
<p>Not really sure what else for senior year.</p>
<p>AP scores
Physics c - 4/5
spanish lang. - 3
U.S. history - 4</p>
<p>ACT - 34
PSAT - 211.</p>
<p>I don't know what I will get on the SAT or this year's PSAT. I am going to take subject tests as well in physics and in math (II)...</p>
<p>Extracurriculars
Harp - like 4 years
Piano - like 6 years
Flute - 1 year
Academic team
Key Club
multicultural club
Asian-american society
Research project
NHS</p>
<p>I went to ISEF two years in a row and got some awards, if that helps...</p>
<p>Where do I seem to be weakest? Does anyone have suggestions on how I could improve myself? What are my chances at:</p>
<p>Your schedule is ridiculously tough--if you can keep your grades up and score pretty well you'll have a good chance almost anywhere. However, as far as I know, CalTech almost doesn't care about anything you do outside of math and science, and you have to score almost perfect on all your math and science tests--I heard somewhere that anything other than an 800 on the IIc will hurt your app. Make sure you score well on your Physics/IIC, and perhaps Chemistry if you take that. The 4 in the Mech section of the Physics will actually hurt your chances at CalTech from what I hear. Your courses show your initiative (I'm assuming you're taking Diff. Equations, etc. outside of school) and your passion for the subjects. By the way, why haven't you taken the Calc BC test? A 5 on the test would probably help you a bit, since the schools you're applying to will not have any record of your abilities in higher math other than your grades. Do try and take ochem and those other classes--they'll help even more. </p>
<p>Your test scores and ECs are where you're weakest, but they aren't bad.. definitely try for more than a 2110 on the real SAT. </p>
<p>From what I know, you're a shoo-in at Rice.</p>
<p>That's awesome, about Rice. It's closer to my home and seems like a really good school and not so impossible to get into, which makes me happy...if I do not get into MIT / Caltech / other top schools maybe I can go there.</p>
<p>The 4 on Physics C made me sad...still, I don't know how I got a 5 on E%M, I thought I did much worse...It made me happy though. :-)</p>
<p>Should I take AP Calc BC just so they can have with which to compare me with others (since university calc isn't neccesarily that good)? Would it be better to take that and not take AP world history, if caltech doesn't care too much for non-science / non-math courses?</p>
<p>I got prep books for the SAT IIs and SAT I so hopefully I can do really well on them...I think I probably got higher on this years PSAT than the others since I studied for it...hopefully that will help.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your advice. It gives me courage to try harder...I was nervous that I didn't have much of a chance. :-) I think my best bet is to try and do really well in the math and science APs / SAT IIs and perhaps do more with my research.</p>
<p>would it help to do the AIME? And to try to do the physics olympiad?</p>
<p>I'd say JUST for CalTech Calc BC > World History, but for the rest of your schools World History > Calc BC, so you should probably discuss this with your counsellor or an admissions officer.</p>
<p>A good person to ask about whether to take Calc or World history would be Ben Golub over on the CalTech forums. He seems to know a lot about CalTech admissions. If money is really an issue, you could work for pay for a couple of weeks this summer (lol working to pay off AP test fees..)</p>
<p>Lol...I would be willing to do that, definitely, if it would help with Caltech...</p>
<p>Would it look weird to take the AP calc test when I am taking dif. eq. and possibly linear algebra at the same time? Like I should have taken it last year, etc.?</p>
<p>Also would it help if I tried with the AIME, physics olympiad, etc.? I don't know how well I could do in the math...I'm not that good at competition-style math...but I took a physics olympiad 1st round exam and it wasn't too bad.</p>
<p>It's just that I would love to do anything I can to help with admissions...I really want to go to Caltech / MIT :-)</p>
A good person to ask about whether to take Calc or World history would be Ben Golub over on the CalTech forums. He seems to know a lot about CalTech admissions.
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Ben Golub is a Caltech student on the Caltech admissions committee, if that adds anything to his qualifications. ;)</p>