<p>Let's say, hypothetically, you have an 800 on the Math IIC, but not such a high grade in honors math in your school. Would Caltech count the not so strong grade against you? (Lets say the grade is a B :))</p>
<p>Relative to getting an A and an 800 on the Math IIC, the B would look worse. However, it alone is not going to keep you out of Caltech (and the 800 on the Math IIC by itself won't get you in).</p>
<p>I faintly recall looking at the regular decision admission thread for Caltech this year and noticing only one or two posts (from both admits and rejects) where anybody had anything other than an 800 on the Math IIC. This doesn't necessarily indicate anything about how the score is used in the admissions process, but it renders unlikely the possibility that the score can compensate much for subpar grades in math, since it seems to be so common in the applicant pool.</p>
<p>Now, if you only have one bad grade in math, 5s on the relevant AP tests, and seem to be good at quantitative sciences in general, you'll start to amass more mitigating factors. But in reality all these things are very common among the applicant pool, and the unfortunate truth is that a B in math/science can cause some real damage. (Although certainly not to the point where it dooms an application)</p>
<p>wait, do you guys to mean that most caltech kids have straight As in math and science?</p>
<p>There's a good chance that that is true.</p>
<p>wow one more reason I shouldn't apply!</p>
<p>any comments from current caltechers?</p>
<p>Ditto what dLo said.</p>
<p>I got in with a B+ first semester senior year in AP Computer Science, so next year at least one freshman will have gotten a B in a math/science class.</p>