Probability of Acceptance Based on Statistical Data

Colleges & Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>I’m sorry for cluttering the board, but I searched and I couldn’t find a chances thread for a homeschooler. Before you regulars turn your backs in scorn, have a look.</p>

<p>Sat I-M,V,W 680, 730, 700 and 760, 800, 640(arrghh!)
Sat II’s Math IIc 800, Physics 800</p>

<p>JC and University classes:
Math: Single and Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Number Theory, Analysis(1 year), Abstract Algebra(1 year, some advanced stuff: reading course, etc.)
Physics: All based on multivariable calculus/vector analysis; Mechanics, Thermodynamics; Electricity and Magnetism; Modern Physics: Relativity, Quantum Mechanics; Physics Research Seminar(senior project). I have straight A’s in these classes, most of the time the highest grade in the class.</p>

<p>ECs: I tutor calculus, DFQs and physics 5 hours a week; I am leader in a scouting type program; I run the AV department at my church; I play the keyboard in a band; I play a lot of sports, but all unorganized(ultimate Frisbee anyone?)-the only official thing I can remember is 4:30 mile in 8th grade.</p>

<p>Teacher Recs: one from a math professor I’m good friends with; we actually hang out together sometimes, this summer we‘re doing a research project, I am taking a reading course from him-you get the idea. Others, my analysis prof(I got a 96 in his class-nobody else got over a 90), physics prof(he called me his best student… before he knew I was in high school).</p>

<p>Contests: Zero. I’m going to enter Siemens Westinghouse, that’s the only one I found out about in time. </p>

<p>Research: This is my passion, I’ve done a good bit, but nothing good enough to publish(I’ve come close). This summer I’m making a big push for Siemens. </p>

<p>Until recently, I’ve been so naïve about this college admissions thing-all along I thought I would just pick a college, and go there. All these perfect people on CC with all their incredible contests, scores, ECs- I’m getting worried. Please comment, especially about the home schooling aspect, does this make a lot harder for me?</p>

2

<p>I think just picking a college and going there is probably a pretty realistic approach for you.</p>

<p>Re: contests, you can also enter Intel this year--the deadline's later than Siemens anyway, and unless you did a torture-response study on primates or something similar that'd complicate all the paperwork there's no reason to enter one but not the other. Partial results come in plenty of time for admissions consideration, I think. Not that entering contests is necessary.</p>

3

<p>I wish I could do a 4:30 mile :( in eighth grade I ran a 8:00. You could probably get recruited (to somewhere else, that is) if you run cross-country this fall.</p>

4

<p>I haven't run competitively in a long time.</p>

5

<p>Just out of curiosity, what are you going to take in math and physics your senior year?</p>

6

<p>A reading course in algebra, perhaps some topology. The physics research seminar and modern physics.</p>

7

<br>


<br>

<p>There's always a chance that some college that seems like a safety school will reject you.</p>

<p>Take the example of a student who went to my high school a couple of years ago. This guy was a legend: good grades, good test scores, did very well in plenty of competitions including two gold medals in two international Olympiads in the same year (he also qualified for a third but that would have meant giving up the other two). Basically, an uber-genius. By anyone’s estimates, he should have been able to get into any college in the country.</p>

<p>Applied to Harvard…got rejected. Not waitlisted, flat out rejected.</p>

<p>I would suggest applying to more than one college. You never know.</p>

8

<p>Oh--yes--certainly apply to more than one school. Just don't /worry/ too much. The time is better spent continuing to do what you've been doing.</p>

<p>Also, although no top school can be considered a safety (and I think I know which case you're talking about), the Ivies and Harvard especially seem a little less predictable than the top tech schools.</p>

9

<p>I'm obviously going to apply to more colleges, I just have my heart set on Caltech.</p>

<p>Back to my main concern; how does Caltech view homeschoolers? I've heard horror stories about some colleges flat out denying homeschoolers acceptance.</p>

10

<p>I think just about all colleges flat out deny certain homeschoolers acceptance ;) PM me if you want contact info for a friend of mine who was homeschooled and ended up with several extremely good options for college; she'd probably have useful perspective on the process of applying as a homeschooler if there's no one here who's had that experience. (On the other hand you probably know of a lot of other homeschooled students, and obviously you're looking for information specifically about Caltech.)</p>

11

<p>Very few colleges flat out reject homeschoolers these days. Some do have additional requirements, usually additional SAT II exams. Your best bet is to call the college admissions offices and ask if they need anything extra from homeschooled students. I specifically recommend calling rather than e-mailing because it's much easier to discuss particulars of your situation on the phone rather than via e-mail. </p>

<p>Caltech does not have additional requirements for homeschoolers. I know they've accepted homeschoolers in each of the last three years.</p>

12

<p>


</p>

<p>You've been hearing from uninformed people if you hear stories like that. The College</a> That Admit Homeschoolers FAQ has a long history of documenting that all the usual highly desired colleges admit homeschoolers. They have to be PREPARED homeschoolers, to be sure, to get in at the top colleges. And as others have said in this thread, if you aspire to a top college, it is prudent to apply to more than one. But, yes, if you like Caltech, apply to Caltech and don't worry about being rejected solely for having a secondary education through homeschooling.</p>

13

<p>Thanks for the advice everyone. </p>

<p>tokenadult: I've heard about colleges requiring a high school diploma. This would eliminate me, since I won't get an official diploma.</p>

14

<p>Caltech and MIT are two notable exceptions (I know because I originally planned to drop out of high school), and many schools don't require an official diploma of homeschooled students.</p>

15

<p>If you look at the Common Data Set information available for most colleges, or otherwise browse around on college Web sites, you will find that most of the most elite colleges with strong math programs say specifically that they do not require a high school diploma for admisssion. The odd case seems to be Stanford, which answers its Common Data Set question saying it does require a diploma </p>

<p><a href="http://www.stanford.edu/home/statistics/#admission%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.stanford.edu/home/statistics/#admission&lt;/a> </p>

<p>but since Stanford is known to be well informed about homeschoolers </p>

<p><a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_8_faqs.html#home_schooled%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/applying/1_8_faqs.html#home_schooled&lt;/a> </p>

<p><a href="http://nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/StepsNewsletter/college_admission_home_schooler.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/StepsNewsletter/college_admission_home_schooler.htm&lt;/a> </p>

<p>it seems the only "diploma" you need as a homeschooler is your parents' declaration that you have completed your secondary education program. For Caltech, none of this is a problem.</p>

16

<p>YOu can GET RECRUITED IF YOU RAN A 4:30 mile in teh 8th grade. Not only recruited but a full scholarship if you still have that type of skills. I AM SO SERIOUS. I ONLY RAN 4:35 as JUNIOR AND I AM HEARING FROM SOME COLLEGES. GO RUN NOW!!!!</p>

<p>Unless you are lying? and i think you might be because you dont sound too serious about running and 4:30 takes alot of training. Maybe 5:30 or 6:30.</p>

17

<p>Caltech doesn't recruit athletes nor does it offer athletic scholarships, as far as I know.</p>

18

<p>NCAA rules prevent D-3 schools (Caltech is D-3, right?) from giving athletic scholarships.</p>

19

<p>If you ran a 4:30 mile in 8th grade, then you should put a little more time into that. By your senior year you would be likely be around low 4 minutes, which would get you a scholarship to Stanford, Duke, etc. (good schools that have athletic scholarships).</p>

<p>A friend of mine ran a 4:35 mile in 8th grade and received a full scholarship to Tennesseee, where he won the mile for the Southeastern Conference and was All-American (best time was 4:00:0.1, i.e. never broke the 4 minute mile). He is now an engineering professor.</p>

20

<p>Even for colleges that don't offer athletic scholarships (e.g., all of the Ivy League), strong athletic ability in a sport that the college competes in is a great "tip factor" to help your case for admission. If Caltech has a track team (doesn't it?), the track coach would love to have a great miler who is otherwise qualified for Caltech. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.athletics.caltech.edu/recruits/index_recruit.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.athletics.caltech.edu/recruits/index_recruit.html&lt;/a> </p>

<p>(I knew I'd find a link like that on Caltech's Web site with an easy Google search because I had already seen the similar link on MIT's Web site.)</p>