<p>I read "Chem 3" and shuddered.</p>
<p>Chem 3 that bad, huh? <em>shudder</em> Why can't I find a good school without crazy requirements?</p>
<p>Psh, Ch 3a isn't that bad except for having to get up early once a week. If you really hate that you can always get an afternoon-only section. :D Five hours in lab moves very quickly compared to... say... three hours in a hum.</p>
<p>How early is "early"?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Built a working telescope from trash from NYC streets (sewer pipe, broken microscope, part of a camera, etc)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hriundeli, I can't believe you were waitlisted! I guess it goes to show how random admissions is.</p>
<p>did you put a picture of the telescope in the box question? you should have.</p>
<p>Accepted! President Scholar!</p>
<p>Good luck and congratulations to everyone else!</p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2210 CR:750 M:760 W:700
SAT IIs: 800 Math, 760 Bio, 750 US History, 720 Chem
GPA: 4.39
Rank: 1/257
AP/IB scores: 5 on Chem, Bio, and US History. Taking English Lit, Calculus AB, Physics B, and US Government.
AMC12/AIME/USAMO:
Research: None
Courseload: Consistently difficult for all of high school, I have taken 7 of the 8 AP classes at my school.
Other stats:</p>
<p>Subjective:
Essays: I think they were good, I included my debunking of learning by osmosis.
Recommendations: Good, my chemistry teacher wrote one and she thinks I am smart.
Hook (if any): Female (they need more of us) and some people think I am funny.</p>
<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: Northern California
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Major strength/weakness: I have consistent grades</p>
<p>Other Factors:
Extracurriculars listed on app: Music, Destination Imagination (1st at Global Finals twice), co-founding a music program, tennis, CSF, Key Club, etc.
Summer Activities: EPGY in engineering at Stanford
Why I think I was accepted/denied: Creativity?
What's your favourite flavor of pie? My grandma's blueberry pie, I got one today because it is my birthday! Apple pie is good too...
Other thoughts: I know one other person at my school who applied, he was rejected...</p>
<p>congrats!! and happy birthday!</p>
<p>
How early is "early"?
8 AM. It's one of the few ways they can schedule five hours of lab time around frosh core.</p>
<p>hriundeli- you can go over the word "limit" but not over the character count. But even then they can cut you off, like for the last line of each essay the bottom half the letters were cut off.</p>
<p>You don't necessary need to write a lot. Write what you feel is necessary.
if you can't fit everything you think is necessary....then make it fit. Cutting!!!</p>
<p>Big Brother 1984, I probably know you from somewhere, but how do you know my name? </p>
<p>Anyway, I just want to get on with my life. I hate not knowing what's going on! I just don't want another lukewarm waitlist that's virtually a "rejection" in a nicer form; I'm sick of reading "waitlist" and having to chase down the USPS truck with no avail. Arg...</p>
<p>And Dan, I'm sorry about your waitlist...I know how you feel. MIT did the same for me.
I just wish for a nicer ending with CalTech....=)</p>
<p>Accepted! Wait, what is Presidential Scholars? Because I didn't get it.</p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2250 CR:730 M:760 W:760
SAT IIs: 800 Math IIC, 800 Physics, 760 US History, 730 Lit, 790 Chinese
GPA: ~3.9 unweighted, 4.117 weighted
Rank: 20s to 40s range out of 225
AP/IB scores: 5's on 2 Physics C's, Physics B, 2 Calc's, chem, us history, english language; gonna take 5 more this year
AMC12/AIME/USAMO: 118.5 / 5 / n/a
Research: None
Courseload: pretty hard stuff
Other stats: Physics team semifinalist! Except that doesn't count, since I sent it in after decisions were made.</p>
<p>Subjective:
Essays: I nailed the essays. Except for the picture essay. The first picture I sent didn't work, so they asked me for another one.
Recommendations: My guidance counselor told me my two teacher recc's (math and english teachers) were really good. Now, I don't know about hers, but she likes me, so it better have been good.
Hook (if any): None. I'm an Asian male, the most screwed over demographic group in the college selection process.</p>
<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: Delaware
School Type: Charter
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Major strength/weakness: I'm not sure what my rank is, but I know it is soooo bad. Good thing my school doesn't reveal rank. Other than that, I'm the typical Asian applicant.</p>
<p>Other Factors:
Extracurriculars listed on app: Music, Cross Country, Math League, Science Olympiad, Vex Robotics, Chinese Cultural Club, youth group, Buddy Program
Summer Activities: Volunteering, University of Delaware classes, Governor's school
Why I think I was accepted/denied: God knows. I'm happy, though.
What's your favourite flavor of CAKE? chocolate ice cream
Other thoughts:
Some other kid from my school got in, too. I expected him to, since he's a genius. Another kid, who's also a genius and is a lot smarter than me, didn't get in. I guess you have to be well rounded and stuff.
I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I'm not liking this 3:1 male:female ratio I'm hearing about. Can someone who goes to Caltech enlighten me as to what you guys do for fun?
I think the essays were really important. I followed their rules but wrote as much as I could. If there was a 500 word essay, then I made mines 499 words. (I don't remember exactly the word limits in the essays.)</p>
<p>Congratulations, and good luck to everyone on your other colleges as well!</p>
<p>Waitlist is not a rejection in a nicer form! :P I thought it was too, last year. Well, okay, maybe it is, sometimes, with some schools. But having come off it (surprising though it was) I'm not sure that's an entirely fair statement ;)</p>
<p>Btw, I got flat out rejected by MIT. I'm absolutely certain it was the essays. I did MIT EA, and I didn't have time to write the essay so I threw some bs together in half an hour. That basically got me deferred and excluded me from ever being accepted, I think. For Caltech, I spend many hours on the essays, and I think they might have been my hook, actually.</p>
<p>Phrancness I did that exact same thing last year for Caltech EA. Really wish I had waited for RD on that one.</p>
<p>We all want to move on Ahra ^.^</p>
<p>Just...hang in there k?</p>
<p>I'm sure that by the time March 29 rolls around, you will have several places to choose. And all you need is one acceptance. I really can't conceive you not getting in anywhere.</p>
<p>You can bet that I'll pulling for you :)</p>
<p>I just got rejected.</p>
<p>Like I said earlier, I blame it on my standardized test scores. My essays and recommendations were astounding, but I'm just mentally incapable of perfection on the SAT, despite having very good AP scores and taking courses such as Multivariable Calculus, Linear algebra, and Differential Equations.</p>
<p>I have to admit that I'm extremely disappointed, and although I don't blame Caltech too harshly, as they have to take standardized tests into account, it's extremely unfortunate that they don't understand that some people just can't perform well on them.</p>
<p>But I'll be going to UChicago, where I think I'll be happy. My professors absolutely SHOCKED that I didn't get in though, as they've said that the people in the past who've been admitted didn't approach my credentials.</p>
<p>REJECTED</p>
<p>Son, white male, rejected yesterday--but received acceptance mailing from MIT at the same time. (Hadn't gotten around to checking the web site.)</p>
<p>Probably #1 in class, but won't be announced until graduation week. Has received 2 high B's (school ranks an 89 as a 3.9, and an 81 as a 3.1), but U/W GPA over 3.95. Weighted is higher than any previous graduate in short history of school.</p>
<p>800 math, 780 v, 710/720? writing in one sitting. 800/710 first semester Freshman year also on record.</p>
<p>800 IIc, 790/780? Chem, 730? English lang.</p>
<p>AMC 12, three tests above 110 and below 120. AIME, high scores before this year were 6 and 5, I think.</p>
<p>Lacked research, strong service-type ECs, and work experience.</p>
<p>Decent private school with required on-campus 8 classes each semester and less than 2 month summer break limited his college courses. Only post-AP courses were in Math: Multivariable, DEq, Linear Al, Abstract Alg. Typical load of APs that he tested well on (will be 12 total, I think, incl. Bio/Chem/Physics). "Self studied" only for one though. 5 on all science/math, but probably average 4s on other stuff.</p>
<p>ECs: Pres of NHS and the Drama honors club & some student government; x-country/track decent for HS, but no great shakes. 3 years of soccer as well, but not that good even at HS; stuck with it because it was fun. Big into science olympiad (multiple state medals) and explosions.</p>
<p>What hurt him: never preparing or thinking overly much about college? He's enjoyed HS and worked hard at it. Never really gave much thought to specific colleges and what it would take to get into them until after Junior year. No prep whatsoever for any of the college board tests or the APs (worst example was not deciding on the subject of his third SAT2 until during the test sitting). So, too, with the AMC series of tests. No prep after freshman year, which had to really hurt his results. </p>
<p>If things work out, hard choice for him between Mudd (assuming entry) and MIT. Luckily, he isn't normally a slacker and works hard in school--he'll need to approach college the way he approached HS, and not the way he approached the college application process! </p>
<p>Congrats to those who made it.</p>
<p>sorry for you phuriku... i'm curious about your stats, have you posted them anywhere?</p>
<p>phuriku -- I'm very sorry to hear that. I know you really wanted Caltech. I know you'll be happy at Chicago, which has a great math program. Good luck (and stop by here sometimes anyway).</p>