smart enough?

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>I am a rising juniors with good scores/ecs/passion for science and math and taking AP's in those subjects. I will have finished multivariable calc by senior year. </p>

<p>I'm kind of scared off by this college though, because I read the open letter and it says that math/science classes should be cake for you.</p>

<p>I think of cake as I don't study at all and I ace the class. However, my school is fairly rigorous in math/sciences, sends people to Ivies/MIT etc and I actually have to study to do well in classes. I also like to 'synthesize' info, like I like to look at a concept and think about it for a few minutes so that I really, really get it. After that, I tend to remember it forever,like even stuff that I learned from 7th grade. I hate cramming stuff/replicating a method, because whenever I do that, I forget it immediately.</p>

<p>Am I smart enough, or should I stick to less math-sci intense places?</p>

<p>Thanks, and this is a serious question..lol</p>

2

<p>It is very NORMAL to be feeling daunted by Caltech, but if you get in, you can hack it! The kids who have to work hard in High School to get the grades have learned how to study, and the kids who coast through high school have never really learned how to study and may actually have a harder time. It is true of most all top schools that getting accepted is the hardest part, and while Caltech is rigorous, it is manageable. I was the kid in high school who had to work to understand things, and had to memorize material to get it rather than read something once. Yet, I am keeping up quite nicely with my peers here. There are some super-bright types, and some regular but motivated types like me.</p>

3

<p>I would suggest that any wanting to find their chances for CalTech first read these two wonderful posts</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/442418-anyone-wanting-know-their-chances-getting-into-caltech.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/442418-anyone-wanting-know-their-chances-getting-into-caltech.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/577759-why-caltech-different-open-letter.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/california-institute-technology/577759-why-caltech-different-open-letter.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;