Hello everyone! I am heavily considering applying to Caltech but I have a small dilemma. Everything on my application fits within their ranges such as two ACT scores of 34 and other qualifiers, however, my SAT subject test scores for math I and math II are below their middle 50%. I have a 730 in Math I and a 690 in Math II. Caltech’s middle 50% for Math II is 790-800. I’m assuming this would immediately disqualify me from their applicant pool. Any thoughts?
Caltech is very stats based, so I think it would disqualify you. However tons of other great schools would love to have you as a student.
Caltech is very tough, so they expect students who can do the tough work.
Most of their admitted students are at or near perfect scores on their tests. They have thousands of applicants for only 200 spots. What do you think?
CalTech is probably the most stat based of all the top schools in terms of admissions. Your SATII scores will hurt you. But if it is a top choice, then apply and see what happens.
I have to agree with @Ksty1098; I went to their info session last year and, statwise, 100% of accepted students had an 800 in Math II. Looking on the forums here for the past 4 years, I’ve only seen about 2 cases where accepted students didn’t have an 800 (790 and 770 I believe). But other than that, Caltech’s stats have been consistent for the past 4-5 years and I think your SAT subject scores will disqualify you.
Honestly, getting in is the least of your problems. Math is required for everyone, and here is the easiest freshman math course:
Notice that the prerequisite (!!) is high school calculus. If you did not take calculus in high school, you will have to take a different version of the first quarter only (meaning you’re with everyone else the other two quarters!) to learn calculus, and then take an additional course to make up for what they left out that quarter to teach you calculus. I don’t know how familiar you are with college level math but this is essentially one and a half-two years of math squeezed into one year, and the prerequisite alone is as much math as is required by most other schools for non-STEM majors.
The theoretical track is essentially pre-Analyis (what is covered by Spivak and Apostol, they cover about the same material as my “Honors” Math class at UChicago from what I gather from comparing work with friends at Caltech), and the practical track is no easier.
Suffice to say, Caltech is a difficult school. If you are unable to get a 700 in Math II, it’s very likely this class will make your life miserable because of the pace and difficulty of material, and this is only the baseline for math. Caltech is a school that even people who are in the top 1-2% of the country by math skill feel like they’re drowning in difficult work. The majority of Caltech’s class has above a 790 on Math II for a reason, and that reason isn’t that Caltech loves high stats and rejects almost everyone who isn’t at that level to keep their scores high. If you are unable to score near an 800, Caltech’s math curriculum is going to be an incredible struggle to pass, let alone do well in.
Actually, the “special” calculus class is for students who DID take calculus in high school but didn’t take an AP calculus class where they scored well (ie., 5 on AB or 3+ on BC… at the very least). Some lower-performing high schools routinely have students score 1 and 2 in calculus so these would have taken the most challening classes offered at their school but failed to perform at the level CalTech expects. Students who haven’t taken calculus can’t apply.
Your 690 would disqualify you from Caltech outright.
Focus on other colleges with strong engineering, such as RPI, Rose Hulman, WPI…plus your state’s public universities.
Oh damn, that’s even more brutal. Didn’t realize Caltech required Calculus for everyone. Kind of sucks for people in high schools that don’t offer it, but I suppose Caltech expects them to take the initiative and self study…