<p>I am very interested to know why you think you got accepted to Cal Tech. Mind sharing?</p>
<p>because I had an application that was reasonably good in most areas, even though nothing stood out. There seems to be this paranoia on cc that one needs to have a dramatic accomplishment to get into a top school, but I don't think the facts really bear this out. Perhaps other people here did something more interesting than I did in high school, and have a better story to tell.</p>
<p>Because I could pay tuition with minimum finaid (honest answer). I mean, because my parents could afford paying tuition of course :)</p>
<p>Because, despite the lack of sci/math programs at our high school, I showed a bit more initiative in seeking out something, however minor... </p>
<p>I think my biggest hook was actually going to SSP; rumor had it that very few actually get rejected after attending SSP. And I even got waitlisted for that, too. <em>does a dance.</em></p>
<p>Oh, and probably no finaid (American citizen living overseas; I've never figured out what type of student I am).</p>
<p>A combination of luck, passion for the sciences and mathematics, and decent standardized test scores.</p>
<p>hey ninja, what year of SSP were you?</p>
<p>WOOOHOOOOHOOOO!!!!
I love this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>
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<p>Eh... 2007? Socorro. <em>goes to check spelling.</em> :D</p>
<p>because i was such a pain in teh arse that they admitted me just to stop bugging them!</p>
<p>for real, no one can tell you why they got accepted, because we don't know either. at least i don't. just give your best, and don't think about the others, it's you that matters the most ;) gl hf!</p>
<p>I think the minimum financial aid answers are interesting. My son has significant financial need and the Caltech FA office has been a total pain to deal with, like they are angry Admissions let someone like my son in, lol. It seems odd that all of the schools say they don't consider this, yet include it on the application. I think my son was admitted based on high standardized test scores.</p>
<p>Financial aid only matters for international applicants because there is a limited amount of aid that Caltech can give to them total. Caltech is need-blind for domestic applicants.</p>
<p>D was accepted EA, went to admit student days, financial aid office was horrendous, (lost file, did not return phone calls, etc.) plus each student has to pay an additional $3000 for health insurance even if the student is already covered. This extra money if to cover those students who come and don't have health insurance. D is not attending.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear of the terrible experiences with the financial aid office. We've never had anything but good experiences with the fin aid office at Caltech. S is a junior now and the finaid office has always responded quickly to any questions we've had. We have significant financial need. (Our efc is 0). My understanding is that in order for health insurance to be covered by Caltech grants, every student must be covered under the Caltech health insurance. I believe there's a old thread that explains why the change in health insurance costs at Caltech (the year my son started was the year all new students were required to purchase the Caltech health insurance). </p>
<p>Mom90, hope your D is happy with the school she's attending.</p>
<p>Wow, mom90, at least they haven't lost his file yet! However, they do refuse to answer simple questions, whether via snail mail, email, or phone. I finally got some answers by contacting financial aid at one of our local schools that my nieces are attending regarding federal loan programs, although some of the process is institution specific and they couldn't help me on that. Weird that I get a better response from a school that my children are not attending. The Bursar's Office keeps demanding their money the first day of school and Caltech FA is still studying the changes to federal law. Of course, schools that have been up and running over a month have figured out the process a long time ago.</p>
<p>My guess is that Caltech financial aid is going crazy because of the significant changes in the college admissions environment this year--from what I heard, this year's freshman class is considerably larger than previous years', meaning that the FA office can't give out as much as it expected per student.</p>
<p>It is false that this year's frosh class is significantly larger than it has been in the past.</p>
<p>It's like, what, 10 larger than last year's? I know we had to make space for an extra frosh room.</p>
<p>EDIT: The increase in size was planned and I doubt the FA office is feeling unexpected strain.</p>
<p>wait so ppl who went to ssp rarely get rejceted from ssp? That wuld be good! I attened ssp this year. Hopes i get into cal tech :) .</p>
<p>yea but for fin-aid seeking internationals like me, it's a long long shot even with a great application in overall.</p>