Will I get in? :-)

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
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<p>I realllllllly want to go to Caltech :-) I posted this on another part of cc but figured that I would get more input on a caltech-centralized board.</p>

<p>Sophomore year
AP Physics C - A
AP Spanish - A
AP U.S. History - A
P-AP English - A
Multivariate calculus</p>

<p>Junior year (hopefully all As)
AP European history
AP Chemistry
AP English Language
AP Music Theory
Differential equations
Modern Physics I
AP CS AB self-study
AP world history self-study - maybe
AP statistics self-study
Linear algebra - maybe</p>

<p>Senior year
AP government
AP English lit.</p>

<p>Hopefully (but still undecided):
Organic chem 1 and 2
Modern physics 2?
Real analysis?</p>

<p>Not really sure what else for senior year.</p>

<p>AP scores
Physics c - 4/5
spanish lang. - 3
U.S. history - 4</p>

<p>ACT - 34
PSAT - 211.</p>

<p>I don't know what I will get on the SAT or this year's PSAT. I am going to take subject tests as well in physics and in math (IIc)...</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
Harp - like 4 years
Piano - like 6 years
Flute - 1 year
Academic team
Key Club
Multicultural club
Asian-american society
Research project (hopefully ISEF)
NHS</p>

<p>I went to ISEF two years in a row and got some awards there...last year I placed... (big smile)...I didn't expect to...</p>

<p>Where do I seem to be weakest? Does anyone have suggestions on how I could improve myself?</p>

<p>Big question...the reason I want to self-study AP CS AB and AP stat is that they are not offered at my school and both subjects seem interesting...but would I have a chance of getting 4s/5s, without the classes? Would showing interest in the subjects and taking the tests be smiled upon by Caltech? If I ended up getting a 3 (or, heaven forbid, even lower) would that very bad?</p>

<p>Also...I want to take the AP world history test, since I'm in a normal world history class...but I'm worried it would be a bit much. Am I correct in thinking that it would not matter one way or the other, since its not a math or a science?</p>

<p>Is it really really bad that I got a 4 on physics C mechanics? Is my 3 in AP Spanish very bad?</p>

<p>And at last...what are my chances? :-) Any help appreciated...</p>

<p>~tweetle~</p>

2

<p>What major are you interested in?</p>

3

<p>Physics...maybe...</p>

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<p>note to self: answer this chances post.</p>

<p>:-P</p>

5

<p>Your grades and scores are certainly competetive, meaning that they keep you in the running. I like that you placed in ISEF...
[quote]
Where do I seem to be weakest?

[/quote]
... but even with this, your math/science focused extracurrics are a bit thin at the moment, and they are the most important non-school aspect of your application at Caltech. However, you still have a lot of time. I suggest continuing your research, and perhaps trying to find a professor somewhere willing to guide you, with the aim of entering Intel STS/Siemens. A serious research project (which you can put down as a math/science extracurricular activity on the Caltech application) that takes a significant amount of your time is likely to do decently well in the competitions, and will also fill in the one part of your application that's not very full at the moment. Your music, etc. is great, and shows that you are an interesting person outside of math/science, which is very important.</p>

<p>As we discussed on another thread, you don't have to send us bad AP scores. I would pick one subject to self-study, work really hard, and get a 5 or a 4. If you get something lower, you don't have to send it, and a 5 or a 4 after self-study certainly will impress us.</p>

<p>Don't fret about non math science AP's; if you don't get a 5 and don't send us the score, we won't care. If you do get a 5 and do send us the score, it will be a slight positive for you.</p>

<p>Good luck, and feel free to ask any more questions.</p>

6

<p>Thanks very much for your response...</p>

<p>I think that so long as I put a lot of work and effort into my science project I can do relatively well in the competitions like ISEF, etc... hopefully that will help with the science extracurricular.</p>

<p>I have a few more questions, though...</p>

<p>I did MathCounts in middle school but have not done a lot of competition-style math since...would it help doing the AMC-12 and trying for the AIME, or would that just be a lot of work that I could better spend on my science project?</p>

<p>Also, I would like to try to at least participate in the first round of the Physics olympiad competition...I don't think I would go very far, but I took a sample test from the first round and it didn't go too badly...would it be worth it to try the Physics olympiad? Is it unlikely that I do well? Do you know if the physics olympiad is calculus based?</p>

<p>Hopefully if I keep grades up, etc., and go far with my research, I will have something of a chance...</p>

7

<p>Another question...</p>

<p>I know Caltech requires SAT IIs, but does it prefer the SAT I or ACT? I took the ACT and got a 34, but have never taken the SAT. Should I take the ACT again and try for higher, or take the SAT...?</p>

<p>Again, I very much appreciate any help... :-)</p>

8

<p>
[quote]
I did MathCounts in middle school but have not done a lot of competition-style math since...would it help doing the AMC-12 and trying for the AIME, or would that just be a lot of work that I could better spend on my science project?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Try a practice AMC or two. If you're quite quick at it and do well, practice and take the real thing. If you don't really enjoy it that much, spend the time on your research.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, I would like to try to at least participate in the first round of the Physics olympiad competition...I don't think I would go very far, but I took a sample test from the first round and it didn't go too badly...would it be worth it to try the Physics olympiad? Is it unlikely that I do well? Do you know if the physics olympiad is calculus based?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, it would be good for you to try it. And calculus is not strictly needed. It helps sometimes, but you can solve everything without it.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I know Caltech requires SAT IIs, but does it prefer the SAT I or ACT? I took the ACT and got a 34, but have never taken the SAT. Should I take the ACT again and try for higher, or take the SAT...?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>ACT is fine, SAT is fine, neither is preferred. Your current score is pretty good, especiallly if the math/science parts are high.</p>

9

<p>Thanks ever so much for your comments :-)</p>

<p>I will probably try the AMC 12 and the Olympiads, but end up devoting most of my time to to my research project. At the moment, I am just burried in homework for my school...</p>

<p>Again, thanks a bunch! :-)</p>

<p>~tweetle~</p>

10

<p>uh...sorry to post on your thread, tweetletwoot.</p>

<p>i also have a question. i now go to a math/science residential high school and since attending there i practically have no extracurriculars anymore. (my school doesn't even have a MAtheta or NHS since everyone at the school would be a member if there was.) all i have is my extracurriculars from before my junior year. my school also does not rank and is harder than most schools. will this be recognized?</p>

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<p>Yes. All of it will be recognized. But no math/science extracurrics at all? Are you sure? No research, anything? That seems odd at a math/science school...</p>

12

<p>oh, of course i have math/science extracurriculars from before my junior year, but the only ones at my new school are competitions. (there are no formal clubs, etc. including all non-academic ones) and yeah, i have 2 years of research before i came here, but it may be kind of odd that suddenly my participation in all my activities came to an abrubt halt.</p>

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<p>Just try to participate in competitions if they interest you and that'll count. We probably have seen applications from your school before, and will understand the lack of activitites. But it wouldn't hurt to mention in one of the "tell us anything else" boxes, or on a separate sheet, that you stopped the activities you participated in because nothing similar was available at your new school.</p>

14

<p>Rahrah, you found this thread!!!</p>

<p><em>is excited</em> :-)</p>

<p>Isn't there a class you can take at your school where you do research, etc.? I don't know if you have time this year but you could take that next year...that would count as a science extracurricular...And TEAMS would probably count. As well as the math competitions you do.</p>