Caltech Decision Thread

epeiee · 12-11-2005, 02:28 PM

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[ size=+1][ color=Red][ b]Decision: ___________[ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ *] EA/RD?:
[ b]Stats:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT:
[ *] SAT IIs:
[ *] GPA:
[ *] Rank:
[ *] AMC/AIME/USAMO:
[ *] Other Olympiads:
[ *] Other stats:
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Essays:
[ *] Teacher Recs:
[ *] Counselor Rec:
[ *] Hook (if any):
[ /list][ b]Location/Person:[ /b][ list]
[ *] State or Country:
[ *] School Type:
[ *] Ethnicity:
[ *] Gender:
[ *] major strength/weakness:
[ *] why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered:
[ /list][ b]Other Factors:[ /b]

biomath2 · 12-11-2005, 06:14 PM

Good luck everyone! Hopefully we'll receive those letters soon- tomorrow or Tuesday!

meestasi · 12-12-2005, 04:12 PM

heh, defered

too many asian males

frankthetank314159 · 12-12-2005, 04:26 PM

Decision: Accepted
Stats:

EA/RD?: EA
SAT: 800M, 770CR, 790W
SAT IIs: Math 2, Physics, US History: 3x800
GPA: 97.2 (we don't really do 4.0 scale)
Rank: 1/330ish, UW
AMC/AIME/USAMO: 132.5 AMC; 5 AIME; USAMO not for me
Other Olympiads: I guess I did okay on USNCO; I think I got the thing for being in the top 200 or so
Other stats: AP: 10x5 (Calc BC, Comp Sci AB, Stats, World H, USH, Euro H, English Language, Physics B, Physics C, Chem)
EC's: Science Olympiad, various math teams, violin, a couple leadership positions?

Subjective:

Essays: Essay 1 was not particularly good, although I don't think it would be too bad if read in the context of Essay 2, which I though was quite good. 1 compared the stack of pocket protectors in the Caltech bookstore to a snow-capped mountain. 2 was about being on a game show and getting pwned.
Teacher Recs: The humanities one was quite good, but not amazing. Absolutely no idea what the math/science one was like.
Counselor Rec: Should have been pretty good, as it was among the first the counselor wrote, and I have by far the most rigorous courseload.
Hook (if any): I did some research, but I think a lot of people do that. I also took calc BC in 9th grade, but that's not as uncommon as I thought it was. Um, being on a game show? But that was in 7th grade. I also started a math team.

Location/Person:

State or Country: NY (Rochester-area)
School Type: public, suburban
Ethnicity: Asian (Chinese)
Gender: M
major strength/weakness: Strength: idk, being good at math/science? Weakness: bullets? not taking very many math classes?
why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: I tried to make my essays witty? Also, probably my math/science stuff.

Other Factors:

biomath2 · 12-12-2005, 04:34 PM

Decision: ACCEPTED

Stats:

EA/RD?: EA
SAT: 1470 (780M, 690V)
SAT IIs: 800 Math IIC, 800 Biology M, 740 Math IC
GPA: 4.5, 4.0 UW
Rank: 1/~270
AMC/AIME/USAMO: 98.5 AMC (Started the program at my school)
Other Olympiads: USABO Semifinalist
Other stats: AP Tests- Calc BC 5, Chem 3, Eng Lang 5, Span Lang 4, USH 3, Psych 5, Env Sci 3, Biology 5

Subjective:

Essays: Phenomenal
Teacher Recs: I think they were wonderful.
Counselor Rec: Amazing
Hook (if any): Small school, passion for math/science (obviously), Multivariable Calculus and soon to take Differential Equations

Location/Person:

State or Country: Kerman, CA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Russian
Gender: M
Major strength/weakness: Exceptional at biological sciences, research with UCSF-Fresno Biomedical Summer Program
Why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: See above

Other Factors: Congrats to all who get in. I am shocked right now. Don't give up on your dreams because you never know where your passion for science can take you. Thank you Caltech! I'll be visiting soon!

JSuresh · 12-12-2005, 04:37 PM

ACCEPTED!!!! Wow, I definitely thought Caltech was a reach for me.

Here's some stats:
Indian male from Aurora, CO

SAT: 2320
SAT II's: 800 in Chem, 800 in Math IIC, 790 Bio M
GPA: 4.0 unweighted
ranked 1 out of 609

i think my hook(s) were: nationally ranked chess player (tons of community service chess stuff too), SSP last summer, cancer research sophomore year, national ap scholar (7 5's, and 1 4)

anyways, I'm kinda dumbfounded right now. i mean caltech is awesome, but they seem to keep this aura of uber-smart olympiad winners, or siemens-westinghouse winners. ill tell you that i didnt win any of those and i got in. so for all the regular people out there, there's still hope

Ben Golub · 12-12-2005, 05:03 PM

Congrats to all of you guys. You deserved it.

Don't lose hope if you were deferred. There's another round coming, and better news will be coming for some of you.

: )
Ben

tetrahedr0n · 12-12-2005, 05:49 PM

Decision: Accepted
Stats:

SAT: 2340 (740/800/800)
SAT IIs: 800 2c / 800 Physics / 720 Lit
GPA: 4.0, uw
Rank: -
AMC/AIME/USAMO: 132.5/10/-
Other Olympiads: Various math competitions.
Other stats: 36 ACT, Sent research paper.

Subjective:

Essays: One was bland/boring/average. One was written for MIT and slightly changed. One was good (the box.)
Teacher Recs: Didn't read. Probably average.
Counselor Rec: Not very good, new counselor this year.
Hook (if any): Math competitions? Nothing else really.

Location/Person:

State or Country: MI
School Type: Large Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
major strength/weakness: Scores/Math vs. lack of hook.
why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered:

Other Factors:

Thanks for all the help Ben!

Vintor · 12-12-2005, 09:28 PM

congratulations.... I have no chance. haha

tokenadult · 12-12-2005, 10:39 PM

Congratulations, guys. I see some names that look like AoPS screen names, and it's wonderful to see your good news.

cyprus2006 · 12-12-2005, 10:49 PM

congrats to all those accepted. I was differed but it was really the best I could hope for I am not over the top at all so just keeping my fingers crossed for a little luck (if there is such a thing) that my science and math passion shines through and I get accepted on April 1st.

biomath2 · 12-12-2005, 10:51 PM

tokenadult, I'm adidasty on the AoPS boards.

simfish · 12-13-2005, 04:43 PM

Hey biomath2, are you thinking about going into mathematical biology?

sadoian · 12-13-2005, 08:13 PM

Decision: Deferred
Stats:

SAT: CR770, M760, W650 (12 on Essay)
SAT IIs: 800 IIC, 740 Bio, 710 Lit
GPA: 4.192 (weighted), 4.0 (unweighted)
Rank: 1/299
AMC/AIME/USAMO: none
Other Olympiads: none
Other stats: tutoring other students, computer tech job for district, heavily accelerated math curriculum (compared to my peers in the district, not the US)

Subjective:

Essays: above-average, I'd like to think, but I'm not so sure
Teacher Recs: Stellar
Counselor Rec: Stellar
Hook (if any): nothing spectacular

Location/Person:

State or Country: CA
School Type: Public, 1,700 students
Ethnicity: Asian/White
Gender: Male
why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: I think I walked the line of the 'average applicant' pretty well. So naturally I wouldn't be accepted or denied in the early round. Time to start working for RD.

Other Factors: Nothing really much more to speak of.

While I suppose I have to say that I'm 'disappointed' with being deferred instead of accepted, I know it would have been a fluke to be accepted to a place like Caltech in the highly competitive Early Action round. I have my hopes up for a good RD read, and I'll be submitting some additional information (along with some other recommendations from alternative sources, etc).

Congrats to those of you who were accepted! It sure must be exciting!

-Jared

mangopeachie · 12-13-2005, 09:07 PM

[ size=+1][ color=Red][ b]Decision: Accepted!!![ /b][ /color][ /size]
[ *] EA/RD?: EA
[ b]Stats:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT: 790m, 800v, 770w (I took it twice, old then new)
[ *] SAT IIs: 800 math 2, 780 chem, 780 physics
[ *] GPA: 4.08 UW
[ *] Rank: No rankings, but probably about 3 or 4 out of 250
[ *] AMC/AIME/USAMO: uh. AMC- 103, AIME- ?? (So badly they didn't tell me?)
[ *] Other Olympiads: oh tons. *sarcasm*
[ *] Other stats: 5s on my AP Calc AB and Physics B
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Essays: Fun! Coded something in RSA for the rectangle thing...
[ *] Teacher Recs: Wonderful (I'm guessing)
[ *] Counselor Rec: Probably saying nice things... But he doesn't know me.
[ *] Hook (if any): none??
[ /list][ b]Location/Person:[ /b][ list]
[ *] State or Country: New Hampshire
[ *] School Type: Public (alternative... artsy-ish, we call teachers by their first names)
[ *] Ethnicity: White
[ *] Gender: Female
[ *] major strength/weakness: No clue. I rocked the SATs/Haven't had the opportunities some people have...
[ *] why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered: I have absolutely no idea. It's completely beyond me... But I'm wicked happy!!!
[ /list][ b]Other Factors:[ /b]
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