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<p>It’s tough to fake passion, but it’s unbelievably easy to fail to show it in an interview due to a combination of being nervous/being unfamiliar with the procedure/ not knowing the interviewer. People are much better prepared to express themselves in writing through our school system, and it’s easier to cast off the awkward-I-just-met-you (or don’t know you) attitude if you are writing. This is especially important given that many of the students Caltech wants are somewhat deficient is social skills. Also, passion doesn’t necessarily indicate knowledge, or vice versa. I’m sure every year Caltech accepts a handful of people who, for whatever reason have not had the opportunity to be exposed to certain problems, but can still demonstrate, through passion that if they had the opportunity, they would.</p>
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<p>I had a 2190 composite in 1 sitting, the only time I took the SAT. My math score was actually 670, and my highest was my 800 in Critical reading. So the OP’s statement isn’t categorically true.</p>