Can a single bad score be fatal?

sherwin
Sun, 31 Oct 2004 19:19:21 +0000

Hello, I’m applying to Caltech, but I received a 680 in physics, is it a fatal score (57th percentile)? It’s not that I really don’t understand Physics, it’s just that I had never taken the course, except in 10th grade where the course pretty much only covered mechanics. On the actual test I believe I misread somethings, wasn’t very strong on E/M and optics, and paced myself badly, is Caltech still a possibility?

I have an 800 in math, 770 verbal, 800 Math IIC, 800 writing, 740 US history, and I plan to take Chemistry test (my teacher last year originally said that the chemistry test is difficult if you haven’t taken chem AP), but Caltech doesn’t take any EA scores past October (and I’ve already sent them a bunch of stuff, and teachers/counselor letters have been sent).

My grades are also decent, I’m rank 1/570, and I’ve taken multivariable calculus, a computational linear algebra course, and I’m currently taking elementary differential equations (none of these courses are common at my high school, I believe only 2 or 3 others in the history of my school have taken such courses). And i’ve recieved 5s on all 5 APs.

My basic question is, can one score ruin you at Caltech?