Can a single bad score be fatal?

sherwin
Mon, 01 Nov 2004 11:30:17 +0000

I think I sounded too desperate/depressed in my post, and the joke (or were they jokes at all?) responses are okay (although I would have appreciated actual advice more).

I think it’s more because I did badly on the test than because I didn’t understand Physics. And after a year of the AP course (and I’m generally more motivated to study for APs than SAT IIs), I’m sure I can understand the subject well. I never have problems in Physics class for example (I genrally get As on all the tests and do well on all my labs), and I don’t have trouble understanding Physics concepts, I just think that I didn’t undestood E/M that well. Plus I omitted a ton of easy stuff, planning to come back to it, but I didn’t have time (bad pacing? our proctor also cut us off a few minutes early, and I believe I misread/overanalyzed a few questions). After taking the test, I thought that I hadn’t done so poorly, and I had gotten a mid-700 on the Real SAT II book the night before.

I plan to major in Mathematics or Computer Science if I go to Caltech, I do not plan to avoid Physics, in fact I like Physics, but the Science department at our school generally isn’t stellar.

As far as Chem goes, I am optimistic, I just didn’t have the confidence to take it in October, I suppose. I’m taking practices and my scores are generally climbing. I should be able to pull a high 700 if Kaplan is indicative of the actual Chemistry Test. But my main worry is, will Caltech take scores after October for EA (I’ve already sent almost everything in, so I’m not sure if I can switch out of EA, and Caltech isn’t my first choice either, so I my chances are ruined I can live upto it).

Yes I do have some research experience (about 30 hours during the summer, but I’m continuing next quarter, since I didn’t have time for it at the begenning of the school year). I’m working on Electrochemical Step Edge Decoration (nanowire growth by deposition) of pure silver nanowires and how various variables affect the growth of these nanowires at UCI.

Thanks for everyone’s help.