Chance me for Caltech REA? (next year)

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Demographics: Male, South Asian, large public school (a few ivys every year), out-of-state

Intended Major(s): Applied physics or physics

SAT: 1570

UW/W GPA and Rank: UW: 3.9/4.0 W: 4.7/4.0

APs: 5s in Physics 1, both Physics Cs, both Calcs, both Econs, APUSH, World, Stats, Lang, French

Extra: Physics 3 credit from Stanford ULO

Awards:

USAPHO Qualification+ Special Mention (top 300)

USAAAO National Qualifier (top 80)

USACO Gold Level (top 1,000)

AIME Qual (9 on AIME) + AMC-12 Distinction (top 2,000)

Tri-State Science Fair 1st place - (12/300 selected for possible ISEF qual)

Extracurriculars:

  1. Engineering Research - 2 years - project on AUV design and naval engineering (won over 1500$ in awards, won 1st place at tri-state ISEF-feeder fair, 2nd at JSHS States, other comps). Published in multiple mid-level journals.
  2. Other Research - 2 years - in physics/chemical engineering, done with a professor at a local T20 college, possibly published.
  3. ARML Team - 3 years - Part of a Regions Math League team that won first/second place multiple times nationally. Includes prep for this and math Olympiads. (Prestigious team with crazy high amount of T5 acceptances)
  4. Interest/Learning in advanced chemistry and physics - 3 years - Took weekly lessons by professors on physical/organic chemistry and physics. Have done self-motivated readings and completed textbooks including: “Physics” by HRK, Physical Chemistry by Atkins, Organic Chemistry by Klein, Fundamentals of Astrophysics by Owocki.
  5. Stanford Summer Program with lectures and readings on Optics and Thermodynamics. Finished the college level classes and earned the credits. (Not-really prestigious but shows love of physics ig)
  6. Research and film-making in history - 3 years - Made documentaries and collaborated with professors on 14 Points, Richard Feynman, etc. Entered in National History Day, Won 3rd in the state.
  7. Hospital volunteering and kinda shadowing doctors - 2 years - over 150+ volunteering hours and experience in surgery units.
  8. President of Math League and Vice-President of Physics Club - 3 years member - ran it, tutored kids, etc.

9/10. maybe something with stock-market competitions and irl trading, soccer, leadership and setting-up events at local temple, etc.

LORS:

2 of my STEM teachers. Both are into Olympiads and are fairly fond of me.

hook?:

idrk yet but will include family’s struggle with legal issues - had to move, live without parent, spend time alternating in and out of country in middle school.

Also:

Please let me know what else I can do this last summer to help my chances.

Thanks very much!

2

What does this mean?

Are you a U.S. citizen?

Your info above looks terrific to me, but Caltech should be viewed as a reach. Many more well qualified applicants apply than the school can accept.

@aunt_bea might have some good info.

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3

Prior threads indicate that the OP is on a visa and waiting for permanent residency. But that was a while ago, so the OP may want to update.

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@Cooked1 the acceptance rate at Caltech is about 3%. The school is need aware for international students, meaning that if you have financial need, this can be considered when your application for admission is reviewed.

So…if you are an international student needing need based aid…this needs to be considered when folks are chancing you.

Regardless, a college with a 3% acceptance rate…really can’t be chanced reliably. If you do or don’t get accepted, you will never know why.

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Agree, Caltech, with an acceptance rate hovering around 3%, is a reach for every applicant. You appear to be qualified, but many other applicants will be as well.

Be sure to craft an application list that includes reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable (run net price calculators) and that you would be excited to attend.

Congrats on your accomplishments and best wishes moving forward.

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6

What’s your budget?
Can you afford the top schools?? Why only top schools?
Cal tech is tough to get into. It is a research institution. It is not your typical university experience. As an international student, you’ll have lots of competition.

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A “hook” for college admissions is a distinctive attribute that makes an applicant highly desirable to a college because they help meet an institutional need or goal. For example: being an underrepresented minority, a recruited athlete, first generation to college, etc.

Having legal issues doesn’t make an applicant more desirable, so it’s not a hook.

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