What did you do to get in?

[neapol1s]

<p>I got a C in AP European History and a B- in AP United States History and that didn’t keep me out. </p>

<p>I think, in terms of Humanities classes, you have to think economically about what you want to spend your time on. If I had taken the time to get an A in US History, I probably would’ve failed my math class, so I was happy with my B-.</p>

[oatmeal]

<p>Thanks for the encouragement guys. You’re all so nice! My post-secondary counselor is always making it out to be like I have no chances anywhere because of my B’s in humanities [and… ugh… I got a B 1 semester in both bio and chem… makes no sense, except for that I was being a lazy lazy sophomore]. I’m glad to know that really isn’t the case :D</p>

[oatmeal]

<p>so… how, say, vital is it to have done some research at a university? because I just got not-hired for this summer :(</p>

[lizzardfire]

<p>Helpful, but not vital.</p>

<p><– No research</p>

[mtf612]

<p>Ok what about this</p>

<p>9th grade
English 9cp
Algebra 1cp
Spanish 1cp
Phy. Science 9cp
PE 9
Health/Carrers/Geography 9</p>

<p>10th grade
English 10cp
Geometry cp
Spanish 2cp
Biology H
PE 10
World History CP</p>

<p>11th grade
English 11cp/H (not sure until grades come in)
Algerbra 2cp
Spanish 3cp/H
US history AP (if they accept my petition since I am not in H)
Chemisty 11 cp/H (depending on grade)
Cisco networking 1 and 2 OR PC Programming 1</p>

<p>12th grade
English cp/H (depending on grades)
Calculus cp/AP (depending on grades and feelings towards it)
Mass Media
Economics/American politics 12cp/H
Physics 12cp/ap (same as Calc)
Cisco networking 3 and 4 OR PC programming 2 OR Computer Repair ROP</p>

<p>All that plus over 100 community service hours , being in the computer tech academy (classes) , mass media 12th grade , CSF (holding at least a 3.5gpa and 10 hours of community service a semester) , and a video game desing club that I create and have a major influence and connection to. </p>

<p>PS I am not necesarrily PLANNING on goint to Caltech. However , it is the type of school I aspire to go to. I simply posted this here as it is a nearby school that I have wanted to go to for a while now. I am not necesarily saying “What do I have to do to get into caltech?” rather I am asking “What should I do to get into a school LIKE and Equal to Caltech? Than, is caltech or a school much like it, the type of school I should look towards based off my interests?”</p>

[neapol1s]

<p>Research at a university would be helpful, but it’s not vital. </p>

<p>I, like lizzard, didn’t do research either.</p>

[Philosophes]

<p>So, to you people who get accepted, what do you think stood out the most in your application? Anything special that you want to share? Actually, would you mind telling us what was on the PART2 form?</p>

<p>Thank You.</p>

[neapol1s]

<p>I had great recommendations and I had taken several classes at the University of Chicago.</p>

<p>Remind me what part 2 was.</p>

[Philosophes]

<p>What makes a recommendation great? Did you have a chance to actually look what the teacher wrote?</p>

<p>Part2 should be the one that includes the essay and some insightful questions.</p>

<p>Thank you for replying so fast!</p>

[cyprus2006]

<p>I blieve my recomondations were key and also National Chem and Self Study of AP BC Calc. To answer about recomondations first off I was able to read two of my 4. What makes a recomondation good is when you personally know the people writting them. Then instead of just using a cookie cutter kind of rec you get a very personal one. When a teacher really knows you and has great respect for you as a student and a person it really shows through in a rec. And on part 2 show passion. For one passion in science and for the other passion in an area out side of science. I wrote about my ambitions to be an astronaut since 1st grade and how it has turned into passion to learn astrophysics. Then I talked about my passion for running.</p>

[Philosophes]

<p>Thank you cyprus2006 for the reply, just one more thing about the rec, usually how long was the good ones (pages)?
And thank you for telling me about the passion part, I have a really strong passion in physics and I hope I would express it well.</p>

[neapol1s]

<p>I had a general idea about what was on my recommendations. All my recommenders (is this a word?) knew me on a personal level. My physics teacher mentioned on my rec. letter that I liked playing bridge, for example. </p>

<p>In terms of the essays, I used a couple basic guidelines for myself:</p>

<p>I tried to say things that won’t be found in other parts of the application. In my case, my recommendations, transcripts, and extracurriculars pretty much established that I enjoyed math and physics. I ended up writing one of my essays about my brother.</p>

<p>I also made sure I wasn’t pandering to the admissions office. I had the feeling they could tell if I was being fake.</p>

<p>I did my best to write an essay that would stick out in their minds. Fortunately, my college counselors had talked to us about all the “standard” essays that we should avoid. </p>

<p>I ended up writing seven or eight drafts of one of my essays before I was satisfied with it. </p>

<p>That’s what worked for me. I don’t know how it applies to you, but good luck.</p>

[flierdeke]

<p>neapol1s has great serious advice… i’ll just add that i added another basic guideline for myself, which was that i didn’t start on essays until after christmas, and i deliberately planned not to let family or teachers read them. i don’t think i had multiple drafts, per se–more like original drafts at 2-3x the word limit, and then progressively shorter versions, and then small alterations until i decided the heck with it and pressed submit so as to get a bit of sleep. perhaps not the best all-around advice (what if you get sick that week?)–but if you’re more worried about sounding fake than making grammar mistakes, it’s not a bad idea to set some limits on the time you’ll spend on the application. (i probably took this to extremes because i was okay with the idea of not going to college right away if i didn’t get in, but that did give a rather amusing sense of perspective.)</p>

[flierdeke]

<p>oh! and if no one has suggested this already, Ben’s old posts are incredibly helpful for general advice. <em>blush</em> in a fit of procrastination when i should have been actually starting essays, i compiled a lot of his random helpful statements regarding admissions-essay-ing:</p>

<p>

<the only=“” problem=“” with=“” the=“” caltech=“” application=“” that=“” i=“” see=“” is=“” there=“” no=“” room=“” to=“” convey=“” passion=“” for=“” research.=“”> </the></p>

<p>As I see it, this is the entire purpose of the first essay! (Why did you decide that Caltech would be good for you, etc.?) I.e. presumably the reasons you like Caltech have something to do with research and your reasons for doing it.</p>

<h2>Submitting three papers would be overkill. Pick one that is best (or if all three are really of equal quality, flip a three-sided coin…) and send us that one. Send abstracts for the other two.</h2>

<h2>Don’t abuse [the lack of a strict word limit for activity descriptions] by writing things that are far too long, but descriptions that are complete are good.</h2>

<h2>Write good essays – just because you have good stats, don’t assume you’re entitled to write something boring or formulaic.</h2>

<h2>We don’t strictly ask “Why Caltech” anymore. You should describe what aspects of your personality and intellect make you well suited to Caltech. Even though the point is to convey some information, try to be interesting in the writing. Nobody likes to read a boring essay, so it’s safe to assume we’re never asking for one.</h2>

<h2>Almost all the essays I like are well-written. And almost all well-written essays tell a story or sketch a character with vivid, sharp details (the kind you can’t note about yourself without sounding ridiculous). So the proportion is pretty high. Even essay #1 fits well with telling a story about something that happened to you.</h2>

<h2>Well, I might get in trouble with my colleagues for saying this, but the same idea [that it’s okay to go over the word limit] applies at Caltech – write what you need to, but try very hard to be respectful of the reader’s time. The cost of an essay that exceeds the word limit is that readers now reserve the right to get more annoyed easily if the essay gets boring or bad in some other way. But if you keep us entertained, we won’t mind. So I’d say go for it if you’re confident that it’s good.</h2>

<h2>[esp. for non-native speakers] But I do urge you to take my advice and have your essays proofread by an American who is skilled at writing – this is available even on the CC boards. You might think you’re far too good a writer for that, but I promise it won’t hurt, and humility is a key ingredient of almost all successful applications.</h2>

<h2>Yes, funny and lighthearted is good. </h2>

<h2>Give your essay to a friend and ask if they think it’s exciting. Ask, did this make you want to stand up and clap, or go meet this brilliant kid? If not, consider working a little more.</h2>

<h2>Your background definitely has more than enough to support a successful bid, especially with good recs. Now it’s all you – don’t be boring. Entertain the people who read your essays; show that behind these great stats is an interesting person (not just a dedicated plugger.) If you do, I’d feel pretty good about the app.</h2>

<h2>I think offbeat essays tend to wake me up, and me wakeful is much more likely to be positive about an application than me sleepy.</h2>

<p>Your idea is perfect, and pretty much right on target. Even though we want to let people know we are happy to hear about non-science stuff too, if your discovery of your passion for space is one of those big life-changing events, then it’s perfect subject matter for the essay. And your short supplemental about ultimate frisbee sounds perfect.</p>

<p>I think you should definitely go with your gut on this one – it’s leading you in the right direction.</p>

<p>…I’ve never once seen a student penalized or any doubt raised (in summaries, committee discussions, etc.) over writing about science in the second essay too, as long as it answers the question about an experience that’s shaped you in a significant way. We don’t keep it a secret that the most significant factor in Caltech admissions, outside of strong scores and grades etc., is a real passion to do science, math, and/or engineering. Showing that a lot is not a drawback.</p>

<h2>Also, I feel that if your first instinct is to write about your passion for science as the relevant life-shaping experience, you shouldn’t adjust that based on the perceived desirability of balance. The essay that the applicant really wants to write is typically by far the best available.</h2>

<p>Yes, the three factors you mention are an issue, but, on the positive side, this situation gives you a chance to really take risks and give it all you’ve got on the rest of the application. (I assume you’ll be applying to Caltech/MIT as your first choice reaches.) Since, realistically, the only hope is to win someone’s heart, the advice I would give is: try to write something really beautiful and insightful for the essays (easier said than done, I know). Talk about why you love science and what you would bring to Caltech. But the key is that the quality of the output should not resemble that of a high school assignment (“I love science because… I would bring to Caltech enthusiasm and a strong sense of personal responsibility…”). The bar is somewhat higher than that. Since in all writing, the key is to think about the audience and the goal, it helps to remember that here your audience is a Caltech admissions officer, a Caltech professor, and a Caltech student (the three people who will read your application) and the goal is to knock them over. That’s not that easy, but you’re helped by the fact that many applicants (often, numerically the strongest applicants) phone it in and submit something formulaic, docile, and typical.</p>

<p>So try to imagine that your job is to write really incredibly well (I always think of the fictional speechwriters Sam and Toby on the West Wing and try to write what they would write if you hired them. Imagine that you’re composing a symphony, a delicate and perfectly constructed kind of work. Aim to get your audience on their feet applauding at the end. There are a lot of good guides on writing, and you should read them for technical guidance… but my feeling is really that a major component of how good the product will be is how seriously you approach the endeavor. From the essays I’ve read, it’s pretty clear to me that most people dash off something in an hour or two. They either aren’t aiming to impress or don’t realize how hard it is to produce an inspiring (as opposed to insipid) piece of writing. Once you avoid those mistakes, and set about doing this for real, the only remaining ingredient is courage. It is no surprise that one sees lots of very similar essays because almost everyone is doing the same boring, cautious dance – trying not to say anything that could be seen in the wrong light while saying all the right things. If you shed a little of that caution and talk more honestly, that honesty will be appreciated. There are few things more beautiful than a real human voice breaking out of the page, and I’m personally willing to ignore a lot of flaws in someone who has enough courage to produce that kind of essay.</p>

<p>My feeling from my conversations with the other Ben at MIT is that especially with our friends in the east, that sort of thing can make a lot of difference and can go a long way toward remedying other deficiencies. At Caltech, we’re a little more rigorous on the numbers side (or so it has seemed to many people, apparently) but my guess is that a lot of people on the committee would be willing to go to the mat for someone who won them over despite the lack of traditional strengths. I know I would.</p>

<p>I realize that your question was about other schools to consider. And they’re very important to think about. But I’d take this situation as a challenge. I think it can be done, if it’s truly your dream to come here. (That isn’t just babble. I wouldn’t say the same if your stats were a little different.) With the right sort of approach, it is possible – somewhere in the Platonic realm of yet unfinished things, there floats the application that’ll get you into your dream school. Now try to produce it. Good luck."

</p>

[korinfox]

<p>So for grades in humanities a bunch of Bs shouldn’t hurt too much, I got in EA last year with consistent Bs in my humanities classes (albeit they were in honors and AP level).</p>

<p>For the essays I just wrote what I felt like without vomiting on the page… but it was still thought out and edited carefully. It’s important to convey what you really feel in the words you write, though not to be ridiculous to the point where you sound fake, as has been mentioned before.</p>

<p>Anyway back to that 5 page Ay 1 paper I’m supposed to be working on due tomorrow…</p>

<p>DITCH DAY IS TOMORROW!! and yesterday?</p>

[mtf612]

<p>So based on my schedule (the one on page 5) what should i add/change?</p>

[tech_fan]

<p>flierdeke! i’m touched : )</p>

<p>your compilation will be quite helpful for applicants, too, i think.</p>

<p>many thanks.</p>

[Philosophes]

<p>Hi, Ben.
I don’t mean to be rude, who are you actually? You seem to know a lot about Caltech!</p>

[silver-yms]

<p>He’s a dangerous stalker.</p>

[tech_fan]

<p>I’m a Caltech undergraduate (junior). I was, for the past two years, a voting member of the Caltech admissions committee. (I’m hanging up my hat next year to have time to apply to graduate school myself, but hopefully I can use my experience to continue helping those who need advice.)</p>

<p>AAAAAAAAAAAND I’m a dangerous stalker.</p>