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I'm a senior girl. My stats are not incredible, and my extracurriculars are all un-math/science- in fact, they're mostly art and people-related, stuff that Caltech won't give a rat's ass about. However, I desperately want to go there, and I was just wondering how much (or at all) does being a girl help in applying to Caltech. I know that their percentage of females is somewhere in the thirties.

BTW, my numbers are:
SATI: 74v, 80m
SATII: 79m2c, 71writing(retook this morning-will get anything from 50-80), and physics, which I'm aiming for an 80 on.
APs: BCCALC:5, Stats:5, UShist:4
I'm also currently taking chem, bio, and english.
GPA: 3.5, will pull up with this semester's grades to a measly 3.65

My recs are gonna suck, too, but my essays will be good. Extracurriculars consist solely of leadership stuff, "working with kids" stuff, and artsy stuff. I can probably conjure up some laughable math-related activities. I do recall going to three official math club meetings. AMC kicked my butt.

If you are applying, please feel free to post your stats so that I may feel bad about mine and realize that there is no way in hell I'll get in.

By Miseryxsignals (Miseryxsignals) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 04:54 am: Edit

talked to a friend of mine earlier that attends Stanford and she said that the guy:girl ratio at caltech is 4:1, and that they base almost all of the admissions on SAT/test results. You have awesome scores on all your tests, i guess just try to stand out on your app.

i'm applying RD to Caltech w/ a 1430 (80m/63v), SAT II's TBD, AP's: 5 Calc AB/BC, 3 US History, World History, English Language, 2 Bio. GPA 4.24 total weighted, 4.0 uw. Rank 1/624 (dumb high school) Barely any EC's

Dont worry about your stats, they are great, your in the running, there is a chance for ANYONE to get into ANYWHERE.

By Quagmire (Quagmire) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 10:59 am: Edit

It's a 3:1 ratio at Caltech now, I don't know what it was in the past. They are more flexible about grades than test scores, almost the opposite of MIT.They don't use AA in their decisions, resulting in a very low minority and female rate. Matriculation is low just for that reason. Hope I was helpful

By Ellemenope (Ellemenope) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 12:07 pm: Edit

I'm not sure Caltech bases almost all of the admissions on SAT/test results.

I was looking at postings from last year about Caltech--there were lots of really, really, really high test scorers who were deferred at EA and rejected at RD. (They were all male.) The guidance counselor for one of the kids called Caltech and asked why the kid didn't get in. The answer: he didn't show enough passion for science/math (heck, even though he had taken multi-variable calculus and linear algebra already)!

Advice--show real passion in those essays!

Why will rec's suck? Is there no one who can write a good one at your school?

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 02:00 pm: Edit

Why do you want to go there? It sounds like you have a lot of interests that are not going to be well supported at such a focused math/science school.

By Clickspring (Clickspring) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Don't get your heart set on Caltech. You have good test scores, but your GPA will sink you. Where else are you looking?

By Bub (Bub) on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 06:08 pm: Edit

Maybe it's the fact that I'm taking no math classes this year and I feel deprived and Caltech seems like heaven. I never realized how much math means to me until now. I guess I just miss having a guaranteed amount of brainless homework every day. Oh, and I'm teaching myself multi-variable calculus right now out of pure boredom. Does that count as passion for math?
I've wanted to go there ever since I read it's description while skimming my friend's college book (341 best colleges, or something like that). I just think that I'll really fit into the community, except for the fact that I'm not a genius. I think super-nerds are some of the coolest people.
Besides Caltech, I'm applying to the following:
Stanford EA (my parents wanted me to)
Scripps College (got this thing in the mail for full scholarship-probably just junk, but whatever)
Harvey Mudd (maybe)
UCLA
UCB
UCSD
UCSB
I don't really want to go the UCs because their dorms suck, but I'm too poor to have a choice there. Unfortunately, I'm not poor enough to be eligible for financial aid.
And my recommendations are not going to be stellar because I swear teachers hate me. I just started this year trying to learn how to suck up, and it doesn't work. Too late now, anyways. Also, I go to a very good high school that doesn't weigh GPAs or rank.
Thank you all for commenting. Good luck, Miseryxsymbols. Anyone else applying/got in/rejected from Caltech?

By Bub (Bub) on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 04:17 pm: Edit

so, judging from the silence, no one else is applying to caltech?

By Nhlgoalie (Nhlgoalie) on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 04:27 pm: Edit

hmm maybe i should...

3.33-ish GPA at the most competitive private school in the southeast

34 ACT (~1520 SAT)
1440 SAT (760 Math/680 Verbal)
Retook SAT, thinking 1520-1550 (750 Math/770-800 Verbal)

770 Chem SAT II
740 Math IIc SAT II
700 Writing SAT II

Retaking all 3

National Merit Semifinalist (224)
Finalist pending

Calculus AB = 5
Chemistry = 5
Microeconomics = 5
Macroeconomics = 5
English Language = 3 (I was sick as hell...at least I didnt take the class)

Current schedule:
AP Biology
AP Physics B
AP Calculus BC
AP English Literature
AP Art History

Did some pretty cool engineering research...

Other stuff too, find my other posts if you wanna see it all

By Bub (Bub) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 04:26 pm: Edit

If I teach myself multi-variate, linear algebra, diff. equations, and join math club/science olympiad, romanticize my roles in previous crappy math/science clubs, and write my essays on my newfound passions for math and science, will that be enough?

By Clickspring (Clickspring) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 07:20 pm: Edit

No Bub, because no matter if your teach yourself the material, you won't have any way to prove that you know it without taking a placement test at Caltech, and you can't do that through an application.

By No_Ob (No_Ob) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 09:28 pm: Edit

I got a 1540 SAT I (800 math 740 V) =)
8002c, 800 writring, 760 chem

I got a caltech signature award

I wrote about how I like doing computer generated art cuz it involves computer science and surfaces and normal vectors and optics and othe runholy stuff?

LOL. maybe they will accept me on basis of sufficient insanity.