CHOOSING THE CLASS OF '04: A SCIENCE

Many of the accolades bestowed on the incoming freshmen of previous years
can be offered to the class of 2004. Naturally, these individuals are whiz kids.
They've outperformed their contemporaries with outstanding SAT scores (above
1500) and enviable grade point averages (a majority of 4.0s-and higher). And
they've demonstrated a high level of achievement in math and the sciences.
But for the members of the Admissions Committee, those impeccable test
scores and GPAs can get to be downright ordinary. Over the years, this group of
professors, admissions staff, and student readers has pored over thousands of tran-
scripts, personal essays, and applications sent in by the brightest aspiring Techers
from around the world. Consequently, the committee has developed a hunger for
the brilliant student with signs of life outside the classroom.
"What we look for is prospective students who've been willing to challenge
themselves academically ," said Charlene Liebau, Caltech director of admissions.
"We're looking for students with a reserve of energy that they put into activities
in addition to schoolwork."

That criterion may have gained
more importance in a year that
Admissions received a record 3,514
applications. This largest-ever appli-
cant pool was methodically whittled
down to 206, the final number of
enrolled freshmen.
A review of application summaries
of enrolled students suggests that the
committee thoroughly evaluates every
bit of data. The paperwork is read by
a faculty member, an admissions staff
member, and a student reader. They
spend the first part of each year scru-
tinizing enormous amounts of data,
from the student's high school class
size and the school's reputation to the
number of hours devoted to outside
activities each week.
"Most people who apply are ca-
pable of doing the work," Liebau
said. "But in the selection process, we
look beyond SATs. We look at how
willing they are to take academic
risks and advanced-Ievel courses. We
look at what they've been doing and
for how long, and we read what
teachers say about them."
"You look for signs that they have
the capacity to do well here," said
David Grether, professor of economics
and chair of the admissions commit-
tee. "The student who is also a com-
petition violin player or athlete: what
does this have to do with phy~ics?
We see that they're doing well in
these activities, that they have the
interest to do other things.
"To one extent, apart fromenrich-
ing the environment, these serve as
signals that they have the time and
ability to do that on top of what's
required in their schoolwork."
Although every member looks for
different attributes in the applications,
for Grether, one of the great joys in the
selection process comes from finding
science prodigies in unexpected places.
"People are always bemoaning the
state of education in America," Grether
said. "But we see applications from stu-
dents neither of whose parents are
involved in science, some from rural
areas, and they're out there competing
in science fairs and building things."
This year's incoming class is smaller
than in previous years, in part to help
alleviate Caltech's housing crunch,
Liebau said. But as always, the com-
mittee completed the formidable task
with a selection of first-class scholars.
The students themselves are a diverse
and distinguished bunch, in some re-
spects more so than in previous years.
Although the majority of freshmen
are from California, 39 hail from other
states and 17 represent a dozen other
countries. The class comprises 60
Asians, 13 Hispanic/I..atino students,
four Mrican Amerjcahs, one Native
American, one student of unspecified
ethniciry, and 110 CaucaSians.
In terms of gender, women num-
ber 74~ just over one-third of the
class--a proportion that's increasing
each year. Liebau noted that a rise in
female ~pplicants this year can be at-
tributed to higher numbers of girls in
high school science and math classes.
Many of the students participated in
high-school science bowls and academic
decathlons, bringing home medals from
the International Physics and Chemistry
Olympiads. Membership in math, sci-
ence, and computing clubs figured as
one of the most popular pastimes. This
may have contributed to finalist-level
wins at the prestigious Intel and
Siemens/W estinghouse competitions.
Music played a large part in these
students' lives; 28 play the piano and
24 the violin, while 21 played in the
school orchestra and the same number
belonged to the band.
Athletics also proved to be popular
with students. Favorite high school
teams among new Techers were track
and field, martial arts, tennis, and
swimming. Soccer, basketball, and
volleyball also figured prominently,
with a few students pursuing water
polo, golf, synchronized swimming,
and ultimate Frisbee.