Hello! My name is Mariana, and I got accepted into Caltech for the Class of 2028. See here how I did it!

My Background

I'm from Brasília, where I attended a private school on a scholarship. My high school had never sent a student abroad, so I didn't get much support. I got a lot of help from the Prep program, a free preparatory mentorship for Brazilian students, which guided me and my teachers through the application process.

In total, I applied to 25 universities and was also admitted to UCLA, the University of Arizona, and others.

Why the U.S & Caltech

I've been interested in astronomy and astrophysics since I was a child. I realized that this field, unfortunately, isn't highly valued or developed in Brazil, with very few universities offering degrees in it. Knowing that the U.S. is a hub for space exploration with institutions like NASA and SpaceX, I knew it was the best place for me to pursue my goals.

I chose Caltech because it's considered the top school for my field. I was inspired by the show The Big Bang Theory, which features scientists from Caltech. The university has a huge astronomy department, a culture of innovation, and professors who are both brilliant and accessible. The fact that it manages NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was also a massive draw. Caltech is a small, unique school with a very specific culture that isn't for everyone.

My Stats

My GPA was 9.57 out of 10, and I was ranked first in my class of 110 students. My school followed a standard Brazilian curriculum.

I took the SAT three times and got a final combined score of 1450. I was insecure about this score, but Caltech was "test-free" and didn't require it. Unfortunately, they started to require the SAT again. I sent my score to all the other universities to which I applied. For the English proficiency, I took the Duolingo English Test once and scored 145.

Extracurricular Activities

When I was about 11 or 12, after watching the documentary Cosmos, I decided I wanted to become an astrophysics researcher. Soon after, still in middle school, I took part in the Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad and won my first medal, which motivated me to study astronomy on my own. So by the time I entered high school, I already knew what I wanted and used that time to experience what it’s like to work in the field. That’s why I got so involved in research, and I believe that this clearly defined “spike” in one area—driven by my value for excellence—was what really set my application apart. I focused my extracurriculars on my passion for astronomy and astrophysics, believing it’s better to be excellent in one area than just “well-rounded.”

• Asteroid Hunting: I participated in a program where I analyzed images and detected about 14 asteroids.

• Research: I participated in the NASA Space Apps Challenge and converted my project on solar storms into a science fair project. I also joined a research group at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), where, till today, I’m researching the distribution of galaxies.

• Volunteering and Teaching: I was part of the MobFog rocket competition, earning a research fellowship, and later became a teaching assistant. 

• I also volunteered with an NGO called Sem Parar, which is aimed at increasing female participation in science olympiads, where I gave astronomy lessons and became a department coordinator.

Personal Statement

Although I’ve always felt a bit insecure about my personal statement, I believe what really balanced my application was Caltech’s set of supplemental essays. They actually had around ten supplementals, which allowed me to highlight different sides of myself in more detail and depth, complementing the parts where I didn’t feel as confident.

My personal statement itself focused on my intellectual curiosity. I talked about my childhood, the influence of my parents, and my journey from being a shy, isolated child to finding my voice through science. The goal was to show a more personal and vulnerable side of myself, not just my achievements.

Financial Aid

I was admitted to Caltech and received a need-based scholarship. Caltech is a need-aware school, meaning it considers financial need in admissions and awards aid accordingly. I applied for aid using the CSS Profile and submitted my parents’ tax returns. Unlike some U.S. colleges that guarantee a four-year financial aid package, Caltech reviews aid annually—so although I initially received a scholarship for my first year, I must reapply for financial aid each year.

1st Week Experience

My first week at Caltech was the International Students orientation, which was both exciting and overwhelming. Caltech has this unique housing system where new students spend the first two weeks “rotating” through eight different dorms to experience their distinct cultures before ranking their preferences.

Those two weeks were full of spontaneous moments of community: shared dinners, late-night study sessions where we stayed up arguing over problem sets, impromptu lounge conversations, and friendly house traditions. One evening, a classmate even invited me to dinner at her off-campus house; another night, we wandered over to watch the lanterns being lit in one of the dorm courtyards.

It struck me that, despite Caltech’s intense academic rigor, there is a remarkably warm, human side to student life!

Overall Experience

My adaptation process was very difficult, mainly because Caltech is an extremely rigorous school. The classes are at a super advanced level; our very first math class, for example, isn’t even calculus, but “real analysis.”

Honestly, there's no real balance between personal and academic life here. Everything revolves around academics. Even when we're not in class, we're doing research or working on some project. I think a lot of people's identities, including mine, become very centered on our field of study. This "intentional imbalance" is just part of Caltech's unique culture.

I found it more difficult to make friends here than in Brazil. The culture is very different, and I feel like we have a unique "Brazilian warmth" that's hard to find elsewhere. While it was challenging, the small size of the undergraduate class (only about 200 students per year) made it easier to get to know people, and I was able to make some good friends.

Plans After Graduation

Since my field is very academic, my natural next step is to go to grad school and get a PhD. I plan to apply for PhD programs during my senior year so I can continue my research. I'm also interested in the industry side of things, particularly at the intersection of space exploration and economics. But for now, my main plan is to pursue a PhD and continue working in research.