Hard work pays off, and senior Peter Kundzicz can agree to this. Next fall he will be attending California Institute of Technology, a private research university with an acceptance rate of 13% according to Forbes.

NWN: What is your GPA?

4.68 weighted and 3.98 unweighted.

NWN: What was your highest ACT score?

I got a composite score of 34.

NWN: What clubs and activities are you in or have been in through the years?

Over the course of my four years in high school, I have been a part of Math Team, Scholastic Bowl Team, WYSE Team, Soccer Team, Swim Team, and Volleyball Team. This year I began tutoring in the Lit Center everyday during early bird. I also became a part of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.

NWN: How was the application process? What are some tips you have for incoming seniors?

The application process was very tough for me because I was not really sure about which colleges I wanted to attend. Luckily, I had a pretty strong idea that I was going to study computer science or computer engineering, so I began to narrow down schools that were well known for their engineering programs. I applied early action to as many of my selected schools as I could without making a commitment. My advice to incoming seniors is to visit colleges as early as possible in order to have a good idea of campus and course details that intrigue you, but also, sometimes more importantly, pay attention to the things that you don’t like as much.

NWN: How did you narrow down your choices to Caltech? What made you really want to go there?

It was a very tough decision to make. The university that I would choose would be my new home for the next several years. Each one had many aspects that made it unique. Once I got the decision and financial award letter from each university, I was still very unsure about which one I would commit to. After a long period of heavy contemplation, I had my decision mainly narrowed down to MIT or Caltech. I had the fortunate opportunity to visit Pasadena, California, and there I fell in love with the Caltech campus and student body. Even though I was fairly certain that I wanted to attend Caltech at that point, I spent almost all the time I could weighing my options before the May 1st decision day.

NWN: Have you visited the campus prior to being admitted? If so, what did you like about the campus?

Many colleges and universities offer a weekend dedicated to prospective students to visit and see the campus alive and moving. I visited Caltech during their PreFrosh weekend. I was among kids from all over the nation; we sat through informational panels and real class periods. We also got a chance to sleep in a dorm and have dinner with students currently enrolled in the school. It was something special to receive the honest opinion of the students regarding their everyday life. After dinner, I took an easy walk around the small campus and realized that I could truly envision myself studying there for the next several years.

NWN: What are you most excited about for college next year?

I am very excited about making new friends and becoming a part of a tight-knit community. The students at Caltech are very friendly, but each and every single one of them is brilliant and quirky in his or her own type of way. This contributes to the dynamic personality of the school. I can’t wait to experience the rigor of the classes and submerge myself into the welcoming culture of Caltech.