How to Get Into Caltech (Essay Examples Included)
/How hard is it to get into Caltech? Learn Caltech’s admission requirements and discover strategies to write great Caltech supplemental essays to increase your chances of being admitted
LEARN HOW TO GET INTO CALTECH
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Part 1: Introduction
If your child has a passion for STEM and is a competitive applicant for Ivy League and Ivy+ schools (e.g., Stanford, MIT), you may be encouraging them to apply to the MIT of the West Coast: Caltech (or the California Institute of Technology). Caltech’s reputation for science and technology will impress future employers, and it doesn’t hurt that this world-class school is located in beautiful Pasadena, just miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
From years of advising students, we’ve assembled some crucial information for you and your child about how to get into Caltech.
At Caltech, the faculty to student ratio is 3:1, so students have unfettered access to their professors and research opportunities. They can pursue research on climate modeling, study neuroscience, predict how powerful the next major earthquake will be in the Seismological Laboratory, or study space and the stars in one of Caltech’s many observatories.
Students can spend their summers interning, researching abroad, or collaborating with faculty thanks to the support of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Perhaps they’ll study plate tectonics in Mexico City, or pursue investment banking on Wall Street. They might take an internship in Silicon Valley or build a robot under the guidance of Caltech’s world class faculty.
Caltech graduates go on to be among the most impressive and ambitious scientists alive today. They earn prestigious grants and fellowships, conduct cutting edge research in every STEM field, start companies, become astronauts, serve as political leaders at home and abroad—with a degree from Caltech, the possibilities are endless, all with the help of an extensive alumni network that includes accomplished academics, CEOs, and Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winners.
Indeed, the Caltech name will probably make everyone think that your child is, well, a genius.
Caltech ranking
Caltech is one of those Ivy+ schools that regularly outranks some of the actual Ivy League universities. Here’s where it sits:
Forbes: 47
Niche: 17
U.S. News & World Report: 7
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 5
(Suggested reading: Ivy League Rankings)
Where is Caltech?
Caltech is located in Pasadena, CA—about 11 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Pasadena’s population is approximately 142,000—a small city that is connected to the Greater Los Angeles area (over 12 million) by rail and bus.
Caltech setting
Pasadena is a suburban area with cultural institutions such as libraries and museums, in addition to a variety of cafés, hotels, restaurants, and more.
Caltech student population
Undergrad population: 1.023
Grad and professional school population: 1,440
Caltech acceptance rate
Here are Caltech’s admissions statistics for the class of 2028:
Applications: Approximately 13,000 (Class of 2027: 13,136)
Acceptances: 315
Matriculants: 230 - (Note: This number is listed as the class size target for the class of 2028, but the final number has not yet been reported.)
Acceptance rate: 2.4% (based on 13,000 applications and 315 acceptances)
The Caltech Admissions office does not report their “early action” and “regular decision” rates. There is no known statistical advantage to applying early.
Caltech tuition and scholarships
The 2024–2025 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) at Caltech is $90,822 for students living on campus. Living off campus is expected to run $94,380, while living with parents comes in at $82,878.
Caltech offers need-based financial aid only and is committed to meeting 100 percent of students’ demonstrated need. While financial aid packages may include student loans, the average amount of grant and scholarship aid received by entering students in Fall 2021 was $42,708.
Who gets into Caltech?
It’s safe to say that Caltech matriculants rank among the top echelons, academically speaking. Caltech does not publish its average admitted student GPA, but 99 percent of Caltech students ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class.
Caltech once again decided to refrain from considering any standardized test scores in their admissions process for the class of 2028. As such, average test scores for the most recently admitted class are not available. However, to give you a sense of Caltech’s high academic standards, here are the average ACT and SAT scores for the class of 2024:
Caltech average ACT score:
25th percentile: 35
75th percentile: 36
Caltech average SAT score:
25th percentile: 1530
75th percentile: 1580
For the class that started in Fall 2023, Asian students made up the largest percentage of Caltech undergrads at 37 percent, white students constituted 22 percent, Hispanic Americans made up 11 percent, while Black or African American students made up five percent. International students constituted 17% of this class.
Complete demographic data for the incoming class in Fall 2024 is not yet available. However, we do know it comprises 36 nationalities, 27 countries of residence, 42 states and U.S. territories including D.C. and Puerto Rico. Additionally, 54 are the first in their families to attend college, 25 are QuestBridge scholars, 6 are refugees, and 17 are students from rural areas.
Virtually every Caltech student majors in a STEM discipline. Some students pursue a second degree or a minor in the humanities and social sciences, including English, History and Philosophy of Science, and Political Science.
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Part 2: Caltech admissions requirements
Caltech academic requirements
Like MIT or Harvey Mudd, Caltech is looking specifically for students who have demonstrated excellence in STEM.
Caltech students have excellent grades and some of the highest test scores in the country, but even that isn’t enough. Extracurricular activities and, perhaps most importantly, commitment and enthusiasm for a small number of clubs, STEM projects, or other organizations, also demonstrates excellence.
Your child should have taken every challenging STEM course available to them—including through IB or AP, community college dual enrollment, or summer courses.
On top of that, though, they need to also think about connecting their scientific capabilities—demonstrable through top test scores and adulatory letters of recommendation from STEM teachers—to some urgent problems or questions they care to investigate. It’s not enough for your child to have a knack for math and physics.
Encourage your daughter to think about whether she’s compelled by the mysteries of quantum physics and quantum computing, or if she’s drawn to the rigors of applied physics or engineering. Encourage your son to take a latent talent in the AP Bio classroom to the next level by placing him in a wet lab over the summer, where he can do more than dissect frogs.
To prepare for Caltech’s rigorous core curriculum, here is how Caltech evaluates your child’s academic preparation:
A mastery of calculus and a readiness to study math topics beyond calculus
One year of physics (preferably calculus-based), one year of chemistry, and other science classes taken at the highest level offered by your child’s school
One year of biology is recommended
The most advanced and rigorous English coursework offered by your child’s school
At least one course in U.S. history or government (for students attending school in the U.S. only).
Two years of history and/or social science courses (Three or more years is recommended)
Caltech application requirements
Here’s the nitty gritty of what it takes to submit an application to Caltech.
Caltech accepts the Common Application, which means your child will need the following to apply:
Caltech supplemental application essays
2 teacher evaluations
1 from a science or math teacher (e.g., chemistry, physics, calculus)
1 from a social science or humanities teacher (e.g., English, history, foreign language)
Secondary school report sent to Caltech from your child’s high school’s college or guidance counselor
Academic transcripts
Caltech also accepts the Coalition Application.
Need inspiration for your Common App personal statement? Click below for instant access to 25 full-length example essays including advanced breakdowns of why they resonate with admissions committees.
Gain instant access to 25 exclusive full-length examples covering all seven prompts, plus comprehensive analyses for each to help you craft stellar essays.
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Part 3: Applying to Caltech early action vs. regular decision
Your child can apply early to Caltech by November 1 and receive a decision of either accepted, deferred, or denied, by mid-December.
Caltech follows the restrictive early action (as opposed to early decision or early action) model, which means your child need not commit to attending Caltech if accepted; they can still apply to other universities during those schools’ regular decision process and make their choice by May 1. However, your child is not allowed to apply to other early decision programs with some exceptions. Defer means your child will be re-entered into the pool and will hear back by the end of March, and may be accepted, wait-listed, or rejected then.
Your child can also apply regular decision, by January 3.
How do you know if your child should apply to Caltech early?
Restrictive Early Action might be the right choice for your child if:
Caltech is one of their top choices.
They want to know early if they have been accepted to Caltech, but also want to consider other schools later.
They would like to compare financial aid packages from other schools during the regular decision process.
Their test scores and grades are strong by the end of junior year.
Caltech, like many schools, lets in a significant portion of its class early. This is in part because many highly prepared students choose restrictive early action. These are top candidates who make a great case for themselves to attend Caltech, whose grades and scores are ready, and who are prepared to deepen their expertise in multiple STEM fields.
Most importantly: Caltech doesn’t offer preference to those who apply early.
(Suggested reading: Early Action vs. Early Decision: Pros and Cons and What Your Child Should Do)
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Part 4: 2024–2025 Caltech supplemental essays (examples included)
For some STEM students, the Common App personal statement and supplemental essays are a pain. But they’re still a crucial part of the application.
Your child needs to tell a story of why they’re chasing a top-notch STEM education. This is how the admissions department can weed out the merely competent science students from the future science leaders. A leader in STEM can talk about their interests—and they will have to, whether they’re pitching investors as they start a biomedical device company, or writing research papers or popular science books.
Below you will find the essay prompts for this year’s application cycle.
Question 1: Caltech has a rigorous core curriculum and students don't declare a major until the end of their first year. However, some students arrive knowing which academic fields and areas already most excite them, or which novel fields and areas they most want to explore. If you had to choose an area of interest or two today, what would you choose?
*Note that you are under no obligation to follow this choice if admitted.
Why did you choose your proposed area of interest? If you selected 'other', what topics are you interested in pursuing? (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
Question 2: STEM Curiosity Question
Regardless of your STEM interest listed above, take this opportunity to nerd out and talk to us about whatever STEM rabbit hole you have found yourself falling into. Be as specific or broad as you would like. (Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)
Question 3: At Caltech, we investigate some of the most challenging, fundamental problems in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We are interested in learning more about your engagement with STEM.
Please share two STEM-related experiences:
Tell us how you initially found your interest and passion for science or any STEM topic, and how you have pursued or developed this interest or passion over time. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
Tell us about a STEM-related experience from the last few years and share how and why it inspired your curiosity. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
Question 4: The creativity, inventiveness, and innovation of Caltech's students, faculty, and researchers have won Nobel Prizes and put rovers on Mars. But Techers also imagine smaller-scale innovations every day, from new ways to design solar cells to how to 3D-print dorm decor to experimenting in the kitchen. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life? (Min: 200 / Max: 250 words)
Let’s take a look at how Annette, a Chinese American student from rural Maine, approached this prompt.
Though my main interests are in politics and AI, I am also eager to pursue courses in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering. Just as I hope to use my coding skills to encourage civic engagement, I also want to use technology to preserve our natural world.
Having grown up in rural Maine, I am intrigued by humans’ relationships to animals and plants, and how we can create a more sustainable future. As president of the environmental club at my high school, I launched an initiative that brought solar panels onto our own campus in an effort make better use of natural resources. Given Caltech’s location in the varied landscape of Southern California, I am eager to see firsthand how engineering and design can create technologies that help sustain our cities while saving our natural resources.
Though a connection to the outdoors might seem common for a Mainer, when attending environmental conferences and events, I’ve met few people who look like me. Although sustainability affects all people regardless of race or ethnic background, nearly three-quarters of people who earn environmental science degrees are white. Therefore, I also hope to work towards increasing diversity within the environmental sciences through outreach initiatives and workshops for Caltech students and local high schoolers from minority backgrounds.
Here’s what Annette does well in tackling this essay prompt:
She provides a direct answer to the prompt. The question asks for an example of innovation and while Annette does offer some personal insight, she also gives a straightforward response by describing her solar panel initiative.
She connects her interest in engineering to society. Annette explains why she is interested in computer science, the types of projects she hopes to pursue with her degree, and how these projects will benefit her peers and community.
Question 5: Caltech's values include respect for a diversity of thoughts and ideas. How have you cultivated this value in your own life? (Min: 50 / Max: 200 words)
Optional short answer questions
(Note: Caltech says these questions are truly optional!)
Question 6: If there are aspects of your life or social or personal identity that you feel are not captured elsewhere in this application, please tell us about them below. (Max: 150 words)
Question 7: When not surveying the stars, peering through microscopes, or running through coding marathons, Caltech students pursue an eclectic array of interests that range from speed-cubing, reading, yoga, playing musical instruments and theater arts, to solving puzzles, hiking, painting, and building or inventing new gadgets. We understand that everyone needs an outlet or two. What is a favorite interest or hobby, and why does it bring you joy? (Max: 200 words)
Question 8: Did you have a hard time narrowing it down to just one interest or hobby? We understand – Caltech students like to stay busy, too. Tell us about another hobby or interest! (Max: 150 words)
Optional academic short answer questions
Question 9: Have you had any extenuating circumstances (such as limited course selection or disruptions), that have affected your coursework, but that are not described elsewhere in your application? If so, tell us about them here.
Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
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Part 5: Frequently asked questions
Is MIT or Caltech harder to get into?
While the Caltech – MIT rivalry is well-known, the truth is both schools are exceptionally difficult to get into. Both require top-tier GPAs and extracurriculars of applicants, a passion for STEM fields, and a strong fit within their respective cultures.
Caltech’s acceptance rate is slightly lower than MIT’s for the entering class of 2024, but the difference is small. If your child has the stats and drive to gain acceptance at either school, they should focus more on the culture and course offerings at each institution.
For instance, Caltech is focused on science and engineering, while MIT has a wider range of programs including those in the humanities and social sciences. Furthermore, the community at Caltech is smaller and more intimate, while MIT’s larger student body offers a bit more diversity and a variety of extracurricular activities.
Choosing between Caltech and MIT shouldn’t come down to which school is ‘harder’ to get into, but rather be based on your child’s individual interests and goals. Whichever school they choose, they will encounter some of the most rigorous academic programs in the nation with unique opportunities in any field they wish to pursue.
(Suggested reading: How to Get Into MIT: Essays and Strategies that Worked)
What GPA do you need to get into Caltech?
Many aspiring Caltech undergrads want their application simplified to a specific GPA they need to hit for acceptance. However, as mentioned above, Caltech doesn’t publish the average GPAs of their entering classes, making this number hard to come by.
However, as noted, 99 percent of Caltech students scored in the top 10 percent of their high school class. This means that for your child to have a chance at entry, they would likely need a 3.9–4.0 unweighted GPA or above a 4.0 weighted GPA.
Why is Caltech so prestigious?
When it comes to prestige among universities, Caltech is hard to beat. Its reputation for groundbreaking research, close-knit community, and the unparalleled opportunities it provides to undergraduates can only be found at a handful of institutions worldwide.
Its faculty consists of numerous Nobel laureates, Fields Medalists, and other notable distinctions. The campus culture is renowned for promoting innovation and exploring novel approaches to problems, while its admissions process is extremely selective, meaning only the brightest and most highly motivated students gain entry. All of this fosters an environment of enormous prestige and solidifies its position as a leading institution in science and engineering.
Final thoughts
Fewer than 1,000 students matriculate at Caltech each year, so you can tell that it’s no easy task to get in. That’s why your best bet is to not only seek out and ace a challenging science curriculum, but also to pursue that science creatively outside the classroom.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.