Caltech Essays

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.

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

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Caltech admissions requirements

Part 3: Applying to Caltech early action vs. regular decision

Part 4: 2023–2024 Caltech supplemental essays (examples included)

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: 9
• Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 4

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: 982
• Grad and professional school population: 1,419

Caltech acceptance rate

Here are Caltech’s admissions statistics for the class of 2027:

• Acceptances: 412
• Matriculants: 263
• Acceptance rate: 7%

Caltech is not currently reporting the total number of applications received. The Caltech Admissions office also does not report their “early action” and “regular decision” rates. There is no known statistical advantage to applying early.

Caltech tuition and scholarships

The 2023–2024 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) at Caltech is $86,886.

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 is currently taking a three-year moratorium from considering any standardized test scores in their admissions process (through Fall 2023). 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
  • 25th percentile: 1530
  • 75th percentile: 1580

  For the incoming class in Fall 2023, Asian students make up the largest percentage of Caltech undergrads at 37 percent, white students constitute 22 percent, Hispanic Americans make up 11 percent, while Black or African American students make up five percent. International students constitute 17% of this class.

  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.

  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
  • 1 year of physics (preferably calculus-based), 1 year of chemistry, and other science classes taken at the highest level offered by your child’s school
  • The most advanced and rigorous English coursework offered by your child’s school
  • At least 1 course in U.S. history or government (for students attending school in the U.S. only).

  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:

  • Common App Essay
  • 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)

    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.

    Part 4: 2023–2024 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: Because of the rigorous courses in the core curriculum, Caltech 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? Why did you choose that area of interest? (200 words)

    Question 2: At Caltech, we investigate some of the most challenging, fundamental problems in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Identify and describe two STEM-related experiences from your high school years, either in or out of the classroom, and tell us how and why they activated your curiosity. What made you want to learn more and explore further? (100-200 words for each experience)

    Here’s how Sylvia wrote about STEM-related experiences:

    Throughout my high school STEM journey, nothing has piqued my interest quite like robotics. In my school’s robotics club, I built a contraption that could slice fruits, pull seeds out, and seal the torn skin back up (though there was definitely scarring).

    Building my apple-cutting robot inspired me to explore how my interest in robotics could be applied to my passion for cancer research. Once I started reading about robotic surgeries, I became obsessed with how they could be used by urologists and gynecologists to remove cancer, so I decided to volunteer with my local American Cancer Society facility.

    Volunteering with the American Cancer Society has inspired me to learn more about the molecular processes that are responsible for the pain and suffering of millions across the globe. Now I want to conduct research to find better treatment options using cutting-edge technology. I want to be on the forefront of innovation in the medical community through my commitment to research, perhaps through building robots that help urologists remove tumors from the prostate. Once I become a researcher, I will always think of the patients whom I encountered in the chemo unit as inspiration for why my work matters.

    Here’s what Sylvia does well in tackling this Caltech supplemental essay:

    • She explores different aspects of why she is interested in STEM. Through these short entries, we learn that Sylvia is passionate about discovering new treatments to enhance the lives of cancer patients, building robots that can improve surgical procedures for cancer removal, and learning more about how she can contribute to the medical field outside of being a physician. Sylvia crafts a narrative that shows how her passion for cancer research has developed and the form it might take at Caltech and beyond.
    • She demonstrates curiosity and shows off her independent thinking. While many students might say that working with cancer patients has inspired them to become doctors, Sylvia takes an alternative approach. Rather, she draws on her specific skill set (robotics) and interests (cancer) to show the specific way in which she wants to innovate cancer treatments: building robots that surgeons can use to remove cancer.

    Question 3: 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. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life? (200-250 Words)

    Question 4: Caltech’s mission – to cultivate learning, discovery, and innovation for the benefit of humanity – relies on its community members embracing fundamental Caltech values. Share what one or more of these values evokes for you:

    a. Openness and enthusiasm for having preconceptions challenged

    b. Respect and appreciation for the idea that, while we are all members of the same community, the opportunities we’ve had to develop, showcase, and apply our talents have not been equal

    c. Passion for the ideal that science can and should meaningfully improve the lives of others (400 Words)

    Question 5: 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. (150 words)

    Question 6: When not surveying the stars, peering through microscopes, or running through marathons of coding, Caltech students pursue an eclectic array of interests that range from speed-cubing to participating in varsity athletics to reading romance novels. What is a favorite interest or hobby, and why does it bring you joy? (100 words)

    Question 7: 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! (50 words)

    Question 8: 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. (No limit; can keep it to 150 or 200 words).

    California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

    

    California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

    The Requirements: 3 essays of 200 words; 1 essay of 400 words; 3 short optional essays

    In addition to the personal essay in the Common Application or the Coalition Application, applicants to Caltech must complete required supplemental short-answer essays. These are questions that the Admissions Committee has devised to get to know you better as a student, scientist, and person, and ascertain who you’ll be on our campus.

    Required:

    We don’t want essay writing to be intimidating, but we know it often is. We have put together some advice to help you get started writing your Caltech supplemental essays, so you can worry less and enjoy the application process.

    Because of the rigorous courses in the core curriculum, Caltech 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?

    Please indicate your proposed area of interest at Caltech. [Choose an option from a dropdown list]

    There’s only one trick to selecting a major or generating a straightforward list of your academic interests: be honest. If you already know what you want to major in or have it narrowed down to two choices, you’re set! Don’t waste time trying to strategize because choosing anything other than your true interests would be a misrepresentation of who you are and a disservice to yourself and the admissions office. This assignment will, no doubt, be most challenging for the undecideds, but ask yourself: how can you use this opportunity to reveal something about what excites you intellectually or academically?

    Why did you choose that area of interest? (200 words)

    You’ve only got 200 words, but if you chose wisely in the previous question, answering this one should be easy as pie. Whether you listed one or two interests, your goal here is to tell a cohesive story about your intellectual curiosity. Ideally, you should try to recount an anecdote that illustrates your engagement with your chosen field or demonstrates your ability to link together seemingly disparate fields. Perhaps you’re interested in both philosophy and astrophysics because each offers a way for you to contemplate our place in the universe. This is a great opportunity for you to explain how your intellectual interests relate to who you are as a person. Don’t waste it!

    At Caltech, we investigate some of the most challenging, fundamental problems in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Identify and describe two STEM-related experiences from your high school years, either in or out of the classroom, and tell us how and why they activated your curiosity. What about them made you want to learn more and explore further? (200 words each)

    STEM experience/activity #1*

    STEM experience/activity #2*

    For these two short answer responses, we recommend using concrete sensory details to pull your reader into the story. Strong responses will not only describe the project at hand, but also make the readers feel like they’re in the room where it happened (“the room where it happened” – Hamilton ). What about the project captured your attention and curiosity? How did you develop your skills or interest in STEM as a result of your participation? How did this experience lay the foundation for your future STEM-related pursuits? If you’re applying to Caltech, we’re willing to bet you have a few experiences to choose from, so we recommend writing about the two that were most intellectually engaging for you.

    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. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life? This question can be answered as a written response (200-250 words).*

    Admissions is seeking to invite movers and shakers to campus who are excited and motivated to turn their dreams into reality. Whether you’ve been experimenting with robotics or spending your summers researching ways to integrate renewable energy into daily life, this is the place to share your story. Show admissions that you are not only planning to be an innovator, but have already taken steps to incorporate this approach in your day-to-day activities. The more specific details you can incorporate into your essay, the more sincere and personal it will feel (and be!).

    Caltech’s mission – to cultivate learning, discovery, and innovation for the benefit of humanity – relies on its community members embracing our Mission-Based Values, which include:

    1) Openness and enthusiasm for having preconceptions challenged

    2) Respect and appreciation for the idea that, while we are all members of the same community, the opportunities we’ve had to develop, showcase, and apply our talents have not been equal

    3) Passion for the ideal that science can and should meaningfully improve the lives of others

    Share what one or more of these values evokes for you.* (400 words)

    For this prompt, Caltech wants to know how its mission resonates with you, so read over their values, then think about how they overlap with your own. This could be a great opportunity to recycle an essay you’ve written about engaging in conversation with someone who holds opposing beliefs (Value 1), embracing diversity and inclusion (Value 2), or your love for all things science (Value 3). If you don’t have any material to recycle here, don’t fret, odds are you have something to say about at least one of these three values. Maybe you’ve been developing and testing your hypotheses since you were a little kid and you are just as excited when they prove true as when they are proved wrong! Perhaps inclusivity and equity are important to you because you know what it’s like not to have the same opportunities as your peers and you’ve worked hard to achieve your goals regardless. Whatever your story is, be sure to avoid generalizations and, instead, provide concrete examples. For example, anyone can write that they are ambitious and resilient, but not everyone is going to be able to exhibit those traits with real-life examples. Specifics are what stick in admissions’ minds!

    Optional:

    We know, we know … you see optional and start to wonder if we mean it. But in this section, we truly do! See these as completely optional opportunities to show us more of your personality.

    Optional. We promise.

    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. (150 words)

    Caltech knows that you are a multifaceted person, that your identity cannot be boiled down to nuggets of information on an application. That’s why admissions is giving you this (albeit small) space to expand on an aspect of your identity. Scroll through your application (personal statement, activity list, major selection) and take a moment to think about what you haven’t been able to include yet. Perhaps you want to write about your identity as a first-born daughter of immigrants or the daily yoga practice that grounds you and enables you to better connect with people and places around you. Regardless of what you choose to write about, you don’t have a lot of words to play with, so we recommend brevity!

    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! (50 words)

    This is a great place to write about a hobby or interest that is, maybe, newer to you, one you’ve spent less time on. Have you been learning how to play guitar? Did you start taking kayaking lessons this summer? You only have 50 words for this response, so try not to choose a topic that will require too much explaining. Instead, dive right into what makes you lose track of time!

    Have you had any extenuating circumstances (such as limited course selection, inconsistent grades, or disruptions), that have affected your coursework, but that are not described elsewhere in your application? If so, tell us about them here. (150 words)

    This is Caltech’s version of the Additional Info essay, which means that, unless you have something crucial to explain to admissions, and there is absolutely NOWHERE else on the application for you to write about it, you should skip this essay. Think about it: if you were an admissions officer, would you really want to read one more essay per applicant? That being said, this essay is perfect for students who have encountered extenuating circumstances and need an opportunity to explain them. In fact, we recommend saving those details for an Additional Info essay, so that you can use the rest of your application to highlight other parts of your amazing personality. So, if something has happened that affected your academic performance, this is a great opportunity to give the 4-1-1 (that means “information” because, in the Stone Age of the late 1900s, we used our rotary phones instead of the internet).

    Some Caltech applicants engage in STEM competitions locally, nationally, or internationally (e.g., AIME, Science Olympiad, International Science Olympiads). If you have received any STEM honors or awards, list them here (with scores, if applicable).

    This prompt is as dry as they come. If you’ve earned any STEM honors or awards, this is the place to list them. If you don’t have anything to add here, feel free to skip this prompt altogether!

    About Kat Stubing

    We try our best to make sure our guides are as up to date as possible, but we still recommend confirming each prompt and word count with the school in question.