How to Get Into Caltech: Acceptance Rate & Admissions Strategies
July 2, 2025
A popular filming location for shows/movies about brilliant young scientists (Big Bang Theory, Numb3rs, Real Genius, and countless others), the California Institute of Technology is a magnet for the most accomplished STEM minds in the country. You might think of Caltech as 鈥淢IT-West,鈥� and in many ways that would be an accurate moniker. At the same time, Caltech is far smaller, catering to just under 1,000 undergraduates compared to MIT鈥檚 4,600+. Undoubtedly, the 16,000+ applicants each year would qualify as 鈥済eniuses鈥� by sheer IQ and traditional academic achievement, yet the Caltech acceptance rate is currently the lowest in the country.
Every successful Caltech applicant possesses a sparkling transcript, perfect or near-perfect standardized test scores, and prodigious talents that extend outside of the classroom. Unfortunately, these attributes are necessary but often not sufficient as Caltech rejects valedictorians every single day of the admissions cycle. The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to Caltech:
- Caltech acceptance rate (and how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
- SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Caltech applicants
- Admissions trends from the Class of 2028
- Caltech鈥檚 system for rating applicants
- Math & science preparedness
- A look at the demographics of Caltech undergraduates
- Caltech鈥檚 yield rate
- Tips for applying to Caltech
- Caltech’s sizable array of supplemental essays and responses
- How to assess whether applying to Caltech is worth the $75 application fee (for you)
Caltech Admissions Calculator – What Are My Chances?
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California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2028
There were 13,856 applications for the Class of 2028. Of those applicants, 356 students were admitted, giving Caltech a 2.5% acceptance rate. Of the 356 admits, 228 enrolled, which means that Caltech’s yield rate was about 61%.
Historical Caltech acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2027 | 13,326 | 412 | 3% |
| Class of 2026 | 16,626 | 448 | 2.7% |
| Class of 2025 | 13,026 | 510 | 3.9% |
| Class of 2024 | 8,007 | 536 | 6.7% |
What GPA do you need to get into Caltech?
While Caltech does not release information on average GPA, it is fair to say that most Caltech students have an unweighted 4.0 (or very close to it) earned with a full roster of AP/IB courses.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to Caltech?
Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, an outstanding 86% hailed from the top 10%, while 98% earned a place in the top quarter.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Caltech?
Caltech has not reported any standardized testing stats for the past few years because they were operating as test-blind, meaning they did not consider SAT or ACT scores.
However, Caltech has reinstated its testing policy for the Class of 2029 after finding that over 95% of students were submitting scores anyway, which the admissions office was not allowed to take into account when reviewing a student’s application.
Accordingly, if you are applying during the 2025-26 admissions cycle, you will be required to submit SAT or ACT scores alongside your application.
Admissions Trends & Notes 鈥� Class of 2028
- Applications dropped by about 18% between the Class of 2026 and Class of 2027. This corresponds with when the school switched from regular Early Action to Restrictive Early Action.
- 56% of the admitted Class of 2028 attended public schools.
- 15% are first-generation students.
- International students accepted hailed from 28 countries, and US-based students came from 33 states.
- Historically, one-third of students submitted a portfolio or maker work.
- In recent years, about 20% were scholar-athletes.
How Caltech Rates Applicants
Back in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Caltech announced two major changes to its admissions process:
- Elimination of SAT Subject Test scores requirement.
- A two-year moratorium on the requirement of and consideration of the SAT/ACT. This moratorium went on for four years, but has now ended.
Caltech has always utilized a holistic process, but this was made even more so by the impact of the pandemic and the accompanying changes made by the committee. The Dean of Admissions stated that: 鈥淚f you continue to consider applying to Caltech, I promise that we will take great care of the story you share through an application. We have always reviewed students within the context of the opportunities available to them, and we will hold true to that practice. Additionally, we will be flexible and understanding of extenuating circumstances that may surround your college application process.鈥�
Five factors are cited by Caltech as being 鈥渧ery important鈥� to the admissions process: the rigor of your high school course load, standardized test scores, application essays, recommendations, and character/personal qualities. Class rank, GPA, and extracurricular involvement are deemed 鈥渋mportant鈥� to the committee. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?
Math and Science Preparedness
On the academic front, the Caltech admissions committee wants to see evidence of success in courses covering rigorously proof-based, abstract math. They want to see four years of math and a mastery of calculus that will ready students to study the following subjects:
- Set Theory & Logic
- Differential & Integral Calculus
- Linear Algebra
- Ordinary Differential Equations
Science expectations are similarly high. A year of chemistry and physics are required, and a year of biology is recommended.
However, starting with the 2024-25 application cycle, students who do not have access to calculus, chemistry, and physics classes at their high school will be offered the .
Who Actually Gets Into Caltech?
Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown for the Class of 2028 was as follows (note鈥攖hese do not add up to 100% as some individuals belong to more than one category):
- White: 19%
- Asian: 41%
- Hispanic: 10%
- Black or African American: 5%
- Two or More Races: 7%
The gender breakdown was as follows:
- Men: 50%
- Women: 40%
Students hail from the following locations:
- California: 29%
- Mid-Atlantic: 11%
- Midwest: 9%
- New England: 4%
- South: 14%
- Southwest: 6%
- West: 10%
- International: 17%
Caltech鈥檚 Yield Rate
Caltech鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted to Caltech鈥攊s 61%. This has increased by 22% over the past several years, which may help explain why Caltech is accepting fewer students.
Tips for Applying to Caltech
If you plan on joining the 13,000+ Caltech hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- We repeat鈥�, effective for anyone applying to the school after 2024.
- Caltech gives students the option of using the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Unlike rival MIT, they do not use their own separate application form.
- Caltech does not consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- There are no undergraduate interviews at Caltech. Your essays and teacher recommendations are the best way to forge a personal connection with an admissions officer.
- Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the litany of supplemental essays and short answers required by Caltech. In the 2025-26 cycle, they are as follows:
Essay #1:
Caltech has a rigorous 听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?听(Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
Essay #2:
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.听(Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)
Essay #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.
Select one听of the following two STEM Experience prompts to respond to:
- Tell us how you initially found your interest and passion for science or for a particular STEM topic, and how you have pursued or developed your interest or passion over the last few years.听(Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
- Tell us about a meaningful STEM-related experience from the last few years and share how and why it inspired your curiosity.听(Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
Essay #4:
The creativity, inventiveness, and innovation of Caltech’s students, faculty, and researchers have won听听and put听. But Techers also innovate in smaller-scale ways everyday, from imagining new ways to design solar cells or how to 3D-print dorm decor, to cooking up new recipes in the kitchen. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life?听(Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)
Essays #5 & #6:
Now it’s time for a little fun! Choose two of the four questions below and answer both in 250 words or less.
It’s up to you how you use your 250 words, whether that means you use exactly 125 words for each answer or you tell us about a niche interest in 30 words so you can spend 200 telling us about a core piece of your identity.
There is no 鈥榬ight’ way to choose which question to answer. If you’re all STEMmed out, feel free to tell us about a creative hobby. Or if you just can’t get enough math, tell us about a concept you can barely wrap your head around. Just remember the Caltech听听and stick to 250 words for both answers combined.听
- What is an interest or hobby you do for fun, and why does it bring you joy?
- If you could teach a class on any topic or concept, what would it be and why?
- What is a core piece of your identity or being that shapes how you view and/or interact with the world?
- What is a concept that blew your mind or baffled you when you first encountered it?
(Two听Essay听Boxes, each with Min:1 Max: 249 words)
Optional Academic Short Answer Question
Should I apply to Caltech?
If you are at the very top of your class, have taken an exceptionally rigorous STEM curriculum, have near-perfect test scores, and possess demonstrated STEM talent/interest (particularly of the project, research, or competition variety), you could have a fighting chance of acceptance at this excellent institution.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
If you are academically qualified, there is no harm in filling out a Caltech application, but鈥攁s with all uber-elite colleges in 2025-26鈥攅ven the best and brightest applicants need to have a rock-solid backup plan. All college-bound teens need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools. You鈥檒l definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).
Ready to fill out your application? You may appreciate the following resources:
