The Admissions Process:
How We Make Decisions
There are a lot of numbers and formulas at Caltech—but not at the Admissions Office. The decision-making process is much more of an art than a science here. We do not put your numbers into a computer to calculate your admissibility. Rather, we read every application to get a sense of who you are and whether you would be a good fit for Caltech.
Where You Come From?
The admissions counselors read applications from the geographic regions they have visited and know well. Each student is considered in the context of his or her background. Every student has different resources, depending on his or her family, school, and community situations. Students are not compared to one another, even if they come from the same high school, because each student has a different set of life circumstances. We gather this information from the “background” pages of your application and from your secondary-school profile. We neither discriminate against nor look positively upon different backgrounds. We have no quotas whatsoever. The background information simply gives us the context in which to consider your application.
Academics
We first look for academic ability by evaluating test scores, grades, and recommendations. Caltech students are gifted in math and science and also are good test takers. If you have low math and science test scores, we will look for evidence of abilities in other parts of your application. Even if you have done well on your standardized tests, we will confirm that ability with your grades and teacher recommendations. Caltech students are not only good at math and science; they love those subjects, too. We will look for your love of learning in your curriculum and teacher recommendations. If you have taken courses or done research outside of school, be sure to include those transcripts and, if possible, recommendations from those experiences.
Extracurricular Activities
We look for students who extend their interest in math and science to outside activities as well. This may mean joining school academic teams or tutoring programs. Or it may mean tinkering with gadgets at home. You can detail your activities both on the Common Application and on the Caltech supplement. On the supplement, you can specifically address why you think you are a good fit for Caltech.
Recommendations
We value your teachers’ and college counselor’s recommendations. They give us a sense of who you are as a student and person. Be sure to choose teachers who know you well and can tell us a lot about you. If you have worked closely with someone outside of school who can tell us a lot about you, you can turn in a supplementary recommendation too.
Once all the applications have been read, committees made up of admissions counselors, faculty, administrators, and current students will meet to discuss competitive applicants.
We look for students who extend their interest in math and science to outside activities as well. This may mean joining school academic teams or tutoring programs. Or it may mean tinkering with gadgets at home. You can detail your activities both on the Common Application and on the Caltech supplement. On the supplement, you can specifically address why you think you are a good fit for Caltech.
Recommendations
We value your teachers’ and college counselor’s recommendations. They give us a sense of who you are as a student and person. Be sure to choose teachers who know you well and can tell us a lot about you. If you have worked closely with someone outside of school who can tell us a lot about you, you can turn in a supplementary recommendation too.
Interviews
We do not offer on- or off-campus interviews. Those who know you well, your teachers and college counselor, can give us the best sense of who you are.
Although Caltech does not conduct admission interviews, you can speak with Caltech alumni in your area. To arrange a meeting, call Karen Carlson at the Caltech Alumni Association, 626-395-6593, or e-mail karen@alumni.caltech.edu.
Evaluating
After we have thoroughly read your application, we will determine whether you are a competitive candidate. If so, we will pass your application on to faculty and then to current undergraduates who are members of the Undergraduate Admissions Committee. They have been trained to read applications and offer great insight as to whether candidates are a good fit for Caltech. Faculty from different fields read research papers, and students are very familiar with different high school activities.
Once all the applications have been read, committees made up of admissions counselors, faculty, administrators, and current students will meet to discuss competitive applicants.
Decisions
After we finalize all our decisions, we mail them to you. If you have been deferred in the early cycle or waitlisted in the regular cycle, you can submit materials that contain new information or write a letter indicating your interest in attending Caltech.
