Caltech Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme |
Can I get into Caltech? The school has a 8% acceptance rate. Last year, 568 out of 7,339 applicants were admitted making Caltech an extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 1 percent. Only 41% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class.
8% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 760 |
| SAT Math 25th | 790 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1550 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 790 |
| SAT Math 75th | 800 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1590 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 1570 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to California Institute of Technology?
California Institute of Technology typically requires applicants to be in the top 1 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1550 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1530. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1570 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 65 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1590 and Above | Good | >13% |
| 1570 to 1590 | Avg + | 8%-13% |
| 1550 to 1570 | Avg - | 5%-8% |
| 1530 to 1550 | Reach | 3%-5% |
| Less than 1530 | Low | <3% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 34 |
| ACT Math 25th | 35 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 34 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 36 |
| ACT Math 75th | 36 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 35 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 34 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Caltech?
Admission data indicates that Caltech regularly accepts students with ACT's of 34 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 1 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 34 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 34 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. 56 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to California Institute of Technology.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 35 and Above | Good | >20% |
| 34 to 35 | Avg + | 8%-20% |
| 34 to 34 | Avg - | 8%-8% |
| 34 to 34 | Reach | 8%-8% |
| Less than 34 | Low | <8% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
California Institute of Technology has not reported high school GPA data for its accepted students.
High School Class Rank
99% of California Institute of Technology freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 99% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 0% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 1,958 | 5,381 | 7,339 |
| Accepted | 306 | 262 | 568 |
| Acceptance Rate | 16% | 5% | 8% |
| Enrolled | 108 | 127 | 235 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 35% | 48% | 41% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 3, 2019.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to California Institute of Technology and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Neither required nor recommended |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | No |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110404 IPEDS survey data for California Institute of Technology.
