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Caltech Acceptance Rate
California Institute of Technology had an overall acceptance rate of 3.14% for the application year 2024, with 13,107 applicants and 412 admitted students. The Regular Decision (RD) acceptance rate was also 3.14%, while Early Action (EA) data is not available. The university's transfer acceptance rate was 4% with 174 applicants and only 7 accepted. Historical trends show a decline from a 6.7% RD acceptance rate in 2020 to the current rate, with the RD acceptance rates for previous years being 2.7% in 2022 and 3.9% in 2021. The middle 50% SAT scores range from 1530 to 1570, while ACT scores range from 35 to 36, indicating rigorous academic standards.
Overall Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 13,107
Accepted Applicants: 412
Regular Decision vs Early Action Acceptance Rates
Historical Acceptance Rates
The California Institute of Technology's overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 stands at a low 3.14%, with 13,107 applicants and only 412 accepted. This marks a slight increase from the previous year’s rate of 2.7%, during which 16,626 applicants vied for admission and 448 were accepted. However, looking back further, the acceptance rates show a declining trend, dropping from 6.7% in 2020 and 6.4% in 2019 to the current figures. This continuous decrease underscores an intensifying competition among applicants over the years.
Wait List Acceptance Rate
Caltech's wait list acceptance rates have shown considerable fluctuation in recent years. For the Class of 2022, 195 applicants were offered a spot on the wait list, with 15 ultimately accepted, yielding a 7.7% acceptance rate. In stark contrast, for the Class of 2021, 268 waitlisted students were not admitted at all, resulting in a 0% acceptance rate. The Class of 2020 had an acceptance rate of just 3.2%, with 10 out of 312 waitlisted applicants accepted. Historical data reflects significant unpredictability in wait list outcomes, emphasizing the challenges faced by waitlisted students at Caltech.
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Caltech's transfer acceptance rate for the application year 2023 stands at 4%, with only 7 out of 174 applicants gaining admission. This marks a decrease from the previous year's acceptance rate of 5.7%, where 9 of 159 applicants were accepted. The rate has fluctuated in recent years, with a consistent acceptance rate of 4% in both 2021 and 2023, and a slightly higher 5.2% in 2020. Given this competitive landscape, prospective transfer students need to be exceptionally well-prepared to enhance their chances of admission.
Transfer Acceptance Rate
Total Applicants: 174
Accepted Applicants: 7
Scores
GPA
4.19
SAT
1530-1570
Math: 790-800
Reading: 740-760
ACT
35-36
Math: 35-36
English: 35-36
Reading: 34-36
Science: 34-36
Acceptances by Race
| Race | Applicants |
|---|---|
| Asian American | 2939.5% |
| White | 21.1% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 10.5% |
| International | 17.7% |
| Black/African American | 4.1% |
| Two or More Races | 6.8% |
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