When you imagine the most selective college in the world, what do you think of? Harvard? Yale? Maybe even Stanford? What if we told you that the answer wasn’t one of these big-name schools but the modest (yet fiercely competitive) California Institute of Technology, a school that twice topped the US News & World Report annual college ranking back in the 90s? This private research university in sunny Pasadena, California, set a record last year for the lowest acceptance rate at a four-year institution, with a slim 2.27% of applicants making it into the Class of 2028.

We’re still awaiting such data for this year’s Class of 2029, but in the meantime, there are still some pretty insightful details about this new crop of Beavers that Ivy Coach would like to unpack.

California Institute of Technology Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics (Classes of 2029 — 2019)

Caltech Class Year	Total Applications Received	Total Applications Accepted	Overall Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	427	Not Yet Published
Class of 2028	13,863	315	2.27%
Class of 2027	13,107	412	3.14%
Class of 2026	16,626	448	2.69%
Class of 2025	13,026	510	3.92%
Class of 2024	8,007	536	6.69%
Class of 2023	8,367	537	6.42%
Class of 2022	8,208	543	6.62%
Class of 2021	7,339	568	7.74%
Class of 2020	6,855	553	8.07%
Class of 2019	6,506	573	8.81%

Caltech’s Class of 2029 in Historical Perspective

The only data point Caltech has shared thus far about the Class of 2029 is that 427 students were accepted. If we knew how many applied, we’d be able to report an acceptance rate — but alas, no dice. These 427 admitted applicants form a larger cohort than last year’s 315 admitted applicants to the Class of 2028 out of a pool of 13,863, which set a new record for the school (and the world!) for the most selective incoming class. 

Last year was not, however, the year in which the most applications were received. Instead, the Class of 2026’s 16,626 applicants set this record for Caltech, and the resulting 2.69% acceptance rate was, at the time, a new benchmark. 

When Caltech rejects over 95% of its applicants, it’s largely doing most of them a favor. As its website states, “Caltech is hard. We will challenge you to think in new and innovative ways.” The vast majority of those who apply to Caltech wouldn’t be able to stay afloat academically if admitted. Is it any surprise that the country’s most selective school prides itself on its curriculum’s difficulty? 

The Demographic Breakdown of Caltech’s Class of 2029

The only bit of demographic information Caltech has thus shared about the Class of 2029 is as follows: 

“Hailing from 41 U.S. states and territories and 27 countries around the globe, the admitted students embody academic excellence, a shared dedication to scientific inquiry, and diverse lived experiences.”

Beyond this detailing of geographic origins, we don’t know much else about these incoming students, including whether the proportion of first-generation students has increased over last year, how many students of color form this new class, what their average SAT score range looks like, or how many will be eligible for financial aid. However, rest assured that these details are bound to come to light in the next edition of Caltech’s Common Data Set, which is a federally mandated repository of all such information about an institution’s student body.

Getting Started with Ivy Coach on the Caltech Waitlist

Getting into Caltech is a major accomplishment. It’s pretty much the hardest feat of achievement a high schooler can accomplish. So if you’re currently reeling from being waitlisted by Caltech, keep your head up! You’re in some good company.

If you’re interested in giving yourself the best shot of earning admission off the Caltech waitlist, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form and indicate that you’re on the Caltech waitlist. We’ll write back to you to delineate our waitlist service and will be happy to set up a complimentary consultation in which you can learn more about the service.