California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
What are your chances of getting into California Institute of Technology?
California Institute of Technology is a tiny, intensely STEM-focused private university in Pasadena best known for mathematics, physics, engineering, chemistry, and research that connects undergraduate study to real scientific work. Its academic style is famously rigorous: the core curriculum is demanding, classes are small, and the 3:1 student-faculty ratio means undergraduates get unusually direct access to faculty and research mentors. Caltech’s size gives it a close-knit feel, with just about 1,000 undergraduates, and research is a defining part of the experience rather than an add-on. The campus is compact and calm, set in sunny Pasadena with easy access to Los Angeles while still feeling distinct from a big-city school. Student life tends to be collaborative, quirky, and intellectually driven, with a strong house system and a culture that rewards curiosity, resilience, and comfort with being challenged. Students who thrive here usually love problem-solving, want to dive deeply into science or engineering, and are energized by a place where nearly everyone is serious about academics.
Calculate your chances at California Institute of Technology
Enter your GPA and test scores, add other schools, and see where you stand instantly.
Your Academic Profile
Estimates based on admitted-student data. Real decisions also weigh essays, recommendations, and course rigor.
Your results
Enter your GPA to see your academic score.
Your chances map appears here once you enter a GPA and add colleges.
Strengths
- World-class strength in STEM, especially math, physics, engineering, chemistry, and research
- Very small undergraduate population and low student-faculty ratio create close mentoring and tight community
- Undergraduates get early and frequent research opportunities in a highly academic environment
- Pasadena location offers a pleasant campus setting with access to Los Angeles and nearby research institutions
Things to weigh
- Extremely selective, with admissions pressure that is intense even among top applicants
- Academic pace is demanding and can feel relentless for students who want a lighter college experience
- Very small school size means fewer majors, activities, and social options than larger universities
- Best fit is narrow: students who are not deeply interested in STEM may feel out of place
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into California Institute of Technology?+
California Institute of Technology admits about 3% of applicants, and the middle 50% of admitted students score between 1530 and 1580 on the SAT. Enter your GPA and test scores above and this calculator estimates your personal chances in seconds, and tells you whether California Institute of Technology is a safety, match, or reach for your profile.
Is this the most accurate college admissions calculator?+
Counselly's chances calculator runs on real, current admissions data, the actual admit rates and SAT/ACT ranges colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education, not averages scraped from forums. Our algorithm weighs your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular strength against each school's admitted-student profile the way an admissions reader would begin, which makes it one of the most reliable free tools for seeing where you'll get into college.
How does the calculator predict my chances of getting in?+
It compares your academic profile to each college's real admitted class. We look at where your GPA and test scores fall within a school's 25th to 75th percentile range, combine that with the school's overall admit rate, and factor in your extracurricular strength, then translate it into a clear percentage and a Safety, Match, or Reach label. Everything recalculates instantly as you add schools or adjust your stats.
What counts as a good chance of getting into a college?+
Roughly above 60% is a Safety, you're comfortably ahead of the typical admitted student. Around 30 to 60% is a Match, realistic and worth prioritizing. Below 30% is a Reach, still absolutely worth applying to if it's a dream school. The strongest college lists balance all three, and Counselly helps you build exactly that kind of list.
Which colleges can I check my admission chances for?+
Hundreds of US colleges and universities, from Ivy League schools to large public flagships to smaller private colleges. Just start typing, MIT, UCLA, NYU, Michigan, and pick from the suggestions. We're continuously expanding our data, and your free assessment goes even further, matching you to programs across the country based on your full profile.
Can a calculator really tell me where I will get accepted?+
No tool can promise an outcome, and you should be cautious of any that claims to. What Counselly does exceptionally well is show you, honestly and instantly, exactly where you stand academically at each college, so you can build a smart, balanced list instead of guessing. Your essays, recommendations, and story do the rest, and your free assessment is built to help you strengthen all of them.
Is the college chances calculator free?+
Completely free, and no signup is required to use it. When you're ready to go further, your full assessment, the complete list of colleges where you're a strong fit plus a step-by-step plan to raise your odds, is also free to unlock with an account.
