In a groundbreaking decision, Caltech, one of the nation’s top universities, has announced that it will no longer require applicants to have completed calculus, chemistry, and physics courses for admissions. This change comes in recognition of the fact that many students do not have access to such coursework at their high schools.
Instead, Caltech will provide these students with the opportunity to participate in free online courses, tutoring, and a certification process through Khan Academy. This program will culminate in an assessment exam that can be used for admission consideration.
“Our admissions goal is to remove barriers and provide access to talented STEM students,” stated Jared R. Leadbetter, professor of environmental microbiology and chair of the first-year admissions committee.
“The Caltech faculty acknowledges that certain STEM courses may not be available to all students. The new policy aims to bridge this gap by allowing students to engage in effective independent study of relevant subjects.”
Students who choose to participate in the Khan Academy program must pass an exam with a score of 90% or higher to meet Caltech’s course requirements. Alternatively, they can also meet the requirement through Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test scores.
According to data from the Los Angeles Times, only 65% of public high schools offered calculus classes during the 2017-18 school year. The availability of chemistry and physics classes was even more limited, with 88% and 74% of high schools offering them, respectively. This disparity is more pronounced in large cities and rural areas.
Additionally, Caltech has made changes to the short-essay questions in the application. The new questions are designed to allow applicants to express how Caltech’s values resonate with them.
The revised application process also includes guidelines on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Caltech applications.
“According to these guidelines, ethical uses of AI include utilizing large language models like ChatGPT or Bard to generate questions for brainstorming, review grammar and spelling, or research the college application process,” stated a university representative. “However, it is considered unethical to use these tools to draft essay responses.”
“Equity at Caltech means continuously considering where talent resides and how we can make Caltech more accessible to the brightest STEM students worldwide,” said Ashley Pallie, executive director of undergraduate admissions and chief admissions officer.
“We understand that educational opportunities vary, but a student’s intellectual capacity should not be limited by their local high school. The challenges the world faces exceed those limitations, and thus, Caltech Admissions is thinking beyond them as well.”
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