In a major shift for one of the nation's most prestigious universities, Caltech announced Thursday it is dropping its longstanding admissions requirement for applicants to have completed calculus, chemistry and physics courses, noting that many students lack access to such curricula at their high schools.
Instead, Caltech will offer such students a chance to participate in free online courses, tutoring and a certification process through Khan Academy, culminating in an assessment exam that can be used for admission consideration.
"The Caltech faculty recognize that one or more of the STEM courses that we require for admission may not be available to all students. The new policy aims to provide an avenue for such students to fill that gap in formal coursework by engaging in effective independent study of the relevant subject material."
The Los Angeles Times, which first reported the Caltech admission changes, reported that, according to federal data, only 65% of public high schools offered calculus classes in the 2017-18 school year, with the course access more limited in large cities and rural areas. Chemistry classes were offered at 88% of high school, but only 74% offered physics.
The revised applications process also now includes guidelines regarding"the ethical use of AI in Caltech applications."
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