California Institute of Technology

Supplemental prompts (2025-26)

• Required STEM Academic Interest Question
• Your STEM Future – STEM Academic Interests
• Caltech has a rigorous core curriculum and students don’t declare a major until the end of their first year. However, some students arrive knowing which academic fields and areas already most excite them, or which novel fields and areas they most want to explore.
• If you had to choose an area of interest or two today, what would you choose?
• *Note that you are under no obligation to follow this choice if admitted.
• Why did you choose your proposed area of interest? If you selected ‘other’, what topics are you interested in pursuing? (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
• Required Short Essay Questions
• Your STEM Present – STEM Curiosity
• Regardless of your STEM interest listed above, take this opportunity to nerd out and talk to us about whatever STEM rabbit hole you have found yourself falling into. Be as specific or broad as you would like. (Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)
• Your STEM Past – STEM Experiences
• At Caltech, we investigate some of the most challenging, fundamental problems in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We are interested in learning more about your engagement with STEM.
• Select one of the following two STEM Experience prompts to respond to:
• Tell us how you initially found your interest and passion for science or for a particular STEM topic, and how you have pursued or developed your interest or passion over the last few years. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
• Tell us about a meaningful STEM-related experience from the last few years and share how and why it inspired your curiosity. (Min: 100 / Max: 200 words)
• Creativity in Action Question
• The creativity, inventiveness, and innovation of Caltech’s students, faculty, and researchers have won Nobel Prizes and put rovers on Mars. But Techers also innovate in smaller-scale ways everyday, from imagining new ways to design solar cells or how to 3D-print dorm decor, to cooking up new recipes in the kitchen. How have you been a creator, inventor, or innovator in your own life? (Min: 50 / Max: 150 words)
• Required Short Answer Questions
• Now it’s time for a little fun! Choose two of the four questions below and answer both in 250 words or less.
• It’s up to you how you use your 250 words, whether that means you use exactly 125 words for each answer or you tell us about a niche interest in 30 words so you can spend 200 telling us about a core piece of your identity.
• There is no ‘right’ way to choose which question to answer. If you’re all STEMmed out, feel free to tell us about a creative hobby. Or if you just can’t get enough math, tell us about a concept you can barely wrap your head around. Just remember the Caltech Honor Code and stick to 250 words for both answers combined.
• What is an interest or hobby you do for fun, and why does it bring you joy?
• If you could teach a class on any topic or concept, what would it be and why?
• What is a core piece of your identity or being that shapes how you view and/or interact with the world?
• What is a concept that blew your mind or baffled you when you first encountered it?
• (Two Essay Boxes, each with Min:1 Max: 249 words)

Source: IvyWise 2025-26 Common App supplements