Is it true that you HAVE TO take a year of chemistry during highschool to be able to apply to Caltech?
You must have either completed the following courses or be enrolled in them at the time of your application. Students who have not completed these courses will not be properly prepared for Caltech’s core curriculum.
4 years of math (including calculus)
1 year of physics
1 year of chemistry
3 years of English (4 years recommended)
1 year of U.S. history/government (waived for students in schools outside the U.S.)
Caltech does not automatically grant credit for AP, IB, A Level, Pre-U, or college courses taken prior to enrollment. Each student accepted to Caltech will take a math and physics placement exam prior to enrolling. Based on the results of these exams, you may place out of courses and be granted credit for those courses
http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/content/academic-preparation-requirements
Yes, see http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/content/academic-preparation-requirements
You need at least a year of physics and at least a year of chemistry. There is no requirement to have had biology, though that would be nice and is probably expected by admissions but not required.
Considering the level of freshman chem at Caltech, I don’t think you would want to be there without having taken any chemistry prior. There is no remedial chemistry section during freshman year, though the intro chemistry classes are pass/fail.
Very few students place out of freshman chemistry at Caltech, even if they have taken AP Chemistry and gotten a 5.
Oops, double posted.