I dont know how to approach this prompt: “The process of discovery best advances when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity of Caltech’s community?” Can someone give me a starting point to think on?
This is really asking:
“What makes you special?”
“How do you uniquely approach problems?”
“What makes you stand out from all our other applicants?”
and, most of all,
“Why should we admit you?”
Think about how you’re unique and what you’d contribute to the school. Think about personal experiences that give you a different viewpoint. Then write about it 
good luck
Thanks, @cyangsol!
Do you think writing about self-motivation and how far it has lead me with respect to picking myself up from failures and constantly improving myself is a good topic? I was thinking that this question was trying to ask something that was less academic but I’m not so sure.
I think they are getting at what makes you distinct from your peers? It could be in your life experiences, or some personality trait, or even some hobby or research experience that gives you a unique viewpoint of the world. Everyone applying to Caltech is self motivated, so that wouldn’t really make you stand out,
“…when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together.” That’s not just what makes you different.
it’s not so much about what makes you different from other people as it is what you can contribute to the diversity of the community. It’s a very nuanced difference. Consider something related to your unique life experiences, gender, sexual orientation, where you grew up, religious beliefs, your immediate family, unique interests, socioeconomic status, educational environment, hometown, etc.
Scientific exploration these days often requires collaboration between people from various disciplines. I think Caltech is looking for people who can not only contribute their original ideas but also are open-minded and receptive to ideas that are very different from their own.
Exactly, @1NJParent. It’s a question about collaborating, not just what makes an applicant different. And my guess is they’ll look for which kids got that point in the question. Not just you, but you in a group. In the tech world, collaboration is vital, whether across disciplines, in your own group, or even in solo work.