Question about Cal Tech and being deferred

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

I haven’t applied to Cal Tech yet (currently a junior in high school), but I’ve heard Cal Tech tends to defer high school students who take physics their senior year. Is this true?

2

No.

3

You probably heard from people with very limited perspectives. Some schools don’t even have physics.

4

@CaliCash Thanks for the reply! The logic behind this was “Cal Tech wants to make sure you can handle physics.”

5

For what it’s worth, I didn’t take a single physics course until senior year, and I was admitted EA (i.e. before my grade in physics was even released). It is highly advised that you take one at some point before applying/attending because there are quite a few physics requirements.

6

The question can be interpreted in three different ways:

  1. Those that take physics senior year tend to be deferred

  2. Those that are deferred tend to be taking physics senior year

  3. More than half (definition of tend) of the applicants are deferred and take physics

  4. False, defer rate is < 50%

  5. True I would guess since taking physics senior year is pretty common

  6. False, defer rate is < 50%