Academics
Beyond arguably one of the most rigorous undergraduate educations in science out there, Caltech is a small, tight-knit community that is “geared toward training tomorrow’s leaders and pioneers in the field of science.” There may be a heavy emphasis on scientific learning and research, but “not to the point where students can do nothing else,” as the core curriculum “exposes each student to a broad range of subjects” beyond the stereotypical fare. At Caltech, passionate researchers “work together to solve the problems of tomorrow, while enjoying great weather.” Or to put it in the parlance of collegiate times: “Cross collaboration of ideas and ingenuity leads to epic-ness!” Academics are understandably “intense” at Caltech: “The work can be hell but you’ll love what you learn.” Fortunately, “classes are small and it’s often easy to form tight bonds with the professors.” The quality of teaching can vary—“just because they’re Nobel Prize winners, does not make them good lecturers”—but the extremely low student-to-faculty ratio “makes it easier to interact on a personal basis with professors.” “My academic experience here has been an extremely difficult whirlwind of humbling and fascinating knowledge,” says a student. Much learning is done through the homework sets, on which students are encouraged to collaborate. The dedication Caltech has for training the researchers of tomorrow is renowned, and is evident in the accessibility to research for all students, even first-years. The academic experience isn’t just in the classroom; there are “lots of funding opportunities (for instance, the Housner Fund and the MooreHufstedler Fund) for projects outside of the classroom.” “One professor took me on for research after [my first] year (we formulated an improved way to rank basketball players and teams), and I’m very good friends with him in what is now my junior year,” says a mathematics major. Undergraduate student representation and self-government are happily welcomed here, and the school “really cares about the undergrads and wants to keep us happy.” The school also does “a really good job of keeping students occupied and entertained while at the same time cramming a ridiculous amount of information into our heads.”
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