The mission of the California Institute of Technology is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.
The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private, coeducational research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech maintains a strong emphasis on the natural sciences and engineering. Caltech also operates and manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA organization that oversees the design and operation of many unmanned space probes. Caltech is a small school, with only about 2100 students (about 900 undergraduates and 1200 graduate students), but is ranked in the top 10 universities worldwide by metrics such as citation index, Nobel Prizes, and general university rankings.
Caltech began as a vocational school founded in Pasadena in 1891 by local businessman and politician Amos G. Throop. The school was known successively as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute, and Throop College of Technology, before acquiring its current name in 1921. Caltech and the Polytechnic School, a private, college-preparatory academy across the street, were part of the same institution until 1907.
Astronomer George Ellery Hale played an important role in Caltech's early development, helping to mold the school into a major scientific institution. Hale joined Throop's board of trustees after coming to Pasadena in 1907 as the first director of the Mount Wilson Observatory. At a time when scientific research in the United States was still in its infancy, Hale saw an opportunity to create in Pasadena an institution for serious research and education in engineering and the natural sciences. Hale succeeded in attracting private gifts of land and money that were used to build well-equipped, modern laboratory facilities. He then convinced two of the leading American scientists of the time, physical chemist Arthur Amos Noyes and experimental physicist Robert Andrews Millikan, to join Caltech's faculty and assist in establishing the college as a center for science and technology.
|
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
|
Men vs. Women
|
||||
|
Race/Ethnicity
|
|
In State vs. Out-of-State
|
Top States for Incoming Freshman
|
| Percent of Students International: | 24% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 38% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf) Baseball (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf) Track (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 27,309 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 5,477 | 15% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 9,708 | 9% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 19,014 | 64% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 1,919 | 32% | |
Any Aid: |
69% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 20% (Most Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 100% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 700, Math: 750 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 770, Math: 800 |
| Application Fee: | $ 50.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Not Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Recommended |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice
|
 |
|
|
Question:
Caltech admissions?
Caltech says it is looking for students with a demonstrated interest in math and science.
Any suggestions on how to show a demonstrated interest in math and science, apart from taking the hardest Aps that your school has to offer.
Thanks for the help.
16 months ago
Best Answer
If your high school has any clubs or activities relating the math and/or science, join and be active so when applying you can talk about it. If not, have a hobby involving math and/or science. Forex, ham radio, or astronomy such as building a telescope or radio telescope. If there are any science oriented clubs or museums in your area, contact them for some ideas.
CalTech is very hard to get into, and posibly harder to stay in. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
I got 780 critical reading, 770 math, 730 writing on the main test and 800 for history and math IIc and 770 for chem on SAT IIs. I have good grades, OK extra curicullars, but no school sports.
Thanks!
16 months ago
Best Answer
Great scores. No admissions person anywhere would cut you for those. That said, more people make those kinds of scores than there's room for at the schools you mention.
Take rigorous classes your senior year and work up a dynamite essay that shows why you are special. There are some good online sources about topics to avoid and approaches to take.
|
|
|
|
Question:
Caltech or UC Berkeley?
If you got admitted into both, which would you go to? State your reasons plz. (pretend you have deicded to become an engineer).
18 months ago
Best Answer
Caltech is by far a better school than Berkeley when it comes to science and engineering. But Caltech isn't for everyone. Lots of pranks and unless you are a science nerd, it may be a bit difficult to fit in. Good research opportunities.
|
|
|
|
Question:
Information about Caltech and Pasadena?
Does anyone have some information about life at Caltech? I already know of the academics and all that, but how's the campus, and Pasadena in general? Also, how far away is the nearest beach?
21 months ago
Best Answer
Awww, it never gets that cold in Southern CA. Die hard surfers will just go in a full wetsuit instead a half. I admit sun bathing in a bikini may be a bit too much though, but shorts and a t-shirt should still be ok. If it's sunny, even a bikini isn't out of the question in the winter though.
Pasadena is FAR from the beach tho. It's in the San Gabriel Valley area. That area gets HOT in the summer. Smog likes to collect there too. My uncle lives there. Generally, a very wealthy town. Old Town Pasadena is a famous gathering spot. Might see some celebrities there.
As for the nearest beach, it's not in the greatest location. You kind of have to take a roundabout way to get to the main beaches. I'd estimate about 35-45 minutes without traffic. The problem is, you have to take some of the worst freeways (in terms of traffic) to get to the beach. And this is Los Angeles, so you're talking some of the worst freeways in the world.
|
|
|
|
I am an Indian Student. I want to do a major in Engineering
My profile goes down as below:
Class Subject Grades
IX Science A
IX Mathematics A
IX Social Studies B
IX English B
IX Hindi B
For Class X as well I got same grades with the same subjects.
XI Physics A
XI Chemistry A
XI Maths A
XI English B
XI Physical Education B
Rank:
Class IX and X : 1 of 100+
Class XI : 2 of 867
Percentage:
Class IX : 89.2%
Class X : 84.2% (I got jaundice right before exams.)
Class XI : 91.2%
Also I have participated at the Inter School (state level) Debate Competetion emerging 8th of 164 candidates, and have been best debator of the school for two years.
I have been selected in the Indian National Physics Olympiad (which selects top 30-35 students from the whole country. After that they select 5 to represent on the International Physics Olympiad. They dropped me there.)
I am immensely interested in Cricket and have played for the my house team in Class IX and X.
Recommendations is no problem with me. I have strong ties with my Maths, English and Physics teachers and I am sure that they will put up great (in fact, I must say excellent) recommendations for me. How will that account for my profile as a candidate?
I require financial aid greatly (Dad earns 12k per annum only and mum a housewife).
Will it be enough to get in any of those 5 institutes?
Kindly post me of any other elite institution in Engineering and recommendations to upgrade my profile.
26 months ago
Best Answer
I do believe you have a chance of getting into Caltech or MIT, but don't even try Harvard, Princeton, or Yale. Not that you don't have a chance with those schools, it's just that they are not good engineering schools. I suggest you also look at Duke, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford.
|
