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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Posts: 89
| Knowing how difficult the core is, will S fit in if he is not tech savvy?
I'm not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean, he's not very good with computers? At least a few core classes require at least some knowledge of coding for programs like Mathematica or MATLAB, but not to a point where you couldn't be taught it by your peers easily. Caltech definitely has it's fair share of life sciences geeks (and physical sciences, and engineering, and math...,) not just computer geeks! They interact perfectly fine. They can even learn a lot from each other.
How difficult is the core?
Caltech has what is almost certainly the most difficult science/math GIRs of any institution in the country. While the classes are hard, they help you develop close friendships with people outside of your major and encourage everyone to be interdisciplinary. For a biology or chemistry major, completing core is like what adding on a math minor and a physics minor would be at other good schools. Even if you're an engineer or a medical doctor, having a Caltech degree means you're a good scientist as well.
Make sure your son doesn't mind having to take 5 terms of physics and 5 terms of math. He doesn't need to be really good at them compared to the average Techer, just like them well enough that the experience isn't negative. There are lot of incredibly brilliant math and physics undergrads who can help him as much as he needs. I wouldn't have gotten through frosh physics without other students' help, and I'm a physics major!
What is the average GPA of the kids in general and in the above fields, in particular?
For chemistry and biology it's probably close to the overall 3.2. Chemical engineering, I'd guess, would be lower since there are many more requirements and most people who are majoring in it don't need a high GPA to get a good job (it's not recommended as a premed major.)
How successful are the kids who take the pre-med path – with reference to their placement in good med schools?
A lot of people who intend to be pre-meds probably change their mind early on. The actual pre-med population at Caltech is fairly small (probably in the single digits for each class), and I can't find any statistics for med school applications from Techers. A significant number are in the Caltech-UCSD Medical Scholars program which guarantees them acceptance to the USCD medical program if they maintain a 3.5 GPA. Other than that, all I could find was that the most popular med schools are: UCSD, USC, UCSF, WashU, UCI, UCLA, Harvard, Duke, and Stanford, in about that order. Also, MD/PhD programs seem to be almost as popular as MD programs, which I'd guess is pretty rare.
What is the average GPA of the kids who successfully graduated in to the med schools?
I can't find any info on this. You might be able to call up to Career Development Center or something and ask them. I'm not sure if they even know – Caltech tends not to micromanage its students in applying to schools. The information about what students went where is just from a survey they encourage seniors to take.
Is there a list of med schools that the kids graduate to?
50 students between 1994 and 2007 went to the schools I previously listed. It's probably more weighted towards more recent years, since our biology has been improving.
How big a part does the grade deflation play in admission to med school?
Well, if you get < 3.0, even at Caltech, I doubt you could get into any medical schools. You could still get into good grad schools though, if you have awesome research. Getting a 3.0 is very doable for basically all Caltech students, as long as you pick your classes carefully and manage your time well. Most people still interested in medical school by their junior year at Caltech probably have at least a 3.5.
Has any one been rejected from med school because of the grades?
Certainly. More likely, though, they decide to go into another field earlier on (having done research over the summer is a lot better for grad school admissions than having clinical experience.)
What is the average MCAT score for the students in the pre-med track?
Caltech students will have a really strong science background, and thus do really well on the physical science and biological sciences portions. I'd imagine most get well above 90th percentile on those sections. I'm not sure about the others.
Has anybody abandoned the idea of med school due to their grades?
Yes. That and they get seduced by research science or engineering. A lot of people are encouraged by their parents to be a pre-med and once they have more freedom and academic experience in college, adjust their path to something that they realize they would enjoy more.
Are there any prep classes provided for preparing for the MCAT?
As far as I know, no. None for the GRE either. Caltech students still do awesomely though, as long as they study. One problem is that Techers forget how to do multiple-choice intellectually-shallow exams. A few practice tests will help them remember the horrors of the SAT though, and Caltech teaches you really good study skills.
How long does it take to graduate for bio, chem or chem engg. major?
Four years as long as you don't fail anything, switch majors, or take time off. Three years is unreasonable unless you pass out of a lot of classes.
For the most part, I don't recommend that people really set on pre-med go to Caltech. While there is no doubt that it prepares students very well for med school, the med school application process is idiotic. Also, being competitive about grades is extremely taboo at Caltech and "stereotypical" (i.e. cutthroat) pre-meds would probably be very disliked by most students. There is a strong culture of collaboration and you are expected to help out your friends if they're struggling academically. These aren't things you find at many schools in a major with a lot of pre-meds, and it's a shame too, because future doctors could really use that.
However, if your son really likes the collaborative atmosphere, student culture, and emphasis on hardcore science/math, he will probably thrive. It's really best though if he goes into it considering a pure science or engineering field as an acceptable path if pre-med doesn't work out. He should never let the goal of getting 'A's overshadow a will to learn really cool science. A good mix of research experience (which is easy to find here!) and clinical internships (usually done at the Huntington Memorial Hospital or the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) could make him a viable candidate at PhD and PhD/MD programs in addition to MD programs. Caltech students tend to do awesomely in grad school admissions. |
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