California Institute of Technology Visit Report by KenJ'sMom

Visit Activities:

Admissions Interview: No - Caltech does not conduct admissions interviews. The Admissions office was extremely nice and helpful when we were there.

Information Session: No - Son is already admitted; admissions rep made the time to talk with us even though we did not have an appointment. I was quite impressed with the Admissions Office; down-to-earth and nice.

Campus Tour: Yes - Gorgeous campus; lots of trees (i.e. shade); you can easily walk from one side of the campus to the other in < 5 mins. Mostly California old-Mission-style buildings.

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Campus:

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People were very nice and quite willing to help.

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Very nice people; we went to several depts. and found all to be helpful and courteous.

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Beautiful campus, NUMB3RS does not do it justice.

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While there, many people were working on buildings and/or landscaping.

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We only saw the inside of a dorm in Avery (newest bdg.) We also saw Ruddock's hovse dining area which needed some work. South Hovses were recently rennovated (w/AC); North dorms need some work.

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I did not see this as an issue unless someone doesn't have common sense. Crime really does not seem to be a problem.

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Small, beautiful oasis where students can thrive.

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Off-Campus:

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This was okay. Since students do not have a meal plan for Sat/Sun, I was concerned. You have to walk a bit to get to restaurants. Lots of bicycles in dorm areas. Target, etc. is a long walk.

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The surrounding homes are quite nice, part. close to Huntington area. Over by Pasadena City College, things are more "typical." Old Pasadena is quite far w/o a car. Did not check out city

Campus Visit Notes for California Institute of Technology

Visit Description:

Caltech strikes me as a great place for students who are passionate about math and science. Because it has an excellent rep., you tend to forget just how small it is. It is small. There is a convenience store on campus (like a 7-11). I wish that the meal plan included weekends. Credit Union is what many students use to take care of finances. House system seems to foster a real sense of belonging. Social life seems to revolve around homework, but in a positive way. The focus is academics, but a student can have fun, too (just a different kind of fun). The students who do not graduate in 4 yrs. tend to be the ones who take time off (acc. to tour guide). This is a school that is about what you know and what you want to learn, not who you know or how much $ your parents make.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

Not really happy with local dining options; better ones were quite far from campus.

Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):

You can fly in to BUR, but LAX is cheaper. GPS makes it a lot easier if you don't know your way around.