California Institute of Technology User Reviews and Ratings
Excellent career launchpad
By Class of 1989, From California
My overall experience with Caltech, both attending as an alumnus, has been very positive. It was a challenging academic environment which is what you want from a university to set yourself up for career success. I enhanced my worth ethic and collaboration skills to get through the curriculum that benefit me to this day. It is the place for serious STEM students, but less likely a destination if that is not your focus. Personal interaction with professors, research opportunities, small class sizes, lots of student activities, etc. made for a great overall experience. What you get out of a school like this reflects what you put into it. It has been 30 years since I graduated - no regrets. The Caltech degree has helped me throughout my career, plus the alumni support since is strong.
What best describes you? Alumni
Activities & Social Life
評(píng)分：4
City & Setting
評(píng)分：5
Classes & Teachers
評(píng)分：5
Dining & Food
評(píng)分：4
Dorms & Housing
評(píng)分：5
Health & Safety
評(píng)分：5
Merit based Admission
By Nerdymom, From Florida
Number 1 university in the world for Space Science. Very friendly faculty and administration. I love it that it is one of the few elite universities that value academic merit in admissions more than anything else. That is the right way.
What best describes you? Parent
Activities & Social Life
評(píng)分：5
City & Setting
評(píng)分：5
Classes & Teachers
評(píng)分：5
Dining & Food
評(píng)分：5
Dorms & Housing
評(píng)分：5
Health & Safety
評(píng)分：5
Great STEM School, Research, Location, Community
By Anonymous, Class of 2017, From San Francisco, CA
I had an amazing time at Caltech. It was incredibly easy to get research opportunities and 1:1 interactions with professors, even as a freshman. Caltech also provides its graduates with top exit opportunities - Facebook, Google, Goldman Sachs, etc. for those who choose to go into industry, and Stanford, MIT, Harvard, etc. for those who choose to go into academia. All of my CS friends got starting salary offers in the 6 figure range. The coursework can be incredibly difficult, but in the end, Caltech is what you make of it. If you are not passionate about STEM then it's not the school for you. As for the location, I would argue that Pasadena is an amazing place to be. There are a ton of shops and good restaurants. I never felt unsafe on or around campus. Moreover, Pasadena is in the center of the greater Los Angeles area, and it is just a short drive away from DTLA, Santa Monica, Hollywood, San Gabriel Valley (which has the best Asian food), and much more. During my time at Caltech, I was able to go to the beach frequently, do a lot of good shopping and eating, enjoy the LA nightlife scene, and just explore so much of LA. Finally, what really sets Caltech apart is the people who go there. Caltech is more collaborative than competitive. Everyone is super nice and willing to help you. As an underclassman, I constantly had upperclassmen offer to help me with my problem sets, decide which classes to sign up for and which clubs to join, etc. I also really enjoyed knowing almost everyone on campus, but small schools aren't for everyone. Overall, I found the Caltech community to be super welcoming and supportive.
What best describes you? Alumni
Activities & Social Life
評(píng)分：5
City & Setting
評(píng)分：5
Classes & Teachers
評(píng)分：3
Dining & Food
評(píng)分：3
Dorms & Housing
評(píng)分：5
Health & Safety
評(píng)分：5
