Question: What is the "vibe" at Caltech? Are people competitive? Helpful? Does the small class make a personal feel? Is there a lot of merchandising (Campus bookstore)?
Also, I know Caltech has one of the highest scoring class profiles.
Answer: From what I hear about other colleges, it seems like Caltech is definitely a lot more relaxed than other "top tier" schools. I've heard stories about how people re-arrange reference books in libraries so that other students will not be able to find them. That does not happen here...we're too lazy :P hehe jk. The Honor Code (no member of Caltech community should take advantage of another) is taken seriously and generally followed by students and members of the community.
Most classes have collaboration policies that encourage students to discuss the homework problems together but write up their answers separately. I feel like sometimes our homework assignments are made tougher and harder because the Profs expect us to collaborate hahha :) People are generally very nice about help each other out--the close-knit house system makes it really easy for people to just pop next door and ask their neighbors for help. We also have a Dean's tutoring program where you can sign up for tutors--for free! Tutors get paid by the deans. The TAs are generally helpful as well.
The small class size does make for a closer knit community--by the time I graduated I knew most of my class by name.
There isn't much merchandising, altho you can see for yourself at the Caltech bookstore website.
Hope that answered your questions!
- Rankmaniac 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
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