California Institute of Technology - Academics

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Caltech has a rigorous academic program with many requirements in all fields of science, as well as a reasonable humanities and social sciences requirement. Every student has to take one term of biology, two terms of general chemistry, one term of chemistry lab, five terms of math, five terms of physics, one “menu” class which is on a topic other than the student’s major, one other freshman lab, a science writing class, and a presentation class specific to one’s field. Students do have a choice of tracks—the analytical or practical—for three out of five math and physics classes. The analytical track focuses more on rigorous proofs, while the practical track focuses more on application and computation, though theory is not ignored altogether. Caltech also requires two freshman and two upper-level humanities courses, two freshman and two upper-level social science classes, and four additional humanities or social science electives. Caltech’s academics have much to do with the brilliant teaching faculty. Many professors are research scientists first and teachers second, creating a conflict of interest. The feeling from some profs is that they shouldn’t have to teach, and they feel forced into it by the administration. This is not to say that all professors hate teaching. On the contrary, most Caltech professors are very animated about their respective fields and are bursting with information they want to convey to a new generation. Students need to have a certain amount of discipline to overcome obstacles, such as the occasional boring lecture. TAs are oftentimes more useful than professors, especially in large classes where the professor might as well be a holographic projection at the other end of the room. It is safe to say that Caltech graduates are thoroughly prepared for their respective fields once all is said and done.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

The professors try to be nice, but... The professors try to be nice, but because Caltech is heavily research-oriented, it’s very obvious that most professors consider teaching as a secondary job. This shows in their lack of enthusiasm towards the class and lecturing skill. Having visited other colleges and sat in on classes, there are a markedly higher number of professors who can teach well in such a way as to help students understand. In the professors’ defense, there are some that do actually try and have interesting and challenging courses. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

I’ve found the professors to be... I’ve found the professors to be exceptional. They’re all leaders in their field and it really shows; they can answer questions about as best as anyone could. I have taken classes at other universities, and the professors were not near the caliber they are here. I have also found the professors easy to approach. Some would disagree with me on this point, but if I go to a prof’s office, and he or she is there, I will never be turned away. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

There are good teachers, and there... There are good teachers, and there are bad teachers. You don’t really get much personal interaction with your teachers until your junior year, except for your advisor. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

The professors here range from... The professors here range from excellent to poor. I’ve had a few really good ones that explained everything so well that the most difficult concepts became crystal clear, but then there were ones who, believing that we could pick up on things as fast as they could, were able to butcher even the most mundane topics. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

I’d say the professors share a... I’d say the professors share a fair distribution of all abilities. Some are really exemplary with well-prepared lectures and useful commentaries. Some are horribly unprepared and could not give a really useful lecture to save their lives. 12345 Academics Report

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