California Institute of Technology
- Local Atmosphere

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

Your information has been sent to this school through our partnership with .

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

California Institute of Technology - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Local Atmosphere

Quick Stats

Points of Interest
  • Art Gallery/Gardens
  • Huntington Library
  • Norton Simon Museum
  • Old Pasadena
  • Pacific Asia Museum
  • Pasadena Playhouse

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Though Caltech’s atmosphere is quiet and serene, it’s central location allows students to visit most of LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, and more. Caltech is in the more affluent section of Pasadena, neighboring mostly large estates and expensive houses. Pasadena also has numerous coffee shops available to Caltechers to help them stay awake. The Rose Bowl, a tourist site for many, has been an American sports landmark for over a century, and one would be hard-pressed to find a wilder celebration on New Year’s Day than the Tournament of Roses Parade. PCC (Pasadena City College) is located across the street from Caltech. PCC and Caltech students do not interact on a regular basis, but students from these schools have been known to hook up and/or date on occasion.

Pasadena is also a mere 30-minute drive from the California coastline. Malibu, Puma, and Ventura beaches are all easily accessible if you have a car or the money (and patience) for public transportation. Malibu is also the home of Pepperdine University. For sports fans, the Staples Center is a must-see. Downtown LA also has the La Brea Tar Pits for all you pre-historic buffs. Downtown is the home of USC (University of Southern California) and Occidental University. USC and Caltech collaborate on research projects, and every now and then, we have mixed a cappella concerts. For more distant ventures, Pasadena is also about two hours away from Tijuana and San Diego (home of the world’s greatest zoo, Sea World, and Lego-Land). Also, Vegas is only a four-hour drive away. Caltech students have the privilege of doing something different every weekend—that is, if they have the time!

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Caltech Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

You should definitely cruise...

You should definitely cruise through San Marino, an affluent neighborhood with multimillion-dollar mansions, at least once just to get the feel of it. Huntington Library and Gardens (in San Marino), a short walk or drive away from campus, is also pretty nice. It’s basically some guy’s old estate (he’s passed away by now) with a large botanical garden and art collection in it. They’ve got a lot of assorted plants, and a few are extremely rare; it’s just a nice place to sit around in or walk through.

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

If you want to visit other...

If you want to visit other universities, it will require some form of transportation (such as a car). UCLA is about a half-hour drive away; USC is slightly closer. Then there are the Claremont Colleges which are 30 to 40 minutes away in the other direction. In Pasadena, there’s also the Art Center College of Design (an art school) where I think you can take some classes if you want, and Occidental College is about a 10-minute drive away (it’s a small liberal arts college located in Glendale).

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

The atmosphere in Pasadena is...

The atmosphere in Pasadena is friendly but posh. Nothing particular to stay away from, but do visit Old Pasadena and the various bookstores on Colorado.

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers Paseo Colorado Shops
Major Sports Teams
  • Los Angeles Clippers: basketball
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: baseball
  • Los Angeles Kings: hockey
  • Los Angeles Lakers: basketball
City Web Sites www.ci.pasadena.ca.us
Distances to Nearest Major Cities Los Angeles: CA: 15 minutes
Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts about Pasadena:
The Rose Bowl and New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Parade both happen right here in Pasadena.
• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) is situated in Pasadena.
• Pasadena has one of the nation’s top 20 steakhouses (Arroyo Chop House).
• The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens are located in Pasadena.
• Pasadena is home to several flocks of wild Amazon yellowhead parrots, especially on and near the Caltech campus.

Famous People from Pasadena:
Octavia Butler – African American feminist science fiction author
Julia Child – Television chef
Sally Fields
– Award-winning actress

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Academy 6
1003 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena
(626) 229-9400

Laemmle’s Playhouse 7
673 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena
(626) 844-6500

Pacific Paseo Stadium 14
336 E Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena
(626) 568-8888

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Caltech

Name: Mayra Sheikh

Hometown: San Fernando Valley, Calif.

Major: Chemistry

see all student author bios >

Become a Contributing Author

Write a Review

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

read more about this opportunity »