Is Caltech mostly for geniuses who want to do super nerdy research?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

What's her physics and math background? Has she done f=ma, AMC, USAMTS, selective summer programs in math or physics? Is she D3 material in terms of sportiness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

What's her physics and math background? Has she done f=ma, AMC, USAMTS, selective summer programs in math or physics? Is she D3 material in terms of sportiness?

Continuing: check out UCSB CCS - very strong for physics, excellent access to the ocean, trails, nature reserves, bluffs, etc. but no financial aid or scholarships.

Princeton also has https://outdooraction.princeton.edu/ which I'm sure she would also enjoy.

For something on the safer and cheaper side, check out Ohio University's Honors Tutorial College.

[Anonymous]

My DD wants to pursue research, probably won't get into Caltech (not very high math rigor relative to other competitive applicants), but would pick Caltech over MIT. She tagged along with sibling a few years ago for DiscoTech (Caltech admitted student days) and really liked the close knit community, lots of student support (relative to MIT) and the California location. Sib didn't choose Caltech or MIT because they weren't into research as much as they thought, but loved MIT vibes and had a blast at CPW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

I'm not sure why so many parents are concerned about Caltech. My DS attends and plays a sport and is having a great social experience. In fact, much better than high school, because there are a lot of similar students. There are plenty of "super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny" students. There are a ton of relatively mainstream kids (who happen to be very smart).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Caltech is the fourth ranked Undergraduate Engineering program by USNWR and that is by far the main major and why people go there. It definitely has to be the right person that wants to go there.

For incoming freshmen, Computer Science is the most popular major. All of this information is publicly available, btw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

I'm not sure why so many parents are concerned about Caltech. My DS attends and plays a sport and is having a great social experience. In fact, much better than high school, because there are a lot of similar students. There are plenty of "super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny" students. There are a ton of relatively mainstream kids (who happen to be very smart).

Which major?

[Anonymous]

If a kid wants to study Computer Science or Engineering and wants a much smaller college vibe I think Caltech and Harvey Mudd are two good options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

I'm not sure why so many parents are concerned about Caltech. My DS attends and plays a sport and is having a great social experience. In fact, much better than high school, because there are a lot of similar students. There are plenty of "super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny" students. There are a ton of relatively mainstream kids (who happen to be very smart).

Which major?

Physics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT and CalTech are such fierce rivals because they have so much in common. CalTech does have a distinct SoCal vibe while MIT has a MassBay vibe - not surprisingly.

Are they fierce rivals? In what exactly?

I have never heard the two schools described that way, but maybe at those college math competitions the two are fierce rivals.

If you don't know that the two schools are rivals, you really don't know much about them.

Great…what are they rivals in? Please, let us know since you know so much about them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltech%E2%80%93MIT_rivalry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

What's her physics and math background? Has she done f=ma, AMC, USAMTS, selective summer programs in math or physics? Is she D3 material in terms of sportiness?

Yes she is math team officer, has self study and internships, etc. physics is favorite science. Still too young for the post jr year programs but if you know of any for younger grades let me know! Another issue is young birthday. Many programs you have to be 16, and she won’t be until junior year. Yes D3 material for athletics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

I'm not sure why so many parents are concerned about Caltech. My DS attends and plays a sport and is having a great social experience. In fact, much better than high school, because there are a lot of similar students. There are plenty of "super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny" students. There are a ton of relatively mainstream kids (who happen to be very smart).

Well, I did post on here a while back and ask just that question, and the post got no responses. But it is a helpful answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CalTech is usually ignored on this board so happy to see a thread. My DD is super smart, wants to major in physics. Does not do any social media, never been to a dance, has friends but stays out of group drama. However, she is also super sporty, outdoorsy, and funny. I have been wondering if CalTech would be a good fit.

What's her physics and math background? Has she done f=ma, AMC, USAMTS, selective summer programs in math or physics? Is she D3 material in terms of sportiness?

Yes she is math team officer, has self study and internships, etc. physics is favorite science. Still too young for the post jr year programs but if you know of any for younger grades let me know! Another issue is young birthday. Many programs you have to be 16, and she won’t be until junior year. Yes D3 material for athletics.

Might also be worth looking at Colorado School of Mines, which historically has had lots of outdoorsy nerds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In reality, Caltech is for MIT rejects. I haven’t heard anyone chose Caltech over MIT.

Yet Caltech sually has higher stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In reality, Caltech is for MIT rejects. I haven’t heard anyone chose Caltech over MIT.

Such a stupid, troll statement. I'm sure you have comprehensive knowledge of the thousands of choices made by students you've never met. MIT might well win the cross-admit battle with Caltech, but what does that have to do with OP's question?

MIT is small but Caltech is tiny. If Caltech "won" the cross-admit battle it would have to be significantly more selective or grow significantly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In reality, Caltech is for MIT rejects. I haven’t heard anyone chose Caltech over MIT.

Yet Caltech sually has higher stats.

The discrepancy in stats is trivial if at all. And stats is only a small part of the package. There is generally a huge achievement gap between MIT and Caltech admits.