<p>No, the formal name is the California Institute of Technology. ;-)</p>
<p>I changed my mind.</p>
<p>Never contradict Ben.</p>
<p>"No, the formal name is the California Institute of Technology. ;-)"</p>
<p>what about the formal abbreviation? CIT or Caltech?</p>
<p>Perhaps there is exactly one formal name (California Institute of Technology), and exactly one informal abbreviation (Caltech), and a multitude of informal names which vary in bizarreness in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed.</p>
<p>This theory strikes me as highly plausible.</p>
<p>People must be really drunk when they say "Caltech Poly" then. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>California State Polytechnic Technological Institute</p>
<p>California State Institute of Polytechnic Technology</p>
<p>California State Polytechnic Institute of Technology</p>
<p>The formal versions of that is even more bizarre than the abbreviation!</p>
<p>One of the biggest problems here is rigorously defining "bizarre."</p>
<p>Since we seem to be focused on instances where Techers used "CalTech" or "CIT," perhaps we had better qualify the theory such that it does not apply to non-Techers.</p>
<p>Not necessarily related to the amount of alchohol, possibly also something with nationality. My (Russian) math teacher clarified with me that it was the 'California Technical University', after she wrote a rec letter for me. I said it was ok though, as it had to be in the mail very shortly afterwards.</p>
<p>It is a well-established pastime in the Admissions Office to note the various things Caltech is called (as well as the letters recommending the applicant ever-so-highly for admission to Harvard or Chicago.) We are suitably amused, but be assured that it never hurts a student's chances.</p>
<p>Any good come backs for those people who don't seem to understand that Caltech is not Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo?</p>
<p>The fact that Caltech is in Pasadena could help. Then again, does everyone who says "Cal Poly" know that she or he is refering to Cal Poly SLO?</p>
<p>Dad used to do engineering all over the place and knew of and respected Cal Poly years before coming to California, but had no idea until I told him that Cal Poly was a CSU, or where it was located, or that there was also a Cal Poly Pomona.</p>
<p>I can easily see someone confusing Caltech and Cal Poly, however amusing the occurrence might be.</p>
<p>Yes, that can get really annoying. Oh well, the people who truly matter (i.e. employers, grad schools, other top students) know and respect Caltech.</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd prank: California Institute of Technology (Pasadena City College) on a freeway sign. :)</p>
<p>I guess there's no formal answer to my question.</p>
<p>i think CIT stand for counselor in training</p>
<p>Then what does MIT stand for? Monkey in training? Monoceros in training? Mousepad in training?</p>
<p>CIT is just Caltech said wrongly. It's like confusing "anecdote" and "antidote." (I can't help laughing, at least internally, when I hear a mistake like that!)</p>
<p>Yeah, I've heard "counselor-in-training" too.</p>