<p>for students interested in Math, Physics, CS, and Econ.</p>
<p>What are the non-academic advantages of Caltech over the other schools? Thanks!</p>
<p>Size: you could get to personally know close to half of your class (and recognize everyone in the school by sight) whereas at Stanford or MIT it's more like a city -- you see lots of people who share something vague in common but most of whom you personally are pretty unconnected with. This is totally a personality thing. Some people love the anonymity of a bigger place, and other people really love feeling like part of a small community. Still, with close to 1000 undergraduates, pretty much every kind of personality (subject to being at a top math/science school) is represented and so you won't be lacking for fun and new people to meet.</p>
<p>Trust and honor code: Non-academic interactions are governed by the honor code like everything else at Caltech. There is a huge amount of trust -- you will see people's doors open even when they're not around and the understanding is that people are looking out for each other. People can get lunch and if the cashier is not there, you are trusted to pay for it later when she is. These seem like trivial things but they actually add up a LOT to making you feel relaxed.</p>
<p>Houses: see the house thread. Other schools don't have anything quite like this.</p>
<p>Incredibly supportive staff: while some Techers feel the administration has sometimes been uncaring, overall my experiences with the "bureaucrats" have been amazing. They have so few students to deal with that they can be genuinely kind to many for no good reason at all. The new dining director is superb -- he organizes events like free breakfast at midnight during finals week, for free. Generally people will go out of their way to make students comfortable. I think the bigger and more impersonal places don't quite have this.</p>
<p>Those are a few of the things I've enjoyed. Others chime in please.</p>
<p>Wow - I didn't know that was the new dining director. I didn't know we had a new dining director, actually. It was really nice, though. I wonder who dragged all the beds into Chandler? :P</p>
<p>I think the House system and Caltech's size are the most defining aspects here. Oh, also, the weather. I mean, these can all be good or bad (except for the weather, which is almost overwhelmingly good. I don't miss seasons at all, because winter in MA sucks). I really enjoy the small-size atmosphere, although I don't think I would not have enjoyed a much larger one (say, over 10,000 students). But definitely the trust system, both in exams and what Ben was saying, that people are looking out for each other, is awesome. :D</p>
<p>My DS1 have a group of friends through PH 11, after graduation they spread to places like Stanford, Harvard and MIT and began their graduate studies. One comment I heard about their observation was that when you miss deadline at Caltech (with administration) you just bring cookies for secretary, at Stanford pay additional late fees and at other schools you are in trouble.</p>
<p>bump (10 char)</p>
<p>Lack of competitiveness- Techers care more about how they do compared to their own expectations than compared to each other. People are very helpful because of this.</p>
<p>Ease of access to research- Over 70% of students who apply to SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) get one.</p>