<p>So I just got back from Pasadena and taking a look at the Caltech campus. My first impression was, "Damn, this is a nice looking place" and as I went around it just became more spectacular. I'm definitely looking forward to going next fall. I went into the math department and looked around and I was seriously tempted to scrawl "CALTECH CLASS OF 2010!!!!" on those squeaky clean chalkboards they have in there that seem to yell out "Write on me please!" And Ben, I saw your name on a list of award recipients there...that was pretty awesome!</p>
<p>Overall I the campus and the friendly people impressed me a lot (a few even helped me get where I was going, as I appeared conspicuously lost.) For everyone who got accepted (and heck, even if you didn't get accepted) go visit the campus and take a look at how well maintained it is...it's awesome.</p>
<p>Hey, email me too with pics! I think there's some policy against posting email addresses on CC, but you can follow the email link in my member profile thing by clicking my name. :)</p>
<p>Hey, I'm a freshman this year at tech. It's great that you visited and got to see the campus (which is lovely), but you probably didn't get an accurate "feel" for caltech because no one is there. Most of the undergrads are home sleeping. If you walked through the Houses, all the doors were probably closed, there's no one running around, no music playing. If you have a chance, come when we're not on break to get a feel for what makes Caltech so quirky: the students!</p>
<p>On that matter, could caltech's site have some links to introduce a nice view of its campus? :] I think caltech can improve its website to "caltech" level... :P just a few high expectations</p>
<p>Caltech's campus is beautiful. In my opinion and experience it's better than MIT's and Stanford's. The two times I visited there were hardly any students though (most of the buildings were locked too :(.) I visited UC Berkeley when there were lots of students running around and it made it seem so much more exciting. If I get in to Caltech I'll need to visit again on a regular day. Luckily for me, I live close enough that it's not too much of a hassle to drive if you have all of the day free.</p>
<p>VW
I think because the houses are right on campus, the kids return there between classes. The sitting areas are always full. Food patios are often busy.</p>
<p>Bookworm is right -- there isn't a student union that everybody gathers at, and people are more likely to spend a free hour at their house rather than elsewhere. Plus, you'll always see more people in the afternoon than in the morning. Come on a day with classes and you can walk around the campus and walk through the houses. Feel free to stop and ask questions of random people. It's such a small campus that the undergrads can spot a prefrosh at 100yds -- so you've already been found out and there's no reason to be too embarrassed to ask.</p>