<p>as an International student from Indonesia, many people does not know the great universities that sprawl around the US (for the exception of Harvard and the likes of course). Most does not know about Vanderbilt, Smith, Dartmouth, Duke, Northwestern, Rice, U Chicago, Tufts, Swarthmore, and Caltech. I quote my old friend, a math and science genius (literally), from a conversation we had about US universities, "I'd rather go to a crappy Indonesian university rather than attend US universities that are not Harvard, Yale, or MIT". Such a statement is truly a shame for a guy of his stature. He can solve crazy calculus problems as if it is a simple child's puzzle, he can quote scientific findings with its date and time as if he was having a usual conversation, he made the Indonesian math and physics olympic team (the math team won the world olympic because of him), and i'm sure that he would ace the SAT and the Subject tests effortlessly, and yet he is ignorant of the opportunities that other great universities have for him. He didn't apply to Harvard or MIT because he was scared that others are smarter than him (please roll your eyes), and he didn't apply to Caltech because he has never even heard of the school. I mean who the hell doesn't know anything about Caltech?? it should be a Mecca for people like him! What do you guys think? how can the kids from my country erase their ignorance? I for one am one of the lucky kids, who made my research and managed to scrape of an acceptance to Wake Forest. So how should I persuade them to learn knowledge from a country that is better than ours? Do you think that my friend would get into Caltech? God! this is such a disappointment! Another brilliant Indonesian that throws away an opportunity that is on his hand.</p>
<p>I think you should just leave him as he is. == If he doesn’t like Caltech, well, It’s his loss, not yours nor the school’s. :p</p>
<p>Caltech is one of the school that i know are very good. But in the US and in the world, it is not known that much, unlike MIT. You just have to accept it and let it go.</p>
<p>Well, if he’s scared others are smarter than him, maybe Caltech wouldn’t have been a good fit anyways…</p>
<p>My classmates’ immediate response when they knew I got into Caltech was asking me if it is a Tier-3/4 school…</p>
<p>Some people are saying MIT is better known than Caltech.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is, but realize anyone of importance will know Caltech.</p>
<p>@kenhungkk
omg…what is wrong with us international students…but i think Gmeiner is also right…important people knows about caltech…sad that my friend doesn’t…</p>
<p>by the way, massive congrats to you kenhungkk for getting into Caltech!!</p>
<p>Sadly, prestige and popularity are the first things that comes out of most misinformed students that don’t do any proper research. It’s simply how people are brought up. There’s plenty of intelligent yet ignorant people in the world.</p>
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<p>That is such a messed up thing to say…</p>
<p>Not as messed up as going to Duke…</p>
<p>GO TARHEELS</p>
<p>Well, from what I know, Caltech and MIT are both well-known schools in China…</p>
<p>@kenhungkk: How can they think that Caltech is a tier-3/4 school? It’s more like the top 3/4 school in the US! (according to US News & World Report) :)</p>
<p>@lizzardfire hahaha go UNC tarheel! but we Demon Deacons are going to massacre you and Duke on the court 
hahahaha just kidding bro 
i’m really gonna enjoy the matches</p>
<p>Caltech is well known in both China and Singapore…and maybe India…but here…wow! I just don’t get it man…he got into the 2nd highest university in Indonesia…so that’s like number 180 in the world?..such a shame</p>
<p>@kwaldner: Sadly, this is really the response I got from them… though those who’ve applied to the US knew it, at least.</p>
<p>Many people confuse CalTech with CalPoly. They are in different leagues, but California Polytechnic State University,(there are two one in San Luis Obispo and other in Pomona) has a name that can be confused with Caltech. </p>
<p>Also, even within the US, in some circles, Caltech is not as well know as some of other schools. Everybody in CC knows about Caltech, but I know many high school students who have not heard of Caltech.</p>
<p>/shrug I had not heard of Caltech until I started looking at colleges in junior year of high school.</p>
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<p>Hey hey. Don’t hate, man =P</p>
<p>The reason Caltech is well known in China also has to do with why Caltech didn’t hire Chinese-American faculty for a long period of time. Pretty much Qian Xuesen.</p>
<p>Any other place that doesn’t have such a connection to Tech probably wouldn’t know much about it due to Caltech’s small size.</p>