The California Institute of Technology No. 1 University of the world 2016

The California Institute of Technology (abbreviated Caltech) is a private doctorate-granting university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Although founded as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. Throop in 1891, the college attracted influential scientists such as George Ellery Hale, Arthur Amos Noyes, and Robert Andrews Millikan in the early 20th century. The vocational and preparatory schools were disbanded and spun off in 1910, and the college assumed its present name in 1921. In 1934, Caltech was elected to the Association of American Universities, and the antecedents of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech continues to manage and operate, were established between 1936 and 1943 under Theodore von Kármán. The university is one among a small group of Institutes of Technology in the United States which tends to be primarily devoted to the instruction of technical arts and applied sciences.

Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphasis on science and engineering, managing $332 million in 2011 in sponsored research.  Its 124-acre (50 ha) primary campus is located approximately 11 mi (18 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles. First-year students are required to live on campus, and 95% of undergraduates remain in the on-campus House System at Caltech. Although Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and pranks, student life is governed by an honor code which allows faculty to assign take-home examinations. The Caltech Beavers compete in 13 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA Division III's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Caltech is frequently cited as one of the world's best universities.  Despite its small size, 33 Caltech alumni and faculty have won a total of 34 Nobel Prizes (Linus Pauling being the only individual in history to win two unshared prizes), 5 Fields Medalists, 6 Turing Award winners have been affiliated with the university, and 71 have won the United States National Medal of Science or Technology.  There are 112 faculty members who have been elected to the United States National Academies. In addition, numerous faculty members are associated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as NASA.  According to a 2015 Pomona study, Caltech ranked number one in the USA for the percentage of its graduates who go on to earn a PhD. Admissions

For the Class of 2018 (enrolled fall 2014), Caltech received 6,524 applications and accepted 529 (8.1%). In 2013, the number enrolling was 249; the yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enroll) was 43%. Of the 31% of entering freshmen who submitted class rank, 98% were in the top 10% of their high school classes; 100% ranked in the top quarter.  The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolled freshmen were 720-780 for critical reading, 770-800 for math, and 730-800 for writing. The middle 50% range ACT Composite score was 33-35.

Admissions

For the Class of 2018 (enrolled fall 2014), Caltech received 6,524 applications and accepted 529 (8.1%). In 2013, the number enrolling was 249; the yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who enroll) was 43%. Of the 31% of entering freshmen who submitted class rank, 98% were in the top 10% of their high school classes; 100% ranked in the top quarter. The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolled freshmen were 720-780 for critical reading, 770-800 for math, and 730-800 for writing. The middle 50% range ACT Composite score was 33-35.

Tuition and financial aid

Undergraduate tuition for the 2013–2014 school year was $39,990 and total annual costs were estimated to be $58,755. In 2012–2013, Caltech awarded $17.1 million in need-based aid, $438k in non-need-based aid, and $2.51 million in self-help support to enrolled undergraduate student. The average financial aid package of all students eligible for aid was $38,756 and students graduated with an average debt of $15,090.

Undergraduate program

The full-time, four-year undergraduate program emphasizes instruction in the arts and sciences and has high graduate coexistence.  Caltech offers 24 majors (called "options") and six minors across all six academic divisions.  Caltech also offers interdisciplinary programs in Applied Physics, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Computation and Neural Systems, Control and Dynamical Systems, Environmental Science and Engineering, Geobiology and Astrobiology, Geochemistry, and Planetary Astronomy. The most popular options are Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Physics.

Prior to the entering class of 2017, Caltech requires students to take a core curriculum of 30 classes: five terms of mathematics, five terms of physics, two terms of chemistry, one term of biology, a freshman elective "menu" course, two terms of introductory lab courses, 2 terms of science writing, and 12 terms of humanities.  The new core curriculum effective from the 2013-2014 academic year reduces the math and physics requirements to three terms each, but most option requirements still require about five terms of math and physics.

A typical class is worth 9 academic units and given the extensive core curriculum requirements in addition to individual options' degree requirements, students need to take an average of 40.5 units per term (more than four classes) in order to graduate in four years. 36 units is the minimum full-time load, 48 units is considered a heavy load, and registrations above 54 units require an overload petition.  Approximately 20 percent of students double-major.  This is achievable since the humanities and social sciences majors have been designed to be done in conjunction with a science major. Although choosing two options in the same division is discouraged, it is still possible.

First year students are enrolled in first-term classes based upon results of placement exams in math, physics, chemistry, and writing and take all classes in their first two terms on a Pass/Fail basis. There is little competition; collaboration on homework is encouraged and the Honor System encourages take-home tests and flexible homework schedules.  Caltech offers co-operative programs with other schools, such as the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and Occidental College.

Upon graduation, Caltech alumni have one of the highest median starting salary among graduates of other colleges or universities in 2012–2013, of $67,400, according to PayScale. The mid-career median pay is $120,700.  Caltech was found to offer the second highest return of investment of college education, at $1,991,000 over a 30-year period, according to the same study. Caltech offers Army and Air Force ROTC in cooperation with the University of Southern California.

Graduate program

The graduate instructional programs emphasize doctoral studies and are dominated by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.  The Institute offers graduate degree programs for the Master of Science, Engineer's Degree, Doctor of Philosophy, BS/MS and MD/PhD, with the majority of students in the PhD program. The most popular options are Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering. Applicants for graduate studies are required to take the GRE. GRE Subject scores are either required or strongly recommended by several options.  A joint program between Caltech and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine grants MD/PhD degrees. Students in this program do their preclinical and clinical work at UCLA, and their PhD work with any member of the Caltech faculty, including the Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering and Applied Sciences Divisions. The MD degree would be from UCLA and the PhD would be awarded from Caltech.

The research facilities at Caltech are available to graduate students, but there are opportunities for students to work in facilities of other universities, research centers as well as private industries.  The graduate student to faculty ratio is 4:1.  

Approximately 99 percent of doctoral students have full financial support. Financial support for graduate students comes in the form of fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships or a combination of fellowship and assistantship support.

Graduate students are bound by the Honor Code, as are the undergraduates, and the Graduate Honor Council oversees any violations of the code.

Research

Caltech was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1934 and remains a research university with "very high" research activity, primarily in STEM fields.  Caltech manages research expenditures of $270 million annually, 66th among all universities in the U.S. and 17th among private institutions without medical schools for 2008.  The largest federal agencies contributing to research are NASA, National Science Foundation, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy.  Caltech received $144 million in federal funding for the physical sciences, $40.8 million for the life sciences, $33.5 million for engineering, $14.4 million for environmental sciences, $7.16 million for computer sciences, and $1.97 million for mathematical sciences in 2008.  

The Institute was awarded an all-time high funding of $357 million in 2009.  Active funding from the National Science Foundation Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Science (MPS) for Caltech stands at $343 million as of 2011, the highest for any educational institution in the nation, and higher than the total funds allocated to any state except California and New York.

In 2005, Caltech had 739,000 square feet (68,700 m²) dedicated to research: 330,000 square feet (30,700 m²) to physical sciences, 163,000 square feet (15,100 m²) to engineering, and 160,000 square feet (14,900 m²) to biological sciences.

In addition to managing JPL, Caltech also operates the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, the Owens Valley Radio Observatory in Bishop, California, the Submillimeter Observatory and W. M. Keck Observatory at the Mauna Kea Observatory, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory at Livingston, Louisiana and Richland, Washington, and Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory in Corona del Mar, California. The Institute launched the Kavli Nanoscience Institute at Caltech in 2006, the Keck Institute for Space Studies in 2008, and is also the current home for the Einstein Papers Project. The Spitzer Science Center (SSC), part of the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center located on the Caltech campus, is the data analysis and community support center for NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

Caltech partnered with UCLA to establish a Joint Center for Translational Medicine (UCLA-Caltech JCTM), which conducts experimental research into clinical applications, including the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Undergraduates at Caltech are also encouraged to participate in research. About 80% of the class of 2010 did research through the annual Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program at least once during their stay, and many continued during the school year. Students write and submit SURF proposals for research projects in collaboration with professors, and about 70 percent of applicants are awarded SURFs. The program is open to both Caltech and non-Caltech undergraduate students. It serves as preparation for graduate school and helps to explain why Caltech has the highest percentage of alumni who go on to receive a PhD of all the major universities.

The licensing and transferring of technology to the commercial sector is managed by the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). OTT protects and manages the intellectual property developed by faculty members, students, other researchers, and JPL technologists. Caltech receives more invention disclosures per faculty member than any other university in the nation. As of 2008, 1891 patents were granted to Caltech researchers since 1969.