Is there anyone here familiar with how big the undergraduate population is at Caltech? I'm looking for a smaller, close-knit community, and I'm curious about the numbers.
Sure, Caltech, or the California Institute of Technology, is known for its small and close-knit community. The undergraduate population typically hovers around 950 students. This small size allows for an intimate academic environment where class sizes are small and students have a lot of one-on-one interactions with professors. Caltech's student-faculty ratio is approximately 3:1, making it one of the uniquely student-focused universities in the world. The Caltech community is indeed very tight-knit, with a strong focus on collaboration and support rather than competition.
In terms of residential dynamics, virtually all undergraduate students live on campus. Caltech has a "house" system similar to some other universities. Upon arrival, students are randomly assigned to one of the eight houses, which becomes a central part of their social life, providing not just housing but community, tradition, and intramural athletic events. This is an essential part of the close-knit feel at Caltech. Remember, how well you fit into a college's size and culture is an important factor to consider when choosing someplace to study.
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