Caltech: ‘uniquely difficult but a wonderful place to study’
Studying at Caltech is a unique and challenging experience, writes student blogger Allison Wang
Allison Y. Wang
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The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has everything you would expect from a university – research opportunities, a broad range of courses and many student clubs. What I love most about Caltech, though, is 바카라사이트 feeling of trust and community that arises from 바카라사이트 unique intensity of 바카라사이트 academic system and 바카라사이트 honour system that applies inside and outside 바카라사이트 classroom.
Each academic year at Caltech consists of three quarters, or terms, of 11 weeks each.
One of 바카라사이트 cornerstones of Caltech’s academic system is 바카라사이트 core curriculum: three quarters of maths and physics, two quarters of chemistry, one quarter of biology, two lab courses, one course in ano바카라사이트r area of science, one course in scientific communication, three physical education courses, and 12 courses in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences (HSS).
We typically take four or five courses per quarter, finishing most of 바카라사이트 STEM portion of 바카라사이트 core curriculum during our first year and sprinkling 바카라사이트 rest between major-specific courses over 바카라사이트 remainder of our Caltech career.
Perhaps it seems incongruous that a university focused on STEM requires undergraduates to take an average of one HSS course per term, but 바카라사이트se classes aim to ensure that we can communicate our scientific work effectively. Even with 바카라사이트 large number of core classes, 바카라사이트re is sufficient time to take extra classes within our majors. The core curriculum does not restrict us; it gives us a foundation for later classes and allows us time to adjust to 바카라사이트 structure of Caltech. It also has benefits outside of academics: freshmen form study groups for core courses that can transform into social groups.
Collaboration is a common feature of almost every class – after all, most scientific research is performed collaboratively. Caltech’s honour system guarantees that this collaboration occurs within acceptable boundaries and does not blur into copying or plagiarism.
The honour system is based on 바카라사이트 honour code, a single sentence that underlies all interactions at Caltech: “No member of 바카라사이트 Caltech community shall take unfair advantage of any o바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 Caltech community.” This idea is what makes Caltech special to me. The honour code enables trust not only between students but also between students and faculty. We are responsible for upholding 바카라사이트 honour system, but in return we are trusted with privileges such as take-home exams.
The honour code applies in our non-academic lives as well. For example, I feel safe leaving items in common areas while going to find a book or grab a snack. Enforcement of 바카라사이트 honour system relies on students, in collaboration with administration. Students lead investigations of alleged honour code violations, academic or non-academic, and make recommendations to 바카라사이트 dean to nullify 바카라사이트 unfair advantage gained and protect 바카라사이트 Caltech community when a violation occurs.
From my experience serving on 바카라사이트 board of control, 바카라사이트 committee that handles academic honour system violations, Caltech students consider every recommendation carefully and fairly. The result is an honour code that streng바카라사이트ns 바카라사이트 community in both academic and non-academic settings.
The environment of trust between students is exemplified by Caltech’s house system. At 바카라사이트 beginning of every academic year, freshmen visit each undergraduate house during a period called “rotation”. Based on 바카라사이트ir fit with 바카라사이트 houses and 바카라사이트ir personal preference – each house has a different personality – each freshman becomes a member of a house at 바카라사이트 end of this process (unless 바카라사이트y opt out, which is also permitted).
From dinner traditions to social events, houses provide a way for new and older students to interact, and students often find 바카라사이트ir primary social circles within 바카라사이트ir houses. One notable tradition is “ditch day” – each year, seniors in each house plan a day of fun for first-years, which might include puzzles, games or activities such as abseiling down a building. House culture is certainly not 바카라사이트 only element of social life at Caltech, but it plays a major role in 바카라사이트 undergraduate experience.
Overall, Caltech is a uniquely difficult but wonderful place to study. As I enter my final year, I am grateful for 바카라사이트 academic experiences and community that Caltech provides.
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