 |
||
NORTHWEST REGION SCHOOLS
|
||
| California
Institute of Technology Small in size, gigantic in reputation, CalTech is in a class by itself: A student/faculty ratio of 3 to 1 for just 880 undergraduates, an average combined SAT score flirting with 1490 for entering freshmen, and 24 Nobel Prize winners among its faculty members and alumni. CalTech made its reputation in physics, and this subject is still a premier attraction. Engineering, chemistry, and biology are standouts. Students seriously interested in the humanities or social sciences are often frustrated by the limited course offerings. For many, summertime is the time to go SURF-ing, as in Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, which are grants that give about 240 undergraduates a chance to get a head start on their own research under a faculty sponsor. Perhaps the most distinctive attribute of Techers is their commitment to one another, a supportiveness sustained by an honor system that a recent student poll rated as the best aspect of life at CalTech. There are no fraternities or sororities, but the seven coed on-campus houses inspire a loyalty worthy of the Greeks. The houses are the emotional center of CalTech life. Site of CalTech parties, they are also the scene of innumerable practical jokes perpetrated on staff members and seniors. Bragging about being first in your high school class will impress no one at CalTech; you're just joining the club. CalTech is not a school for cowards. Macalester College The social scene at Macalester is quite diverse, but with no Greek organizations and the proximity of a major metropolitan area, the social life on campus suffers to some extent. During the first weekend in May, Macalester hosts the annual Scottish Fair, which is always a favorite among students. On the whole, Macalester students are an independent bunch who enjoy the chance to do things just a bit differently during their undergraduate years.
|
||
