Faculty & the Admissions Process
A little-known fact about Caltech: faculty read applications. In fact, every student admitted to Caltech receives a positive review from a professor.
Omer Tamuz, Chair, First-Year Admissions Committee, Professor of Economics and Mathematics
"The ideal of the 'well rounded student' has been a guiding principle of American universities for at least 100 years. But despite its obvious appeal, its genesis is inextricably linked to efforts to exclude out-groups from higher education, and it continues to have the same effect today. Here at Caltech we instead look for ellipses: students with outsized passion for science, engineering and math who we believe can achieve great things. And every student we admit is individually chosen by our faculty for their potential to do this. Meeting our students upon their arrival on campus is always a humbling experience. Their curiosity, brilliance, and passion create a unique culture of pride and joy in research and learning, which inspires not only the students but also the faculty."
Caltech faculty play a pivotal role in Undergraduate Admissions and in the selection of the first-year class. This is quite unlike almost any other college or university in the United States. But then again Caltech, our faculty, our research, and our discovery mission are also unique.
The Caltech Faculty Handbook lays out the responsibilities of the faculty, and the first responsibility delegated to faculty is "the admission of students and the establishment of academic standards to be met by the students."
Caltech is an intimate community with a 3:1 student to faculty ratio and a mission to "expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education." What does that mean practically? Caltech takes seriously the importance of admitting and enrolling some of the most brilliant STEM minds in the world and it begins with reviewing undergraduate applications.
Caltech is a special place. Focus on research permeates all layers of the community, including undergraduate education, staff, facilities, everyone shares a vision of doing research. A lot of institutions have several focuses, whereas this institution is primarily focused on service to the community through research excellence. I like Caltech because there is very little barrier between trainees and faculty. I'm on a first-name basis with all the students that I work with. Everyone is an equal, from faculty to students. That's unique.
After the staff review all completed applications, 20+ faculty do a full read of a student's application materials. Imagine wanting to enroll at Caltech and study Materials Science and the leading materials science mind in America whose research you have read is now reviewing your materials! Just another day at Caltech!
By participating in admissions, faculty can help reveal the STEM talents and promise of applicants. In turn, this role has a keen impact on who faculty teach in the classroom and, in turn, mentor in research down the road.
The faculty review is an enormously unique aspect of Caltech's community and of vital significance to who we are.