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As a Senior at Caltech: I fear that a large reason Caltech students tend to be able to make money is because you don't come to Caltech for the name, you come to
by xvedejas 12y ago
As a Senior at Caltech: I fear that a large reason Caltech students tend to be able to make money is because you don't come to Caltech for the name, you come to it because you care about science, math, or engineering. Plenty of us were accepted to big name universities; so we've been effective at getting students who only care about name to select other schools. I worry that because of the recent positive press (like this) that that may change, and as a result Caltech's undergrad population might change to have more people who follow the money and fewer who will work hard to deserve the money.
- ISL 12y agoI wouldn't sweat it. Caltech has long had a reputation as a place that works students hard. People who want money without hard work find such places anathema.
- saryant 12y agoThough not without its costs. The suicide rate at Caltech is disturbing (though I say this as someone who nearly lost a loved one to that).
- xvedejas 12y agoThis might be the stereotype but I don't think it's true at Caltech these days. There hasn't been a single undergraduate suicide at Caltech in at least the last four years. Mental health resources have gotten much better (though they're certainly nowhere near perfect). We're still a much lower suicide rate than MIT, and a lower suicide rate than what my high school had.
- saryant 12y agoThat's good to hear. My ex-fiance was there 2008-12 and it was brutal those years. Took her years to recover.
- balls187 12y agoAmongst STEM, I'd argue Caltech is a big name.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- walshemj 12y agoI think that's not 100% true in many culture the social pressure to get a good job will force kids into doing medicine ,law and if you cant get into that Engineering. The number who do it for the "love" of science are a small minority.
- analog31 12y agoThis raises an interesting additional issue. Studying a subject that you don't like, for 4 years, because you think it will be lucrative, must be a really tough slog. I can only imagine it being possible for someone with incredible self discipline and drive. I can also imagine that process turning out some really dull scientists and engineers. One occasionally reads the lamentations of people who feel that they were duped into studying a subject by promises of lucrative jobs, but who struggle to establish a career after school. Here's a possible paradox: The people who make the degree seem lucrative are the ones who were not originally motivated by money. My own situation was that I had little choice but to study science and math, because I was a terrible student, and needed the love of those subjects to supply me with the motivation I needed to get through college at all.
- ndonnellan 12y agoI chose Caltech in 2004 partly because of the status and partly because their financial aid was much better than the other 3 national colleges I got into. Off the top of my head the relative cost of education for me would have been: - Caltech (low 5-figures) - MIT (+50%) - Notre Dame (+100%) - Stanford (+150% at least) Also, not much snow in Pasadena. Too soon? :-)