The California Institute of Technology, or Caltech, is located in Pasadena, California. The school is largely residential, with approximately 95% of the student body living in residence. First-year students are required to live on-campus.
Caltech was founded in 1891 as a vocational and preparatory school. In 1910, these schools were disbanded, and today Caltech is a private research university. Six academic divisions emphasize science and engineering. Caltech offers programs in Humanities and Social Sciences, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Biology and Biological Engineering, Geological and Planetary Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, Astronomy, Mathematics and Physics.