Frosh Resources

Welcome frosh! Adjusting to Caltech can certainly be challenging, but we've compiled some resources to guide you along the way. If there's something you think would be helpful, please let an ARC member know (we don't bite!)

If you're not sure where to start, we recommend checking out the 2023-24 ARC Frosh Guide!

Pictures of the ARC from convocation this year:

Intro Labs

All students are required to take at least 12 units of laboratory. Six of these units must come from Ch 3a or Ch 3x. The remaining 6 units must be chosen from one of the following courses:

APh/EE 9ab. Solid-State Electronics for Integrated Cicuits. 6 units (2-2-2); first, third terms
APh/EE 24. Introductory Modern Optics Laboratory. 9 units (1-3-5); third term. Prerequisite: APh 23.
Bi 1x. The Great Ideas of Biology: Exploration through Experimentation. 9 units (1-3-2); third term. only if Bi 1x is not being used to satisfy the biology core requirement
Bi 10. Introductory Biology Laboratory. 6 units (1-3-2); third term. Prerequisites: Bi 8; designed to be taken concurrently with Bi 9.
Ch 4ab. Synthesis and Analysis of Organic and Inorganic Compounds. 9 units (1-6-2). Prerequisites: Ch 1 and Ch 3a or Ch 3x. Ch 4a is a prerequisite for Ch 4b. Previous or concurrent enrollment in Ch 41 is strongly recommended.
Ch 8. Experimental Procedures of Synthetic Chemistry for Premedical Students. 9 units (1-6-2); first term. Prerequisites: Ch 1ab and Ch 3a or Ch 3x. Previous or concurrent enrollment in Ch 41 is strongly recommended.
Ch/ChE 9. Chemical Synthesis and Characterization for Chemical Engineering. 9 units (1-6-2); third term. Prerequisites: Ch 1ab and Ch 3a or Ch 3x. Previous or concurrent enrollment in Ch 41 is strongly recommended.
EE/ME 7. Introduction to Mechatronics. 6 units (2-3-1); first term.
Ge 116. Analytical Techniques Laboratory. 9 units (1-4-4); second term. Prerequisites: Ge 114a or instructor's permission.
ME 8. Introduction to Robotics. 6 units (2-2-2); first term.
Ph 3. Physics Laboratory. 6 units (0-3-3); first, second, third terms. Prerequisites: Ph 1a or instructor's permission.
Ph 5. Analog Electronics for Physicists. 9 units (0-5-4); first term. Prerequisites: Ph 1abc, Ma 1abc, Ma 2 taken concurrently.
Ph 8bc. Experiments in Electromagnetism. 3 units (0-3-0); second, third terms. Prerequisites: Ph 1a.
... or a more advanced laboratory (ask an ARC Rep or the Registrar for more information).

Pizza Classes & Freshman Seminars

Pizza Classes (2021-2022)

BE 1. Frontiers in Bioengineering. 1 unit (1-0-0); second term.
- Required for BE undergraduates.
Bi 2. Current Research in Biology. 3 units (1-0-2); first term.
BEM/Ec/PS 80. Frontiers in Social Sciences. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
ChE 10. Introduction to Chemical Engineering. 1 unit (1-0-0); second term.
Ch 10 abc. Frontiers in Chemistry. 1 unit (1-0-0) first, second terms; 6 units (1-4-1) third term.
- Ch 10ab are weekly seminars; Ch 10c is a research-oriented lab course.
CS 9. Introduction to Computer Science Research. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
EE 2. Electrical Engineering Entrepreneurial and Research Seminar. 1 unit (1-0-0); second term.
- Required for EE undergraduates.
E 2. Frontiers in Engineering and Applied Science. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
Ge 10. Frontiers in Geological and Planetary Sciences. 2 units (2-0-0); second term.
IDS 9. Introduction to Information and Data Systems Research. 1 unit (1-0-0); second term. Not offered 2022-23.
Ma 20. Frontiers in Mathematics. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
ME 10. Thinking Like an Engineer. 1 unit; first term.
Ph 10. Frontiers in Physics. 3 units (2-0-1); first term.

Freshman Seminars (2021-2022)

FS 2. The Evolution of Information Systems: From Life to Artificial Intelligence. 6 units (2-0-4): second term. Instructor: Bruck.
FS/Ay 3. Freshman Seminar: Automating Discovering the Universe. 6 units (2-0-4): third term. Instructor: Kulkarni.
FS/Ph 11abc. Beyond Physics. 6 units (2-0-4); second, third terms of freshman year and first term of sophomore year. Instructor: Phillips, Stevenson.
- (Note: Enrollment in this course is determined by hurdles submissions during the fall.)

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