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 2026-27 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 9. Analytical Techniques Laboratory. 6 units (2-2-2); first terms
APh/EE 24. Introductory Modern Optics Laboratory. 9 units (1-3-5); third term. Prerequisite: Ph 1abc, Ph 2a/12a (recommended).
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); second, third terms. 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, second, third 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 & First-Year Seminars

Pizza Classes (2026-2027)

BE 1. Frontiers in Bioengineering. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
- Required for BE undergraduates.
Bi 2. Current Research in Biology. 3 units (1-0-2); first term.
ChE 10. Introduction to Chemical Engineering. 1 unit (1-0-0); first 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.
CMS 9. Computing and Mathematical Sciences. 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.
Ma 20. Frontiers in Mathematics. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
ME 10. Thinking Like an Engineer. 1 unit (1-0-0); first term.
Ph 10. Frontiers in Physics. 3 units (2-0-1); first term.

First-Year Seminars (2025-2026)

FS/Ph 4. First-Year Seminar: Astrophysics and Cosmology with Open Data. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Weinstein.
FS/Ph 9. The Science of Music. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Politzer.
FS/Ph 11abc. First-Year Seminar: Beyond Physics. Instructor: Phillips.
- (Note: Enrollment in this course is determined by hurdles submissions during the fall.)
FS/Ge 16. First-Year Seminar: Earthquakes. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Stock.
FS/ESE/Ge 18. First-Year Seminar: The Unseen Microbial World in Plain Sight. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Leadbetter
FS/Ge 20. First-Year Seminar: Life in the Universe. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Brown.
FS 2. The Evolution of Information Systems: From Life to Artificial Intelligence. 6 units (2-0-4); second term. Instructor: Bruck.
FS/Ph 15. First-Year Seminar: Quantum Information Science Today and Tomorrow. 6 units (2-0-4); first term. Instructor: Preskill.
FS/EE 5. Introduction to Waves. 6 units (1-5-0): third term. Instructor: Yang.

Google Sites

Report abuse