There are about 25 graduate students in applied mathematics, all of whom are receiving financial support of some kind. Location Pasadena is a city of approximately 140,000 inhabitants, located just northeast of Los Angeles at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. The city contains both residential and light industrial areas. Caltech is located in the center of a residential area but is within a few blocks of shopping facilities. Most of the cultural activities of the large metropolitan area may be reached in an hour or less by car.
Recreational facilities abound.
The Institute Throughout its history, Caltech has maintained a small, select student body and a faculty that is unusually active in research. There is a strong emphasis on fundamental studies in science and engineering, with a minimum of specialization. There is also considerable emphasis on humanistic studies. The humanities have always played an essential role in the undergraduate curriculum, and undergraduates are permitted to major in these areas. There are approximately 19,000 Institute alumni scattered all over the world, many eminent in their fields of science and engineering.