Caltech has recently changed our long-standing policy of prohibiting recruiters the option to pre-selecting candidates before interviews.  Technology has changed the way recruiting is managed, and we are now working differently with organizations to ensure the right students connect with the right companies. The three most common problems when pre-screening Caltech students are:

• Screening on GPA
• Screening on Major
• Screening on Experience

Screening on GPA can be very misleading.  Some employers screen out Caltech students on arbitrary criteria such as “must have a 3.2 GPA”, however, the difference between a 3.2 and a 3.0 or even 2.8 GPA at Caltech may have nothing to do with a student’s ability.  Not only does career literature find little to no correlation between GPA and career success (about 2.4% of variance), Caltech is ranked as the most difficult college curriculum in the United States by Princeton Review.  Our freshman class has the highest SAT scores in the country according to US News and World Report, with a math score range of 770 – 800 out of a possible 800.  Many Caltech students have never received a grade lower than an A until they attended Caltech, so their intellect and aptitude are rarely in question. Companies that use GPA for screening purposes at Caltech are doing themselves a disservice.

Screening on Major.  Caltech’s core requirements are broad and deep.  Some of our majors (referred to as “options”), are very multi-disciplined and may not fit the language a company uses to sort candidates at other schools.  Students regularly work in research groups on projects outside of their declared option.  Organizations that interview students from a variety of majors are often surprised at their level of competence outside the traditional categories.  Also, some options have fewer students, and an organization that insists on narrow selection criteria will miss out on many qualified students and probably not fill their schedule.

Screening on Experience.  Caltech’s rigorous curriculum makes it difficult for students to spend long hours on activities and part-time work the way that students from other schools do.  Most Caltech students are doing great research, and are usually advised against working during the academic calendar.  Caltech does not offer scholarships or stipends for many extra-curricular activities that other schools may offer, and co-ops are not possible; however, we find that student’s strong work ethic and ability to focus, problem solve, and work in teams put them way ahead in the learning curve and make them excellent employees. 

One last word of advice.  One of the best marketing strategies a company can do is to interview a few extra students that don’t exactly match pre-select criteria.  Positive word of mouth is the best way to keep students interested in your organization.  Smart organizations interview broadly, treat students well, and use the interview as a chance to educate students about how to present themselves to future employers.

We appreciate it when employers realize that the interview is not only a time for selecting future employees for their organization, but also become partners in the educational process of career planning as they help students succeed through feedback and encouragement.  We hear all the time that your patience and willingness to work with students in transition makes you a popular and sought-after organization on campus.

If you would like to pre-select students, let us know so we can work with you to make your recruiting efforts a success.