Admission to the California Institute of Technology is fiercely competitive. The average SAT score of students admitted to the undergraduate program ranks among the highest in the U.S., and as for the graduate school, foreign students say, "Don't bother to fill out the application form unless you've graduated in the top three in your department from the best school in your country."

That advice may not carry the backing of school authorities, but a look at the Chinese students association shows that, sure enough, nearly 90 percent of the students from Taiwan graduated from National Taiwan University, the island's best, and almost all of them graduated one, two or three in their departments.

"There are no grades here the first year; it's all pass/fail. The newcomers were almost all number ones before they came here, and it'd be hard to take if they suddenly wound up at the bottom," says Hsueh Wen-Jean, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering. They get kid-glove treatment because the school is afraid of scaring them off. The university president even holds a party for incoming freshmen at his house every year and shakes hands at the door with each of them.

But soon enough, those balmy days are over.

"When you first get here and see how beautiful the California sky is, you think it's great weather to go outside and have fun. But after a while you face facts--there's no place for you there!" Hsueh smiles wanly.

Why so nervous? Caltech's Ph.D. comprehensive examinations usually don't come till the second year. The first year all you have to do is go to classes, five courses a term. But that involves 80 hours a week of reading, and getting just three hours a night of sleep is not uncommon. The failure rate for the exam is one in five. After the exam, some departments let students find problems and methods of solving them on their own, the professors with- drawing to the role of advisors. Others maintain close oversight.

In aeronautical engineering, for instance, the professor pulls a name at random each week and the "winner" has to report to the entire department the next day on what he or she is doing.

"The teacher asks you questions on the spot, and if you can't answer, all you can do is stand there with your mouth open," Wen Chih-yung says, adding there are so few people in the department, his name has already come up three times this term.

"You have to really like science, or you'll have a hard time taking it," says Kiang Ching-Hwa, a graduate student in chemistry. He says a graduate math student from Taiwan decided to call it quits after five years and be actuary in an insurance company.

Life outside of class, on the other hand, is very easy for Chinese students to adapt to.

"As long as you've been accepted, you can almost always get a scholarship," Chen I-Ming says. The conditions can be quite generous: free tuition and US$800 to US$1,000 a month in living expenses.

Financial power makes everyone more happy and relaxed. Just look at the cars: the students may not drive Mercedes or BMWs, but there are an awful lot of brand-new Hondas and Chevrolets.

Even more importantly, Caltech is in a good location, with a climate suited for people from Taiwan. Los Angeles has a large Chinese community. If you're hankering after fixings for home- style cooking, you can drive over to Monterrey Park and come back with a carload.

With plenty of ingredients on hand, most Chinese students do their own cooking. If you drop in on one of the dorm kitchens, jocularly referred to as "people's communes," at lunch or dinner time, you'll find Chinese students from both sides of the Taiwan Strait each at their posts, displaying their prowess. Soon enough, piping hot dishes of spicy chicken, quick-fried beef and onions and other tasty dishes are ready for serving.

Beyond studying, eating and sleeping, the only entertainment at Caltech is probably going to Los Angeles to catch a first-run movie or play a round of golf. The Chinese students association isn't very active, the main reason being almost everyone has friends or relatives in the area.

"There's no need for the club even to meet new students at the airport," Chen I-Ming says with a smile. "It's a different hassle. We have to pick up visiting friends or relatives." He's been to Universal Studios and Disneyland too many times to remember.

There's another reason there's "no need" to meet newcomers at the airport: almost all the students are men. What's the fun in boys going to pick up boys?

[Picture Caption]

A rare get-together by the Chinese students association was held at the house of a student bought for him by his parents.

(Left) The library is the tallest building on campus. How many young scholars have spent the better part of their days there, it may be wondered.

A rare get-together by the Chinese students association was held at the house of a student bought for him by his parents.