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Offers of Admission and Acceptance

Admission decisions are made by the faculty within the individual academic options. Each option has a different schedule for considering applications and admission will be offered as the faculty make decisions on individual applications. Applicants may be notified at any time between the deadline for submission and April 1. Offers are made as soon as possible so that students will have a chance to consider graduate study at Caltech together with opportunities from other institutions. Many options offer admitted students the chance to visit in order to learn more about the program, the campus, and community prior to making their decision. The arrangements and schedule for visiting days are set by the individual options, and each option will work with admitted students and faculty to coordinate visits.

Once offers of admission are approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, students will be officially notified of admission by through the online admissions portal. A letter from the Dean is the official Institute notification and discussions and/or written communications with the individual options do not constitute an offer of admission to Caltech and are not binding. Applicants must accept or decline Caltech's offer by April 15, in accordance with the Council of Graduate Schools in order for the decision of admission to be valid.

Acceptance of Admission

Caltech supports the resolution on admission acceptance from the Council of Graduate Schools and expects students to also honor these conditions for accepting an admission offer:

Council of Graduate Schools Resolution

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College Info

If you want to major in science, technology, or a related field, then you've likely heard of Caltech and MIT, two of the most prestigious technological institutes in the US. But is Caltech or MIT the better university? More importantly, which school will be a better fit for you ?

In this complete Caltech vs MIT guide, we go over the main differences between Caltech and MIT, and introduce the critical factors you must consider when deciding whether Caltech or MIT is the right choice for you. But first, let's look at what types of schools Caltech and MIT actually are.

What Is Caltech?

The California Institute of Technology —commonly called Caltech—is a highly prestigious, private research university located in Pasadena, California. Established in 1891, Caltech specializes in science, engineering, and technology . The institution operates many big research facilities and astronomical observatories and has produced 38 Nobel Laureates.

A small university, Caltech has a total enrollment of 2,397 students, including 987 undergrads; it's also home to 300 faculty members.

There are six academic divisions at Caltech:

• Division of Biology and Biological Engineering
• Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
• Division of Engineering and Applied Science
• Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
• Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences
• Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Caltech offers 28 majors, 12 minors, and an Interdisciplinary Studies Program , which allows you to customize your curriculum by putting together a unique arrangement of courses at Caltech and other schools, research, and independent study.

At present, Caltech is ranked #9 by US News for best national universities . Its acceptance rate is just 6%, meaning that the school is extremely hard to get into.

Aside from academics, Caltech offers more than 100 student clubs and participates in 17 NCAA Division III sports.

What Is MIT?

Founded in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , or MIT, is—like Caltech—a renowned private research university, with specializations in science and technology. It's based in Cambridge, Massachusetts— the same city where Harvard University is based —right next to Boston.

The university's mission is to promote research, discovery, and innovation. MIT staff, faculty, and alumni have won many awards, including 96 Nobel Prizes.

MIT is a medium-sized institution, with a total enrollment of 11,934 students, of which 4,363 are undergrads. The university also employs nearly 16,000 staff and faculty.

There are six schools that make up MIT:

• School of Architecture and Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

By far the most popular school is the School of Engineering, which houses around 5,700 students (both undergrads and graduate students). Overall, 56 majors and 57 minors are available at MIT.

As a top-ranked university (ranked #2 by US News ), MIT is extremely competitive , accepting only 4% of applicants in 2020-2021.

Outside academics, MIT offers over 450 student organizations and 33 NCAA Division III sports.

Caltech vs MIT: Side-by-Side Comparison

Is Caltech better than MIT? Or is MIT better than Caltech?

In this section, we provide you with a complete comparison of Caltech vs MIT to give you a better sense of the key differences (and similarities!) between the two esteemed universities.

Caltech is based in Pasadena, California, about 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Pasadena offers a suburban setting and has a population of approximately 140,000 people.

Meanwhile, MIT is located far across the country in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a city that's part of the Boston metropolitan area. The population of Cambridge is approximately 100,000 people, and it offers a suburban, college-town setting similar to what Pasadena provides. It's also home to Harvard University .

The main differences lie in the climates and cultures of California vs Massachusetts : whereas SoCal is a warm and summery place known for its laid-back, beachy vibes and Hollywood lifestyle, Massachusetts—in particular Boston—is a more historic, intellectual area known for its performing arts scene, harsh winters, and New England cuisine and dialect.

University Type

Both Caltech and MIT are private universities (as opposed to public universities), meaning they are privately funded through things such as tuition, endowments, and donations. In addition, neither school belongs to the Ivy League .

To learn more about the differences between private and public colleges, check out our guide .

MIT is the larger of the two , with an undergraduate enrollment of 4,368 students (compared with Caltech's 987 undergraduates). In terms of total enrollment (undergrads + graduate students), MIT is home to 11,934 students, whereas Caltech has only 2,397 students.

We can therefore say that MIT is a medium-sized school and Caltech is a small school .

Rankings and Grades

Caltech and MIT are both prestigious science and technology universities , which means that they're similarly regarded when it comes to university rankings; however, MIT typically beats Caltech on most ranking lists .

Here are the current rankings for Caltech and MIT from multiple sources:

As you can see here, while MIT usually ranks in the top five universities, Caltech has a much wider range, from #2 in Times Higher Education (where it actually beat out MIT), to #40 for Forbes. This goes to show that you shouldn't rely too much on any one college ranking. Both schools also received an A+ grade on Niche, indicating students there are very satisfied with their experiences.

Both MIT and Caltech have very low acceptance rates. MIT's is 4%, while Caltech's is slightly lower at 6%. Don't read too much into this small difference. To raise your chances of getting into either Caltech or MIT, you'll need to have an impressive application, with a high GPA and strong test scores.

Caltech and MIT are similarly competitive. The average GPA of applicants is 4.19 at Caltech and 4.17 at MIT, so you will need to have all or mostly As.

As for standardized test scores, Caltech averages are slightly higher than those at MIT , despite MIT's higher rankings. At Caltech, the average SAT score is a1545 and the average ACT score is a perfect 36 . At MIT, the average SAT score is 1545 and the average ACT score is 35.

Tuition and Fees

One huge factor for most students is cost. Caltech and MIT cost roughly the same amount : while total costs for a year at Caltech is $79,947 , at MIT it's $77,020 . That's a lot of cash!

Fortunately, both universities offer pretty good financial aid; however, MIT has a better financial package overall in that it only gives out student loans as part of your financial aid package if your family makes more than $140,000. Meanwhile, Caltech gives out a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study, so it's possible that you'll graduate with a bit of debt from here.

Neither MIT nor Caltech gives out merit scholarships, just need-based ones . If you're interested in applying for merit-based scholarships, check out these top external scholarships for seniors .

Student-Faculty Ratio

Student-faculty ratios show how many students there are per professor at a school. Lower ratios indicate that there are fewer students for every professor and are therefore better because they ensure you'll have ample one-on-one time with each of your teachers.

Both Caltech and MIT have highly impressive 3:1 student-faculty ratios , meaning there are only three students per professor at each school.

Schools and Academics

Caltech has six academic divisions (instead of separate schools/colleges), and MIT has six schools, so both institutions are relatively the same size regarding departments. Notably, MIT is home to an architecture school and business school, neither of which Caltech has.

As for majors, MIT offers twice as many majors as Caltech does (56 majors at MIT vs 28 at Caltech), so if you're looking for variety, MIT is the better choice. Because both institutions are engineering- and technology-focused, the most popular majors at each university are pretty much identical and include fields such as engineering, math, computer science, and biology.

Extracurriculars

MIT offers more than 450 student clubs , whereas Caltech offers around 100 clubs (which is still a decent number but pales in comparison to what MIT has to offer).

Sports-wise, both Caltech and MIT are part of the NCAA Division III.

Median Starting Salary of Alumni

Because MIT and Caltech are engineering and technology schools—i.e., specializations that often make people a lot of money— graduates from both schools have very high median starting salaries . Caltech grads can expect to make around $110,000, while MIT grads can expect to make just slightly more at $115,461.

Is Caltech or MIT a Better Fit for You? 4 Key Factors

Is Caltech better than MIT for you? Or is MIT more of a match? To figure out whether you should apply to Caltech vs MIT (or neither, or both!), consider these four critical factors.

#1: Location

First, think about the location of each school and where you can easily envision yourself thriving, academically and socially. Whereas Caltech is based in Pasadena, California, next to the huge, bustling city of Los Angeles, MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, next to Boston, a major city (but not nearly as huge as is LA).

Although both campuses offer intimate, suburban environments, Los Angeles and Boston differ greatly in terms of culture, population, and climate .

If possible, try to visit the campuses of both Caltech and MIT (or the one you're more interested in!) to help you determine whether the student atmosphere and region as a whole will be a good fit for you.

Another key factor is the size of the student body.

Whereas MIT has a total enrollment of about 12,000 students, Caltech has only roughly 2,400 students—and these numbers include both undergrads and graduate students. As you can see, MIT is notably bigger than Caltech.

If you'd prefer a bigger, more diverse environment, then MIT might be a better fit for you, as it's got more students and extracurriculars. If you'd rather have a more intimate setting where you can get to know most, or possibly all, of your peers, Caltech would probably be the ideal choice.

#3: Academic Programs

You should also consider what majors each school offers and what you plan to study. Remember that MIT has twice as many major options as Caltech has (56 majors at MIT vs 28 at Caltech), so if you're not sure exactly what you want to study, MIT will probably be the better choice as it offers more fields and specializations to choose from.

It's equally important to think about whether your chosen major is offered at either Caltech or MIT since the two schools don't have the same majors. In fact, MIT offers a much broader array of humanities, arts, and social sciences degrees than does Caltech, which focuses more stringently on science and technology programs. For example, you could major in German or music at MIT but not at Caltech.

Check out the list of majors at MIT and the list of majors at Caltech to get started.

#4: Costs and Financial Aid

Although Caltech and MIT cost nearly the same amount in tuition and fees, you'll have to consider other factors as well, such as cost of living, meal plans, and transportation fees , which can vary dramatically between cities.

You should also look into what kinds of financial aid each university offers. Currently, both Caltech and MIT vow to meet 100% of students' financial need.

MIT offers some of the best financial aid : it's need-blind and doesn't give out any loans (only grants and scholarships) if your family income is less than $140,000. In 2020, the average need-based scholarship from MIT was $45,146 , meaning admitted applicants only had to pay a few thousand dollars out of pocket on average.

While Caltech meets 100% of financial need and is also need-blind (need-sensitive for international students), the university doesn't currently have any policies that limit or eliminate student loans. So if you're hoping to get ample financial aid, you'll have a better shot at avoiding loans with MIT .

Recap: Is Caltech Better Than MIT? Or Is MIT Better?

Caltech vs MIT: two of the best science and engineering schools in the world. Whereas Caltech is a smaller, top-10 university based in Pasadena, California, MIT is a larger, top-5 university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Now, the real question is not whether Caltech or MIT is better overall, but rather this: is Caltech or MIT a better fit for you ? To answer this, you'll need to consider all the critical differences between the two institutions, including their locations, sizes, majors, and costs/financial aid.

Once you've done that, you can then get started on applying to MIT , Caltech, or both!

What's Next?

Whether you're applying to Caltech or MIT, you'll need to have great essays to get accepted. Learn how to craft your best essays ever with our guides to the Caltech essays and the MIT essays .

Part of getting into a top school like Caltech or MIT is having an amazing SAT/ACT score. Our guides walk you through everything you must do to get a perfect SAT score or perfect ACT score .

Trying to decide between MIT and Harvard? Then check out our complete comparison guide to the differences between these two highly ranked schools .

Want to build the best possible college application?

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools .

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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How to Get Into Caltech

Padya Paramita

September 29, 2020

If you’re a student who is passionate about STEM and looking at competitive colleges, you likely have your eye on the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Consistently ranked among the top universities every year — and undoubtedly one of the best for STEM — this Pasadena school provides coveted research opportunities and individualized mentorships for aspiring scientists and researchers. Now, you may be wondering how to get into Caltech....

Well, it’s easier said than done!

With an acceptance rate of only 6.4%, Caltech is extremely selective. To guide you through the question of how to get into Caltech , I’ve elaborated on Caltech’s academic programs, the academic requirements, understanding the recent test blind policy, how to take advantage of your extracurriculars, ways to write your essays, and finally, the requirements and deadlines as set by the school.

The Undergraduate Student Population

Caltech’s low acceptance rate is intensified by the fact that it has a total undergraduate population of only 938 students. Unlike the other most prestigious STEM-centered, MIT, which has over 4,000 undergraduates, Caltech is far smaller. The class of 2024 only has 244 students! This is smaller than most high school classes or even liberal arts colleges. This should give you a sense of exactly how difficult it is to get into Caltech.  In order to vie for one of these coveted spots, you have to work extremely hard. This means demonstrating a strong interest in Caltech alongside building a stellar academic and extracurricular profile, with an emphasis in the sciences.  

The Caltech Academic Programs

If you’re looking up how to get into Caltech, chances are, you’re interested in the sciences. But, you’ve got to be more specific than just a general interest in STEM — you need to be highly specific in your interests and goals.

The Caltech majors are divided into 6 divisions: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Applied Science, Geological and Planetary Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and finally, Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. Students can choose from a variety of specialized concentrations such as “Business, Economics, & Management,” “Geobiology,” and “History and Philosophy and Science.” If you’re a STEM-focused student who is still curious about other topics, courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences division can be your go-to for an interdisciplinary approach to your interests. 

When you apply to Caltech on the Common App, you’ll need to indicate two majors that you’re most likely to declare. Think carefully about your choices, and make sure that you’ve worked hard in those areas so that admissions officers understand why you’ve chosen them.

Test Blind Policy

In June 2020, Caltech enacted a two-year moratorium on both the requirement and consideration of SAT and/or ACT test scores as part of the undergraduate admissions process. As of July 2021, the original two-year moratorium was extended an additional third year. This means that the school will not even look at your test scores if you submit them. This decision, made as a result of test cancelations due to the outbreak of COVID-19, has come as a shock to many; historically, Caltech is near the top of the list of highest SAT median scores. Applicants to this university bring impressive numbers, showcasing their academic prowess — particularly in math — for decades.

For applicants hoping to get accepted, the rest of your academic profile matters more than ever.  

Academic Requirements

The average GPA of accepted students at Caltech is 4.0. So, if you know from an early age that you’ll be curious about how to get into Caltech , you’ll have to work extremely hard.

Even though standardized tests are no longer in the picture, Caltech’s standards are still incredibly high. They expect students to excel in their courses throughout high school. To get into a school as competitive as Caltech, you must challenge yourself by taking the most difficult courses available to you. Caltech will look at your school context, but the website states , “Students are not compared to one another, even if they come from the same high school, because each student has a different set of life circumstances.” So it’s not about whether you’ve sought out the most challenging courses in the entire country, but rather that you’ve taken the ones available at your school, whether that’s AP BC Calculus or IB Advanced Math.

Example Coursework

In our experience, students who get accepted to Caltech have taken advanced coursework in both math and science. This means taking AP Calc BC at minimum, and in many cases (when available), taking more advanced courses like Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, or even advanced seminars. When these classes have not been readily available to our talented math students in high school, we’ve encouraged them to enroll in local community colleges. For science, this means taking AP Physics 1 at minimum, but in most cases, taking AP Physics C and beyond.

Letters of Recommendation

The university highly values your teacher recommendations . Since these letters provide the reader with an idea of what you’re like in the classroom, you must choose instructors who know you well. 

Some of the best people to ask are:

• Teachers who have known you the longest
• Teachers you’ve had more recently
• Teachers you’ve worked  most closely with
• Teacher with whom you’ve worked with in an extracurricular setting, such as your debate team coach or dance teacher
• Teachers who taught the subjects that align with your goals and interests
• Teachers with connections to one of your top-choice colleges

Especially now that the school is test blind, the reader will carefully evaluate these letters to understand what it’s like to have you in the classroom. If you’ve got Caltech in mind, note that one of your recommendation letters must come from a math or science teacher. The other should come from a humanities or social sciences teacher. So, don’t just work hard in your science classes or get to know your math teacher. Your humanities teachers should also know you well enough to provide you with a glowing letter. 

Academic Research

Since Caltech is a big research university, you should also be seeking research opportunities — or initiating your own — in a field of your interest. This could entail participating in a research-based summer program such as:

• Research Science Institute
• Simons Summer Research Program
• Aspirnaut Summer Research Internships for High School Students  
• Boston University – Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)
• Children's Hospital Colorado Child Health Research Internship
• Garcia Scholars – Stony Brook University
• Maine Space Grant Consortium Research Internships for Teachers and Students (MERITS)
• Magee Women's Research Institute High School Summer Internship Program
• National Institutes of Health – Summer Internship in Biomedical Research (SIP)
• Naval Research Laboratory Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program  
• Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
• University of California-Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program  
• University of Chicago Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS)

Another option is conducting your own research project. While not particularly uncommon, admissions officers appreciate students who pursue this route, as it showcases initiative and independence. A teacher from your school may help guide you and provide you with the resources you need.

Extracurricular Activities

Caltech wants to know whether you have demonstrated a consistent interest in science, technology, engineering, or math, not just through your classes, but also through your extracurricular activities. This means striving for leadership positions in your STEM-related activities.

Caltech is home to over 100 student organizations in academics, arts, hobbies, outdoors, politics, activism, community service, and more. Since almost every student will have involvements in STEM, as you build your extracurricular profile when researching how to get into Caltech, you should be working to find a nuanced angle to each of them. For example, you’re interested in both physics and gender studies, you can combine the two to work on a research project on the importance of female physicists.

Competitions

Building a profile in STEM can mean participating and performing well in esteemed STEM competitions such as:

• Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
• Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
• Davidson Fellows Scholarship
• Google Code Jam / Facebook Hacker Cup
• International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEMS)
• Harvard MIT Mathematics Tournament
• American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME)
• International Mathematical Olympiad

Depending where your interest lies, seek out competitions that can help demonstrate your skills in your choice of field. 

Summer Programs

Many students also enroll in competitive summer programs to enhance their knowledge in the sciences, learn under esteemed professors from top universities, and conduct their own research projects. Some of the most prestigious STEM camps include:

• Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP) 
• MIT Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES)
• Ohio State University Ross Math Project
• Penn Medical School Summer Program
• Stanford University Math Summer Camp (SUMaC)
• The California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
• Yale Biological & Biomedical Sciences
• Yale Summer Astrophysics Project 

Showcasing participation in such competitions and programs in your activities list can boost your application and exemplify how your interest in a specific STEM topic expands beyond just on paper.

Personal Statement

Your love for your field of choice should extend beyond just your activities list. If science is a big part of your life — or there’s a story that makes you unique — tell the admissions office through your Common App personal statement . Even though this essay isn’t Caltech specific, you can use your response to showcase who you are and help the admissions officers gauge what you can bring to the campus that no other student can. 

Even though you can’t rave about Caltech in this part of the application, the prompts still provide you with a chance to tell a story that doesn’t apply to 99% of other students. So, your response could also focus on a part of your background that has shaped you or it could highlight an experience that you believe distinguishes you from your peers. You must brainstorm your essay very carefully, as well as go through at least ten drafts in order to submit a polished version of Caltech’s caliber.

Supplemental Essays

As a prospective “Techer,” you’ll also have to write Caltech-specific essays to highlight your interest in the school as well as elaborate further on your interests, especially within STEM. The four questions you need to answer are outlined below:

• Describe three experiences and/or activities that have helped develop your passion for a possible career in a STEM field. (10-120 words each)
• Much like the life of a professional scientist or engineer, the life of a "Techer" relies heavily on collaboration. Knowing this, what do you hope to explore, innovate, or create with your Caltech peers? (250-400 words)
• Caltech students are often known for their sense of humor and creative pranks. What do you like to do for fun? (250-400 words)
• The process of discovery best advances when people from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity of Caltech's community? (Your response should range between 250-400 words)

Explore the Caltech website before sitting down to write your responses. You need to know what makes the school unique and which resources call out to you the most, whether it’s the Human Health Research Center or the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF). This knowledge will come in handy when writing your essays, as you’ll demonstrate knowledge of programs and opportunities at this prestigious institution. You must also make sure that each of your answers adds new information about you. Use every prompt as an opportunity to tell the admissions office something new. Never repeat content! Let your essays add depth to your application, and convince the reader more and more that you could be a good fit for Caltech.

And of course, be specific with your interests. Caltech admissions officers read thousands of applications every year. You need to make sure that you’ve conveyed why your interests — whether your experiences and activities, or your idea of a humorous or creative prank — are exceptional. Think carefully before writing the answers. You can learn more about how to tackle each question in our blog about the Caltech supplemental essays .

Requirements and Deadlines

When thinking about how to get into Caltech , you must also consider the logistics. It’s extremely important that you follow instructions and stick to deadlines when it comes to getting the required scores, recommendations, and other documents submitted on time.

The Early Action (EA) deadline for Caltech is November 1 , while the Regular Decision deadline is January 3 . 

Knowing these dates can help you start working on the Common App, writing all of the required essays, and providing your recommenders enough time to write their letters. Everything you need to submit for your Caltech undergraduate application is outlined in the table below:

Use the table as a checklist to make sure you send all of the necessary documents and scores. Once you’ve submitted your application, Early Action applicants are notified in mid-December, while Regular Decision applicants are notified by mid-March. 

While it’s certainly difficult, conquering the question of how to get into Caltech is not impossible. You’ve got to work hard to demonstrate not just excellence in your academics but also in your extracurriculars. Plus, you must show admissions specific reasons for why you are a strong fit for their university. Research the school thoroughly before putting your application together and hopefully you’ll put yourself at a strong position to vie for one of these highly coveted spots. Good luck!

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How scientists are making the most of Reddit

Although she previously used X, PhD candidate Kelly Zimmerman thinks that Reddit provides a more engaging experience

Posted in: CSAM Students , Earth & Environmental Studies , Environmental Science & Management PhD , In The Media

One way for scientists to try their hand at science communication on Reddit is through ‘ask me anything’ (AMA) sessions, in which researchers answer users’ questions in their own time. Moderators pull in verified researchers to provide responses — even renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking participated. (To schedule an AMA with r/askscience, you can e-mail the moderators).

With both AMAs and general discussion forums, there is an art to making sure that information is communicated effectively and succinctly.

We’re trying to keep it as scientific as possible, but in layman’s terms, so that non-scientists can understand cutting-edge science that’s coming out right now Kelly Zimmerman, who also moderates some science subreddits

Nathan Allen, a synthetic chemist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a former moderator at r/science, likens it to writing a persuasive e-mail. “On Reddit, you have got to convince the general public that this has some general interest to them, and you’ve got to develop it and build the message and make sure people stay on point,” he says. “You get a lot of practice writing concise explanations of complicated things that people who aren’t necessarily scientists are able to digest and understand.”

When using Reddit in any capacity, Zimmerman encourages scientists to make sure to read the rules before making a post or comment, and to mind their manners, just as they would on any other social-media platform. “Be polite,” she says. “Just because you’re an anonymous username doesn’t mean you should be rude to other people.”

Jennifer Cole, a biologist and anthropologist at Royal Holloway University of London, notes that using Reddit for scientific communication is not without its problems. Moderators do a lot of work behind the scenes and often face a torrent of abuse for trying to maintain standards, says Cole. And although using people’s real names can help with credibility, it can also make academics and experts targets for harassment and abuse. Although the site does not provide support for users who experience abuse, a spokesperson for Reddit noted that the platform has policies to prohibit both harassment and the sharing of personal or confidential information, and that these policies are enforced by the internal safety teams.

It can also be used to spread falsehoods. R/conspiracy has repeatedly posted misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. Climate deniers are also present on the platform, although a decade ago the science forum specifically banned climate change deniers. Asked about misinformation, the Reddit spokesperson said that because Reddit is governed by upvotes and downvotes, quality and accurate information tend to rise to the top.

Interviewees agree that Reddit is at its core a social media platform, and social media has the potential to be toxic. But when scientists engage, there’s also a lot of great scientific communication and debunking of misinformation.

Don’t be afraid to talk to the people. Those who are not scientists are just as curious as we are. There’s nothing special about being a scientist. We are like everybody else, and sometimes folks forget that. Kelly Zimmerman

Read the Full Article in Nature