Academic rigor is a cornerstone of the Caltech experience. While students from all over the world come to Caltech to gain the tools to change the world through STEM, you must first develop the academic foundation to do so. This session will showcase Caltech students from small town, rural backgrounds, and their perspectives transitioning into the Caltech academic experience. Caltech is a proud inaugural partner of the STARS College Network, and celebrates the experiences and passions of rural students. This session will be moderated by Melissa Rodriguez who is an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).