Berkeley vs Caltech for math graduate school

<p>Trying to decide between Berkeley and Caltech for math grad school in pure math. Both have professors I could work with, although there are more options at Berkeley. Advice?</p>

<p>Are both offering you assistantships?</p>

<p>yes, both are offering equivalent assistantships, although Caltech requires fewer hours per week (1 recitation vs 2). After the first year, researchships may even things out. But I don’t want to base a decision on that — it’s not significant in the long haul.</p>

<p>Where did you like more? I’m familiar with both places and its not like they’re that similar. One is in the nitty gritty heart of liberal berkeley and the other is in the other is in sleepy pasadena. Where did you feel more at home? At this point I’d probably just go off of that…</p>

<p>How did you decide?</p>

<p>Also think about advantages of being in a private U vs a public U. How will funding be handled in 2nd year on?</p>

<p>I’m curious as to which you picked.</p>