@ElenaParent It is weird that I have to even tell you.
MIT and Caltech have plenty of overlap in the types of students. MIT offers business and economics and architecture so a little bit broader. Neither school have a proper English department, but both have solid English teachers. MIT has a good political science department for some types of political science, but I would say they are the same in that most US Senator hopefuls will not choose MIT or Caltech as its simply too “hard” for that type of person. Caltech is smaller and has a reputation for undergrads skipping classes as does Berkeley. Both schools offer pass/nocredit for part of freshman year. Both schools offer frat like dorms, where students stay for for years., and a “culture” develops in those houses for better for worse.
I don’t think MIT and Caltech are substantially different in that most freshman are very strong in mathematics and believe that want to study math or science. At MIT, they will have other options, at Caltech, not really, so be sure you want math or science or engineering, if you apply to Caltech.
Neither schools has students who are really that much better than other top universities today. Thats more in your head than reality. Both schools have suicides and students who drop out, because they feel like “failures” but
really they are just solid C students, not so bad at Caltech!
@“aunt bea” I love the hair cut comment. My son (frosh) doesn’t seem to have enough time for haircuts. Fortunately it looks decent even when longer. ? He is also a student with high test scores, community service and a love of math and science. No publications or awards but lots of science clubs and activities. Like your son, he is sleep deprived and stressed but seems to have found his place. It is good to know that you don’t always need publications and high awards to get accepted - especially since my son came from a small, rural district that didn’t offer much. Caltech students are just hard working passionate kids who love science and math.