Can't Decide: UChicago, Caltech, HMC

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi everyone. I'm a prospective physics major who is trying to figure out where I would like to go next Fall.</p>

<p>I will list pros and cons to see if you guys can help me out.</p>

<p>Caltech:
Pros:
- The best in physics.
- Really entertaining culture
- Very Collaborative
- Best Finaid
- Sunny, warm weather
- I love the Housing system there
- Also, if I switch majors, nearly the best in almost all sciences
- Humanities are not intense
- Beautiful campus
-Research
-Amazing people would always be around me
Cons:
- Physics majors have a really high attrition rate (50%).
- Humanities are not intense
- Limited ECs and activities
- Seems antisocial at times</p>

<p>HMC:
Pros:
-Very collaberative
-Almost as entertaining as Caltech
-Sunny, etc
-Personal attention from profs
-Strong grad placement
- Research
-Cool parties
-Other Claremont schools nearby
-felt laid back
Cons:
-Mudd hum courses suck apparently
- Hard to get into popular courses at other 5Cs
-The courses felt easy
-Limited course offers and research
- Ugly campus</p>

<p>UC:
Pros:
-Good physics
-Amazing Hum offerings
-Pretty Campus
-Nice Housing system
-Lots of Research
-Lots of Stuff to do
-Chicago
-Merit Aid in case my families EFC rises
-Most normal social life
-Prettiest Members of the Other Sex
Cons:
-Really Cold
-The Core might eat up time I would want to explore physics more as well as potentially deflate my GPA
-Seems less personal
-A bit of an east coast vibe
-Not quite as unique as caltech or HMC</p>

<p>Alright, please give me any advice you can think of! I really have no idea where to go since I like each place for different reasons.</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>this is Caltech all the way…</p>

3

<p>I wouldn’t pass on Cal Tech, that’s like passing on MIT - not gonna happen.</p>

4

<p>^^^good point there</p>

5

<p>Btw, you dont have core listed in Caltech cons. They do require you to take a bunch of classes in specific areas for almost two years?</p>

<p>Caltech over HMC for sure. Caltech has almost one ph.D. on campus per undergrad student.</p>

6

<p>@texas</p>

<p>I like the math and science core at caltech and I neither like nor dislike the hum core as it allows me to enjoy literature at an easy pace. Still, the hum courses might be too easy for my likings to truly be a benefit.</p>

7

<p>Wouldn’t dismiss Mudd so quickly. Frankly see social life there as most normal of tthe bunch with the Claremonts all around and think you’ll find happiest students overall. If you need Caltechs course difficulty then so be it.</p>

8

<p>Chicago’s physics department is ranked almost as high as Caltech’s, so I don’t think you would suffer much at all in terms of your preparation for grad school (I’m assuming that is your next goal). It sounds like your academic interests are broader than you think can be met by Caltech or Mudd. If this is correct, I think you will find your cohort to be more similar to you at Chicago. My D is a physics major at Harvard and that is the reason she did not apply at strictly tech focused schools.</p>