<p>My daughter got accepted by both Caltech and Columbia SEAS. Caltech maybe better in science and engineering. But Columbia is at New York and financial aid is a lot better than Caltech. We need to pay around $12000 at Columbia but $22000 at Caltech. Caltech may be too difficult. Any comments?</p>
<p>she will have a much more comprehensive college experience at columbia, and will be exposed to a lot of great literature and liberal arts curriculum than she would at caltech. better networking across fields, more internship opportunities, more financial aid. I’d say columbia is looking like a much better option. just my opinion, of course, and i am a little biased, given that i am going to columbia, myself!</p>
<p>even if the money was the same I would say Columbia, Columbia has a much more balanced environment while still having amazing research, amazing science departments and a very low student:faculty ratio in the sciences (3:1). She will get great individual attention, cutting-edge research opportunities and be able to explore a wide variety of academic and social interests at Columbia. When you add in that Columbia is cheaper, the decision is very easy.</p>
<p>My son is also in the same situation. Caltech or Columbia? It is a difficult one indeed…</p>
<p>I would definitely go to Caltech. Columbia is more well known for its college. Caltech, on the other hand, is the west coast “MIT”. If your daughter/son wants to be an engineer, hands-down Caltech. You will get the best education from the world’s best professors.</p>
<p>Agreed that Caltech has a stronger program in Engineering. But when it came down to my brother, he chose Columbia over Caltech because:</p>
<p>1] He was offered a full ride.
2] He attended a dual Engineering/Economics program.
3] He probably couldn’t handle Caltech’s Engineering rigor. :P</p>
<p>i will put in another word for columbia. i think that it will give your son/daughter (to the OP and to Wheaten) an incredible amount of future flexibility. </p>
<p>as the engineering division at columbia continue to improve, and particularly because it attracts different kinds of engineers, folks that do not necessarily want to only work as an engineer their whole lives, but want to dabble in entrepreneurship, maybe even professional school, columbia is perfect for that kind of student.</p>
<p>in the end i think we shouldn’t be swayed too much by hyperbole in either side. columbia and caltech are fantastic schools with some of the best professors in the world at both. the question ultimately comes down to fit, but also what does your son/daughter want to do in the long term or short term. caltech will give your son/daughter a degree that is highly respected in the engineering and tech world. a columbia degree will provide more flexibility. both will set up nicely for a career, though it is clear that which path is chosen now will in some ways delimit what future your son/daughter will have.</p>
<p>so it is a big decision, but there is no wrong answer.</p>
<p>If you haven’t posted this on the Caltech thread, I think you should post this there as well! They might have more to offer.</p>
<p>Both Columbia and Caltech have great professors and students. What makes each different is who your daughter is. If she has been a "techie’ from way back, driving you crazy as she picked apart expensive things or preferred legos to barbie dolls and freckled geeks to handsome jocks …Caltech is for her. It is an incredibly focused school looking to scientific research for its reason to exist.</p>
<p>Columbia on the other hand is also about applying engineering to current situations. Such as finance, building a bridge, designing a hedge to an airline’s fuel costs,creating an experiment to prove a theory in particle physics, wrestling with economic problems such as unemployment and deficits, arguing first amendment rights and abuses… Your daughter will enjoy an intellectual feast amidst people who might not all be Feynman-to be’s but are very bright and very engaged with the world.</p>
<p>It depends on whether your daughter wants to study science/engineering in a liberal arts environment (in the city, which is very liberal arts-oriented) or wants to be immersed in a geek’s paradise of science/tech.</p>
<p>If I had a son, I’d ask him to make a decision himself and not ask his father to make this decision for him.</p>