<p>Got into UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, UCI, USC (Dean’s), Northwestern, UChicago, NYU, Johns Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>I was almost a Berkeley student. I got into Caltech, Yale, Duke, UChicago, WashU and Berkeley (the last 3 three with merit aid). Berkeley was my top choice for quite some time actually, but the reason I chose Caltech in the end was because of smaller class sizes, more interactive lectures and availability of professors. I have heard many rumors (and I imagine it’s true) that Berkeley profs are so focused on research and grad students that undergrad doesn’t mean much to them. My parents, who had known many professors at Berkeley, gave me this info.</p>
<p>^ oh wow I know a few people who picked Berkeley over Caltech because of they wanted a more traditional college experience, not so focused on science or research but one that’s filled with school pride, amazing sports teams (a huge part of college IMO), opportunities to explore one of America’s great historical cities (SF) and interaction with all kinds of science and humanities majors. Of course the less social atmosphere, majority of males, and strong science/math focus makes Caltech seem less fun as well. And I really doubt that you wouldn’t be able to find quite a few really great professors at Cal since the school is so big. But good luck with your decision</p>
<p>Edit: College is supposed to be the best years of your life and I just think that the opportunities for enjoyment is greater at Cal than Caltech</p>
<p>^Hear, hear!</p>
<p>^yeah I agree as well! We gonna party real hearty (after getting straight A’s lol)</p>
<p>Ps: incorrect grammar used to emphasize emotions and I think one can party without sex or drugs but I won’t judge others that do.</p>
<p>^,^^,^^^ lol I hear you all, but I am sure I will have lots of fun at Caltech. Go California schools (that’s why I turned down Yale)! Yah!</p>
<p>^I’m sure you will, too. Congrats! 
And hey, they both have Cal in their names…so that’s something (?)</p>
<p>^good luck at caltech sea dog, I know a friend who’s going there!</p>
<p>I don’t think sports teams are a big part of college unless you play for them, going to Caltech is an awesome opportunity that will pay off well.</p>
<p>^My entire life is now meaningless.</p>
<p>
Idk about you man but as a sports fan, it’s pretty **** important to me and schools all over the nation. Think of the football atmosphere/culture at some schools like Texas, Florida, USC, LSU, and at so many other places. That kind of experience goes with you for the rest of your life. Think about all that school spirit that goes around, rivalries with places like Stanford. </p>
<p>And it’s not just football. Cal’s swim team is #2 in the nation which is pretty crazy, the rugby team is amazing, basketball pac 10 champs. 10 years from now you’ll be graduated and you’d still be a cal sports fan, following the success of their future teams and you’ll feel the pride and tradition of the school. To me that kind of great pride and experience that you can share with so many others is more valuable than any marginal career advantage that you would get at caltech.</p>
<p>It’s not like you won’t have the same opportunities at Cal either. Like many other people have said, if you’re a top student at cal then there are tons of resources for you, you just have to utilize them. And if you were able to get into Caltech then you’d probably be pretty smart anyways compared to the average cal student.</p>
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<p>I think that this is rather unlikely if someone was not a Cal sports fan while actually at the University.</p>
<p>For someone who doesn’t care about sports maybe.
But why wouldn’t you be one if you went to Cal? :[ Stop making me sad</p>
<p>Well Cal is known for many many things. Sports is just one of them.</p>
<p>Gosh you guys don’t seem like you’d have any school pride at all (whether it be Cal or Caltech)
Not the kind of people I’d want to go to school with 
To me college isn’t just a stepping stone to a career, and it makes me a bit sad that others don’t share this view.</p>
<p>Not at all! All I’m saying is that sports doesn’t define school pride. For example, pranks at Caltech is a huge part of school pride and it works just as well.</p>
<p>All other schools do pranks too (like how Cal painted bear footprints on Stanford’s tower or how UCLA and USC screw with each other’s mascots)
But when these pranks are combined with sports events (the Big Game week against Stanford is crazy), school pride is amplified much more.
And you can easily follow sports teams as an alumnus</p>
<p>i totally agree with seadog, although the absense of a football team made me laugh a bit, i still don’t think that caltech is not fun! i was actually really really interested in their pranks with MIT and really amazing research opportunities. although i feel that such a small class would make me feel kind of suffocated, yet they seem reallly really nice and the atmosphere is very cooperative.</p>
<p>Handlebars, I love you.</p>
<p>Sorry guys but even at Cal I might probably still be a Broncos fan when it comes to football, in other sports however, I’m more than willing to change lol.</p>
<p>@Milk tea: Their pranks are amazing! Like the car on top on that MIT building you see on MIT’s website.</p>