<p>right now I am trying to decide between Caltech and Stanford. I want to major in science and I think Caltech will certainly provides me with a better science education. On the other hand, I am afraid that besides math and science, Caltech may not have much to offer. Any advice?</p>
<p>If you are looking for broad liberal arts education, go to Stanford.
Both schools will give you excellent opportunities in science. Caltech requires 3 or 4 semesters of physics. So, if physics is not your thing, you should think hard about it. Also, Caltech is TINY, and people there are very focused on techy subjects. Stanford provides a much more diverse environment socially and academically.</p>
<p>You can argue fine points but for all practical purposes, sciences are equal at both schools. </p>
<p>Engineering is stronger at Stanford, but CalTech is excellent too.</p>
<p>Stanford has a much more diverse student body, greater range of courses, better male-female ratio, larger campus, Division 1 sports and cleaner air.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, what is your first name? And where you at Admit Weekend (if so what dorm did you stay in)</p>
<p>There is a HUGE difference in campus culture between the two schools. Caltech is much smaller and much more narrowly focused. If you are 100% sure that you want to stick with science and want a really intense academic experience where you are surrounded by other brilliant minds who really love science, then it might be the right place for you. If you want a more balanced environment where you can find people who really love science but also meet people who love the humanities, then Stanford might be for you. Personally, I feel that if I ever discover anything new in science it will be at least in part by analogy based on some other discipline (literature? music? something). I think that as a scientist it is very valuable to think in different ways as that might allow you to approach a scientific question from a new, interesting perspective. You will probably have a very, very different experience at the two schools. What kind of college experience do you want to have? Will you enjoy the environment that Caltech offers? If so, all the more power to you, if not, do you really want to spend what should be the best years of your life studying 24/7 if you won't thoroughly enjoy it? What type of person do you want to be when you graduate? How might each school contribute to who you become?</p>
<p>Engineering is stronger at Stanford than at CalTech.....I don't think so. It doesn't seem like it anyways.</p>
<p>bookfreak89,
stanford has a stronger program in engineering than caltech
most people assume caltech is an amazing engineering school cause of the "tech" in its name, but that's not so
while caltech is still great in engineering, its claims to fame are its programs in the hard sciences, especially physics (caltech is probably the best school for physics overall)</p>
<p>Well, luckily, I'm not one of those people who assume based on the "Tech" part of CalTech. -_-</p>
<p>Many of the people I know who were the engineering majors applied to CalTech over Stanford. I assume that they researched the university before applying. The people in my school who were applying to Stanford were the computer science majors, humanities, etc. </p>
<p>I didn't know that Stanford had good engineering. Well, I know now.</p>
<p>Both are great schools. Choose based on fit. Caltech is more focused (and for the most part, more rigorous) while Stanford is more diverse.</p>
<p>there are at least 3 freshmen on my floor who turned down caltech for stanford... just sayin'....</p>
<p>
[quote]
stanford has a stronger program in engineering than caltech
most people assume caltech is an amazing engineering school cause of the "tech" in its name, but that's not so
[/quote]
I wouldn't say that Stanford is better, but rather that they're pedagogically different. Caltech's engineering tends to be more theoretical than other schools deep background in mathematics, physics, more theory classes opposed to projects, etc.. Caltech teaches you to be a scientist first, and only then how to be an engineer. This tends to be advantageous if you want to go to grad school but less so for going straight into industry. </p>
<p>That isnt to say that Caltech engineers dont do well with just a B.S., or that Stanford/MIT/etc. engineers dont do well in grad school; its just that the universities are slightly slanted in opposite directions when it comes to engineering education.</p>
<p>I understand your point.</p>
<p>Even in sciences, I believe Stanford is stronger in biological ones.</p>
<p>It should be noted that on the "Stanford or Harvard" thread that once it was mentioned that Harvard owns a 70-30 advantage in terms of getting cross-admits, the argument "not to follow the masses" was put forth. I believe the same thing applies here. Choose based on fit. I guarantee you'll get a great education at either school.</p>
<p>yeah, the two schools offer VERY different social scenes and campus activities, so choose based on fit
the academics are a wash</p>