They both are the best schools, but how different are Caltech and MIT?

What is different about both schools? How different is student body, environment, political affiliations, sports and clubs?which one welcomes entrepreneurship and has more humanities requirements, like Harvey Mudd?

Look on the web pages for specifics about how many humanities are required. Don’t be surprised that you’ll find courses like scientific writing, sciFo, etc. psych. Courses are good at both Us.

I think you will find a lot of overlap in the type of students. You will also find profs who studied or did postdocs at both schools. Both offer many research opportunities. Another similarity is that both have Houses, where students can live all 4 years. MIT has frats which Caltech doesn’t. Both have supportive Deans and active career and counseling centers.

I would apply to both and see where you get in. Their accepted student weekends are often a week apart. I cannot speak about Harvey Mudd, because I have no personal knowledge. This is a quickie response.

I want to know why you think these are the best schools?

Caltech is small and cozy, and is in sunny-but-dry SoCal. MIT is the Caltech of the east: large student body, fraternity scene (CIT doesn’t have greek life), east coast connections. But beware of (1) nor-easters and (2) gigantic population/not much individual attention.

We’re more laid back here in Cali and there are plenty of things to do. But don’t let that take you away from your studies!

What are the Humanities (soft sciences, lit, languages, communications, etc.) like at Caltech? Most of us probably figure that Caltech is MIT’s equal in STEM (or a little better, or a little worse – but, more or less, equal), but many probably give MIT the edge in the Humanities/social sciences.

I imagine Caltech is great at teaching everything it chooses to teach… but are there many Hum/SS electives for students to take part in? Are there any Hum/SS degree requirements to help provide a bit more breadth to the education?

Thanks!

Every Caltech student has to take 12 terms of HSS classes, for an average of 1 each term. 2 intro hums, 2 intro SS, 2 advanced hums, 2 advanced SS, and then 4 more classes of your choosing (which can include any hum, SS, or foreign language). I’m pretty sure this is more than what a science/engineering major would take at almost any other school.

The HSS classes are regarded as some of the best-taught at Caltech, but in any given term the selection will be somewhat narrow compared to MIT, mostly because Caltech itself is a smaller place. There’s enough sporadically taught courses though that the variety over 4 years will be high enough to satisfy most people.