UC Berkeley or Caltech for engineering/applied physics ?

<p>I'm trying to decide which one to go...Berkeley for engineering physics or Caltech for applied physics.
I like Caltech's small campus and quite environment, but am a bit intimidated by their student being exceptionally intelligent and...geeky...
I like Berkeley for I've heard it has a very good industrial connection, so I can choose to go into research field or industry once I graduate, whereas Caltech would probably lead me straight to research.
However, I'm worried if Berkeley is too big to have any kind of student-student and student-professor academic interaction.
Becaues I'm a transfer student, my friend @ Caltech told me that Caltech requires me to retake almost all my GEs, which will probalby add another year before I can graduate from Caltech, so I don't know if Caltech is worth one extra year.
after I graduate, I'm thinking about working first for 2 or 3 years, and then go for MBA or specific engineering master program, but I'm not sure yet.
If you guys can help me out a little bit, that would be great!</p>

<p>Christina</p>

<p>Well, if you got into caltech you're probably exceptionally intelligent as well! </p>

<p>Caltech probably does have a higher percent who go on to research fields, but I would bet there's some who go on to industry. I think caltech offers terminal master's programs, which are probably not targeted towards research-track careers, and so my guess is that a substantial number of students do go on to industry...</p>

<p>Besides, you're the one that controls where you go after graduation - if research is not your thing, no ones forcing you down that path wherever you go.</p>

<p>You should contact caltech admissions in order to see which courses transfer and which you have to retake. Like many private schools, Caltech may evaluate transfers on a case-by-case basis and so you may or may not have the situation that your friend describes.</p>

<p>Caltech is pretty much the best place for physics in the world, but Berkeley is excellent as well...you can't really go wrong here. There are lots of people who would envy your chance to go to any of them, let alone choose :)</p>