<p>She is referring to the phenomenal financial aid. No doubt about it. </p>
<p>As much as I adore Caltech, I agree that it sounds like the OP’s priorities might not be best served by going to Caltech. But, I would caution that my own dear son insisted for years that he would never go to Caltech because of what he considered a lack of balance between science and humanities. Yet, when he visited, he realized that the students were like him. Since the OP had the opposite impression and it sounds like her friend was warning her off since she knew her, she might be best matched to UCLA. </p>
<p>There is no shortage of admitted Caltech students this year, and the waitlist was closed since there was no room to add students from it. So, do what feels best to you. Don’t let rationalizing things overwhelm the way you feel. Since it is so intense academically, it’s not the place to go by mistake.</p>