<p>I was accepted to both, and I prefer MIT due to its larger size (leading, ostensibly, to a more vibrant and diverse campus atmosphere, as well as greater resources and more numerous available opportunities) and its superior offerings in the social sciences (mentioned above). One who prefers a more “intimate” environment or is completely uninterested in HASS may understandably prefer Caltech. Also, though Caltech does offer plentiful research opportunities to its undergraduates, my impression is that MIT’s UROP program offers a much more flexible, organized, and wide-reaching framework under which to pursue research. I’m pushed towards MIT by the slightly off-putting gender imbalance at Caltech as well.</p>