<p>Yes, don’t worry about earthquakes too much. The two schools have different cultures, and your daughter must decide what kind of school she wants. Caltech is really very excellent in science and engineering, but not in liberal arts. On the other hand, Columbia is more “well-rounded” and not too bad in engineering. Both schools are very prestigeous, but Caltech is more so. If you/she can afford, perhaps visit both places, stay a couple of days in each, and try to get a feel for them. Compared to the atmosphere in New York City, Pasadena is much calmer, and I also think Caltech environment is a lot safer than that of Columbia.
Good luck with your daughter’s admission process!</p>