Caltech vs. Carnegie Mellon CIT

popoagie
Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:02:30 +0000

My son has a full ride to both, based on need, and honestly, it appears they considered his academics when being that generous based on anecdotal evidence. He loves both. Caltech is more prestigious but more challenging, as in you have to ask yourself if you are driven to find your intellectual limits. It’s tough. But, it’s sunny and warm and when it’s bitterly cold in Pitt, you can be walking outside in a T-shirt in Pasadena for a refreshing study break. So, I asked my son if he would be happier at one or the other if he set aside the rigor and prestige but considered the life he would have. He had to think for a while but ended up saying, “I loved CMU, and I might get some preferential treatment there as in having top dips on some projects, but the kids at Caltech seemed more like me.” He has one good friend going there, and a bunch going to MIT where he felt he would be a good fit for grad school but not for undergrad because of the intense party life. Pretty tough decision though mainly because I keep asking him questions.

Bottom line: you can’t go wrong with either for education or prestige (power to get the job or grad school you want), but are you willing and eager to go through Caltech’s brutal academics or are you satisfied with CMU’s truly excellent and respected academics and probably have more fun time? Caltech students do have fun, but they find their limits faster and more profoundly than students at many other top schools.

Also have to think about whether the weather will affect you when you’re exhausted from schoolwork. Will it matter to you at all? Pitt lets you walk to places, like Boston for MIT. Caltech does, but you’re walking to an upscale, pleasant, fun southern cal town versus the city of Boston or gritty but fun Pittsburgh. So, Caltech is laid back in every way except academics. Boston is intense and world class. Pittsburgh is fun and more middle class. Love that in both MIT and Caltech you can be an amateur but still compete or participate in a lot. CMU probably but maybe not so much. Caltech doesn’t care if they win games or have the very top orchestra. They do those things for the students because it’s good for them and don’t need those things to bolster their name. That’s a huge appeal of Caltech. When we visited, the basketball coach was eying my son, who had never played. I discouraged him because my son had his activities sort of planned and they did not involve basketball, but it’s so cool that they have a no cut policy.