<p>From your post, Caltech seems like a better match (“My intended major is physics, and I’m universally described as a math & science nut” “intellectual masochist” lol) as long as you’re willing to deal with their extremely intense math and science core. Caltech’s SURF program makes it one of the easiest places to get an undergrad research position. And anyway, the silly inventions/pranks part definitely matches more with Caltech than Yale.</p>