<p>My D is a sophomore physics concentrator at H who did Physics 16, but not Math 55. She has found the department to be very collaborative rather than competitive. There are always groups that get together to work on p-sets and help each other understand the work. But you will work hard to keep up as your cohort will be brilliant (same is true for Stanford). You don’t need to do Math 55 to be successful in physics, but if you are capable of succeeding in 55, then you are quite likely to be successful in physics. You didn’t talk about research, but my daughter was able to land a position in a prof’s lab in the second semester of her freshman year. </p>
<p>My D loves H, Cambridge, and Boston. Students at both H and S will primarily stay busy on their respective campuses, but its safe to say that it is easier for the H student to take advantage of Cambridge and Boston than for the S student to do the same with Palo Alto and San Francisco. She grew up in NC and loves the snow since it is different from what she was used to. But I can understand someone else feeling otherwise. </p>
<p>Are you hoping to get a job after your bachelor’s degree? That is the only reason why I think proximity to silicon valley would come into play. Most who want a physics job will pursue a PhD first and your undergrad research opportunities will be on your campus (except maybe during the summers).</p>