<p>Look, let’s put it this way: I had to choose between Princeton (a pretty academic university, but recruits athletes and all that) and Caltech, probably the most academically-focused school in America. Let me tell you, the fact that Caltech is so singlemindedly focused on academics at the expense of other things was not a positive for me. I cannot imagine it being a positive for any school, frankly. And I think very few people would argue that it is - except those few people who are so much occupied with academics that they do not realize how key a role other pursuits play in university life.</p>