<p>I’ll second Joe- you really have to visit each. I was in your position a year or so ago, and ultimately chose Caltech. While academically the schools may be similar, there is a world of difference between the two schools beyond there- it’d be hard to sum up in a forum post. If at all possible, visit both schools, and get a feel for it. There’s more to choosing a college than splitting hairs about academics between Caltech and MIT.</p>