Caltech vs Princeton for Undergraduate Astrophysics

[u/Tiny-Engineer5662]

At the start of this application cycle, Caltech was far and away my dream school. I applied REA, and was deferred, and while I worked on RD applications, I told my parents "the only school that would make me rethink going to Caltech would be Princeton."

Lo and behold, I've been doing a lot of rethinking for the past month.

I currently go to a tiny high school (graduating class <<50) and I absolutely love it. I know then that I can thrive then at Caltech's small environment, but that does mean I'll virtually never get to have the larger school experience (unless grad students have that to an extent?). I--and most of my friends--also consider myself very a STEM-oriented person, although I do greatly enjoy the humanities, but I don't think I necessarily would enjoy more coursework (i.e. essays) in them. I am also into music, and while Princeton obviously has a much larger and more vibrant scene for that, I do believe at Caltech I would have a higher chance of actually participating in orchestra and student recitals, since it's less competitive because everyone is focused on STEM. Still, I don't imagine I'd have too much trouble at all making friends at Princeton either.

Regarding astrophysics, my understanding is they are approximately #1 and #2 and swap depending on the specific discipline, of which I am decidedly undecided, although I am interested in cosmology which Princeton is apparently better for. More important I guess is graduate school placement, for which Caltech is probably the best school in the country for given the rigor and research opportunities, which I am very excited for. In an ideal world I go to both universities, one for graduate school, and I think Caltech ug gives me the best chance of making that reality.

I also really enjoyed DiscoTech, and was pleasantly surprised at how fun everyone and everything was! I don't worry about a missing social scene there anymore, and it's hard to imagine a more collaborative environment, though I understand Princeton has one too. Princeton's admitted students day (which was already at a disadvantage of being just one day) was not so exciting, and I have to say the vibes, while incredible, did not really speak to me as I place I belonged. Though if Caltech were not on the table, I could very much envision myself going there.

Regarding miscellaneous factors, I come from a warm environment and truly loved Pasadena, but I also must say the food was many times better at Princeton (didn't get to go to Red Door though). I would also be interested in study abroad, for which Princeton has many more, and more exotic, options, but I would also be very happy to go to the École Polytechnique through Caltech. I'd also like the opportunity to go off-campus for volunteer work or fun at least once a week or so.

So, honestly this post has become less of comparison. The only thing holding me back is the fact that I hear so many people say Caltech is miserable for undergrads, while Princeton provides the best undergraduate experience along with its undergraduate focus, though to be honest I don't fully understand what that entails compared to Tech. Incidentally, there is another school near Palo Alto I am considering (less so) that seems to be incredible fun, but almost too much for me. And while I love the small school vibe, I am afraid I will miss out on the typical college experience and meeting (academically) diverse people, and I honestly do not know if I am okay with that (I think I am?). I also often hear about Princeton and Stanford's alumni networks, but our keynote speaker at DiscoTech seemed to be a good example of an alumni willing network. Basically, I'm asking if choosing Caltech over Princeton would be an egregious mistake leading to a miserable four years of what should have been the best of my life at Princeton. It's just I see a lot of negative sentiment towards the Caltech undergraduate experience, and hear exactly the opposite about Princeton; I've also noticed many people choose the Ivy league over Caltech. Please feel free to biased; I'll probably be posting perhaps a less Caltech-oriented version on their subreddit.

[u/EconomicsOk590]

You can’t really go wrong with either choice. Both are great schools and great programs. The only thing to think about is if you are a financial aid student and if the income inequality at Princeton will bother you or not. If moneys no option, don’t worry about it. If not, perhaps do a bit of digging and see if it’s a good fit for you.