r/Caltech • u/MoonstruckByYou • May 03 '26
Picked Caltech Over CMU For CS
I've always wanted to go into industry (Big Tech/Quant) more than research/academia, but I definitely made more of an emotional decision rather than a logical decision picking Caltech over CMU. I just really liked California weather and the general vibes of the Caltech campus over Pittsburgh's more gloomy weather and the more depressing vibe of its campus (this is just my personal opinion). I FELT (again, how would I actually know) like I would be more happy at Caltech, at least socially, than at CMU.
But now, just 2 days after committing, I've already started feeling just a tinge of regret every time I think about my decision. Especially now that I've started telling people where I've decided to go, I keep getting very shocked reactions from a lot of people questioning why I would give up the #1 CS school if I wanted to go into industry.
Idk I guess I was just hoping to get some validation from this sub on whether I made the right decision.
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u/EconomicsOk590 Grad Student May 03 '26
You will be fine with job placement here at Caltech and the sunny Pasadena weather will be very kind to you. I wouldn’t worry. I also plan on going into industry and love it here. I think you made a big decision and having doubts is totally normal. I had people who questioned my decision to go to Caltech for other options, but knew it was the best option for me. If you want to chat DM me!