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oughly enjoyed mine there), but the breadth was limited.
Third, figure out what kind of social scene you like. If you
identify as a "normal" person, you are going to stand out at
Caltech (and maybe MIT, although I think that's less of an
issue there). If you identify as a "nerd," though, you might find
it harder to find a good social circle at Harvard or Stanford.
Read the signs posted on the billboards of the campus — those
are the activities that students actually like to do.
Fourth, just walk around the campuses of each of these
schools on your own, and look at the scenery and architecture,
and soak in the ambiance. Are there lots of people and
cars scurrying around? Do the environs affect you emotionally
(and remember, gray in summer is going to be ten times worse
in cold and snow)? Is the campus too small or too big? We're
supposed to be intellectuals and not care about the physical
environment, but small things like sunshine and flowers can
make a surprisingly big difference when the going gets tough.
Fifth, read the Quora pages addressing the downsides of
each school and talk to students who self-identify as being
unhappy at the schools. That will identify any deal-breakers.
Sixth, check your mail and look at your scholarship offers
and financial aid. Caltech, unlike Harvard and I believe
Stanford and MIT, offers merit-based scholarships. Student
loan debt may be an abstract thing to you now, but it's a real
burden if you want to do anything in life that doesn't involve
making lots of money.
Congratulations on your acceptances (otherwise, stop
counting chickens before they hatch). When you make a
choice, embrace it and don't look back.
30
http://www.quora.com/l/boq-melinda-t-owens