Also, don't be afraid to change your major (though this might be harder to do in the UC system than I'm used to). Just because you think you love programming doesn't mean you can't be a great linguist, or chemist, or etc. Especially if you get through the first year or two of CS classes, you'll be capable of being an incredibly sought-after commodity in pretty much any field (including history or anthropology), because you'll be able to attack problems others don't have the same tools for. And absolutely, unless you want to get a Ph.D, a BA vs a BS doesn't really matter (and I'd argue research matters more): one just means the top part of your T-shaped knowledge is wider.

If you do like his advice, I would not choose Caltech if the option presents itself. I happen to like it, and I don't know if other students are just "whiny for fun," but I hear a lot of complaints about everything under the sun that is germane to the institute. Moreover, CS is a very theoretical option. I'll be finishing my sophomore year this spring and I don't feel as though I really have the programming chops to really be useful in any sort of internships. My case is a little different though, I didn't think I wanted to option in CS until the beginning of the winter quarter.