 Caplow grew up in central Virginia and attended boarding school in Massachusetts, where he was fascinated by the advent of the personal computer.He entered Harvard University intending to major in physics but graduated "cum laude" with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1992.Following college, Caplow, together with his father and other family members, sailed a 47 foot boat from New York City to Cyprus, further stimulating his interest in nature, science, and engineering.