<p>I'm deciding between a couple awesome schools in the NE and Berkeley. I know the schools I have gotten to have lesser reputations than Berkeley internationally (and nationally, in most cases). But, because of California's financial situation, I'm concerned that UCB won't be as preferred as before when getting a job or in grad school admissions.</p>
<p>Am I being irrational? This is my top choice. Should I pick another school instead?</p>
<p>If you can afford it, welcome to Cal!</p>
<p>Budget cuts have really only impacted the cost to attend. Recent passage of Proposition 30 has stabilized funding. I think you’re being irrational in your concerns.</p>
<p>Yes, I can afford it. Can anyone back this guy up? (thanks UCBChemEGrad!)</p>
<p>Berkeley is the public version of Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Chicago all rolled into one. Berkeley will remain the gem and flagship of what the best public elite university can be regardless of the budget problems facing California.</p>
<p>If you ask any highly educated individual around the world about Berkeley they will tell you they hold the highest esteem for this institution.</p>
<p>For disclosure, I did not even attend Berkeley…</p>
<p>As someone who is involved with campus fundraising (I am a bit of insider), I can tell you two things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Prop 30 did provide some stability to the University of California campus system in regards to potential state funding cuts that existed in the most recent state budget due to severe shortfalls over the last several years, but for the most part each campus has had to provide for themselves in guaranteeing their financial outlooks. Berkeley in particular since 2010 has significantly pushed its financial footprint into private funding sources with a more aggressive stance in seeking endowment investment returns, and although those have been a little disappointing over the last couple of years, donor fundraising has been good and the endowment has been increased to slightly over $3 billion, which along with Operational Excellence measures that have resulted in over $150 million in operational expense reductions have put Berkeley in a better spot to compete with other elite schools in providing competitive faculty packages while also continuing with new capital projects, including new research facilities in nearby Richmond.</p></li>
<li><p>Since state funding for the Berkeley campus only accounts for 9% of the campus budget as of 2013, any potential drop in future funding from the state will have a negligible effect on the campus since that portion of funding has almost entirely evaporated over the last decade, therefore the campus is now almost entirely insulated from any financial distress that the state would ever encounter in the future.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Berkeley has a huge international and domestic reputation that is unlikely to fade. So many discoveries have been made and are still being made at Cal. </p>
<p>I would have cautioned against choosing a school based only off of reputation, but since this is your top choice, there’s no reason to not attend. Financially, it’s an AMAZING deal.</p>
<p>Anyone who’s anyone knows that Berkely = a fantastic education. If its your top choice, then go for it. Congratulations!</p>
<p>I just got accepted to Berkeley EECS and I am having the same doubts as you. I never thought I was good enough of Berkeley and EECS is their most competitive course. (And I am an international applicant). After getting accepted, Berkeley has lost some of that charm in my eyes. </p>
<p>Anyways, this is just my humble opinion and obviously I hope that the college be always as prestigious as I have believed it to be.</p>
<p>Berkeley EECS is the third best in the world. And it has been that way for years.</p>
<p>Thanks. That settles it. Great responses. Would anyone, then, choose BC over UCB?</p>
<p>I am sorry, what’s BC?</p>
<p>Boston College is a great school, but I would still go with Berkley for sure</p>