<p>aim78: I truly hope so. It sucks even more because my family (who was a major part of the reason why I chose berkeley since they all loved it so much) is now acting like UCLA was the better choice. =/ They're giving me a lot of grief unknowingly, since I feel like I got cornered into making the decision they wanted me to make only to have them tell me that I should've gone the other way. </p>
<p>-____-</p>
<p>I still think you could figure a way to go to UCLA. Don't give up so easy.</p>
<p>I understand the situation. I was choosing between the two, and I live less than an hour away from Berkeley. I'd be able to come home on the weekends all the time, whereas with LA it's a 5 1/2 hour drive (that I've experienced four times in the last few months, and it's not fun). But I guarantee that anyone can find their niche at Berkeley. Everything you can imagine is within a 2 mile radius. Walk down Telegraph eating ice cream and tell me that you'd rather be in LA traffic talking on your cellphone.</p>
<p>You can walk around in Westwood eating a Diddy Riese icecream sandwich too though =P</p>
<p>Stand by your decision firmly. That's the only advice I can give. </p>
<p>Once you come to Berkeley, you wont want to go back to LA.</p>
<p>I was inn berkeley for the weekend last year visiting friends that go there and I couldn't wait to go back to L.A. I guess it depends on what your used to and most comfortable with I don't think college is the only forum/time where you'll have the opportunity to see/experience a different environment. Go with your gut instinct I always have and it has never let me down</p>
<p>"Walk down Telegraph eating ice cream and tell me that you'd rather be in LA traffic talking on your cellphone."</p>
<p>Actually...I'd prefer the 2nd option. I dunno why. Lol, I know its weird. :p</p>
<p>try and do it before june 1 also. when i submitted my rejections to the uc's...they basically said that if i changed my mind, get in touch with them before that date. like everyone's been saying...call first to make sure. i'd call ucla first to see if it'll be okay to enroll even though i accepted cal's offer, then call cal to retract my acceptance.</p>
<p>I think for me it depends on WHO I'm talking to on the cell phone. :)</p>
<p>I say come to UCLA. I sent the SIR to UCLA and was then afterwards investigating a few things about Cal. Just out of curiosity. </p>
<p>You know, 1) Northern California has some of the worst traffic I have ever seen and I've driven LA traffic extensively. During the summer, it took us 8, 9 hours to get to San Francisco. I would never do that again. 2) Not that anyone out here "loves" the traffic, but we learn to adjust. Thats life, frankly! You just have to avoid rush hour and you'll be fine. 3) Yes, I'm sure that Berkeley is a fine school, with an OK location (per my Berkeley friends) and an OK campus (if those things matter to you), but I think it's important for people to be where the feel the most comfortable, or where they've wanted to go all their lives...or...and this might be a little superficial, but worth noting, where they just have a good feeling.</p>
<p>I received a full ride to Cal, but UCLA has been a goal of mine for the past 2 years. Taking that into consideration and the Financial Aid picture...and the beauty of the location, there's no other place for me for Undergrad. For grad, I'm going to one of those pretentious Ivies that are known for their Humanities programs...lol....</p>
<p>I hope it all works out!</p>
<p>After I accepted UCLA I got a decent sized schlorship to Cal. I'd be lying to you guys I told you I did not think about what would of happened had I decided to go to there... However hoenstly the more and more I think about it, the happier I am with my choice. </p>
<p>Enjoy Berkeley! It's an awesome school, and I'm sure you will be happy there. If you can't do anything to change it, waste time regretting not sending the SIR to UCLA.</p>
<p>Explore your options - call both campuses. Make sure that you've exhausted all your options before giving up. The worst that can happen when you call is that they'll tell you that, "no, you've already submitted your SIR so we're sorry, you're stuck at Cal," and that's not at all a bad thing. You'll be able to make the most out of your Berkeley experience, for sure. Both places are great, though, so if you really want LA and they take you even after the SIR "mishap," then go to LA. :)</p>
<p>Glad my ice cream/cell phone example made such an impact. </p>
<p>Actually, I once saw a middle aged woman SCREAMING on her cellphone while in LA traffic. I guess that's what I was envisioning. BTW, northern California does not have a big traffic problem at all, especially compared to LA. The only LA-like traffic jam I've been in was after Cal Day, and that was because there was a huge number of visitors.</p>
<p>Granted, but hey....I'm not from LA, but Santa Barbara...where we say, "keep LA, 100 miles away". Traffic is not a big deal, really.....We might as well have a long bitter diatribe about the weather or some such nonsense that doesn't matter....but for this situation, she shoule definitely pursue it. I would.</p>
<p>I can't defend LA, because I'm not from there, but this "chica" wants to go to UCLA and I think she should go!! :)</p>
<p>Allena, oh, I know the feeling......."thinking about Cal" for that split second when you've got their FAN in your hand, with a nice scholarship.....a tough call. But you made the right choice for you.....</p>
<p>So, is there really no way to change colleges now?</p>
<p>Good question, seeing as though most have already turned in SIR's or have appealed and received their decision by now I'd assume that within the UC system, that it is too late. Not sure though...</p>