<p>This is getting nowhere, so I have to make my last post for this thread.</p>
<p>Berkeley is famous in Asia. CMC is not. How Berkeley got famous and how CMC did not get there, is a story that I’m not sure about, though I have many theories for that. But the OP is concerned about the school he’ll end up at that might not be well-regarded in Asia, so it might not serve him well if he’ll go to a school which Californians think is better but not actually is true in Asia. Thus, to make the long story short, OP, it’s wise to go to Berkeley or any school that are well regarded in Asia because you will be working in Asia after your graduation. In such case, choose Berkeley, Michigan, Chicago, HYPSM and the like because they’re quite respected in Asia. Between Berkeley and CMC, you would be a fool if you’ll choose the latter. And, I think billions of Asians would agree with me.</p>
<p>@The_Prestige: lol, they probably combust, fizzle and in the process spawn an RML that will go on in the world to perpetuate the truth of the elite.</p>
<p>I’ll take back when I said: “this is my last post”.</p>
<p>the_prestige, I knew you wouldn’t end this thread’s discourse without you. lol</p>
<p>
they would revolutionize the world. lol
in a few years, people in Berkeley would be walking on the streets seeing all the people around them naked. lol</p>
<p>this is my final post for this thread. I’ll give other CC members to post what they think about the topic. Thanks for reading everyone.</p>
<p>muchoschocolate: I’m not anti poor. But don’t punish me or bash me for being rich. lol</p>
<p>“Incidentally, WUSTL is ranked higher than Berkeley, but that’s not the point.”</p>
<p>Exactly. So why did you insert that school into this conversation? I guarantee you that WUSTL is about as well known in Asia as the CMC. The whole point of this thread is that RML is telling the OP to go to Berkeley over CMC if she wants to be employed more easily in Japan. Bottom line is, he is giving good advice.</p>
<p>Bahahaha! The Ivy Plus Society is just a meet-and-greet-matchmaking-event that got culled down by a handful of top schools because the founders wanted some way of keeping the riffraff out! There’s nothing “elite” about the Ivy Plus Society, and it is quite hysterical that you think that “membership” in the Ivy Plus Society confers some sort of special magic or elite status.</p>
<p>Bottom line is: If the OP wants to work in some sort of society where judgments are made based on the college someone attends and not the person’s own merit, well, then, he should play that game. If the OP prefers to work in some sort of society where we actually judge the people as people, well, then, he should go where he wants to.</p>
<p>They love Hello Kitty in Japan! Maybe I should pretend that Hello Kitty is now “elite” too and drape myself in Hello Kitty clothing.</p>
<p>The people that are sophisticated and know what’s what will know what CMC is. As for the ones who don’t, who cares what they think? </p>
<p>BTW, Berkeley is a fine school, but you are kidding yourself if you think it commands the “prestige” that you think in other areas of the US, where it is associated with just some vague they-were-hippies-once. I guarantee there are large swathes of the country in which no one bows down to Berkeley. That shouldn’t prevent anyone from going there, of course – because prestige among the masses is of no relevance. But stop the California-centric veneration of Berkeley.</p>
<p>When I think of Berkeley, hippy images of radical tree hugging bra burners flashing the peace sign in pony tails (guys and girls), wearing tye-dies and birkenstocks getting stoned to the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin immediately comes to mind… these are the images that “resonates and balloons and grow exponentially outside of California”…</p>
<p>RML - you mentioned you are married, so I assume you are not of a college age. The way you are posting here, you sound like an insecure 18 year old to have to justify the fact you went to Berkeley. </p>
<p>If you want to talk about prestige, especially in Asia, it’s about pedigree and wealth. As good of a school as Berkeley is, it is a state public school where ANYONE with the right stats could get in. Since it is a state public school, the tuition could be affordable to most people in CA. There is a greater chance you would have to rub elbows with the rif-rafs. CMC, as a private school, with a tuition of over 40,000, full pay student would have to come from wealthier families.</p>
<p>CMC and Berkeley are two different type of schools. I personally wouldn’t send my kids to Berkeley because of its size and number of Asians, but it has a great reputation. CMC is a top tier LAC where many graduates have done well.</p>
<p>It’s nonsense to say some how by going to Berkeley would then allow you to belong to some top echelon society in HK. You may become more employable with a Berkeley degree in Asia than CMC because of Berkeley’s reputation. It is something for OP to consider. But my money is on OP wouldn’t like to live or work in Japan. It’s one thing to visit, and it is another to live there. Doing one year abroad there maybe a good way to find out.</p>
<p>If this is truly your view, then I think you misunderstand much of the comment on CC. My interpretation (and my postings) are that many of the publics are fine places, but the top privates are just better places for undergraduate education due to their higher selectivity, smaller classes, greater faculty attention and higher institutional resources dedicated to undergrads. </p>
<p>RML,
Your continual overstating of UC Berkeley’s position among American colleges continues to amuse. For undergraduate, UC Berkeley is mostly a regional school. Nearly all of its students come from California and most of them stay there after graduation. Live and work in any other region of the USA and you’ll rarely bump into Cal graduates and they’re certainly not held in higher regard than the local private and public favorites. </p>
<p>This changes at the graduate school level where 50% or more of the student population hails from outside of California, much of it coming from outside of the USA. This is the source of most of UCB’s reputation. </p>
<p>Btw, which school of UC Berkeley did your wife graduate from?</p>
<p>Look, a lot of this is off the OP’s main point: is it, or is it not, the case that some colleges are better-known in Asia than others (including some with equal or better academic standards), and that it would pay in terms of job prospects in Asia to choose one of those schools? Let me suggest that you will not get the answer to this question by talking to partisans of various U.S. schools, although you may get some useful info from the schools themselves. The conventional wisdom about this might be wrong as well–thus (for example), while Berkeley is probably more famous in Asia than Claremont (which is true in the US, also), it could be that people from Claremont do just fine if they want to get jobs in Asia. You could try asking Claremont about that. Do Asian firms recruit there? Are there some grads who have recently taken jobs in Japan? Etc. That kind of information might also be persuasive to the OP’s dad.</p>
<p>Hunt: Berkeley is FAMOUS in Asia. CMC is NOT at all famous in Asia. It’s a NEVER-HEARD school in Asia. If a rich Asian is admitted at both schools, he would mostly likely enroll in Berkeley. People in Asia would think the kid is a fool if he’ll enroll in CMC. Things maybe are different for some people in some places in AMERICA. But that’s not what this thread is about. The OP is interested to work and create a network in Asia. And, again, in Asia, UC Berkeley is famous - it’s a huge name and very well-regarded. It has a strong, wealthy and highly-influential alumni network. CMC is not even in the radar of 99.99% of the educated Asians. People will hate me for saying these things. Some of you may even think that I’m mocking CMC or bashing it or its alumni and students. No. I personally think that CMC is a decent school. But the truth is, I’m just one of the .001% Asians that has heard of CMC and thought it to be a decent school. All the 99.9% may think Claremont is just another place in the West. </p>
<p>Again, in Asia, UC Berkeley is famous. CMC is not. It’s a never-heard school in Asia.</p>
Berkeley is great for both…and so is CMC. You have to apply to Haas for your junior year. It has about a 50% acceptance rate among in-house Berkeley students, so it’s not a sure bet. Econ at Berkeley is also popular. If you’re a strong student, like a competitive challenge, and are a self-starter, Berkeley is a fantastic choice…especially with in-state tuition (even with the recent increases, its still a relative bargain).</p>
<p>CMC is probably a “safer” choice if you’re accepted. The only thing to do is wait till acceptances and financial aid offers are made - then visit - then make a decision. Your decision will become much clearer once you are dealt your full hand, and have all the cards laid out in front of you (keeping your career and personal goals in mind).</p>
<p>No subject on CC garners as much “expert opinion” as the erroneous notion of vast differences between Berkeley’s grad vs. undergrad. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>This image is perpetuated by rankings. However, Berkeley’s undergraduate academic programs are also highly rated and respected.</p></li>
<li><p>Only on CC do people make this distinction between Berkeley’s grad and undergrad programs. Sure, Berkeley grad is more selective - which is where people assume the prestige difference lies. However, never once have I heard someone ask when they learn I’m a Berkeley alum if my degree was a graduate or undergraduate degree - and then proceed make some quality distinction.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I defer to other people’s assessment of the impression of American educational institutions in Asia.</p>
<p>To the original poster, in this country, and I’m assuming it is the same in Japan, one’s academic credentials are just one part of gaining employment. The interviewer is also interested in the area that was studied, previous work experience and then there is the job interview. Did you come across well? Do you have people skills? Would you fit in with the organization?</p>
<p>I don’t think you should choose a school based on what you think some future employer in Asia will think of your choice. It’s too much guess work, it’s trying to predict a future event where there are too many other factors.</p>
<p>For what it is worth the people I know who are working in Japan are teaching English. It’s a start if your goal is to live and work over there.</p>
<p>Perhaps this what hawkette, the_prestige and et all are thinking:</p>
<p>In Asia.
my wife: I am Mrs. ____ and I have an economics degree from Berkeley.
acquaintances: undergrad or postgrad?
my wife: undergrad.
acquaintances: that’s not very good. Berkeley is famous ONLY for postgrad economics. She should have gone to CMC. </p>
<p>1) to the original poster - you’ve applied to fantastic and relatively well-known schools, but have you done thorough research on them and chosen your favorite? Perhaps you’d get into someplace that’s prestigious and also a fit for you? </p>
<p>I absolutely agree with Pea. I think it’s mostly about making a case for yourself during your job interview- making sure the interviewer is aware of how much you’ve gained at CMC (if you decide to go there later on) or any other LACs?.</p>
<p>2)Initially, I really don’t like to get into unnecessary debate on CC but…</p>
<p>“CMC is not even in the radar of 99.99% of the educated Asians.” </p>
<p>oh no you di-dn’t. </p>
<p>Please do not make such generalized, sweeping statements like that. You’ve just implied that even the educated ones aren’t able to recognize an excellent institution such as CMC. Do you have their list of Asian alumni? If you wanted to point out that Berkeley makes a more embellished resume, there was no need for such daft display of immaturity.</p>