<p>I'll be spending one semester abroad in the US as part of my university's exchange program. I'm doing a BA/LLB and want to go somewhere that has an excellent academic reputation as well as a lively and interesting campus life. Also, I don't want to be lumped in with other internationals particularly - I'd much rather feel assimilated with the rest of the student population. Is all this too much to ask?!?! If anybody has suggestions or experiences that they'd be willing to share I'd be really grateful!! Thanks!</p>
<p>all of those are great schools.</p>
<p>ucla: close to LA, relatively small campus, very diverse</p>
<p>berkeley: close to san francisco, very liberal</p>
<p>virginia: more of a traditional american college feel. thats all i know.</p>
<p>I know Berkeley and UCLA rather well, but not U of Virginia. I do know that it has a fairly strong academic reputation, but not as strong as UCLA, and definetly not as strong as Berkeley. However, depending on what specific discipline you're studying, Virginia might be better for you.</p>
<p>Both UCLA and Berkeley are extremely lively and entertaining places. However, they have different atmospheres. I advise visiting both schools, but if you cannot, read as much as you can about them. Although Berkeley is known as being liberal, the trend is common across American universities and colleges. UCLA is slightly less liberal, but both have their share of political differences on campus, with larger liberal populations than conservative ones. The politics are similar.</p>
<p>I really like both campuses, but i feel that ucla has a more unified feel. Most if not all of the buildings are red brick and tie together nicely. Berkeley's buildings aren't as closely related to one another.</p>
<p>Both school's are in the middle of the cities in which they are located, but Berkeley is the heart of Berkeley- UCLA hardly qualifies as the heart of westwood, a section of los angelos. Obviously, UCLA will give you access to the wonders of Los Angelos with orange county relatively near, and Berkeley will give you access to the wonders of San Francisco and the surrounding northern California scene, including Oakland. </p>
<p>It's about feel- it's about Northern California vs Southern California. I feel that Nor Cal is more cosmopolitan, more wordly feeling than southern california, which seems to be the only place i've ever been quite like southern california.</p>
<p>The students at both schools are very similar, with relatively large international populations, although Berkeley probalby has more of them, perhaps because of its larger international recognition and fame (compared to UCLA, which also has a great reputation). The students at Berkeley seem to be more intellectual, academic, and politically minded, but the UCLA students are quite similar. You will find students obsessed with school and those that hardly want to work at all three places in similar numbers. Both places will open a new world to you, as would Virginia.</p>
<p>I think the choice should come down to what you are studying, which campus feels best (visit, visit, visit!), and your gut feeling. After all, isn't that how people choose where to study in the first place?</p>
<p>P.S. The fact that you're doing the program might change things. Berkeley has an international house, which consists of about 1/2 international students and about 1/2 American students. If you were to live here instead of in a dorm, your experience would be entirely different and i wouldn't know too much about it. I do not know how UCLA or Virginia would house you or schedule your time. I hope i helped.</p>
<p>Thanks for your detailed answer.. it was very helpful!! Another question - as I'm only going to be there for 6 months I obviously won't be a part of the whole greek system. Will this play against me in terms of enjoying my time on campus and meeting american as opposed to international students at any of the 3 unis?</p>
<p>It may at UVa...more conservative, more frats, more isolated from 'big" city scene....I'd seriously look at Berkeley for all the opposite reasons.</p>
<p>Uva will be alot more personal than ucla or ucb, uva will also be more community oriented, and i think you will walk away with a better all around experience at uva. i think you will be sort of anonymous at either of those uc's.</p>
<p>" I do know that it has a fairly strong academic reputation, but not as strong as UCLA, and definetly not as strong as Berkeley."</p>
<p>UCLA's great and everything, but there's no way UCLA has a stronger academic reputation that UVA. Let's not forget that at times, UVA has been ranked as the best public u. in the nation - above Berkeley. No one outside of CA would place UCLA above UVA.</p>
<p>Anyways, of my experiences at all three, I've had the most fun at UCLA. All three are academically elite, and you won't have to worry about the nuances in the prestige of their degrees as you're only spending a semester here. Subsequently, I'd base it on opportunities to do fun things and experience life, both of the American sort and the college sort. Again, I'd pick UCLA.</p>
<p>This must have been a long time ago. Could you post any ranking system that puts U Va as better all around academically than UCLA? According to most modern lists (which i, generally, think are rediculous, but that's not the issue) but UCLA as the second best public school, After Berkeley and before U Mich- Ann Arbor. U Va doesn't have the reputation on the west coast, but from the people i've spoken to, UCLA has it around the nation and the limited exposure i've had with outside the country.</p>
<p>You will probably feel more "international" at UVA, as it is generally a white, conservative, southern school. Also, I know that if I were an international student visiting the US for a semester I would want to live by/in a real city, so I'd definitely pick Berkeley or UCLA for that reason alone. They are also more globally known.</p>
<p>themegastud,</p>
<p>
[quote]
UCLA's great and everything, but there's no way UCLA has a stronger academic reputation that UVA. Let's not forget that at times, UVA has been ranked as the best public u. in the nation - above Berkeley. No one outside of CA would place UCLA above UVA.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't know about that. I would say that in Virginia and DC I found UCLA to be about the same as UVa in terms of reputation. Maybe I was with the wrong crowd (all big name public and private school grads), but I really didn't feel that my alma mater was seen as that much behind UVa. </p>
<p>Hell, I even met some UVa students who seemed wowed by UCLA. But, it might just be the name.</p>
<p>I have knowledge of all three, and would recommend either California school over UVa. Methinks it would be harder to break into the scence at Charlottesville, since you are only there a short time ('Hookeville, btw, is my personal first choice for a great FOUR year undergrad experience).</p>
<p>Aussie: if you a beach kinda guy/gal, then UCLA. Otherwise, Berkeley is the easy choice. I've known Aussies who've hung there for awhile, and had a great time. Btw: if you are into rugby, then Berekely wins easily (perennial national champ).</p>
<p>Good luck. Just get ready for some 'bad' beer.</p>
<p>About 90% of both UCLA and Berkeley students are not formal greek participants. A large portion go the their parties, but they are not memebers. I wouldn't see why this would be a problem- you would be just anot student, like you want to be. I cannot speak (with any knowledge) about U of Virginia.</p>
<p>Notice that everyone of these biased UC people are all from california, please do research, alot of these cali "uc people" have limited scope because they know nothing but uc's. UCLA and Berk are more research oriented, and UVA is more teaching learning oriented, UVA=more personal. About UVA's rankings: This year they were 2 and UCLA was actuall 4, Drab has no idea what he is speaking of. Prior to, i believe, 2000 UVA was consistently ranked 1 public, so drab do a lil bit of research before you post :) .</p>
<p>thanks guys - this is all really helpful. i really like the look of UVA and i feel that it might be easier for me to fit in there as although i'm definitely not anti-beach, i'm not what you would describe as "beachy"!! that said, i really like the look of the history program at berkeley and the proximity to hollywood and getting a taste of the whole LA scene is a big (if perhaps a little pathetic!!) drawcard for UCLA! argh... i wish i could go to all three... they all sound great... just very different which makes it so hard to choose!</p>
<p>UVA is very good for anything not engineering. There engineering department is just too small to be considered seriously. Premed is excellent as UVA has one of the best university hospitals(you might want to check up on more details). The major school at UVA is the Arts and Sciences, with Commerce(Business) being the second largest. It's a great school and has lots of tradition. I think they have a significant international(Europe) population but once again, check up on that. The student population is great, the campus is great, and there are a lot of opportunities that you can pursue. UVA has a good reputation with top companies(especially for business) and does a very good job of sending its premeds to med schoool. Also, a lot of Northern VA/DC area companies recruit heavily from UVA and that should definately be viewed as a plus as many government agencies/private sector/tech/etc. companies are located in Northern VA/D.C.</p>
<p>Oh and if you're australian, I'm sure the chicks will dig you! UVA was voted the fittest campus in America(I think by U.S. news though not sure) so I'm sure you will enjoy your time at UVA.</p>
<p>UCLA is in los angeles but i don't think its in a great area of los angeles(neither is USC). And you'll realize soon that Hollywood is all glamour and no substance. That, and a very large student population, you might not be able to enjoy as much in one semester.</p>
<p>UVA probably won't be any "more personal" than UCLA. It's still a relatively large university.</p>
<p>actually, UCLA is in one of the best parts on Los Angeles (Beverly Hills is like right there). USC, though, is in a bad part.</p>
<p>Uvajoe, you ridiculously claim that California people and UC people know nothing but UCs. I am as familiar with many of the UCs as I am with the Ivys and many liberal arts colleges. Perhaps I didnt understand the vast knowledge of colleges that you possess. </p>
<p>I wasnt aware that UVA was one of those extremely personalized large research universities . . . </p>
<p>Post a link showing UVA being ranked so consistenly and so highly.</p>
<p>UCLA is in a great part of Los Angelos called Westwood. One side UCLA exit leads directly to the famous Sunset Strip, but you can just find something online to look into the area. Also, I think that people over exaggerate about how bad the USC neighborhood is, but Cest la vie.</p>
<p>Confidential, ever been to CA, much less LA? I somewhat agree with you, but from what experience or knowledge are you speaking?</p>
<p>so the UCLA campus is in a fairly safe area?</p>
<p>I have never heard of any problems with my brother, his friends, or my friends that go or went there. However, where there are people, there is almost always crime. Speeding is probably the most common, although few people get any punishment. Parking is a different story- good luck with that if you are doomed to have to park in the area known as LA. You probalby won't have that problem.</p>
<p>UCLA is in a city,and in addition, like almost all colleges, laptop and bike theft occur, in addition to rare other crimes. Berkeley probably has a bit more crime, and Berkeley has more homeless people, although the majority of them don't do much besides perform and or beg for money when you see them. Again, i cannot speak for U Va though i'm sure it's a good school, with similar petty theft problems of most universities.</p>