<p>I've been accepted to both Berkeley and UCLA as a transfer. I am leaning toward Berkeley because of its academic excellence, but I'm worried that I won't have a good experience there. I visited Cal today...and it seemed okay, but just...okay. Nothing terribly spectacular. The transfer orientation I went to didn't seem helpful at all. It seemed disorganized and crowded...</p>
<p>I've been telling myself that a college's campus doesn't neccessarily equate to a bad academic or social experience. But I feel like I'm trying to convince myself to go to Berkeley because of its prestigious reputation...and honestly, I feel like that's a really shallow reason to go. </p>
<p>Berkeley students, do you regret choosing Cal? Did you ever feel the same way as me? Help!</p>
<p>"Life is what you make of it."
"No one's going to hand you happiness on a golden platter."
"If a person truly wants to live, he can make any place a paradise."</p>
<p>The truth is that Berk is so large and diverse that you can have any sort of experience you want. Berk is tops in all disciplines except for art and has parties, dances, Model UN, business clubs, nerdy engineers, etc. just like every other school. How much academic and social experience you want depends solely on you. The opportunities are out there. You just have to grasp them.</p>
<p>The only thing I regret was not being as proactive in finding and doing stuff my freshman year.</p>
<p>Transfer- I almost feel the same way about Cal as you do. (However, I'm going for economic reasons instead of prestige.)</p>
<p>The thing is, crumja is right. Berkeley is totally one of those "it is what you make of it" kind of places. Some of my high school classmates currently attend small liberal arts colleges, which certainly foster a better sense of community than a large school can. Still, I think it's important for colleges to provide a smooth transition into the "real world," and I have to imagine that the large and impersonal atmosphere of Cal does this much better than most other schools.</p>
<p>Obviously, UCLA and Cal are very similar in this regard, and there are dozens of threads about this very decision. Assuming you are Californian, do you consider yourself "NorCal" or "SoCal"? (Personally, I prefer dreadlocks to plastic surgery, but the weather is nicer down there. Also, I have heard UCLA is a bit safer and more politically conservative than Berkeley is supposed to be.)</p>
<p>i think about this everyday, and not once have i regretted coming to cal, if i regret anything it's wasting the time on other applications. I'm saddened that it as to end in 3 years and that i have to go home this summer.</p>
<p>I asked my roommate about this and he has this hilarious (at least I was laughing out of my seat) response:</p>
<p>it's like a 14 yr kid with a pure breed golden retriever; you pet it you stroke it; "isn't this such a beautiful dog?" isn't it such a beautiful creature; and then it bites you on the hand and you kick it "damn dog"
After a while you forget about it and go back to loving it again</p>
<p>I'm going into my 4th year at Cal and I'm apathetic towards it.</p>
<p>Campus: blah looking in my opinion. UCLA's campus is prettier but the air quality is killer.
Classes: some are good, but really quite large (same at UCLA though)
Professors: some good, some bad (like UCLA)
Party scene: I haven't been to a frat since my freshman year, but it was kind of lame to be honest. The clubs/bars are alright.
Dating scene: My only long-term relationship is with someone NOT from Cal. However, I have dated quite a few people here, but meh.</p>
<p>As you can see, I'm somewhat jaded, but I think UCLA and CAL are pretty similar in most respects though, so it's not much of a difference.</p>
<p>transfer138831: I came to Cal as a 1st year because I wanted to, not because it was my only choice. It has been a great 1st year, no regrets at all.
It's a huge community, very diverse and easy for anyone to fit in. People are friendly and accepting, but it is true that you have to go out and grasp the opportunities. They won't come to you. And it is true "it's what you make of it."
Good luck.</p>
<p>I do. The truly good professors are really few and far between; probably 90%+ of each course I learn on my own by reading the textbooks and doing practice problems. It's really hard to make friends, even if you join a club or organization (which I have done), because the school is simply too big. The grading and workload are very unfriendly. This place is no Harvard, where students can still easily get into grad schools, "good" jobs, etc. with 3.2-3.4's simply because of their school's brand name. I might as well choose an easier school and spend less time and effort earning the grades.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I do. The truly good professors are really few and far between; probably 90%+ of each course I learn on my own by reading the textbooks and doing practice problems. It's really hard to make friends, even if you join a club or organization (which I have done), because the school is simply too big. The grading and workload are very unfriendly. This place is no Harvard, where students can still easily get into grad schools, "good" jobs, etc. with 3.2-3.4's simply because of their school's brand name. I might as well choose an easier school and spend less time and effort earning the grades.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wow, threads like these really bring out the trolls, turns into a bitc*-fest real quick. If you want to fit in you will, I don't regret choosing cal. Some people aren't happy anywhere.</p>
<p>If you can't cut it academically or socially, you probably should have transferred out, college is a once in a life time experience. Too bad your experience sucked.</p>
<p>I wish I had gone some place where it might have been a little easier, but hey! I'm proud of myself for getting through Berkeley. If you asked me that question when I was a fresh, I woulda said yes. Ask me it now? I say I'm happy I came.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. It helps put things into perspective for me. </p>
<p>As for now, I'm still undecided. It seems to me that both schools are basically places where "it is what you make of it." I guess it just depends on which environment I prefer more. I've lived in NorCal all my life, so maybe going down to SoCal would be a good change. I'll have to think about it more...it'd probably be best to visit both campuses again and then decide.</p>
<p>you can't go wrong with either one. as it has been said many times in the annual ucla vs cal threads, just go to the one that makes you happier. the surrounding environment is imo the biggest difference that should make or break your decision to go to a particular school, as everything else is pretty much the same. maybe weather :)</p>
<p>i'm also a transfer, graduating in mcb honors this semester, matriculating into a pretty selective phd program this fall. overall there were certain things that i didn't really like, but not enough to the point of depression or anything, mostly just annoyances. </p>
<p>good luck. i should be studying for these pointless finals...</p>
<p>Hey buddy, life is what you make of it. It you cannot be happy going to a place like Berkeley or UCLA, you are not ready for life. Thousands of people will want to chance to attend either university.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Wow, threads like these really bring out the trolls, turns into a bitc*-fest real quick. If you want to fit in you will, I don't regret choosing cal. Some people aren't happy anywhere.</p>
<p>If you can't cut it academically or socially, you probably should have transferred out, college is a once in a life time experience. Too bad your experience sucked.</p>
<p>Guess who?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Although this comment wasn't directed towards me, I don't feel that he was trying to be a troll. Everyone has their own opinion and for some people Berkeley just isn't the right fit. (Plus, who says everyone has to have school pride? For me, my school pride vanished after spending 3 years here. Before there was this aura of prestige, now it's one of normality.)</p>
<p>Socially speaking, the campus is so segregated that it's a bit ironic to call it diverse. I guess the main things I miss are the sanity (i'm tired of the hobos too); non-racist people (this campus is so segregated); and people who understand good humor.</p>
<p>Also ev700, it's not just about being ready for life. Not all universities are the same.</p>
<p>transfer138831, I'm in the same exact situation as you. I got into both UCLA and Cal as a transfer too, and am currently a student at UCI. I'm also leaning toward Berkeley for similar reasons, although I like the surroundings better than those of UCLA. </p>
<p>I was also at that disorganized and crowded Berkeley transfer program, you'd think they'd better gauge the amount of attendees and put out more chairs, geez, half the crowd (me included) were standing.</p>