<p>I recently got accepted to UC Berkeley, but my number one choice has always been UCLA and they rejected me. I plan to appeal, but since this method rarely results in admission, I guess I'll go to Cal. When is the soonest I can transfer from Berkeley to LA? If I work extremely hard and get enough credits done, can I apply to transfer to LA by the end of my freshman year?</p>
<p>One of my son’s friends transferred from UCSD to UCLA at the end of his freshman year, so it’s certainly possible. You have nothing to lose in submitting the application.</p>
<p>I’d just stick with Berkeley. It really isn’t worth the hassle to transfer to UCLA once you’ve settled. Berkeley is higher ranked in most fields anyways. I’d give the same advice to a person with the situation vice-versa.</p>
<p>Go to UCLA. They love transfer students. For example, their student body is comprised of 40% transfers.</p>
<p>What’s wrong with Berkeley bro? It’s a GREAT school. Let’s trade…my dream school was Berkeley, and I got rejected. UCLA accepted me, though. BAH…</p>
<p>haha yeahh… most of my friends who got into UCLA got rejected from Berkeley and they all wish they could “trade me” lol, but I just love UCLA! 
oh well, thanks for all the input guys! :]</p>
<p>Chances are good that after you’re at Cal for a bit you’ll settle into it and decide to just stay there and not really have the big desire to attend UCLA anymore. If after you’re there for a bit and are adamant that you still want to switch then you can always give it a try.</p>
<p>You could also try a hybrid - i.e. you could attend Cal but, assuming you live in the LA area, you could take some summer classes at UCLA which will generally have all the credits transfer towards your degree at Cal (but check first with the Cal academic advisors on the particular courses you might take). The same s/b true in reverse for UCLA attendees from the bay area who are pining to attend Cal. It won’t be exactly the same as attending full time but will give you a taste of it and might satisfy your desire for it.</p>
<p>As long as your grades are decent, you should be able to transfer. They may ask for a good reason why. My friend started at Cal and two years in transferred to UCLA because her mother, who lived down here, was not well, and she wanted to be close to home. Wasn’t a problem to transfer.</p>
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<p>Why are people so obsessed with rankings? I would understand if there is a large gap between the schools, but UCLA vs. Berkeley? It’s just ridiculous.</p>
<p>There are two ways to look at things: the general rankings and major rankings. Well the Berkeley students like to buy into the individual field rankings and in that department, even for the few undergrad departments that are ranked, they leave UCLA far behind. </p>
<p>I will, however be realistic in saying that I feel many of those high departmental rankings including in fields such as engineering and chemistry are unrealistic. You really don’t get anything out of your professors in lecture hall style teaching. In this way, I would never advise Berkeley over Cornell or Rice like how some Berkeley students do. </p>
<p>I’d have to agree that most of its students have rather bloated egos and extremely inflated perceptions of their school. Still it is clear Berkeley is the best “public school”.</p>