<p>I am down to UCB vs a small liberal arts school, and struggling with the final decision. </p>
<p>Pros for UCB: world class professors, smart students, Bay Area, diversity
Cons for UCB: academic work load, dorms are small, intense campus, research focused school</p>
<p>Pros for small school: strong community, quiet campus, nice dorms, teaching focused schools
Cons for small school: limited opportunity, not much diversity in students, not same reputation as UCB</p>
<p>My friends all think I should go to UCB, my parents are split. I am leaning towards UCB but am scared. Small school sounds safe, UCB sounds like a risk.</p>
<p>Did anyone else struggle with these same issues. I'd welcome any thoughts.</p>
<p>Berkeley is very much sink or swim; there is absolutely nobody, other than you and your friends, who cares whether or not you succeed. If you actively try to find resources there, sure, there are a lot. But nobody’s going to be making sure you know about internship fairs, research offerings, study help, or anything like that.</p>
<p>Now, I don’t want to imply that Berkeley is bad because of that. You do have a lot of opportunities, and you’ll get a lot of freedom to choose among them. But I know a few people who probably should have gone to a different school; they just don’t want to take on that level of self-determination yet. Make sure you’re ready to do that if you want to attend Berkeley.</p>
<p>The “sink” category mostly exists only because Berkeley accepts many people from low-performing California high schools who have barely taken AP classes, had no competition from their classmates at all, and just aren’t at the academic level as everyone else who is accepted. </p>
<p>If you’re not in that category (and you don’t sound like you are), you have nothing to be afraid of academically. You will meet a ton of people in the dorms and everyone is really friendly in the beginning because no one knows anyone. And there’s plenty of introverted people here who do very well, you don’t have to be aggressive and unafraid, just smart and at least a little self-motivated :).</p>
<p>Well what are your long term goals and what is this obscure small liberal arts college? I’d think it would be irresponsible to start shooting out advice without consideration of these factors.</p>
<p>The small school is Lewis and Clark in Portland. My goal is to be a scholar. I am interested in French, English and Music; all as possible majors.</p>
<p>Hmmm… Berkeley has a great English department so I would encourage you to go there. However, if you really enjoy the ambiance of Lewis and Clark there is no risk in attending that college either given your libetal arts type major.</p>
<p>Well to be scholar you want to be surrounded by scholars and impressive accomplished professors which you will definitely get at Berkeley. And I don’t think you will be in any big classes at all for those majors so you will have plenty of opportunities to get close to professors and work with them.</p>
<p>Berkeley is basically an unbeatable place to become a scholar. Your limitation is only yourself, because you will always find insanely accomplished people to go to.</p>
<p>You’re already exhibiting a key trait that will make you succeed here, and that is that you are asking for advice. If you ask for advice while at Berkeley, and are persistent, you will get the help you need.</p>