<p>ima senior from Geogia and i was wondering if berkeley is worth the money if i could go to emory for less. </p>
<p>Should i go to berkeley or emory???
please help</p>
<p>Um, do you want to go to Berkeley?</p>
<p>um, i guess i should elaborate. first of all, i'm undecided but i think that i'll end up majoring in some kind of biology, and as you have probably guessed i wanna go premed. i'll just write out my pros and cons for each school</p>
<p>Berkeley: Pros
- better academics, prestige
- athletics
- true college town/feel
- more graduate school opportunities
- california- amazing weather, and i want to go out of state because i've lived in ga all my life
- accept 3's for ap exams</p>
<p>Cons
- extremeley expensive because i'm oos, and they dont give much financial aid at all
- difficult classes and tough competition- i'm not stupid but i dont want to kill myself in college. i would like to have a social life
- inexperience- i have no idea what to expect from cali life, which could be either good or bad
- girls- i am not vain, but i am a guy so its just natural. i have heard some unsettling "rumor" or myths about berkeley girls. which i was completely shocked to hear b/c i always imagine cali girls were very attractive</p>
<p>Emory: Pros
- private school- so less expensive, larger aid amount+ hope scholarship for ga residents
- "easier" in terms of academics, and more 1 on 1 interaction b/c of smaller class size
- very close to home, many friends and family
- safety- i know what to expect and i am very familiar with the college</p>
<p>Cons
- no athletics, and not much of a college experience compared to berk
- ga- lived here all my life, and i kinda want something new</p>
<p>So there it is...i want to go to berkeley, but i'm not sure if it'd be worth all the money.</p>
<p>A few things about your list- some of your conceptions or stereotypes of California are more true of souther california than northern california. While the weather in nor cal is great, it's a bit less sunny, and a bit more rainy than so cal. I'm not sure what the weather in Georgia is like, but check weather.com for average temperature and inches of rain per year.</p>
<p>Private schools tend to be more expensive than public schools, even if the private is in your state and the public out. </p>
<p>There's a lot to consider here, and this is a big decision. You might find yourself experiencing culture shock, or the most amazing environment you've ever been in (probably something in between). I know one Georgian who loves it here, but the cost is somewhat of a burden to her, as she pretty much has to work during part of the summer to help pay. </p>
<p>Which factors matter most to you? It sounds like you want to go to Berkeley. What are the cost differences, and the consequences of choosing Berkeley over Emory (as in, you'd have to work or something)?</p>
<p>i2ai3i3it, here are my $0.02 as an OOS Cal alum (BS and MBA):</p>
<p>"Cons
- extremeley expensive because i'm oos, and they dont give much financial aid at all"</p>
<p>Can you get residency in yr 2? that would reduce your costs substantially.</p>
<p>"- difficult classes and tough competition- i'm not stupid but i dont want to kill myself in college. i would like to have a social life"</p>
<p>Cal is more academically stressful than Emory, but it's far from a purgatory. I had the time of my life outside the school.</p>
<p>"- inexperience- i have no idea what to expect from cali life, which could be either good or bad"</p>
<p>Trust me, it's awesome. Best place on earth. I get goosebumps just looking at the pictures below, remembering the great times. Best years of my life, and very possibly yours.</p>
<p>"- girls- i am not vain, but i am a guy so its just natural. i have heard some unsettling "rumor" or myths about berkeley girls. which i was completely shocked to hear b/c i always imagine cali girls were very attractive"</p>
<p>Nowadays at Cal the ratio is 53-47 W/M and growing. The local "talent" is underrated, plus there is SF and mostly-female Mills College nearby (you can actually take a class or two there.) There are some fantastic places to get laid all over campus (I can give a list of my top 40 if you'd like ;) )</p>
<p>"Cons
- no athletics, and not much of a college experience compared to berk
- ga- lived here all my life, and i kinda want something new"</p>
<p>If you're feeling this way at 17/18, imagine how boxed in you'll feel at 21...</p>
<p><a href="http://spectacle.berkeley.edu/pics/campuspics/campanile_sunset_240w.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://spectacle.berkeley.edu/pics/campuspics/campanile_sunset_240w.jpg</a>
<a href="http://peer.berkeley.edu/news/2000summer/hmb1.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://peer.berkeley.edu/news/2000summer/hmb1.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/%7Ecstoy/pictures/berkeley/img/3.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~cstoy/pictures/berkeley/img/3.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.mse.berkeley.edu/%7Exli/SLi_Homepage/Pix/Bay_area/LBNL_006.JPG%5B/url%5D">http://www.mse.berkeley.edu/~xli/SLi_Homepage/Pix/Bay_area/LBNL_006.JPG</a>
<a href="http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/2/24/Berkeley_glade_afternoon.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/2/24/Berkeley_glade_afternoon.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.mse.berkeley.edu/%7Exli/SLi_Homepage/Pix/Bay_area/Berkeley_008.JPG%5B/url%5D">http://www.mse.berkeley.edu/~xli/SLi_Homepage/Pix/Bay_area/Berkeley_008.JPG</a>
<a href="http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2437.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2437.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/pictures/2000/01/cal-190x270-tower.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/pictures/2000/01/cal-190x270-tower.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.rohitsrealm.com/gallery2/9639-2/aad.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.rohitsrealm.com/gallery2/9639-2/aad.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2433b.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2433b.jpg</a>
<a href="http://writing.berkeley.edu/summer/images/berkeleycampus1_sm.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://writing.berkeley.edu/summer/images/berkeleycampus1_sm.jpg</a>
<a href="http://plantbio.berkeley.edu/%7Etaylor/picts/campus/westfrombigc.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://plantbio.berkeley.edu/~taylor/picts/campus/westfrombigc.jpg</a>
<a href="http://138.23.124.164/collections/photography/Adams/Front/1987.0027.6.UCB.6.12.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://138.23.124.164/collections/photography/Adams/Front/1987.0027.6.UCB.6.12.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.ioc.tu-clausthal.de/abteilung_rw/berkeley.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.ioc.tu-clausthal.de/abteilung_rw/berkeley.html</a>
<a href="http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/wsuGame/335.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/wsuGame/335.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/afGame/memStadPanoSmall.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/afGame/memStadPanoSmall.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/wsuGame/336.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.emjr.org/cal/football/2002/wsuGame/336.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2432.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.yak.net/random/pics/2004.12.california/img_2432.jpg</a>
<a href="http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/eijiro625/imgs/3/a/3a92d6f6.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/eijiro625/imgs/3/a/3a92d6f6.jpg</a></p>
<p>After reading what you think of each school, my advise would be to sit down with your parents and make out a "whats the worst that could happen" list. Meaning, think of all the ways that berkeley could go wrong. If, after you've done that, you think its still worth it, then you should come here. What you don't want to happen is to come here expecting one thing and be disapointed when its not what you thought it would be.</p>
<p>I don't know G&S, his list of Cal pros is rock-solid (academics, athletics, college town, weather) while his negatives aren't.</p>
<p>
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Can you get residency in yr 2? that would reduce your costs substantially.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I doubt this. It has become quite difficult for most OOS undergrads to be able to get residency. Check out the requirements. </p>
<p>Personally, between Berkeley vs. Emory, I would give the edge to Berkeley. I think that Berkeley's stronger academics probably makes up for the cons that you listed. However, I agree with GS that it is important to weigh all of the pros and cons, as well as visit the 2 schools.</p>
<p>i just received my financial aid award from emory, and it looks to be about 10k cheaper for me to go to emory. but then i was also awarded the alumni scholarship for berk which is 2k for oss.</p>
<p>considering this along with my listed pros and cons for each school, where should i go?</p>
<p>To whicever you think will be better for you. They have may differences, such as atmosphere, is it hard to make a decision? Berkeley or Georgia? Are you able to visit either?</p>
<p>Go west, you won't regret it.</p>
<p>I'd say Berkeley offers far more in general.</p>
<p>As for finances, my way of looking at them is which school will let you dig yourself out of your hole faster. Warranted or not, many jobs go to graduates from top universities due to alumni or general perception of ability.</p>
<p>Berkeley, I believe, will allow you to get out of the red far quicker.</p>
<p>I wouldn't list this consideration if you liked the environment at Emory better, but it sounds like Berkeley would suit you more.</p>
<p>
[quote]
New Member</p>
<p>Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 5 i just received my financial aid award from emory, and it looks to be about 10k cheaper for me to go to emory. but then i was also awarded the alumni scholarship for berk which is 2k for oss.</p>
<p>considering this along with my listed pros and cons for each school, where should i go?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Given that, I'd still give the edge to Berkeley, although obviously less of an edge. I'm not saying that 8k is unimportant, but it's not THAT much money in the grand scheme of things.</p>