<p>I was admitted MIT EA, just got Berkeley Regents. Now, financially, I think I'd pay ~15k a year for MIT, and probably ~5k a year for Berkeley (w/ Regents). Potential major somewhere in the engineering department, maybe bio/EE (applied as eng. undeclared for berkeley).</p>
<p>Question: is there any good reason for me to pick Berkeley over MIT? Is Regents + 10k a year worth it to go to Berkeley instead of MIT? I'm not sure whether to go to the interview (and potentially take away someone else's spot) or not, and I have no complaints about MIT thus far. So basically, advertise Berkeley to me. Sell it.</p>
<p>I’m in a similar situation, and I would go with MIT. The issue is that the undergrad experience at UC Berkeley is quite poor due to disinterested teaching, large class sizes, and a diluted student body talent-wise (Berkeley is basically some MIT-level people plus a bunch more sub-MIT-level people). The difference is certainly worth much more than 10k a year.</p>
<p>A lot of the perks of the Regents scholarship are not very noteworthy. MIT guarantees on-campus housing for undergrads already. Similarly, you wouldn’t have enrollment issues at MIT. There are UROPs galore at MIT. The only really useful thing IMO is the faculty mentor. I’m not familiar with the general nature of scholar-mentor relationships, but I think you could profit it off it quite a bit. Personally, I have (or at least I think I have) a pretty good conception of both the academic and professional worlds, so that mitigates a bit of the benefits for me. It is intriguing, but I’m wary of the true significance of the mentor.</p>
<p>The extra amount you’d pay is worth it for MIT, in my opinion. The undergraduate research opportunities at MIT are much better than Cal because MIT is a private school and focuses way more on its undergrads. The biggest perk of the Regents scholarship is the priority registration, but as arrhenius said, priority registration at Cal is not too much of a perk in comparison to the ease of registration for classes at MIT. Congrats on getting admitted to MIT EA. I would say you should jump on that opportunity and not interview for Regents to leave room for people who really want it.</p>
<ol>
<li> How affordable is the extra $10,000 per year ($40,000 total)?</li>
<li> What are your post-graduation plans? If employment, what field and geographic region?</li>
</ol>
<p>MIT will likely be favored for east coast employment or investment banking employment. Berkeley is much more convenient for small Silicon Valley computer companies to recruit at.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, Berkeley regents is 2500 a year. So the cost difference might not be as big as you think. Not sure if the 10k you’re talking about is overall need-based aid though.</p>
<p>If you go to the interview you will interview with a professor (usually in a subject you are interested in) and talk to current students. Also they will get you in touch with current Berkeley students who you can ask questions, etc… So maybe go in with an open mind and see what they have to offer before making a decision either way. If you decide your heart is at MIT, and money is a huge issue, you might talk to financial aid and show them your financial aid offer from Berkeley and they might be able to give you a better offer. My understanding of Regents is that if there is no need it is $2500 a year, but otherwise they “meet” need. I don’t think you will really be “taking someone’s spot” because they take into account that a portion of the candidates will not attend. If you are really worried about it, attend the interview and then if you decide to go to MIT, let Berkeley know before the end of March when decisions come out. </p>
<p>Nobody is really selling Berkeley here. Haha!</p>
<p>I would go to the interview.
But wait (if you can) until you know full costs before making a decision.</p>
<p>You’re obviously a bright student to get accepted to MIT EA, and you’d likely be a top performer at Cal.
Cal engineering does have the resources for a top engineering education. Being Regents can get you access to professors as well. You likely have AP credits to bypass the larger intro math and physics courses.</p>
<p>Cal is a much larger university than MIT, so that has drawbacks and advantages - you get a mix of very different majors and personalities.
The campus has warmer weather and a bigger sports scene.</p>
<p>If you haven’t visited the campuses, I would encourage you to do so. Berkeley is a different environment.</p>
<p>If you’re a native Northern Californian, I would say spread your wings and go to MIT.
If you like Berkeley’s campus environment, choose Cal.</p>
<p>^I wouldn’t recommend doing that. The interviewer might get put off by what he may construe as an elitist attitude, and you don’t want to risk losing the regents scholarship over something like that.
While I would pick MIT over Cal that is my personal preference. Both schools have top ranked engineering programs and you should have a bright future coming out of either school. I would visit the campuses and see which one you like better -talk to students, teachers, alumni, etc- to really get a feel for the schools. </p>
<p>“You likely have AP credits to bypass the larger intro math and physics courses.” … MIT gives placement exams when you get there, so you can skip over courses you’ve already taken. I’m not trying to push MIT, I’m just saying. </p>
<p>Berkeley has great weather, which you really shouldn’t discount. For the past 2 months, it’s been 60-70 in Berkeley and there are snowdrifts in Boston. </p>
<p>If financial concerns will play a role in your college matriculation decision, then it makes sense to apply/compete for all relevant merit- and need-based scholarships. After all, to make an informed decision, you need to know the final price tag for each college where you hold an acceptance.</p>
<p>A few things to keep in mind:
[ul][<em>]Just because you have won the right to interview for the UCB Regents Scholarship does not necessarily mean that you will get the award.
[</em>]AFAIK, the amount of the UCB Regents Scholarship is variable. If your parents’ earned income is over a certain threshold, then you would qualify for a nominal amount. If you have demonstrated financial need, then the amount of the award may be substantial. (At least this is how the scholarship was administered a few years ago.)
[<em>]If you’re a CA kid, then you should really consider going to MIT. The Boston area is a really neat place to go for college. Different from Berkeley…but, of all the places to attend college in the state of CA, the Bay Area is most like Boston.
[</em>]You will be surrounded by a different kind of person at each campus. MIT has a decidedly international, computer sciencey, tech-focused vibe. Some people might argue that UCB is more “balanced” across the humanities and sciences.
[<em>]As others have mentioned, MIT is a private institution, whereas UCB is a public university. In my experience, the office of career services (office that helps students locate/apply for scholarships/internships/jobs/grad school) at a private entity is much more helpful than its counterpart at a UC. Also, it’s much easier to navigate “administrative processes” at private schools than it is at a large UC school. As a UC student, at times you’ll feel like “just another number.” I’m not kidding about this.
[</em>]The UROP at MIT makes it really easy to secure a fully funded undergraduate research position. AFAIK, UCB does not have a comparable program (although quality research opportunities abound at both institutions).[/ul]</p>
<p>If you haven’t made up your decision yet, then you aren’t “taking up a spot” by going through the interview process for the UCB Regents Scholarship.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies everyone! They were really helpful. :)</p>
<p>After reviewing the financial aid packages (well, looking at formulas/past numbers and such - actual package not out yet) I found that the difference isn’t as substantial as 10k; I very possibly might have to pay more at Berkeley if Regents isn’t factored in (and it’s only 2.5k a year). Also, I guess the research opportunities/support are hardly comparable, and I’m from CA, so yeah, will cancel interview. Thanks for all the advice and opinions :D</p>
<p>As you state, you have to interview for Regents…you don’t have it yet. Cal’s reputation is just as good, esp on West Coast. Stanford cites both Cal and MIT as their rival for the same app pool. Go to MIT if you think it is a better fit, not for prestige. They are both prestigious.</p>
<p>If you have financial need, the Regents’ scholarship could potentially be worth as much as $8,500 or so, replacing the direct loan and work that is expected of the student. You can try the Berkeley net price calculator to get an estimate of the non-Regents’-scholarship scenario; the Regents’ scholarship scenario would replace the loan and work.</p>