<p>Situation: I thought I was going to get rejected from Berkeley, but I got accepted. (I am very grateful and happy!) I also have been accepted to Marshall at USC.</p>
<p>Problem: Should I attend Marshall at USC or attend Berkeley?</p>
<p>I already started looking into USC and I was set on going there. I was really excited about the majors/minors offered, programs, etc.</p>
<p>Even though Berkeley has a better prestige, it is also known for an "uglier" campus and a public school (larger classes, classes fill up quicker, grades are lower, less attention in class). Also, if I go to Berkeley, I will have to apply to Haas, but I'm worried I'm not that great of a student - 2250 SAT, 4.1 WGPA.</p>
<p>On the other hand, USC, although it has great prestige and a great alumni body, Berkeley has a better business program. Also, so many of my friends have gotten into USC, making it seem not as "great" (it still is). And the biggest problem is the cost! I barely got any scholarships from there. </p>
<p>So I'm in a dilemma because this is possibly one of the biggest decisions of my life. I want to go to a school that I will be happy at and get a good education. I'm upset that I can't get "the best of both worlds". Any opinions here will be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Go to Marshall. I think the alumni connections you'll get are worth more in business than the education you'll receive at Berkeley (although it is stronger). The connections in university in terms of business are so important to success.</p>
<p>Go to USC! A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. There is NO guarantee you will get accepted to Haas. You will spend two years worrying about being one the lucky 50% of Cal kids who get in there. Take your equally great USC business education and alumni connections and then go to graduate school at Cal if you want to.</p>
<p>are you kidding me. BEREKELY is friggin beautiful!! HAAS is very beatiful. If your tired of challenging your self and you dont think you are good enough then hands down go to MARSHALL. But you have to realized every time someone talks about business schools they always mention Wharton, Ross, and Haas for a reason. The schools are bo$$!</p>
<p>Rem: Thank you so much for your honest reply. I really get what you mean when Wharton, Ross, Haas are THE "business schools". Yeah, I know Haas is beautiful. But supposedly, other parts of the school is not. I love how Berkeley is so clean that you can drink from their tap water directly though. :P </p>
<p>However, I haven't gotten into Haas and frankly I don't know if I can. Is it worth it to take the risk? I don't want to end up going to Berkeley and not majoring in Business when I could have easily done it at USC, you know?</p>
<p>Bessie: Good point. Make connections at USC first, then grad school at Cal. Thanks, I will definitely consider that.</p>
<p>Protege: Thanks for your opinion. Yeah, I totally understand the networking required for business. Have you heard from UCI yet? I haven't. =(</p>
<p>Thank you jhuscla. It's not a transfer thing though. Their business program, Haas, is a 2 year program, that you apply for at the end of sophomore year.</p>
<p>alright jhuscla, I will definitely let you guys know. If there are any opinions, please don't hesitate to share them! Any opinion will be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>It's really what you make of the program. I do know that Haas is extremely competitive to get in and since you already know you are in Marshall, I would go to Marshall. </p>
<p>Marshall has a lot of opportunities IF you choose to take a part in it... I have seen a lot of Marshall students think that by just getting a degree, they will land a job at a top firm, but thats not the case. Work your butt off, and do the extra work outside of the classroom and you will be very happy at Marshall... good luck!</p>
<p>i would go to Marshall (but i'm biased, seeing that i applied under that and am dying to get in!) plus, i live near berkeley and have done a summer course there, and dont care for it.</p>
And $200k in the bank is worth A LOT more than $0. If D had a choice between in-state tuition at Cal and USC, I would not even let her think about USC. Hell, I would be willing to give her half of what we would save. $25k/year of pocket money can buy a lot of happiness :D</p>
<p>Sure, we can afford the tuition at USC, but it is not like $200k (or even $20k) is inconsequential for us. There is no way in hell that ANY program at USC is worth $200k over the same program at Cal. If the difference in out-of-pocket costs is anything more than $10k/year go to Cal.</p>
<p>Congrats on getting into Cal. Terrific school, in almost all majors.</p>
<p>If money is a significant factor, than Cal easily. Berkeley has always had that venerable history behind it, and that is an intangible you should be conscious of. True, the Trojan network is expansive, and well worthy of its hype, but Haas will land you jobs just as easy with any firm. </p>
<p>I have to disagree with Rem4lyfe though. Don't think for a second that Marshall would be "easier" than Haas. If you browse around the boards a bit, you'll find that Marshall is infamous for deflating grades. An average Marshall student should not expect to attain higher than a 3.0 GPA in major-related classes. Secondly, you'll have to consider that, this year, USC's acceptance rate dipped to 21%, with the average SAT score for matriculated students eclipsing 2100. Though I will be the first to attest to Cal having an amazingly talented student body, with these new SC stats, I would never ever consider Cal's students to be superior or more competitive than ours.</p>
<p>To be honest, you will do fine at Cal. I don't doubt your ability to get into Haas. The real question you have to ask yourself is, "What am I looking for in college?" If you're looking for the complete college experience, then I'd have to say USC.</p>