I’ve been accepted into all three as a political science major and appreciate any insights any of you may have re the best option. I’ve visited each campus and am impressed by all three.
Berkeley
Pros
I’m in-state so this is the best cost option (though I’m fortunate in that this isn’t a big consideration)
It’s two-hours from home
The poli-sci program is very well regarded as is the school in general
Berkeley is a vibrant city and SF is very close with a lot to do
Cons
Heard that grade-suppression can be a thing and I want to go to law/grad school so gpa matters.
Classes can be hard to get and professors difficult to see
This year freshmen aren’t guaranteed housing (not putting as many students in a dorm room due to Covid concerns), which concerns me mostly in being able to connect with other freshman and make friends. Cal is a huge school and I’ll want a social circle.
USC
Pros
Prestige on the rise.
Alumni network re interning and post-grad opportunities is strong
In LA - lots to do downtown and beaches are close
Easy flight home
Housing guaranteed for freshmen/sophomores
Cons
Not sure how regarded their poli sci program is compared to Cal’s - nor how much it matters
Is USC’s prestige limited to SoCal?
UVA
Pros
Beautiful campus, gets me to the east coast
UVA connections to intern/post-grad opportunities on the east coast
Strong overall reputation
Cons
Not sure how prestigious the poil sci dept is, compared to Cal’s
Not sure how strong the UVA alum network - or if it’s more regional?
Not sure how much there is to do in Charlottesville, though bigger cities are easy train rides/flights away
Thank you for whatever insights or help you have. Deposits due soon!
I’m a California resident, so Berkeley is the most affordable at around $15K. USC will be around $60K and UVA OOS around $53K. I’ve received no aid, but am very fortunate to be able to attend any of these without taking on any debt.
So my considerations are really about the individual programs, prestige, general accessibility of professors, ability to get courses, grade suppression, and general campus environments (weekend fun opportunities).
I went to UVa ages ago, and I am not a Political Science major. The UVa alum network is strong in Northern California and elsewhere. A Cal grad friend of mine asked me why UVa alums reflect so fondly on UVa… We worked hard, but played hard. It is a public university, but feels like a smaller, more intimate liberal arts experience.
What do you want to do with your political science major/future law degree?
UVa is more conservative than Cal, so that may be an adjustment.
Students from OOS pay over $50k/year at UCB. I’m actually a little shocked that you’re even struggling. Go to Cal and do well. Cal grads get into law school every year. The savings will pay for your next step.
S18 had a similar dilemma, also PoliSci focused. He was choosing between Cal, UCLA and UVA (with Echols). While he’d always seen himself going to college on the East Coast, and UVA has decent connections in DC, in the end the instate tuition and saving the money for grad school or to take low paid internships made far more sense. UVA also isn’t that easy to get to from the west coast (flying into Dulles doesn’t work unless you have access to a car and there’s only 1 train a day to DC). When he asked a friend of a friend who is a PoliSci professor at GWU (where he’d also been admitted), she said UCB had a better reputation than UVA, even in DC.
He picked UCLA over UCB, to get a bit further away from home, but both have very similar opportunities, including the UCDC program to spend a summer or a semester in DC. He was able to get a great internship with a top DC think tank so wasn’t held back at all by being in CA. Berkeley also has some great polisci opportunities that aren’t available at UCLA that we didn’t know about at the time, such as the John Gardner fellowship (About the Gardner Fellowship – JOHN GARDNER FELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATION ) for graduates.
He’s had no problem getting classes and building close relationships with professors, in fact one proactively wrote (without being asked) to the company that hired him this summer when he mentioned he was applying, because she used to work there and knew the CEO. Although it’s not necessarily the same as UCB, he’s never had a problem with grades or felt they were suppressed compared to other schools.
I can’t help with USC or UVA reputations. I wanted to ask how Cal is only $15,000? Was that a typo? If you live 2 hours away, the distance is too great to commute. Cost of attendance for a student with no financial need should be around $35,000.
However, law school is expensive, so consider whether the amount saved in undergraduate can help you reduce the amount of debt you will take for law school.
