<p>Cal competes with Stanford is sports whilst Berkeley competes with Harvard & MIT in academics. Period.</p>
<p>Cal: high match
Berkeley: match
UCB: safety</p>
<p>The OP has most likely made their decision as to where to enroll, but for others considering these schools:</p>
<p>Cal: Intellectual, but quirky students. Thesis required.
Berkeley: Preppiest. Swim test required.
UCB: party-school reputation for non-engineering students there, but that’s just what I’ve heard.</p>
<p>Having said that, the similarities of these schools are much greater than their differences, and a student who would do well at one would likely do well at any of them.</p>
<p>Posters who have suggested that these aren’t “real” schools have a typical Eastern bias and shouldn’t have commented on this thread.</p>