<p>I'm deciding between Berkeley and SD but the thing is, it seems so hard to compare. I want to go in for bio, and I heard SD has a great program, but so does Berkeley...</p>
<p>UCSD is by the beach and has perfect weather year round. Easy decision.</p>
<p>UCSD is amazing, it's true. I got accepted there also but I'm from San Diego so it's not far away enough from home. If you're from anywhere but San Diego, I would say UCSD without a doubt. You literally are right on the beach. La Jolla is so amazing, and so is San Diego in general. The one thing you'll have to be okay with is the fact that it will be summer (or almost that) 350 days out of the year. It's great, unless you're attached to seasons and whatnot. But the truth is from San Diego you can get to the snow or the desert within an hour - and the beach within 5 minutes. (And you've got the zoo and Sea World, Balboa Park, and downtown all within about a fifteen minute drive from the campus.) Plus, biology is one of UCSD's fortes. I'm absolutely in love with San Diego, if you can't tell. </p>
<p>But it's your decision.</p>
<p>If you like the beach I would definately say San Diego. I myself live in Orange County and I need to get out of this place. I got into USC and Berkeley and I am kind of leaning towards Berkeley just for the reason that I can get outa here. But if you are not from SOCAL then I would say UCSD, especially if you wanna study Bio. I hear the Bio program at Berkeley is really impersonal and classes are like way overcrowded. If your ultimate goal is medicine, then I would also say SD because in terms of percentage it has more people accepted to Med School each year. Another thing to consider is do you want a large school with a bunch of liberals or a smaller school in the burbs, but still pretty close to the city. It all depends on your preference. I ve visited both campuses, SD has much nicer dorms.</p>
<p>Does it have much nicer dorms? Even better than Clark Kerr and the mini-suites?</p>
<p>What's the difference in size between UCSD and Berkeley, exactly? </p>
<p>Also, even though UCSD is probably less liberal than UCSD, is the difference really that big? How big is the difference? </p>
<p>Also, how different are the basic bio classes at UCSD? Do you think they will have 15 people in them or some small number like that?</p>
<p>But one thing these people bring up that I agree with is that there are many things to consider besides bio. Many, many other things.</p>
<p>i completely agree the UCSD is much prettier but since everyone else is going UCSD ill go for the underdog...i think berkeley is more competitive which is a little stressful but it will push you and challenge you and force you to become a better student... it also has more prestige...also i duno if UCSD is a quarter or semester system but i think its quarter and berkeley is semester ...i dunno which you prefer (i personally think semester is better) so consider that as well</p>
<p>IMO the UCSD campus is kinda bland. all modern architecture (70s style concrete structures and a lot of new glass buildings) and VERY spread out. less of a community feel than berkeley.</p>
<p>The fact that you said Berkeley has a "community feel" shows me that you have yet to truly experience Berkeley :P</p>
<p>so SD is definitely better for bio and a potential future in medicine? haha SD is already very romanticized in my mind b/c it sounds so wonderful.</p>
<p>Definitely better? No, not in any sure, concrete way. They seem to be fairly close on the whole.</p>
<p>Preparation H does feel good on the whole</p>
<p>true ucsd is known for bio. But would you rather go to ucsd or the #1 Public school in the nation?? chancs r u'll probably get a much richer and brighter education at the #1 public school. i was actually in the same shoes as u.. but i decided berkeley cuz first of all. im not the surfer dude kinda person.. and personally i think berkeley will push me to compete and challenge myself. visit the 2 campuses and compare them.</p>
<p>lindzee: If I were in your position, I would choose UCSD. It's biological science program as well as its med school is very highly rated, one of the best in the nation. Also, it receives some of the most research money, which means that you would have a great chance of securing some research opportunities with great professors involved in cutting edge projects. I think that the argument that UCB would somehow push one to compete and challenge that person more than at UCSD is really not true. Don't underestimate the power and caliber of UCSD.
Go to ucsd.edu and check out the recent news about its rankings.
I do agree that visiting both campuses is a good idea.</p>
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If your ultimate goal is medicine, then I would also say SD because in terms of percentage it has more people accepted to Med School each year
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<p>I don't think so.</p>
<p><a href="http://career.ucsd.edu/sa/PMedHis.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://career.ucsd.edu/sa/PMedHis.shtml</a></p>
<p>Note, the difference in national rates has to do with the fact that the Berkeley data has only to do with graduating seniors, whereas the UCSD data has to do with all applicants (graduating seniors + alumni who have been out working for a while). What is important are the relative figures. Berkeley beats the national average by an average of about 5% a year. UCSD beats the national average by about 1-2% a year.</p>
<p>However way you want to slice the data, it is hard to come to the conclusion that UCSD gets a higher percentage of its students into med-school than Berkeley does.</p>
<p>UCSD if you know you will be committed to majoring in the life sciences. However, I've met quite a few students who made a 180 degree change in choosing what to major.</p>
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UCSD is by the beach and has perfect weather year round. Easy decision.
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<p>I'm afraid I find this to be highly frivolous. By that same argument, nobody should ever want to go to Harvard or MIT, as the weather in Boston really can suck sometimes. Yet I don't see too many students at Harvard or MIT trying putting in for a transfer to, say, the University of Hawaii. Heck, I would suspect that plenty of University of Hawaii students would gladly forgo their great weather to transfer over to Harvard or MIT. </p>
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If I were in your position, I would choose UCSD. It's biological science program as well as its med school is very highly rated, one of the best in the nation. Also, it receives some of the most research money, which means that you would have a great chance of securing some research opportunities with great professors involved in cutting edge projects. I think that the argument that UCB would somehow push one to compete and challenge that person more than at UCSD is really not true. Don't underestimate the power and caliber of UCSD.
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<p>Well, look, the truth is, you are going to have to fight tooth and nail for research opportunities at either school. UCSD gets a lot of biology research money, but the bulk of it is strictly reserved for its medical school which basically means that it's off-limits to anybody outside of the medical school. {By the same token, Harvard undergrads can't just simply "decide" one fine day that they want to work on a research project at Harvard Medical School and expect to have it handed to them.} </p>
<p>Look, we're not talking about MIT, we're not talking about Caltech. Neither Berkeley nor UCSD can be said to truly offer extensive research opportunities to undergrads in the way that the Institutes of Technology do. </p>
<p>Personally, I think a judgement like this should be based on personal fit. It also has to do with the notion of what would work out better for you in case you end up not doing bio. Keep in mind that most college students will end up changing majors.</p>
<p>Well, I am a San Diego native and I have decided to pick Berkeley over UCSD. While it is true that UCSD is a great school, the campus seems pretty bland and it is too science oriented for my taste. That, of course, can be a plus when considered in your case. </p>
<p>I believe that Cal's environment is more lively and challenging, and you can't just beat the experience of attending college in San Francisco. San Diego is nice, but I have already experienced enough suburban blandness in my life.</p>
<p>I went to UCSD admit day and it was pretty chill. Can't wait for Cal Day!</p>
<p>sakky: Agreed that neither UCB or UCSD can offer "extensive research opportunities" to all undergraduates who are interested. But the proactive student at either place can find a research position...and the likelihood of finding one is more so at UCSD given the presence of a top-notch medical school. I never implied in my earlier post that UCSD students can expect to have these coveted research chances "handed" to them. You seem to indicate that opportunities are not available at all, unless that person is affiliated with the medical school. </p>
<p>I think your knowledge of UCSD is based upon a generalized one for UC's. Do you attend a UC? Do you have first-hand knowledge of how things actually work at UCSD?</p>
<p>Is Berkeley really that prestigious? It really depends on what you want to do. Yes, Berkeley offers the most well rounded package of all the UC's academically and is internationally reknown. But a lot of students have a terrible time here even if they do academically well.</p>
<p>UCSD is great for biology and if you know you're going into those departments than Berkeley and UCSD are largely equivalent academically with UCSD getting a bonus of better weather and a more intimate environment.</p>
<p>The academic difference between UCSD and UCB is not the difference between a podunk school and harvard and MIT.</p>
<p>The difference between UCB and UCSD is more like the difference between Harvard and Dartmouth, respectively, if Dartmouth were in southern California, and Harvard were in Northern California.</p>