<p>
</p>
<p>That's great advice. I just wanted to highlight it.</p>
<p>In an overall way, Berkeley has a significantly superior reputation in my opinion to Chapel Hill. And UCLA has a very strong reputation as well. However, I am with coureur and her so-called Chelsea Clinton rule. Though it certainly started as a rule for before Chelsea. Going across the country to a great school such an UNC can open your eyes to a lot. And you can always come back to California to go to a UC/Stanford/Caltech or several other schools for grad school. I would give the same advice in the other direction, since people often unknowingly are parochial and narrow-minded (as a generalization, not meant to cast aspersions to anyone on this post) when it comes to the state/region they grew up in.</p>
<h2>"Berkeley has a significantly superior reputation in my opinion to Chapel Hill. And UCLA has a very strong reputation as well."</h2>
<p>Bedhead - what specifically about both schools (Berkeley vs. Carolina) makes you say this? I can only speak the strengths of UNC, so I'm interested in specifics about Berkeley's reputation.</p>
<p>Hi Idmom: I was talking in an overall way about the respective academic reputations of the schools. I wasn't trying to make a point about which would have a better undergraduate experience, a prettier campus, etc. Or, of course, which would be a better fit for a given person.</p>
<p>In a general way, Berkeley ranks among the most elite institutions in the nation, and the data I am providing is from the US News/World Report a smattering of grad school rankings and is meant to be representative, not exhaustive. This was what made me say what I said:</p>
<p>Engineering:
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
2. Stanford University (CA)
3. University of California–Berkeley </p>
<p>Computer Science:
All ranked #1:
1. Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University (CA)
University of California–Berkeley </p>
<p>Biology (tied for 2)
1. Stanford University (CA) 4.9
2. Harvard University (MA) 4.8
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.8
University of California–Berkeley </p>
<p>English (tied for first):
1. Harvard University (MA) 4.9
University of California–Berkeley 4.9
Yale University (CT) </p>
<p>Business (MBA) 7th
1. Harvard
100 4.7 4.6 3.64 707 15.7% $116,730 88.1% 94.3 $37,500 1,821
2. Stanford University (CA)
99 4.8 4.6 3.56 712 10.8% $117,456 78.1% 93.0 $41,340 748 </p>
<ol>
<li><p>University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)<br>
Interested in seeing all the stats on the list? You can with the Premium Online Edition — the insider's guide to graduate schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) </p></li>
<li><p>Northwestern University (Kellogg) (IL) </p></li>
<li><p>University of Chicago </p></li>
<li><p>Columbia University (NY) </p></li>
<li><p>University of California–Berkeley (Haas) </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Law 8th</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yale University (CT)
100 4.9 4.9 3.79-3.95 168-175 6.2% 7.8 97.3% 98.9% 94.2%/NY 75% </p>
<ol>
<li>Stanford University (CA)
92 4.8 4.8 3.80-3.96 167-172 7.8% 9.2 98.9% 98.9% 91.8%/CA 61% </li>
<li>Harvard University (MA)
Interested in seeing all the stats on the list? You can with the Premium Online Edition — the insider's guide to graduate schools.</li>
<li>Columbia University (NY) </li>
<li>New York University<br></li>
<li>University of Chicago<br></li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania<br></li>
<li>University of California–Berkeley<br></li>
</ol></li>
</ol>
<p>Economics (tied for 3rd):</p>
<ol>
<li> Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5.0
University of Chicago 5.0 </li>
<li> Harvard University (MA) 4.9
Princeton University (NJ) 4.9
Stanford University (CA) 4.9
University of California–Berkeley 4.9</li>
</ol>
<p>These are just a smattering of examples. The National Research Council did a study in 1995, the update of which is long overdue saying that Berkeley had the number one overall graduate school ranking because it had the most top-ranked programs in the most areas.</p>
<p>But none of this is really that relevant to a decision about undergraduate which is better off in my opinion focused on fit, comfort level at the place, in addition to academics and cost. </p>
<p>I still recommend UNC in this case, because I think people should switch coasts. But that's 'cause I did and it was a great experience for me.</p>
<p>Oh...I see. You meant GRAD school. ;) Have you attended grad school at UC-Berkeley or UNC-Chapel Hill? US News has been known to be a fairly controversial basis for making a quality judgement about schools, both graduate and undergraduate.</p>
<p>btw...I see you have a fairly heated discussion going on about UNC vs. California schools in another forum for students. Why bring it here?</p>
<p>Whoa, I am sorry you thought I was denigrating UNC. Not intended. And I made a clear distinction between the concept of overall academic reputation and rightness of fit as an undergrad. About which I think personally overall academic reputation for schools as good as UNC is rather irrelevant, meaning I believe that a motivated student could get as good an education there as at, I don't know, Princeton. Note that I recommended UNC. I don't think there's a person in academia that would dispute that Berkeley is top 3 or 5 grad school broadly across the board. I won't say anything else, since apparently I offended you... Sorry.</p>
<p>warbler - you'll need to read the other thread for context. But, I do think that Bedhead doesn't have a firm basis for his statement that 'Berkeley has a significantly superior reputation to that of UNC'. </p>
<p>Did I misunderstand...was the OP asking about grad school?</p>
<p>ldmom, it looks like we cross-posted. I had deleted my post shortly before you posted yours. </p>
<p>OP- Remember that however strong Berkeley's econ program is, UNC also has the resources of Duke to draw upon. Two heads are better than one! :D (I believe Duke is considered a "core" school for recruiting- whatever that means.)</p>
<p>AND visa versa...Duke has all those UNC resources! ;) (I'm thinking they may want to borrow the Deandome clock for their next game...JUST kidding...lol!)</p>
<p>Idmom06:</p>
<p>From the Times of London, worldwide university rankings. I tried to find the newer version where the rankings were less favorable for Berkeley, but couldn't. I was heated on another post about someone saying that every school K-12 was bad, in effect, among publics.</p>
<p>BUT NOTE THAT I THINK THIS IRRELEVANT. Though I don't think what I said is disputed by anyone objective. I am sorry you are offended. My personal view is that if you attend a top 30/40 undergrad and are focused, you can do as well as anyone. And fit is the most important. I wasn't trying to pull one; I was trying to discount that factor. I will not post anymore, since I am going further down a road that offended you.</p>
<p>Britain wins eight places in world list of 50 best universities
By Tony Halpin</p>
<p>OXFORD and Cambridge are among the world's top ten universities, according to a new global ranking published today. </p>
<p>They were fifth and sixth respectively in the league table of the world's 200 best universities. Harvard, which boasts an endowment of nearly $23billion SEE NEXT POST, and note that Berkeley slipped several slots in this year's ranking.</p>
<p>The only European university outside Britain in the top 20 was the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, in tenth place.</p>
<p>Cambridge, Massachusetts, however, can lay claim to being the world's most intellectual city, as home to Harvard and to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was ranked at No3.</p>
<p>California also scored highly, with the University of California, Berkeley, in second place, the California Institute of Technology, fourth, and Stanford seventh.</p>
<p>Tokyo University, in Japan, ranked at No12, was the highest-ranked institution in Asia, followed by Beijing University at No17.</p>
<p>I'm not offended Bedhead. I just think rankings are overrated and personal or near personal experience can be extremely valuable; however, you are within your rights to share your opinions in any way you choose. Don't feel put off if you are challenged. That's how it goes in the parent forums.... ;)</p>
<p>I think you and I fundamentally agree that fit is WAY more important than rankings.</p>
<p>MORE than agree. :) (But if rankings WERE of primary importance to a reader, UNC-CH more than has their fair share of top 5 rankings.)</p>