<p>The UCs are overrated. </p>
<p>Yes, Berkeley and UCLA are good schools, but I don't see any reason they would be a whole lot better than UVA or UNC. As for the others, like Irvine and Davis I haven't found any reason why they would be any better than something like UNC Asheville or other schools that aren't the main campus. </p>
<p>Just putting that out there.</p>
<p>Nobody has said Berkeley and UCLA are a whole lot better than UVA or UNC because they aren't. They are all regarded almost equally. Berkeley is often considered the best public but nobody really distinguishes between UVA, UNC, UMich, and UCLA. At least, I don't see anybody doing it. I guess it depends on which coast you live on.</p>
<p>Maybe it's just here on CC, but it seems that everybody treats Berkeley like some sort of god.</p>
<p>My brother taught at UCLA for 2 years and told me his students were only average. He saw nothing different in them from any other state university (I think he was mainly comparing it to Rutgers and other lesser known state schools in nj cause that's all he knows) despite UCLA's prestige and statistics. At the end of the conversation though he said the one thing he didn't like about his students was that they were very good at memorizing and taking tests but they were very bad at formulating their own opinions and voicing them. Now he was teaching film classes so wouldn't that skill be what is most sought after? There's no creativity in memorizing and book skills. Due to his testimony I decided not to apply to UCLA and furthermore not value UC's as much as some people on this website. </p>
<p>That's just my brother's and my own opinion though. Please, no one murder me for saying this.</p>
<p>^^ A lot of people on cc are from California, and that is why they value the UC's (especially Berkeley) so much. If you lived in Virgina (especially Northern Virginia), people would be biased toward UVA (or even UNC).</p>
<p>The out of state kids at UCLA and Berkeley will always be eons ahead of the average in-state kids at those institutions. That's just how it is.</p>
<p>It is true though that the entire uc system is looked upon very highly. I think the reason is that when you look at state school systems, the UC's are EXTREMELY high quality, high bang for your buck if you will, for a big public school system. There are so many UC's and their appeal is also geographic. You cant deny that California is extremely alluring to many.
Also, the faculty is incredible because of this location.
The UC's maintain their reputation because they are extremely good schools and are probably the best public school system of colleges in the country.</p>
<p>^^ Woot. apparently a lot of kids have the dilemma of Swat vs Berkely.</p>
<p>It also seems to be the general consensus that Berkeley outperforms other state schools at the graduate level. Perhaps some of it's <em>prestige</em> carries over from it's PhD reputation. Undergraduate, I would NOT put it way beyond UMich, UVA, UNC, and UCLA unlike lots of people.</p>
<p>Allright, Berkeley and UCLA might not be overrated, but what about Irvine and Davis and all the secondary ones. It seems that they are thought of way too highly.</p>
<p>^^ In fact, I think Michigan has been spending WAY more money on their undergrads than Berkeley. And besides, Mich has the residential college program... If only Berkeley had had an honors college... All those resources with a more reasonable size = God. Oh, and good weather. :)</p>
<p>I agree that Irvine and Davis are slightly overrated. Personally I think UCSD, though it's reputation is rising, is also overrated. As mentioned in post 7, i think the reputation comes partly from the University of California system being highly regarded as an excellent state school system, so any campus with the UC name is thought of as more prestigious, even the lesser UC's.</p>
<p>L E T S B U R N H I M ! ! ! !</p>
<p>Because everyone loves California.</p>
<p>XD j/k, I'm biases since I'm a California kid.</p>
<p>I'm excited about going to a CSU though (SFSU is my first choice), just because they do all tend to be good schools, but of course as with any state some will be better than others.</p>
<p>I'll disagree. I personally think that Berkeley and UCLA are underrated; UCSD is a bit overrated; UCI/UCD are simply rated, perhaps a little overrated; UCSB is a bit underrated. While it seems that people regard Berkeley, etc. as "gods," there is quite a bit of bashing them around here -- you know, bash the state schools, etc. It happens a lot on these forums, especially since everyone around here is obsessed with top privates.</p>