<p>spencer11111,</p>
<p>How do you know that the coursework at UCLA "cannot be considered as extremely demanding?" Have you actually taken courses there to know? I'll tell you what: I went to UCLA for undergrad (also got into Cal and Cornell and a few others), and you know what?</p>
<p>The coursework at UCLA, in most things, is identical to Cal. Seriously, I compared syllabi to courses my friends took, and we had pretty much the same texts, the same loads, and the same requirements. The only real differences involved the quarters and fitting things around the weird times.</p>
<p>As far as Todai's research goes, I suspect that you're basing it on very little actual knowledge of the best research centers in Japan-- most would argue that Kyoto University is a better research university. Todai just produces a lot of high profile bureaucrats and politicians. Heck, last I read, Tsukuba was producing more good research than Todai, and I bet most people outside of Japan have NO idea what Tsukuba is.</p>
<p>And yes, I've actually studied and lived in Japan. I also considered doing grad school there, so I have a pretty fair idea of what's what in Japanese academia. If you want, I can introduce you to some Todai and Kyodai grads. We can maybe schedule a discussion on which universities in Japan produce the highest quality research. Unless my Todai friends change their minds in the next few weeks, they'll probably corroborate what I said before to you: Todai is not the best research university in Japan.</p>
<p>Yet THES seems to suggest it. Odd.</p>
<p>The fact is that Todai's program quality is nowhere near that of the top 15 to 25 American universities. Most Japanese refer to undergrad in Japan as "adult kindergarten." Todai is such a highly ranked university, yet it's being blown away by "lowly" UCSD in terms of publications and Nobelists. Heck, in physics, one of Todai's strengths, UCSB is a clearly better program.</p>
<p>UCSB!</p>
<p>Sorry, but Todai is impressive only because it represents a student who did well on the nyugakushiken. It is not terribly impressive as a research institution.</p>