<p>Hi all! I am between a rock and a hard place! I have a week to decide whether I am going to Columbia, Cal Berkeley or UCLA. I am leaning towards Columbia GS for the NYC life experience and Ivy League status, but I've been reading how hard it is and am afraid of not keeping up with the curriculum; and towards Berkeley because they are supposed to have a good Psychology graduate program - although I'm undergrad I hope that if I came from Cal it might count positively. Any thoughts???? Thank you!!!!</p>
<p>It really all boils down to money. If money is not an issue: Columbia GS>Berkeley>UCLA. If money is an issue: Berkeley>Columbia GS. I was in a similar situation and chose Columbia GS. I haven’t regretted my decision one bit, but I must qualify this by stating that money was not a huge issue for me.</p>
<p>You need to be more specific about what particular programs you’re going there for, and what your (current) goal is. Tell us more about yourself (i.e., are you from California? Are you from the bay area?), and why Columbia considered you a non-traditional student (hence GS). Columbia’s a place we all loved - or we wouldn’t be here talking about it - but there’s plenty of reasons to go to other places instead of it, and money is the 800lb gorilla in that category. One of the big differences between columbia’s “traditional” undergrad schools (Columbia College and the Engineering school, SEAS) and the “non-traditional” school, GS, is the amount of financial aid available - GS has much less by comparison. Before I’d tell you to commit to GS, I’d want to be sure it was the right decision and that means it depends on YOU, not any sort of generalization any of us might make. Tell us about you.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your feedback.
Denzera: I am a 29 year-old returning student. My intention is to get a Ph.D. in Psychology and have a private practice as well as teach. I am from Brazil but currently leaving in California and wouldn’t mind to make a move. If I go to Columbia I would end up with $50K in loans, if I go to Berkeley $25K, so money is an issue but not a huge one. Thanks again!!!</p>
<p>If you do not mind , could you tell me how to find loan? I am also an international student. Thank you.</p>
<p>columbia gs allows you to get bs and a graduate degree in 6 years to make up for the time you have lost. UCs don’t really have programs like that to my knowledge.</p>
<p>With the current California budget crisis, go to Columbia.</p>
<p>I honestly think the difference in academic quality between Berkeley and Columbia is marginal.</p>