Couple questions...Social Life & Competition?

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
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<p>I am currently deciding between UCLA and Cal
I plan to pursue medicine so med school is in my future, hence a good GPA is important to me…</p>

<p>And there are a couple things I wanted to know about…</p>

<p>How is the social life at Cal…
I live nearby somewhat (Fremont) and don’t know much about happenings…
The talk I heard is that there is not much to do but hang out with the people around you…While I want to study hard, I also want to have a social life with things to do…</p>

<p>Also
How is the competition? Are the students cut throat? I have this fantastical illusion that everyone at Cal is a 4.0 student (except me), hence they all set curves and it is near impossible to get straight As…</p>

<p>Any response is greatly appreciated…for it will help in my choosing a school</p>

2

<p>I'm going to continue my streak of HONEST posts:</p>

<p>The social life at Cal is definitely what you make of it and there are an abundance of options. Really, it is. But if you really want to do well, you'll have to limit it. Girls at Cal aren't particularly gorgeous, or even good-looking for that matter, if you are looking for that -- but there are a few hot ones. Guys tend to be above average, or so I'm told. </p>

<p>At both schools: Students can be competitive and go as far as sabotaging projects, but it is not exceptionally common, but again, you get out what you put in. As far as I know, the all-student average is about a 2.8(?), or somewhere around there -- so don't worry, not everyone is a fantastic, straight A-er. In fact, I don't tihnk I've ever met anyone that's been able to maintain a perfect 4.0 the entire time, though I do know people who maintained VERY RESPECTABLE 3.4-3.8s (I fall in around 3.5) their entire career. Keep in mind, College is not like HS, and that a 3.0 is really saying something at Cal. It takes a lot of work, or raw talent to get even a B in a lot of classes here. But if you put it in, you will get a lot out of it. </p>

<p>As for pre-med? It's no certainty at either school as both are very difficult, but from what people have told me, UCLA has slightly better programs/higher admit rates, but Cal is nothing to sneeze at. Apparently, UCLA is a bit easier too. But probably not by much in the competitive world of Pre-Med. You can't go wrong with either really. UCLA might be a bit better socially though.</p>

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<p>Andrew: Sabotage? Oy.</p>

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<p>welcome to the real world..........</p>

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<p>I live in the real world. It isn't full of ugly nerds and crazy nutjobs. Actually, it is, but I am usually able to keep my distance.</p>

<p>Anyway, college is even less real than high school, up until you move into an apartment.</p>

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<p>hey man, thats great injustice you just did cal right there..."ugly nerds and crazy nutjojbs"? well i guess if you come to cal, you get to join the ugly and crazy bandwagon then <em>rolls eyes</em></p>

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<p>Ankur, if you live in Fremont, why not just get some of your friends together, drive or take BART up to Berkeley and visit Cal some weekend. Walk around the campus, walk or drive along Telegraph, Shattuck and University Avenues, etc.</p>

<p>Definitely go to Cal Day on Saturday, Apriil 16th and check out the dorms, classrooms, student union, libraries, museums, etc., as well as talk to professors and current students. <a href="http://www.berkeley.edu/calday/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.berkeley.edu/calday/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Fremont is so close to Berkeley.
I can't believe that you have never visited the campus.
To me, Cal is so lively on and off campus.</p>

<p>When OPs inquire about campus social life, I wish they would elaborate about just what they are looking for. "Social" means different things to different people, i.e. </p>

<ul>
<li>getting drunk and laid, </li>
<li>joining a frat or sorority, </li>
<li>joining on-campus clubs or community service orgs, </li>
<li>getting off campus and sight-seeing, </li>
<li>in the case of Cal, getting together with dorm mates and
going to San Francisco or somewhere, </li>
<li>in the case of ethnic, religious or other affinity groups,
finding other Cal students with similar ethnic, political,
religious interests, etc.</li>
<li>finding a group to go hang out at Starbucks or elsewhere
for a philosophical discussion.</li>
</ul>

<p>... so on and so forth. You just have to be honest and open about what you are looking for in a social life.</p>

<p>Just get some of your hs friends together (don't go alone) and hang out in Berkeley on Saturday, Sunday or other free day.</p>

<p>People on CC seem to spend a lot of time wondering what campus social life is like. It is what you make it to be, especially if you are living in the dorms. Others are just like you...wanting to meet, make new friends and do new things together, on and off campus. Just make the first move and let people know what your interests are.</p>

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<p>Dmc, you missed the point of my post. The impression some of you guys are giving us is that it is full of nutjobs, but I don't believe that.</p>