<p>While I think some of the stories hold some truth, I also think that they're rare, and generally overblown. For instance, if something happened one time 25 years ago, it doesn't make it the norm. Ask sakky about how true he thinks they are.</p>
<p>Sabotage of work is far more common in law school than anything else.</p>
<p>In any case, pre-med and engineering is quite brutal and competitive anywhere you go (besides the bottom of the barrel, anyway). I wouldn't say it's any more deadly than average.</p>
<p>Berkeley has strange people just any other place, but I'd say it's pretty high up on the friendliness scale.</p>
<p>Plenty of time and outlets for fun in just about every major, especially yours. The busiest undergrads are the EECS and architects, but the latter also party a lot. It's a matter of preference. </p>
<p>Roy- EECS is pretty tough at Cal, but not hostile. It's pretty tough as an EECS to maintain a high enough GPA for a masters or PhD, but you'll still get a good job or MBA with a decent GPA.</p>
<p>Cal is a bit less of a commuter school than UCLA, there is a stronger concentration of students around campus, and it's also a small, pedestrian place, which makes it more enjoyable. Same with the cities (SF and LA).</p>
<p>Cal is much better in terms of outdoor activites, like hiking (the whole eastern ridge of the East Bay is lined with nice regional parks, including the eastern edge of the campus), sailing/windsurfing just down in west Berkeley, great street, mid-range and upscale food, subway to SF, stadium on-campus, Tahoe for skiing, the win country and Marin. You will spend a few less months of your college life in traffic while at Cal.</p>
<p>I've had the time of my life at Cal as an engineering student. Many, many wonderful times, and "only at Cal" times. Best years of my life.</p>
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Sabotage of work is far more common in law school than anything else.
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<p>Where'd you hear that? I guess it depends a lot on the law school itself, but I would think certain graduate sciences and very particular humanities/social science programs (Chicago is notorious) are more common than law.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the insight! I'll go one last time to visit for Cal Day and send in my SIR.</p>
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Sabotage of work is far more common in law school than anything else.
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<p>Where'd you hear that? I guess it depends a lot on the law school itself, but I would think certain graduate sciences and very particular humanities/social science programs (Chicago is notorious) are more common than law.
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<p>Some of the friends I know in law school, specifically my sample comes from Berkeley's Boalt and Stanford.</p>
<p>From what they've said, it isn't too bad--just don't lend out your notes or leave them lying unattended.
From anecdotes (I know it isn't very precise, but it's the only baseline I have) graduate programs generally aren't as cutthroat. However, as said, my knowledge comes from a fallible source.</p>
<p>Boalt and Stanford sabotage? Wow, that'd be terrible. They're known as two more community oriented law schools. I have not heard stories of sabotage from the three or so Boalt students I know, and I don't know anybody in Stanford law, but I hope its less common than your sources make it seem. I've heard some bad things about graduate science programs (breaking into labs, for instance), but it probably happens as often as someone in undergrad sabotages another person's work.</p>
<p>Actually, Boalt is supposed to be not very cutthroat, the grading is easy.</p>
<p>well, easy grading is relative. I think it's easy to get passing grades, maybe the B equivalent, but the A? I think that's quite tough.</p>
<p>Berkeley's so large it can be considered several colleges. "Cut-throatness" will depend on how high you're aiming, how easy it is for you to do well compared to others, how much you need a collaborative environment to learn, and what you are studying. These things will all vary by your interests, talents, and social skills. EECS is suppose to be cut-throat but I know a few smart EECS people who have no problem getting A's as well as partying. It's all relative.</p>
<p>Many schools, such as Berkeley, actually divide the school into colleges. Perhaps it has something to do with size, but it's very common.</p>
<p>omg go to bed!</p>