<p>[I've posted this in the Berkeley forum as well to get the fairest answer possible]</p>
<p>I'm having a really hard time deciding between the two for electrical engineering. I was set on UCSD, but after I visited Berkeley for the first time at Cal Day...well, this decision is going to be a lot harder than I imagined. This is how I'm looking at it:</p>
<p>UC Berkeley:
Pros:
-EE+CS combination (I initially wanted to major in computer science around the beginning of high school because I like the whole programming thing. I think this would be a great way for me to get experience in both EE and CS and decide which one I ultimately like better; or perhaps I may like both equally )
-Prestigious EECS program/Silicon Valley location (easier to get jobs/internships than with UCSD, I'd imagine)
-Lots of trees on campus and an urban surrounding
-Lots of school spirit/pride</p>
<p>Cons:
-Cost (UCSD will be free; Berkeley will cost me ~$9000 a year in loans/work study)
-Competitive/incredibly difficult (those EECS horror stories are hard to get over; I'm afraid of harsh curves and getting a poor GPA that will make it next to impossible to get into a good graduate school)
-Theft (I'm scared as HELL of getting my laptop or headphone rig stolen)
-Big residence halls (hard to socialize/meet new friends?)</p>
<p>UCSD:
Pros:
-FREE!!!11!!11!one
-Honors program
-Proximity to the beach (The view at La Jolla cliffs of the ocean was beautiful; I could definetly see this as a great location for headphone listening outside)
-6 college system (easier to socialize and meet new friends, I'd imagine)
-Relaxed environment around campus
-New CalIT2 building (very cool)</p>
<p>Cons:
-Relative lack of prestige/location (harder to get jobs/internships compared to Berkeley?)
-TOO relaxed (not as much school spirit (virtually no sports?) and out-spoken attitude as Berkeley)?
-Prestige again (Ugh, I can't get over the idea that I may be selling myself short by going to UCSD, considering that I got into Berkeley EECS)</p>
<p>What do you guys think? Any help is much appreciated.</p>
Cons:
-Relative lack of prestige/location (harder to get jobs/internships compared to Berkeley?)
-TOO relaxed (not as much school spirit (virtually no sports?) and out-spoken attitude as Berkeley)?
-Prestige again (Ugh, I can't get over the idea that I may be selling myself short by going to UCSD, considering that I got into Berkeley EECS)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Are you planning on going to grad school? I don't know how big an issue prestige will be, otherwise. There's an awful lot of recruiting that goes on campus, and there are job fairs at least once a quarter with representation from some VERY good companies.</p>
<p>Theft is a big issue at every school, though, Berkeley shouldn't be singled out as a place extremely high in theft.</p>
<p>I think you need to look at what you want to get out of college. If the Berkeley name is that important to you, then by all means, be a Cal Bear. Money shouldn't be the decision stopping you from happiness; it's everywhere.</p>
<p>I'd suggest UCSD. Overall better atmosphere studentwise. Berkeley area is the pits. I live down the street.
I suspect internships would be about the same. Admit day at UCSD sounded like they get good ones.</p>
<p>If money is not an issue, I'd go to Berkeley for sure. On the other hand, if money is an issue, then I wouldn't beat yourself up over going to SD or consider it "selling yourself short."</p>
<p>From what I've heard from professors, graduate students, and professionals, the teaching at UCSD is no worse than Berkeley, Caltech, or Stanford. At all of these universities, the professors are focused on research. The best research professors are rarely the best teachers. The real advantage of top schools is the priviledge of being around so many exceptionally gifted students.</p>
<p>I am in no position to measure the value of a college experience at Berkeley vs. UCSD. I think both options are good, and it's hard to go wrong with either. As an engineer, it may be easier to pay off loans than as another major. However, I think some factors that you listed above shouldn't factor into your decision. Speaking for myself, the proximity of the beach and the Calit2 building don't really affect my happiness or education. Also, when I was in your shoes, I was also concerned with some schools being very difficult and causing me to get a low GPA. In hindsight, I don't think I should have worried about that so much.</p>
<p>(Also, just to let you know, it will be possible for you to switch majors into CSE if you want, even though it's impacted.)</p>
<p>If you're planning to goto grad school, then prestige should not be an issue. They don't really care where you go for undergrad, but they DO care about your GPA, which will most likely be higher at UCSD. And as for internships, I don't think it's very hard to get internships or research opp's here. Actually, a LOT of undergrads find good research opportunities here, and my friend who's a freshman already has an internship working in a cogsci lab. It's true that Berkeley is closer to Silicon Valley, but prestige shouldn't be an issue here because UCSD is the most prestigious school in the area.</p>
<p>go to berkeley. its engineering school is 2nd in the nation while ucsd's is 19 or somewhere down there. berkeley's EECS program is particularly well-known. yes, it's true that grad schools care more about gpa than about the name of your undergad school, but a cal EECS degree opens a lot of doors for you. potential employers and grad schools recognize the cal name, especially in engineering. and if you graduate with a cal EECS degree, you might not even need to go to grad school. and speaking to overall experience, cal tends to have smarter/more academic students (this is coming from personal experience; i have friends at both schools and i have to say that the ones at cal are smarter/more hardworking/better at academics for whatever reason). i am not trying to bash ucsd because i realize it's a good school, but when it comes down to it, berkeley is more prestigious, has better (more famous) profs/academics, and a better social life. =P</p>
<p>I agree that Cal tends to have more academic and in general more intelligent students, simply because its prestige attracts a lot of intelligent people. And in general, that competition drives students to a high level of excellence. But the faculty at UCSD is just as world-class as Cal's, and I don't think that you can claim that it's that simple for everyone. I've never once regretted rejecting Cal for UCSD because I know that I can spend 4+ years here and call it my home - I LOVE it here, because it fits me and the atmosphere is more chill and flows well with my personality. And if the OP got the Jacobs' scholarship (which I was thinking because UCSD is free for her), it adds a really appealing incentive with the priority enrollment and 4-year housing guarantee, PLUS the connections you'll get with the dinners that you get to have with the founders of the Jacobs School of Engineering.</p>
<p>Personally, I really just think you should go where you feel like you can definitely spend four years and be HAPPY.</p>
<p>Yes, the Jacobs Scholarship will open a lot of doors here. A few weeks ago, a company offered me an internship out of the blue because they saw my resume listed "Jacobs Scholar" in the Jacobs school database. I didn't apply or anything, and now I have a nice, paying gig lined up for summer.</p>