I’m an incoming Freshman interested in EECS/Computer Engineering, and, slightly less so, straight Computer Science. My top choices that I was admitted to were: UCSD for Computer Engineering at the School of Engineering; Cal Poly for Computer Engineering at the College of Engineering; and UCSB for Computer Science in the College of Engineering. I narrowed that list down and SIR’d to UCSB, with the intention of eventually changing my major to Computer Engineering.
Then, by way of appeal, I was admitted to Berkeley to the College of L&S. I’m now deciding between 1) attending Berkeley with the intention of attempting a transfer to CoE&EECS (near impossible?) before embracing the CS major (which I’d have to have a 3.3 GPA to declare as – not too intimidating), and 2) attending UCSB, and switching majors within the CoE from Computer Science to Computer Engineering (quite easy). Those are my choices, and I must make my decision by the end of tomorrow night… here are some of the things I’m thinking about.
The financials for the two are the same.
I live half of an hour’s drive from Berkeley and five hours of a drive from UCSB. Might be nice to stay local, but it might also be nice to get to see and live in a new area away from home. Not concerned either way.
I’d like to participate in a summer program for either school, and I’m already enrolled in 10 units at UCSB’s Freshman Summer Start Program and have already found a truly wonderful roommate for the program & rest of the year. Comparatively, at Berkeley, there is a “Freshman Summer Edge” program which I actually don’t know a whole lot about, except that it lasts 6-8 weeks and I’d be taking two courses that would naturally take a semester to complete. It may already be full.
I have AP Lang (5), AP Chem, AP Psych credit, and I took the AP Calc BC/AP Comp Sci A tests this year. As far as I know, my credits would transfer much better at UCSB.
UCSB and Berkeley have a quarter and semester system respectively, and I have no preference for either.
I think I would be happier at UCSB, given the atmosphere, environment, social life, and slightly relaxed academics (Computer Engineering is brutal regardless, but the competition at Berkeley would be so much more intense), and I’m a little bit worried about the small, off-chance that, after deciding on Berkeley, I don’t make a lot of friends, fall behind in class, and become depressed or something. It sounds unrealistic but I’ve heard of it happening. I really don’t know a whole lot about Cal’s atmosphere and social life.
And, of course, the one, huge, undeniable thing that Berkeley has going for it: prestige.
Would I be crazy to turn Berkeley down, as a comp sci major? Is it harder to get into grad school from UCSB, considering that it’s easier to have better grades? What do California employers in the comp sci/engineering industry think of UCSB compared to Berkeley?
Would it be much more difficult to find internships, land a good job after graduation, and then eventually attend grad school at UCSB? And after grad school, would it even matter where I did my undergrad? These are the questions that are make or break for me, because I really believe that I would be happier at UCSB.
If you can answer any of this, shed some light on the topic, or give me some perspective… I would SO greatly appreciate it! This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make, and I’ve got until the end of tomorrow.
Thanks so much.