<p>I am struggling to decide between the two. I am an international student, so I am paying out-of-state for either. Intended engineering major - undecided.</p>
<p>I visited Berkeley, it didn't really felt like my place. It's mainly because there were so many people and I felt like I won't receive any personal care. The building and classrooms I sat in were pretty ugly, too. Haha</p>
<p>I havn't visited Georgia Tech yet. But I have heard a lot of good things about it from my couselor. The co-op program sounds pretty cool, vs Berkeley I might not find anything to do for myself. </p>
<p>My big concern is Berkeley is a higher-ranked, more prestigious, and more selective school. If I just go with Georgia Tech, I feel like I am throwing away a good opportunity. And I want to go to a good grad school, like MIT or Stanford, and I am wondering which one will set me up better for it. </p>
<p>Please comment if you have anything relavent to say about either school. I gotta decide real soon.</p>
<p>Had a friend who was here for grad school that went to Berkeley undergrad. He said he wasn’t too impressed with his education here. He promptly moved back to California when he graduated. One data point, yes, but probably one of the few people who has experienced both schools firsthand.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t worry about getting into grad school from either school: you’ll find that many of your classmates at either place will go to an MIT or Stanford for grad school.</p>
<p>I’d say Berkeley as well, although if you felt you really didn’t like the place, then don’t go there (just remember it could turn out that you dislike Tech even more). The cons you listed are also cons for Georgia Tech. And your statement that you wouldn’t find any work to do while at Berkeley - I’m sure you would (but internships, not co-ops). Also, Berkeley is about 12k more for OOS I think, and with the situation in California you could see your cost go up a lot more during the next few years. But if you decide you don’t want to go to Berkeley and come to Tech, don’t feel like you passed on a good opportunity. They’re both good schools.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech has fewer students than Berkeley, but at over 20,000 students, Georgia Tech cannot be called a small university. You’re not guaranteed “personal care” here, either, especially if you study engineering, so don’t pick Tech expecting “personal care.”</p>
<p>Some of our buildings are very nice. The College of Management and the Klaus Advanced Computing building look good out on the outside and have nice classrooms on the inside. Howey, on the other hand, has pretty much the exact same classrooms that were depicted in the Homer Goes to College episode of the Simpsons. I quite like our campus, but I know not everyone agrees with me. My first date as a Georgia Tech freshman ended in disaster because at the time, she absolutely hated being at Tech and complained about how there was no green space on our campus for the entire duration of our short date. Basically–don’t pick Tech expecting a more beautiful campus than Berkeley’s. (I haven’t visited Berkeley, full disclosure.)</p>
<p>The co-op program is well-established at Georgia Tech, but considering that Berkeley is a major research university with over 30,000 students, I doubt you’ll have a hard time finding something to do. Judging by your user name, I’m guessing you’re from the PRC. I’m not sure if you care, but Berkeley has a lot more Asians and ethnic Chinese than Georgia Tech does, and Georgia Tech already has a lot of Asians and ethnic Chinese.</p>
<p>Both Berkeley and Georgia Tech send students to top grad schools, and for that matter, both schools themselves offer top grad programs in many areas. You are not comparing a full-ride to a second-tier university versus full-freight to an elite university; you’re comparing two top-ten public universities.</p>
<p>Although I think I would choose Berkeley, I must say that GT is a research university also. There is plenty of research at Tech, and if you are into any health science related engineering fields, you have very easy access to Emory (I think Tech students can even take courses at Emory for the same amount they pay at Tech. I don’t think they have to be science related either. You may be able to take humanities and some of the cool seminars we have. I should check.), another research university. It’s your choice, both are really good. I would just go to Berkeley in case I suddenly become disinterested with engineering.</p>
<p>While you are paying OOS either way, Berkeley is still substantially more expensive. You should take this into consideration. Having too much debt can be a crushing burden later on, and no school is worth a lifetime of debt.</p>
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<p>Both schools are large, but I have received fairly personal attention at Tech. You have to seek it out, but professors and advisers are more than willing to help. </p>
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<p>Neither school is necessarily better than the other for getting into top grad schools. Choose the school you feel you will perform better at and be more comfortable spending four years of your life at. I turned down Stanford for Tech mainly for financial reasons, and I do not regret it one bit nor do I feel like my future opportunities have been limited. Don’t make the decision between two of the best engineering schools in the world based on some minute difference in perceived prestige. Grad schools will view Tech and Berkeley as equal.</p>
<p>My son got admitted to both schools as OOS student last year.
Yes Cal is better known internationally but when I look at the 50K+ costs a year plus double digits cost increase per semester. I just can not justify this to an engineering degree. Sure, if money is not an issue, then go to Cal.
Warn you that both schools are notoriously hard for engineering. Be prepared.</p>
<p>Nobody has asked this: are you involved in politics? If you honestly are very involved in politics, and are Conservative, you’d be miserable at Berkeley. Just something you should take into account if you are big on politics.</p>
<p>I would not call Georgia Tech very liberal. We have large groups of both liberals and conservatives on campus, but I would say the largest group could best be characterized as apolitical. In general, Georgia Tech tends to be moderately fiscally conservative and socially moderate to liberal. A conservative would definitely not feel out of place here. Likewise, liberals will find plenty of like-minded people.</p>
<p>^By looking at your username, I assume you are Chinese just like me… How can you choose Berkeley over Georgia Tech? They have like 41% Asian at UCB already.</p>
<p>Hey guys, since the forum is open - what is your opinion on Chemical Engineering at either school?
I’m in-state for GT, but Berkeley just seems more prestigious and competitive in the ChemE field. I am OK with Atlanta, but I definitely feel that Berkeley would be a nice experience.</p>
<p>If I do get accepted into both, my main concern is giving up an almost free tuition at Tech for Berkeley’s terrifying tuition and seeing no advantage in grad school applications…</p>
<p>Strongly disagree with the consensus. Looks like we’re getting a lot of high schooler responses who haven’t yet sought a job or paid a bill.</p>
<p>Berkeley is more prestigious, but I think paying ($50k tuition?) to go to Berkeley instead of going to GT with Hope is a financial mistake. GT is a top notch school, it’s not like you’re choosing between a random public school and Berkeley. Your career and graduate school opportunities will not be substantially different regardless of your choice as most companies that target Berkeley also target GT. </p>
<p>If you’ve got really wealthy parents I’d say go to Berkeley. Otherwise, you’ll be spending money your parents have saved for a decade or more without getting much for it - or you’ll be sitting on a mountain of debt that will take a decade or more to pay off and be a very noticeable chunk of your income for that decade. </p>
<p>What if I phrase it this way: Do you want to work for Dow and graduate from UCB, or do you want to work for Dow and have a house and graduate from Georgia Tech?</p>
<p>Thanks for your response, and I completely understand your point about finance.
Georgia Tech is a great place. I’ve done some work there, and I believe it’s not a bad choice whatsoever for this field. I do have some financial support with me, but it seems so much more sensible to keep that until graduate school and keep working until then. I am fortunate to have GT as my in-state school, so unless I earn some wonderful financial opportunities for another school, I shall keep your advice.</p>
<p>I am from California. My good friend is going to Berkeley, but I am going to Georgia Tech. One very important thing to consider is that California is having some serious financial issues with the colleges. At most public schools around here it is difficult to get the classes you want because the schools are so impacted that the classes fill up too fast. So add to your consideration that you may not get out of Berkeley in four years, check out their 4 year graduation rate. My friend is having trouble signing up for her classes already and she is a freshman. Plus, tuition is always rising. As a Californian, I would not attend any of our public schools. Georgia Tech is also more well known than you might think. All the way on the other side of the country, a good portion of the people I talk to know the school and every engineer I have talked to does too. Prestige can vary by discipline. I’d suggest weigh the costs to the differences in the education. If Berkeley’s program is much better and worth the cost then go there, but I bet GT is right up there.</p>
<p>Hello AuroraTNO,
Trust you are at Georgia Tech.
Looking for advice to a prospective industrial engineer re Georgia Tech vs Berkeley vs UMich vs Cornell.
Thanks</p>