<p>Hi, first time poster here!
I got accepted to Harvey Mudd and UC Berkeley under bioengineering, and I'm currently trying to weigh my options between the two. From what I've learned, Berkeley seems the better choice in terms of bioengineering resources, as Mudd is more geared towards MechE and EE. However, I also recognize the advantage of going to a private university as opposed to a public one.
To add some complexity to the mix, I'm also thinking of double majoring or minoring in art (perhaps graphic design or fine art?), I'm thinking of a pre-med career emphasis, and I have the Regents' and Chancellors' Scholarship at Cal.</p>
<p>How big is the difference in cost, and would the difference matter to you and your family (i.e. going to the more expensive one would not result in excessive debt)?</p>
<p>The costs are about the same. The awards that I’m getting for each depend on my achieving at least a 3.0 GPA throughout my college career, so I suppose relative ease in getting a good GPA is also a factor, but otherwise not a very big problem.</p>
<p>Have you been to Mudd? I think you should visit the campus first before you finally decide to enroll there. It’s looks like a pretty boring place with full of nerdy, unattractive people. </p>
<p>RML doesn’t seem like he or she went to visit. I go to Pomona and decided to explore HMC as well, and the vibe of it makes me a little sad that I didn’t apply. The campus may not be aesthetically appealing, but it’s very friendly and homey. Full of charm; you see sofas, wheeled contraptions, hammocks, and so forth everywhere. I really loved it.</p>
<p>As for the people, they’re decent. It’s not like the people at Berkeley (which I also visited) are any better. HMC people are nerdy, but adorable and throw amazing parties. Like RML, I’d visit HMC too, but I feel you’d be pleasantly surprised :)</p>
<p>It’s a 50/50 call …I would opt for the place you feel most comfortable and consider whether you want the big U or small LAC experience. Personally, I would opt for Cal - because I prefer the former.</p>
<p>I faced a similar decision, actually (well, biochem instead of bioenge, but otherwise similar) and chose Mudd, but for personal factors (small class size and such), as mentioned above. It seems to me as though that’s pretty much the way to go with these schools, as they appear to be otherwise roughly comparable.</p>