How is USC compared to UC Berkeley?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
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<p>UC Berkeley
Criminal Offenses - On Campus 2003 2004 2005
a. Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter 0 0 0<br>
b. Negligent manslaughter 0 0 0<br>
c. Sex offenses - Forcible 16 22 5<br>
d. Sex offenses - Non-forcible (incest and statutory rape only) 0 0 0<br>
e. Robbery 10 6 15<br>
f. Aggravated assault 9 5 5<br>
g. Burglary 80 84 69<br>
h. Motor vehicle theft 30 19 19<br>
i. Arson 7 5 4 </p>

<p>USC
Criminal Offenses - On Campus 2002 2003 2004
a. Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter 0 0 0<br>
b. Negligent manslaughter 0 0 0<br>
c. Sex offenses - Forcible 12 12 14<br>
d. Sex offenses - Non-forcible (incest and statutory rape only) 0 0 0<br>
e. Robbery 16 13 12<br>
f. Aggravated assault 1 1 4<br>
g. Burglary 107 91 48<br>
h. Motor vehicle theft 19 20 9<br>
i. Arson 3 0 0 </p>

<p>about the same from a reported crime stat view...it would be better if they were both all zeros...not an issue for which school is better but an issue of all schools should be safe places. it's hard to learn if you're being hurt.</p>

<p>maybe a little overbard on that ppt/400 student comment. but i do believe there's overwhelming evidence that Cals student body is out of balance and it's negatively effecting the education.</p>

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<p>geishagirl: social scene my ass. i'm a freshman longing for the good 'ol days (of three years ago) when thursdays at the row were packed. frost and mayhem on saturday rocked though.</p>

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<p>since this thread is obviously not going to die on it's own...</p>

<p>There are many, many, many different factors which go into selecting an undergraduate university. Looking at it from a purely quantitative (i.e., naive) manner, there are attributes in which Berkeley "beats" USC and also where USC "beats" Berkeley, and most reasonable people could probably come to some consensus on the facts.</p>

<p>But more importantly, there are certain things about universities that appeal to each individual; and those same things which appeal to one prospective student, could turn off the next. There's no clear-cut answer, no statistics to draw on, or factoids to quote, to say that one is "better" than the other. There's only "better" for each individual student.</p>

<p>And because of those things which were most important to me, USC was the school that I marked on the SAT for my score report to be sent to, not Berkeley. And, I did it without looking up (or, for that matter, caring about) the US News rankings, number of Nobel prize winners, average freshman SAT scores, or neighborhood crime statistics.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
And because of those things which were most important to me, USC was the school that I marked on the SAT for my score report to be sent to, not Berkeley.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Ah, personal preference...the rarest of all animals on CC.com.</p>

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<p>I'm a rare animal, too. :)</p>

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<p>I'm well done.</p>

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<p>Oh i do wish i knew how to do that fancy quote thing. But anyway...</p>

<p>"the latest version of affirmative action law it also has to enroll the top percentile students from every high school in the state."</p>

<p>Are you talking about ELC that accepts the top 4% from each high school into the UC system? That guarentees admittance into only a few of the UCs, Berkeley not being one of them. If there's something like this for only Berkeley, i'm not aware of it.</p>

<p>But even if Berkeley does, how are the top 4% students from a high school not passionate and creative learners? If they rose to the top they have to care a lot (even be passionate? Hm...maybe) about their studies or they wouldn't be in the top 4%. Haha, backroom bean counters...yeah, can't argue with that one. Plenty of those get admitted into berkeley, but plenty get admitted into USC too. The bean counters apply to privates just as much as they apply to publics. </p>

<p>As for the class sizes, can't argue with that one either. The popular lectures that are needed to fill requirements or introductory lectures tend to have a lot of students. But like Strykur said, they are taught by professors, not by TAs. To make up for impersonal lectures, a lot of classes have discussion sections with only ~30 students. Although they are led by GSIs, they are just reviewing the material with you, not teaching it. But even if you did need help, in introductory courses, GSIs are probably just as helpful as professors. Both probably know the material being covered just as well. Now when you get into higher level courses where you go more indepth, the GSI would certainly be less helpful than a professor, but by then, classes have dwindled to an acceptable size, compareable to privates.</p>

<p>I"m not saying Berkeley's undergraduate education is phenomenal. In fact, it is quite lackluster when it's put next to it's graduate programs' successes. But it certainly isn't laughable when compared to USC.</p>

<p>On a side-ish note: didn't a berkeley undergrad alumni just win a nobel prize? I'll try and dig up the thread.</p>

<p>I know I know, sorry or perpetuating this thread.</p>

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<p>I am with people like jbusc and uclari, but I can't take the ridiculous mischaracterizations.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Did you think the 20 Nobel Laureate’s (Cal’s claim to fame) starting with Ernest Lawrence actually went to Cal as undergraduates? Try none.

[/quote]
</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates_associated_with_University_of_California%2C_Berkeley%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates_associated_with_University_of_California%2C_Berkeley&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>According to this list, 10 people affiliated with Berkeley who received a Nobel Prize got their bachelors degree at Berkeley, including Andy Fire who just won this past year and Thomas Schelling who won the year prior. USC has one Nobel Prize affiliate, according to the following list, who was on the faculty “Before or at the Time of Award.” How many former USC undergrads (or grad students) won the prize?</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_laureates_by_university_affiliation%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_laureates_by_university_affiliation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Cal has other claims to fame. For instance, check out some of the successful alumni (notice many received their bachelors from Berkeley). :)</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_California%2C_Berkeley_alumni#Turing_Awards_laureates%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_California%2C_Berkeley_alumni#Turing_Awards_laureates&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
Maybe if these Nobel winners were in a class with 50 students teaching Cal would have something to brag to undergraduates about. Reality: A TA with a power point slide presentation in an auditorium of 400 students delivers the Nobel lecture.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Haha. Do you seriously believe this?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Because of its state law mandates it enrolls the highest SAT/GPA California only students and because of the latest version of affirmative action law it also has to enroll the top percentile students from every high school in the state.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You might want to review the laws. What’s this about affirmative action? Let’s not confuse what the UC system has to do with what Berkeley itself must to do.</p>

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<p>Daily Trojan Rule: Wikipedia is not a source. FRAK DAILY TROJAN!!! The Wiki is SO a source!</p>

<p>hey y'all, this thread was almost bumped to the second page. whoopee. but anyway, who goes to college to learn?</p>

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<p>"but anyway, who goes to college to learn?"</p>

<p>....one of the differences between USC and UC Berkeley right there!</p>

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<p>Below is an excerpt from a well written article from the LA Times describing the ongoing decay of UC Berkeley. Seems like times are tough for the entire UC system.</p>

<p>From the LA Times:
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-berkeley28oct28,1,3831320.story%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-berkeley28oct28,1,3831320.story&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"The oldest school in the University of California system, Berkeley is ranked as the leading public university in America by U.S. News & World Report. It sits atop the Hayward fault and has spent more than $300 million in the last 20 years retrofitting its aging buildings to meet stiff seismic standards. But it needs twice that, and another decade, to complete the job.</p>

<p>The campus has nearly $600 million in deferred maintenance costs and struggles to keep roofs patched, pipes sound and heating and ventilation systems working. It no longer washes windows, waxes floors, replaces worn carpets or paints interior walls.</p>

<p>Plastic sheeting is tacked above equipment in some Birge Hall physics labs as protection from dripping pipes. The chairwoman of the music department raided research funds two years ago to paint dingy hallways so picky donors wouldn't turn away. Only 30% of the university's classrooms are wired for updated teaching technology.</p>

<p>The School of Public Health's main building cannot be seismically retrofitted and is slated for demolition. To date, there is no money to build a replacement, and Dean Stephen Shortell is trying to raise $150 million for his school's new home. "Securing the necessary funding is critical for the future of public health in California," he said.</p>

<p>Nervous administrators hope other distinguished faculty don't turn their backs on the Bay Area, lured away by institutions offering facilities UC Berkeley can only dream of. And they worry about how long their university's stellar reputation can last in the face of budget constraints and wealthy Ivy League competitors."</p>

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<p>I met the guy mentioned in the article! Corey Goodman.</p>

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<p>are you kidding me, ca2006? we learn.</p>

<p>as for not having famous alumni, i am willing to bet that anybody could recognize a few dozen usc alumni, while you can't even name nobel prize winners from the past ten years..</p>

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<p>Do you like piña coladas? And getting caught in the rain?</p>

<p>Naw (wo)man, people don't go to berkeley to learn none neither! it's the sweet name. say it with me: brrrrrrrrrkley...BRRRRKLEY...ooh lala!</p>

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<p>Geisha, I was responding to a specific comment made by "margaritasalt" about USC students not coming to college to learn... don't take it so personally:</p>

<p>let's see, famous alumni from USC...</p>

<p>OJ Simpson
Marcus Allen
Lynn Swann</p>

<p>Sorry, that's all that comes to mind...</p>

<p>Nobel Winners affliliated with CAL:</p>

<p>The only one I personally know though is my Physics Professor... yes, he is teaching a freshman class and yes, he actually teaches it.</p>

<p>The others, click on the link and decipher it yourself, it' really easy to figure out on your own:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_P...ty_affiliation%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_P...ty_affiliation&lt;/a&gt;...&lt;/p>

<p>I read your previous post about why you chose USC. I got a Trustee Scholarship too and chose Cal over USC because I wanted to be surrounded by the best academically, socially etc. To each his/her own. Hope you are happy where you are, I know I definitely am. Good luck with the rest of your year. :)</p>

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<p>You too!!! :) OMYGAWD NOT THE WIKI AGAIN!!!</p>

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<p>""but anyway, who goes to college to learn?"</p>

<p>....one of the differences between USC and UC Berkeley right there!"</p>

<p>Apparently, one doesn't learn about sarcasm at Berkeley.</p>

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<p>ca2006.. don't tell me not to take it personally if you're going to make it personal.</p>

<p>steven spielberg, maybe? he showed up to my class the other day.</p>

<p>if we're going to wiki-battle, check out
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Southern_California_people%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Southern_California_people&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>and i am happy. thanks so much for the concern :)</p>

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<p>geishagirl, not really interested in a wikibattle or debate, and does it really matter? in the overall scheme of themes, no. try to get over it. good luck with the rest of your school year. :)</p>

<p>funny thing to note... CAL's nobel laureate list is almost as long as the 'SC famous athlete list of graduates.... :)</p>

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<p>haha definitely over it. see you on the 18th.</p>