<p>So I'm going to be a chemical engineering undergrad at one of two schools: UC Davis or UC Berkeley, both of which I have already gotten into. </p>
<p>Davis is ranked 25th, I think. Cal is ranked 1st or 2nd in the field. Based on prestige alone, Cal is the obvious choice. But, is it worth it in the long run to have that name? </p>
<p>Davis is offering me a $30,000 scholarship and I'm a Regents Scholar, meaning practically guaranteed research and good ties with professors. Berkeley.... nothing but also a bunch of Nobel Laureate Professors and the cool stuff they do.</p>
<p>I definitely plan to attend graduate school. I'm not sure yet if I want a masters or PHD, but it is a goal I aim for. </p>
<p>After some calculations, the loans I may take for around 30,000 will take me like 20 years to pay off. Would it really be worth it to attend Cal for some prestige and possible salary boost/connections? </p>
<p>To clarify, I absolutely love both schools. I know it seems like they are totally different environments but I'm easygoing and I think I could easily fall in love with either the laid-back Davis town or the busy cultural hub of Berkeley. I'll admit I'm a little worried about grade deflation at Cal and how competitive it is. But not overly so. </p>
<p>In addition, in the event that I decide I dislike chemE, it would be easier to switch at Davis. Not impossible at easier school, though. </p>
<p>Thanks for reading, what's your take on this situation? </p>
<p>Davis. The opportunities you’ll get will far outweigh any marginal differences in prestige, and no debt is a huge plus.</p>
<p>Go with the $$$. Good luck! </p>
<p>go to Berkeley for grad school. save your money and go to Davis now.</p>
<p>It’s laughably easy to get research positions at UC Berkeley. The presence or absence of guaranteed research positions should not sway your decision when you’re comparing the two schools. </p>
<p>That being said, if you like both schools equally it makes sense to go to the cheapest option (I will say that one of my best friends at Berkeley will be working in another country next year and believes that the UCB affiliation allowed her to land the position). </p>
<p>$30,000 loan can be paid off in 10 years making payments of $345 per month. </p>
<p>Edit: haha very rough calculations. I assumed around 200 a month. Even still, its 10+ years… and I’m going to grad school. </p>
<p>Most people seem to think Davis is the better choice, and I’ve been leaning that way too for a while…</p>
<p>But, out of desire to hear both sides, does anyone know some some pros to Cal besides prestige/connections that I may not have thought of? </p>
<p>If you already know you are admitted to Cal, you must be a Regents’ candidate so there’s the possibility of $10k. So it’s potentially only a $20,000 difference. </p>
<p>I think Cal is #3 in ChemE.</p>
<p>That’s the best I can do. If that ISN’T compelling to you, go to Davis.</p>
<p>What amazing choices! You can’t lose. </p>
<p>Is that $30,000 total over four years or each year?</p>
<p>Take the money, go to Davis, switch to the wine program, it’s like ChemE but with grapes, and it’s the best program in the world! Cheers!</p>
<p>Regents at Davis is $30,000 total, without financial aid. </p>
<p>I also didn’t get any aid, Regents or otherwise, from Berkeley. Just checked. so…</p>
<p>I’d go with Davis.</p>
<p>@MrMom62 LOL idk why I found your post so funny</p>
<p>Bloody Berkeley has gotten so stingy with money and you face the age-old problem of prestige over practicality. No question Berkeley’s got the prestige; it is the Mother Ship and shall always be, regardless of what others say. Nevertheless, 3 of my family members have gone to Davis (my cousin in engineering) and they wouldn’t have gone to Berkeley for the world. On the other hand, four other members of my family are Golden Bears and are fierce about it being peerless. DD1 who graduated from Berkeley, went on to Oxford for graduate school and now practices law with the largest law firm in the world in London. No question the cache of Berkeley and her hard work got her to Oxford, but that is not to say Davis would not have done the same. Just some more for you to chew on. </p>
<p>That’s a good thing, I suppose.</p>
<p>Although most HS seniors don’t think about it, the Department of Viticulture & Enology at UC Davis is the most prestigious program like it in the world. Graduates are well paid if they have a talent for it and although it sounds like fun, it is tremendously precise and demanding work. Graduates also work all over the world, not just California.</p>
<p>Have you received your financial aid offer from Berkeley yet? My son got some wonderful scholarship offers from Davis, but Berkeley was his dream school. He only got a small scholarship from Berkeley (Leadership Award $2K), but their Middle Class Access Plan meant we were offered far more financial aid than Davis, so the difference in costs between the two turned out to be $4K more a year at Cal.</p>
<p>Yeah, we just check at myFinAid right? I didn’t receive any gift aid, and although I’m middle class I only just barely don’t qualify for the Middle Class plan. I’m going to do overnight at both schools, and see how it goes. </p>