Internal Battle, Much Needed Help

Parent Cafe
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<p>Thank you to all who take the time to read this post. I’m having some trouble completely choosing and accepting my future, and because I have learned a great deal of immensely helpful information from this board, I am confident in receiving more invaluable help from here. I chose to post this in the Parents Forum because I believe nearly everybody has to make a very important decision similar to this in their lives, and I’d like to know what the wisest of the board think about my situation, many of whom have been in my shoes before. </p>

<p>I am a transfer student, and I have limited the choice down to two nearly opposite choices for me: Berkeley and USC. My decision does not solely come down to academics, as I would consider myself extremely lucky to have the opportunity to take classes at either world-class university. However, I feel this decision comes down to this internal battle between me and my long-term goals, and my indecisiveness about what is truly best for me. I will try my best to explain this internal battle, and if you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. Once again, thank you to everyone who reads this, and any comments, criticisms, or ideas is extremely appreciated. Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes as I typed this rather quickly, but here goes:</p>

<p>I am a transfer student at a CC in Southern California, and I love my family and friends that surround me every step of the way there. Problem is, I see this as a kind-of comfort zone and I don’t really like the idea of leaving it. Even though I am a transfer student and have to (and did) declare my major, I cannot say for certain what I will be doing in 10 years. At USC, I would go to Marshall and major in accounting and also major in something like math. At Berkeley, I would pursue (if possible) a double major in Economics and Philosophy. Above all else, I enjoy learning about the world, and I have always considered myself a deep thinker. I believe I should attend a college and take it as a learning experience to allow myself to truly progress and improve as a student and as well as a human being. </p>

<p>USC- If I were to attend USC, I would stay in Southern California. If I attend USC, I am sure I would be very happy there. I would stay close to my family, and some of my best friends attend the school. Even though I love my friends that go here (they are assuming I will be attending), sometimes I feel I would be best motivated to work to my full capabilities if I were just by myself. Also, I would be able to double major in nearly anything that I want at USC. That is something that I very much want because I would really like to learn as much as I can. I like too many things to limit myself to focus on just one. I also believe that with some hard work, getting good grades at USC would come much easier to me rather than at Berkeley. To me, this is important because I would better my prospects for graduate school (which I’m pretty sure I will be getting my MBA). Likewise, I am thinking that jobs would be easier to get at USC. My friends and my family want me to attend this school, and my mom truly believes I could succeed and be happy here, but is there a chance she would be saying this so her last-born would stay close to home?</p>

<p>Berkeley- If I were to go to UC Berkeley, I would be thrown into a completely different lifestyle. I know very few people that go to school in northern California, and I’m sure I would be in a somewhat more isolated lifestyle. However, I feel like there are not that many places better to study whatever I dream than at Berkeley. This has some problems though. Everybody knows of the competitiveness at Berkeley, and I’m worried that coupled with the stress of moving to a brand-new territory, there’s a chance I wouldn’t make it, or that I would be unhappy and lonely. If I attended Berkeley, I feel like my job prospects would be lower, my grades would be lower, and my goal of a top business school could be dashed with these complications at Berkeley. My oldest brother agreed with the idea about my “comfort zone”, and believes that I might have been spoiled growing up so he urges me to attend a college that isn’t so close to home.</p>

<pre><code> There is so much more I could write about either school, and I am truly at a crossroads here. Any help on how I can help myself figure out what is best for me, and also any comments at all would be extremely help. Please, if you have any questions, I would be grateful to answer them.
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<p>Berkeley and USC are not exactly polar opposits. Both are large CA U’s and offer a wide range of opportunities and pretty similar job opportunities. The schools have a very close level of students too. We’re not talking NE LAC versus large U.</p>

<p>You will get a good education at either. Everyone should make a practice of getting out of ther comfort zone and colleges is a great place to start.</p>

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<p>I live in Northern CA and it definitely is the place to be. There are large cities and tons of things to do, without as much pollution and weather that’s just as good as So Cal. I would recommend coming to Nor Cal in a heartbeat.</p>

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<p>If you really think Berkeley would mess with your future, and you would be VERY happy at USC–why mess with your future. Get out of your comfort zone when you get your first job.</p>

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<p>spydimag - From any perspective other than that of a Californian (which I was once), there is no essential difference between UCB and USC. “Out of your comfort zone” would be Carleton or Wake Forest or NYU or Bowdoin. So don’t fret over this decision.</p>

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<p>My DD attends Berkeley, her good friend attends Marshall at 'SC. They have both had great experiences, forgive the cliches, but there are some generalities about each school that are based on fact:</p>

<p>USC is yuppie, Berkeley has a more blue collar feel- less make up, less brand name prestige, fewer people want cars there.</p>

<p>USC Greek is “wow”, Berkeley Greek is small and mellow, at least for the girls. I would recommend joining to make friends quickly.</p>

<p>Both schools have ‘good’ football, but at USC, it is well, USC.</p>

<p>Both schools have a strong alumni network, but in SoCal, the USC alumni network is amazing and always has been.</p>

<p>DDs friend has done great internships in great big cities and already has a job offer for next summer. DD is going to grad school so cannot compare that, but there are a lot of job networks, especially in the bay area.</p>

<p>SC is SoCal, hotter, more “blonde and plastic” (hey, I grew up there and still work there sometimes!) and NorCal is more back to nature, hiking, crunchy granola in attitude.</p>

<p>Where do you fit? Who do you want to be. I have a kid who was born in SoCal and went back for university, hated the area, hated it, loves it further north, so knowing who and what you are about is good. If you have not stretched yourself and have always lived in SoCal maybe this is the time to stretch and explore.</p>

<p>Is grad school a definite pursuit? Many econ BAs & Marshall UG degreed grads go on to work right out of UG, no MBA required. If grad school were not needed which would you pick?</p>

<p>My other DD got into 'SC, but financially it was not a good choice for us, do consider the net costs of each school. </p>

<p>Berkeley is tough and my DD is pre-med, but she has done Greek, study abroad, competed in a sport, worked a campus job, etc and still is in tat necs 3.5-4.0 range, so it can be done, if you are that type of intense person.</p>

<p>I would imagine you get more hand holding at USC than Berkeley!</p>

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<p>PS: Did you apply to Haas at Berkeley?</p>

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<p>If you are pretty sure you will be happier at USC and achieve your academic goals, I vote for USC. Why not apply to both, though, and decide after you get accepted?</p>

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<p>It would seem a bit premature to “choose” if you haven’t already been accepted at both–would definitely recommend applying to at least 2+ & see which ones accept you so you can make good choices, especially based on net cost (if that is a factor for your family). If you want to explore at USC, they have term abroad & internship programs that would definitely stretch you. </p>

<p>Since you’re a CA resident, it probably is a LOT cheaper if you go to a UC than USC. My S is a junior there & pretty happy; my D will be joining him as a transfer sophomore soon. My nephew was accepted as a freshman at UCLA & UC Berkeley but chose Claremont instead–he’s happy he’s able to play football as a starter while persuing premed. You have to know yourself & weigh the options you are given.</p>

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<p>I think you need to weigh the costs/ benefits of attending both schools. If the additional cost of attending USC is not a factor in your decision, then go to USC for a number of reasons:
1] You will probably have a much easier time getting the classes you need/ want at USC than at UC. With the current economic crisis in Calif, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are cutbacks throughout the UC system, which could mean it could take you a lot longer to graduate from Berkeley than you anticipate.
2] If $$ is an issue, have you checked to see how many required “general education” classes you will have to take at USC, and factored that into how much it will cost you to graduate?
3]Housing around Berkeley is not the greatest and you will probably have to live off campus as a transfer, plus housing costs are more expensive in Nor cal than SCal.
4]The alumni support network at USC is huge in Calif. and could be a very helpful to you in landing a business related job once you graduate. If you are aiming eventually for an MBA, you will be expected to work full time for a couple of years before applying to business school programs.
5] transferring into a new school/area IS tough, and it will be harder without a support network of friends nearby. My son started at USC 2 years ago, and for numerous reasons decided he wanted to go to a more “serious” school, so he transfered to U of Chicago, where in short order he realized he was miserable , in great part because he missed his friends/ lifestyle in SCal more than he had anticipated. He is back at USC, working hard, and is very glad to have had the opportunity to return to USC. </p>

<p>There are LOADS of smart students at USC these days, and the school is committed to improving the education undergraduates receive, so I don’t think you will miss much if you go to Berkeley for UG.</p>

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<p>[Cal</a> Berkeley vs. USC Undergrad for Econ Grad School Aspirant? - Ask The Dean](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/cal-berkeley-vs-usc-undergrad-for-econ-grad-school-aspirant.htm]Cal”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/cal-berkeley-vs-usc-undergrad-for-econ-grad-school-aspirant.htm)</p>

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<p>You would not major in Philosophy at USC or in math at UCB?</p>

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<p>I hear a different tone when you talk about the two schools. What I hear is that Berkeley appeals to you more, but it feels risky in terms of friendships and job networking, and USC appeals to you somewhat less, but it feels safer and more practical.</p>

<p>My suggestion would be to listen to what excites you and do that. You can come up some ways to lessen the risks. But this approach only works if you won’t blame yourself later if things didn’t turn out the way you expected - it will work best if later, you say to yourself that you tried the thing that seemed best at the time and you learned a lot from the process.</p>