Is UCB worth it?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

(x-post from financial aid forum)

It’s almost May 1, and I need to decide between an out-of-state school (UCB) and an in-state school (UTK). The out-of-state would cost 34k a year and in-state would basically be free. My parents say that they want me to go out-of-state and that they could cover the costs, but I don’t want them to spend that much money on OOS tuition if it’s not worth it. I was admitted for EECS at both schools, if that makes a difference.

  • Is it too late to find outside scholarships?
  • Should I consider trying to get residency for my sophomore year?
  • In the end, does it really matter where I go for undergrad? (assuming I don't pursue graduate degrees)
  • In the end, does it really matter where I go for undergrad? (assuming I DO pursue graduate degrees)
2

I don’t think merit scholarship, if any, will make a dent in the OOS cost of attending UCB.

As an undergrad, it’s near impossible to establish CA residency.

It does matter where you go for undergrad, but I don’t think it’s worth 120K. If I were you, I’d go to UTK, and try to do very well, then use that $120K saving for grad school afterward.

Of course, if you are admitted to a funded PhD program, you can use that $120K as down payment for a 1-bedroom condo near UCB. :slight_smile:

As an engineering manager of a small company, I don’t really care much about what school the candidate went to. When I worked for big companies, I didn’t care either.