The experience I had, as a freshman in a California public, was very different than what my children experienced. Does your daughter realize that things have changed drastically at the UC’s since Mom went to college?
My daughter, at her UC, had freshman and sophomore classes with 500 students. Couple that with the competitiveness, the quarter system, the technology that keeps students from physically coming together, and the changes in housing, the current college culture is very different than what was experienced in prior generations at each campus.
Housing is an issue and can be limited because they have to crowd so many more students together. Not enough housing in expensive California real estate. Some UC’s only guarantee housing for freshman year, yet, there is ALWAYS an issue, every year, at UCSD (La Jolla). Local rentals in Santa Barbara, LA, Irvine and Berkeley are very pricey.
Daughter needs to visit BEFORE she commits to a UC. Berkeley is very different than what my friends experienced a couple of decades ago, so is UCLA, SD and Irvine.
This seems overly negative to me. I had classes over 800 students in the early 80s at Berkeley. The facilities and new buildings there are way nicer than when I went. Housing could be tough back then, but does seem more difficult now. UCLA offers 3 years of guaranteed housing (pre-COVID) and just opened 2 more dorms with the intention of offering 4 years. Our son recently graduated there and had an excellent experience. I would have loved going there from what I saw on our many visits. Their class sizes tend to be smaller too because they only have one large lecture hall around 400 students. UCSB has 4 years of guaranteed housing (pre-COVID) and that was a big plus for our other kid. Also had a great experience there. That school also has new facilities and is far better academically than when I was in school. Even though they are a smaller school than UCLA, they have some larger classes up to 500-600 students. Kids we know who are either at or graduated recently from Davis have also had good experiences. COVID has thrown things a bit of a curve, but in general our family’s experience and those close to us have been positive.
Daughter needs to visit BEFORE she commits to a UC. Berkeley is very different than what my friends experienced a couple of decades ago, so is UCLA, SD and Irvine.
According to the OP, the daughter is basing her choice for a UC, on her mother’s experiences at Berkeley and wants the top 2-3 UCs. This will be costly, as an OOS student, and it won’t be a similar experience. Things change over time. Yes, buildings and facilities have been upgraded, but I’m imagining that the student is seeking experiences with other students and staff similar to what her parent has described.
With Covid, we are seeing housing issues from reports of former students and their families, as well as local news reports of housing issues. Check this web site to see the threads concerning current housing issues at the UCs.
Since this family will be shelling out significant dollars to pay those OOS fees, then the family needs to be prepared and ask questions of current students and families. Also, given how different every UC is, a visit is significant.
This is what I don’t understand. What is mom saying about her experience at Berkeley that makes OP’s daughter want to go to a UC? If we know what she is looking for then we can better suggest which schools might be a good fit.
So much of one’s college experience is based on dorms, roommates, hallmates, friends, future roommates, etc. If mom has fond memories of Greek life and sorority sisters, the dynamic will be different based on who is living there and the style of the current leaders. Even Blondies has closed.
I tell my kids that there are many struggles in college. It only becomes the “time of your life” when it is over and you fondly look back and remember the good times. I worry about a student trying to replicate mom’s experience and then being disappointed by the normal college struggles. It is her journey, not mom’s.