<p>I have been accepted to both Berkeley (L&S) and Michigan (LSA, honors pending), out of state, and am planning to major in mathematics and/or physics. Michigan has always been one of my top choices, and I have heard great things about their programs in the scienceshowever, I have also heard quite a bit about the quality of Berkeley's science programs. I am potentially attending both schools as an undergrad, however, and I am inclined to believe that both schools emphasize graduate studies more. I am very conflicted on this, and although I am seriously considering Berkeley, I am also worried about how California budget cuts might give the upper hand to Mich (though Michigan must have budget issues of its own?). I have received no aid at either school, and will be paying sticker, but money is not a large issue.</p>
<p>Well you have two great choices. You’re right on the money with the University of California’s budget problems. Personally it’s not something I wanted to get involved with so I didn’t apply to any UC schools but basically you’d be dealing with living in a small double with three people your first year, possibly a tough time getting the classes you want, and the potential for major tuition increases while you’re there. The upside, of course, is that you would be getting a Berkeley education.</p>
<p>The University of Michigan itself has no such issues. It has one of the largest endowments in the country and is almost independent from the state of Michigan. The education is still absolutely top notch and you wouldn’t have to deal with any of the UC issues. So in the end it’s up to you, personally I would go to Michigan but both schools have their merits.</p>
<p>i agree with eziamm
i would choose michigan. the UC schools have like no money right now and the classes there are huge. it’s not worth it especially if you’re planning to go to grad school. if you’re just gonna finish in 4 years then i’d say berkeley’s not a bad choice.</p>
<p>i had the (almost) same problem as you, i was stuck between UC berkeley and boston university and people told me that i should go to berkeley because of the obvious reasons. but i know i want to go to med school so i chose BU.</p>
<p>I agree with Infinit. Cal is amazing in Math and Physics, but Michigan is also very strong in those fields. At both universities, you will have relatively few students majoring in those subjects, so classes will actually be small. Since you are going to spend over $200k for either school, I recommend you spend $1 k now and visit the schools. In the end, I would go for fit.</p>
<p>The budget cuts haven’t affected student experience much…just cost of attendance (mostly for in-state, out-of-state is already high and doubt it can go much higher). Read current students’ opinions/experiences on the Berkeley board.</p>
<p>Berkeley is admitting more OOS and international students.</p>
<p>Michigan honors is a perk but Berkeley math and physics are top-notch. Math and physics are smaller majors at Berkeley than molecular cell biology, economics, and psychology. Berkeley also offers honors math courses…but it’s not an official honors program. Everyone is honors at Berkeley. ;)</p>
Thought I read on here that Michigan enrolled a HUGE freshman class…The admin underestimated their yield. I would say that could have a direct impact on the experience at Michigan as well.</p>
<p>UCB, Cal’s undergraduate student population is roughly the same size as Michigan’s (25k at Cal vs 26k at Michigan). Cal may have smaller freshman classes, but it has huge transfer classes. Overall, both support equally large undergraduate student populations. Where Cal is significantly smaller than Michigan is in its graduate programs, where Michigan is roughly double Cal in size.</p>
<p>However, Michigan’s endowment must also support a very costly medical complex (program and hospital). IF you remove the Medical school’s endowment, Michigan’s wealth stands at $5.2 billion, which is still huge.</p>
<p>UCB, I agree that in terms of overall academic, Cal is stronger than Michigan. I would rank Cal anywhere between #6 and #9 in the nation at the undergraduate level, whike Michigan is anywhere between #8 and #17.</p>
<p>However, as an overall undergraduate experience, I think Michigan has the edge. I just think Michigan offers a more balanced and fun undergraduate environment.</p>
<p>Cool bro, you graduated from Berkeley. Of course you think that. Berkeley doesn’t have the big house. Berkeley doesn’t have Ann Arbor. Berkeley doesn’t have hockey. Berkeley puts three freshmen in doubles. Berkeley doesn’t have 1000 freshmen do research right when they get on campus. Berkeley doesn’t keep every math class in the teens. I could go on about the great things about Michigan. I’m not gonna make a statement like Michigan > Berkeley because I’ve never been there but I will say there is no public university in the world that offers more than Michigan. Visit and decide.</p>
<p>Btw, Michigan’s campus is not really spread out. Some engineering classes are on north campus, but for the most part all classes are on the diag which is the main part of central campus.</p>
<p>My S is CA in-state and was an accepted student in the College of Engineering at both schools (MechE), with no merit or need-based “gift” aid. With the price differential it was not an easy decision for a CA kid, with a great in-state Engineering program at Berkeley, to pick the U of M. We don’t have a money tree growing in our backyard, but fortunately we won’t have to incur any debt to send him to Ann Arbor. It was a difficult decision for him to make. He spent several days and nights at each campus. I can not tell you which school is right for YOU. They are both great schools. My S obviously thought that U-M fit HIM better. Some people will tell you they are “similar” types of schools. To my S, that simply was not the case.</p>
<p>^^ Uh huh…and Michigan doesn’t have the San Fran Bay Area and all the attractions that a major metropolitian area provides…Berkeley is also a college city. Michigan doesn’t have a temperate climate year round… </p>
<p>You can get a double if you want. You can get a triple to save money. There are options. ;)</p>
<p>I seriously doubt all math classes at Michigan have 19 students max.</p>
<p>^ Lower division courses are usually the largest, and you have more lower division students at Michigan. Berkeley accepts many transfers due to the state’s Master Plan for Higher Education. However, most transferring will only take upper-division courses specific to their majors…the largest prerequisite courses are already finished.</p>
<p>If Michigan students stay enrolled, then upper division courses will likely be just as impacted. You also have that huge sophomore cohort ahead of you enrolling in the same upper division courses.</p>
<p>Well they are…sorry Michigan offers something that Berkeley doesn’t. I have friends in Berkeley and other UC schools right now and they have told me that all freshmen have two roommates in a double, there aren’t really options. And some people, like me, actually like having four seasons. Just because it gets into the 40’s in NorCal in January doesn’t mean it has a winter, there’s no snow on campus.</p>