Need help deciding between UCSD and UC Berkeley

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

For context, I do want to say that UCSD was the original school that I wanted to go to. I unexpectedly got into Berkeley and it never seemed like an option for me when I was applying to schools. I spent 3 and a half years at CC and applied to the UCSD for fall 21 but got waitlisted and rejected. I reapplied for fall 22 and got into ucsd and also unexpectedly into Berkeley so now idk what to do.

I recently got admitted to UC Berkeley undeclared in L&S ( would prob declare data science if I attended) and cogsci at UCSD.

To most people its a no brainer to choose Berkeley over UCSD but in my situation I feel like it’s not very simple.

I’m pretty torn because I got admitted to Berkeley with a 3.5 gpa and I realize it’s hard to get admitted to Berkeley let alone with a 3.5 gpa. In my mind it feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend Berkeley. But ucsd was the school that I wanted to go to this whole time.

Is the prestige of going to Berkeley worth it despite me not liking the environment, city of Berkeley, nor the rigor? Will going to Berkeley actually open up for doors for me? Will a degree from Berkeley actually get me that far? These are questions that I have been asking myself the past week. I know I have the whole month to decide where I want to go but I just don’t want any regrets.

UC Berkeley

Pros:

  • Prestige
  • Maybe better internship/job opportunities?
  • Tech companies love to recruit from Berkeley from what I heard

Cons:

  • “cut throat” culture (or so I heard)
  • 25 minutes from home. I really wanted to move out and go to SoCal for school.
  • Starting in spring semester which will feel really late since I’m currently on a gap semester now and I wanted to start school in the fall. I also feel like it will be awkward & uncomfortable starting in the middle of the school year.
  • Might not be able to thrive at Berkeley due to the rigor of the school
  • very difficult. I don’t feel like my CC prepared me for the rigor of Berkeley. Whatever I did that was successful at my CC I know I have to work 10 times harder at Berkeley.

UCSD

Pros:

  • Far from home, meaning I can experience living on my own, and finally feeling truly independent.
  • Good cogsci department
  • In San Diego

Cons:

  • “socially dead” but I’m not really too worried about that. Can’t think of many cons for this school other than that though.
2

Your answer is clear. You have a very long list of cons about Cal. You have two compelling pros about UCSD and only one con.

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3

I tend to agree with @Lindagaf. It sounds like you feel that you will fit in better at UCSD. I think that you feel this way for good reasons.

UC Berkeley will be academically very demanding. You would indeed need to work quite a bit harder at UCB than you did in community college.

For any academically very demanding university, someone graduates in the bottom 1/4 of the class. This is not much fun, although it is better than dropping out (which also happens).

Also, to me the term “lesser university of California” is a contradiction in terms. The Universities of California are all very good.

Are you already accepted into the major that you want at UCSD? If so then that is a significant advantage also.

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Everything you’ve written says your heart is at UCSD.

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Which major do you actually prefer?

Both UCB and UCSD offer both cognitive science and data science, although data science is a capacity-limited major with competitive secondary admission at UCSD.

6

Both are great schools. But there is more to school than just academics and there is more to college life and the associated growth than just school. Which opportunity will help you become the person you want to be?

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What school did you end up choosing?

9

OP has not been on the site in over year so closing thread.