Hey CC, so after evaluating the pros and cons of each school, I still don’t feel set on either school yet (although I’ll admit that I’m leaning towards Cal just a bit). So here are my perspectives on each of these schools (applying for business btw):
UC Berkeley:
Cali weather
Good undergrad business school (especially for jobs/internships in SF/Silicion Valley/Bay Area
Coed dorms/dorm life (how is the dorm life at Cal?)
More diversity
Close to home
ND:
Garunteed spot in Mendoza (pre-admitted)
“Family” feel
Seems a bit more lenient compared to UCB’s academic environment
Obviously, this list is a bit general per se, so feel free to pitch in other opinions that you may have as well.
I plan on pursuing the IB route in SF/SV/Bay Area (I honestly can’t imagine myself living/working in NYC or the east coast in general after college…), MBA (I’ve heard this from a couple of people, but is this necessary if I graduate from Haas?), or opening up a start up of my own. Also, my financial aid from both of these schools are excellent so you can ignore this factor. Thanks!
If you prefer one school over another then go with it, but IMO having the Mendoza pre-admit is a big deal. I know people who have gone to schools and were not able to get into the program they want and are kind of stuck.
If you’re looking at IB then you should know that there isn’t much of an IB sector on the West Coast. If IB is really what you want to do then go to Notre Dame and land a job at a firm in NYC or Chicago, otherwise, change plans.
Thanks for the info! Also, I just wanted to mention if the superior alumni network of ND over UCB, especially in business, is worth committing to ND instead compared to other factors that kinda sway me from choosing ND a bit, such as the single sex parietals, it’s location, etc. Obviously, there are other factors other than the alumni network, but is this factor that big of a deal when it comes to jobs/internships for IB or business in general?
@NHB123 Would you happen to know where most Haas students end up working for those who are interested in IB? At least for me, I don’t think I could work in NYC post-college. I’m not exactly set on IB, but, how’s the job opportunities in SV and SF for Haas undergraduates in general? (If you have any knowledge about this of course)
@blessupbro: I visited Berkeley with my older D (2017)a few years ago, and at that time I thought my younger D (2020) would LOVE Berkeley. So when we were choosing where to visit, I asked my kid’s school college counselor about it, because at the time my older kid was applying, students at Berkeley were having trouble graduating on time. She advised us that the four year graduation rate was still a problem there, and since we were out of state, we would be paying private school prices for a public school and may have to pay for extra semesters on top of that. So we didn’t even visit. I think Notre Dame has four year graduation rates of 90% or so, and Berkeley has four year graduation rates of 72% or so.
My advice to you is to investigate up to date four year grad rates for Berkeley in making your choice. Can students get their classes? That might be improving, because the reason students had trouble getting their classes a few years ago was the California budget cuts.
I have a daughter at Notre Dame (not business) who is a junior, says Notre Dame makes sure you get the classes you need to graduate on time. D2 was accepted to Mendoza for class of 2020, and on the verge of committing to ND.