<p>Okay so I'm from the Philippines. I've been accepted to both but cannot decide which to go to.</p>
<p>(Both are CAS/CLS) Still undecided on a Major.. I was hoping economics.
Actually, I'd like a course which would help me get into Fashion/Make-Up since it's what i truly enjoy. (lol, I know it's kinda off) I wasn't allowed to go to Parsons or etc, because, well my family thinks it's unstable.</p>
<p>Right now, people are telling me to go Penn since it's Ivy and all. From the pictures I've seen on the internet, I'm liking Penn's campus more too. It's just that Penn is so far away.</p>
<p>Berkeley is great too since it's in California which is nearer. </p>
<p>Could you guys tell me what it is like in each university? Like what kind of people are there? How is the environment/feel? Which could you recommend for me?</p>
<p>I'm wondering too which has a better reputation internationally.</p>
<p>**Side question: How hard is it to get Economics as a Major in Berkeley? I heard it's impacted? or something like that. How exactly do I get it?</p>
<p>Fashion and Makeup? Heh, I think some Berkeley hippie characters could use a makeover.
But I don’t think either choice is particularly strong for those interests…though San Francisco will have more queens. ;)</p>
<p>Both Penn and Berkeley are strong in economics. Berkeley probably has the bigger and more renowned program - several of Berkeley’s more recent Nobel Prize winners were in the field of economics. I also think Berkeley has a bigger reputation internationally.</p>
<p>It’s not hard to be an econ major at Berkeley. It’s one of the most popular majors on campus. A lot of econ majors will apply to Haas business school’s business administration program for their junior year.</p>
<p>Berkeley is reeling from drastic budget cuts. Penn is not. Just FYI. One of the many reasons apps to Penn from California were up a staggering 20% this year ;)</p>
<p>Few people outside the east coast of the US know that Penn is an Ivy, and most confuse it with Penn State. OTOH, everyone knows Berkeley, it has an international reputation.</p>
<p>Okay thanks for the input. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of Penn until my cousin got accepted there.</p>
<p>Still can’t decide.
Actually I kind of don’t like the way Berkeley is so BIG. Plus, the crowded dorms… or so they say. </p>
<p>My number one choice had always been Stanford, sadly I was rejected. (lol, duh) Could you say that Berkeley and Stanford are similar, them both being in California and all?</p>
<p>At the graduate level, Stanford, Berkeley and Harvard are considered the strongest overall universities in the world.</p>
<p>However, you will spend four years as an undergraduate, an area in which smaller private schools hold a distinct advantage in terms of average class size, institutional attention, access to faculty/research/internships, and mentoring/tutoring.</p>
<p>At all the UCs, including Berkeley and UCLA, you must be much more proactive in aligning your resources. And even then, I don’t think the resources are equivalent.</p>
<p>I suspect Berkeley has a stronger reputation in the Philippines based on it’s preeminent postiion in the Ph.D. world; however I think Penn will offer you a richer experience as an undergrad.</p>
<p>As to distance from the Philippines, really how important is the difference between a 13 hour direct flight and a 21 hour connecting flight (fly from NY to San Francisco, then to Manila)? If you take three round trips from Penn to Manila each year, the difference in commuting time would only be 48 hours per year.</p>
<p>Okay, reading what DunninLA said has made me almost 70% Penn, 30% Berkeley.</p>
<p>I agree that the undergrad experience in Penn looks more fun.</p>
<p>The only thing stopping me is, my parents prefer Berkeley. It’s nearer definitely and easier to go to. (We have a house in Cali). …and I’m actually looking for reasons to even go to Berkeley. ;p</p>
<p>Berkeley is a large public university. Almost all of the students are from California. Penn attracts students from all over the country. It is a private university with the advantages that offers (more personal attention, etc.)</p>
<p>Berkeley is in California. There is a large filipino population in California and there will be many filipino students at Berkeley, not to mention a large percentage of the students are Asians (Chinese and Korean). If you hope to live and work in California for the long term, I doubt if the “prestige” advantage of Penn being an Ivy will be of much help.</p>
<p>The valedictorian of De La Salle Zobel in Alabang about 3 years ago had to make the same decision. What complicates her case was that she was also accepted at Stanford and Yale. She chose Berkeley and will be graduating this year with honors. Phone in De la Salle Zobel and ask the school to give you the contact of that lady so she can help you out should you choose to attend Berkeley. </p>
<p>Over at the Ateneo HS, the top 2 guy last year is now at Penn. He chose it over Stanford. But he was rejected admissions to Harvard, MIT, Yale and Berkeley. </p>
<p>International acceptances are quite complicated and confusing. But one thing i can say is that - you’re lucky you got into Berkeley as an international applicant.</p>
<p>If you prefer Berkeley, that’s a totally legit choice. I would just warn you that if living on campus is important to you, Berkeley doesn’t have nearly enough housing to accommodate its upperclassmen. Most Penn upperclassmen can live on campus (or in official undergrad space like frat houses) if they choose to. This is a big factor for me. I think Stanford is more like Penn than like Berkeley in terms of campus life.</p>
<p>PiggyPoo, if YOU prefer Penn, then the issue at hand is not which is better for you, but rather how do you handle the resistance from your father? Ultimately the person paying for your education needs to give you their blessing.</p>
<p>So, perhaps you should start another thread entitled: “I want Penn, father wants Berkeley, advice please”. And perhaps post it in the Parents Forum section of this website.</p>
<p>I can only say that it might be helpful to share with your father some details about Penn. If your father is in business, he will undoubtedly have tremendous respect for the Wharton School at Penn. You might look into whether as a CAS student, you will have the cross registration privilege to take classes within Wharton (I believe you do as part of Penn’s “one university” ideal). If so, that might mean something to him.</p>
<p>Part of your parents’ preference for Berkeley might precisely be that your family has a house in California. He might not be comfortable with you being so far away from his … what’s the word… control?</p>
<p>When all else fails, you can always pull out Penn’s #4 ranking in USNWR :)</p>
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