<p>Hello CC Folks. Quite a time since I was last here and I really need your help!!</p>
<p>So I have been accepted to UC Berkeley as well as UCLA [just like so many other CCers ;;) ] and am finding it difficult to choose between the two.. People say both of them are just as good which is what makes it difficult for me to choose! I'm an international and I can't make it to the US to check them out personally :] So as my username suggests i am most likely going to do Math of Computer Science in college (more likely) - computer science has grabbed my interest recently and all i bloody hell do is TopCoder/ProjectEuler problems all night long with soda by my side haha.</p>
<p>Now, I have looked into the program details and other things but I had a few queries about the 'intangibles' and I guess you CC gurus would prolly have experiences/knowledge :--
1) Is Berkeley very hardcore?? I've had some people tell me that Berkeley is cutthroat competitive and some others telling me that it is just fine. Can somebody please clear this?! Please also let me know if UCLA is equally cutthroat as is Berkeley..
2) Many people speak a lot about the homeless people in Berkeley and a supposedly high crime rate.. Is this really a HUGE problem? Like at 3 am if I feel like taking a random walk (:P) or feel like grabbing some ice cream, can I walk safely in and around campus without having to worry?? Can I do the same in UCLA?? Sorry if I sound real paranoid/ill-informed but this is probably because i am an international student and don't really know how things work there..
3) Housing & Campus- I've read somewhere that UCLA makes a triple sharing compulsory for rooms. Really?-! Also, which one (according to you) has the better campus?
4) (Totally random) This one is not related to me but to my cousins who stay in San Jose..They're a pair of identical twins and are both selected to Berkeley, UCLA and Yale!! I know it's none of my business, yet I cant help but wonder (I have always been totally fascinated by them!! xD). Both of them want to attend Berkeley...What is your opinion on twins going to the same school ie Berkeley?? I find it pretty cool to have somebody just like you with you at college but yet there are people I know who argue that:
a. "It can be a major identity crisis especially since you try to carve your own identity in college.. it can be pretty irritating to have people mistake one for the other and think of the two as the same..! It makes them insecure especially when in relationships or in search for one(!) Even in high school it was pretty disturbing when one's partner was talking a lot to the other twin who she called her BFF " (people were quite serious when they say that!! I am not qualified to be able to judge but this seems quite legit.!)
b. "networking can be better if the two go to different colleges.. they'll have a different set of friends and more 'connections' (are your twins' connection yours too? :o :o :o ). for instance if one attends Yale and one attends Berkeley they'll have very different contacts"
The insecurity concern ('a') is really spoken about and gets me curious.. What say??</p>
<p>Please answer any or all of the questions if you can! Thanks! </p>
<p>P.S- Was Berkeley unusually holistic this year?? It seems they've let off the excessive grades focus in return for some extraordinary academic accomplishment.. Is this true?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>This’ll depend on your major. I’m EECS, which has a bit of a reputation for being “competitive”. I think this stems from many classes here being curved… that is, your grade in a class depends on how your classmates are doing. In that sense, you’re “competing” with your classmates for good grades. It’s <em>not</em> competitive in a cutthroat, backstabbing sort of way. Most students are happy to work together, help each other out, etc. In my experience, it’s a very collaborative environment. Again, that’s for EECS, other majors may vary. I haven’t heard too many complaints from students here about a cutthroat environment though, except maybe in Haas but honestly most of it is just rumors on here.</p></li>
<li><p>There are a lot of homeless people around campus. You’ll see them on a daily basis. A vast majority of them are harmless. I’ve never felt in danger walking around here in the day. If it’s dark out, there are areas to avoid (don’t go walking through People’s Park), but even then it’s usually okay. I don’t like walking around alone at night, but unless it’s really really late there’s usually other students out and about. So, short answer, yes there are many homeless people, no it’s not super dangerous. Yes, there are crimes sometimes, but it’s a city, what do you expect?</p></li>
<li><p>Housing here is kinda expensive, and I’ve heard the highrise rooms are tiny. Personally I think the apartment-dorms are great, but those aren’t for freshmen. I think most students get their wish in terms of doubles/triples, though singles are hard to come by. I don’t know what UCLA housing is like.</p></li>
<li><p>Uh, how does this relate to anything? I’d imagine they’re used to being twins by now. And campus is huge, there are tons of people. They might not even notice that the other is on campus, unless they’re making plans together.</p></li>
<li><p>The weather here is okay. It’s usually pretty sunny. During the winter you should bring a sweater. Soda (CS building) is cold, bring a sweater anyways if you’re going there. Some weeks it’ll rain. Overall it seems pretty nice here, though I’m not familiar with UCLA weather. I’d imagine UCLA is a bit warmer and rains less often, but not sure.</p></li>
</ol>
I guess SF will be fine especially since I stay in a high crime rate city already LOL!
encouraging that people do roam around in the streets because i am a kind of loner (you can see that in the way i post, people find me awkward socially :] ) also are there a lot of crocodiles/snakes/reptiles on campus??
3.) yes somebody else also told me that it is kinda expensive :(( but I have heard Clark Kerr is real sexy but far from the rest of campus… one more thing - does it positively effect my chances at getting the housing i want if i do it before May 1?! a few people tell me this quite often and I don’t know whether i should buy this or not because i would like to believe that it does not depend… :#
it doesn’t relate hehe - as I said, this twin case really piqued my curiosity. just wanted to know the way people here think. but yes both of them will get noticed as it is highly likely that they will do up the same major!! even back in their hometown won’t they be continued to be treated as a ‘package’ because theyre still together at the same uni?? <em>twins-you gotta love 'em!</em>
so it’s pleasant eh? and I LOVE THE RAINS!! <3 <3 are the winters unbearably cold?</p>
<p>Thanks for bearing with the awkward thing that i am :D</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus thanks for your inputs!! happy that grades don’t really matter much on class performance… also if you have any idea how would you rate L&S comp. sci. at Berkeley?? I skipped EECS because engineering is not for me, i luv pure CS n maths… are CS majors (assuming they’re just as good at CS as the EECS guys) treated inferior ally as compared to EECS majors by grad schools, jobs etc??</p>
<p>No in general. The exceptions would be if you want to do something where ABET accreditation (which EECS but not L&S CS has) matters, such as getting a PE license or taking the patent exam. This applies to only a small number of CS students.</p>
<p>I can comment on 2 and 4. I went to Berkeley about 30 years ago and the number of street people was infinitely worse. I’ve been walking at night then and now, and I don’t think being accosted or even being approached should concern you. The few times I’ve been walking around there at night, it’s been a total non-issue. When I attended Cal, I always walked in a group or I called for a campus escort to walk me back to the dorms. At one of the welcome talks, I heard that they still offer that service. </p>
<p>Re: #4, Cal is so big, if they are in different majors and live in different dorms, I doubt anyone would even notice there were two of them. My kids usually have to plan to meet their friends in lectures and arrange to be in the same sections, because if left to chance, you probably won’t be. If they want to go their separate ways, they can easily do that. If they want to stay closely bonded, that’s easy to do too. If they circulate in different groups, they’ll be able to double their network also. Most twins I know chose their colleges based on their major. Some went to the same college, some to different ones. It’s not much different than siblings attending the same college.</p>
<p>@mathjj I just noticed that you posted the twins are in the same major. I think they must think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. </p>
<p>As for northern CA weather, winters are not extremely cold. It rains, but nothing like Seattle. It’s pretty temperate. You don’t need rainboots … because really, unless you’re aiming for puddles, your shoes aren’t going to get THAT wet. My kid wears sweatshirts and jeans most of the year.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in math and CS, Cal has a much stronger program than UCLA. UCLA’s is still very very good. Cal’s is better … and not by a teeny tiny bit. </p>
<p>I went to Senior Weekend and it was pretty amazing!
1.) Yes, lots of students state that it is very hard working but everyone says that you eventually get the job done. So we are going to work our buts off a lot this Fall!
2.) Yes there is a lot of homeless people but they do not bother you or talk to you. I had one ask me a question but as long you keep walking and ignoring them they do not talk to you or follow you. Some of them also have dogs but they do not bark or do anything (it’s really weird, the dogs there are chill LOL)
3.) Yes there are different dorms, but from what I heard Unit 3, 2, and 1 has it’s perks and downs but personally Unit 3 is awesome. I also met someone from housing office that told me that since I attended the event she will place me in any unit dorm I wanted :D. Id suggest doing Unit 3 if you want to do fun stuff
4.) Everyone is friendly and this is the time to network, introduce yourself to people and get to know them and they will give you their numbers eventually. I talked to people there and have few numbers when I come back for summer school!</p>
<p>@mothergoldenbear thanks for ur input!! about walking alone, my point ws can I just venture out all alone randomly for a walk at night or is it unsafe?!
the weather seems to be good, jst spoke to a friend in the Valley… So I guess weather’s not a prob!!! xD
Also about the twins, can’t get dem off my brains but how r twins actually treated at Cal?? like its large and all but on basis of ur personal experience (if any) are they treated as one package even if they, like stay in diff rooms and stuff??
And yes Cal is right up there for CS and real good for Math too… But UCLA seems to be more fun or is it now?
Thanks for your time really appreciate it :)</p>
<p>@kittenzzz heyya future Bear!!! Wazzaaaa? what’s your major??
2)did you venture out all alone?? Looks like i found a mate then xD
3)Unit 3 has Fun stuff? as in? ; lulz<br>
4) what would you do of you were one of the twinnies?? :D</p>
<p>Are you and your twin going here or something, I don’t understand the fixation? No, they wouldn’t have to share a dorm, and no, no one would treat them as one person. Do people you know normally do that to you?</p>
<p>I’ve walked home alone at night (it’s never been that late, just dark) and I’d say it’s pretty safe. If you live far down south side, I’d say, just to be on the sure side, to use bear walk if it’s really late.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say UCLA is any more or less fun than Cal.</p>
<p>@mathjj My major is environmental sciences and I didn’t venture out haha, I had other friends with me during Senior weekend, we went out every night and had fun
Fun stuff I would say as it’s more a socializing atmosphere just like Unit 1/2 but it’s more closer I’d say! But i’m getting a Unit 3 tripple so I can save more money on housing sadly
If i were one of the twinzies i would either stay away from them if i hated their guts or just hang out with them if they were close, there’s a lot of people in college anyways! are you doing summer bridge?! i am and everyone in summer bridge is placed in Unit 3 :)</p>
<p>As far as safety goes, If you live on North side, you are almost always ok at night, as long as you be careful and look around you and be smart.</p>
<p>If you live on the south side, but are north of Dwight way, You should be fine as long as you stay clear of people’s park and be smart.</p>
<p>If you live on south side and are south of Dwight way but North of Ashby Avenue, I would use bear walk for late night visits back home, or walk back in a group of people.</p>
<p>If you live on south side south of Ashby Avenue, I honestly would be very careful because bearwalk won’t take you that far south in Berkeley. Here it gets sketchy because of the drug dealers and other shady “characters”. </p>
<p>@mathjj Will you have a destination in mind (like going to a friend’s dorm), or will you just be taking a walk to clear your head? There are enough people walking around that I feel reasonably safe now (and also did then). Do I recommend a girl be out by herself and deep in her thoughts (ie, not cognizant of her surroundings)? NO. I wouldn’t recommend that anywhere. There were times I didn’t want to wait for a campus escort, so I just walked quickly to my dorm. Nothing ever happened, and nothing happened to any of my friends. </p>
<p>The twins I know well recently graduated from UC Davis. They were in different dorms and were/are not treated as a package because, although people know they have a twin, they didn’t hang out together much. So people tended to forget they had a twin until they saw them together. If they were together enough, then people might start to think of them as a package deal. I think it will be what they want to make it. If they want to be treated individually, they can achieve that pretty easily at a large university. I pick out people I know by appearance more than face, so if they style their hair differently, one wears contacts and the other wears glasses, have different jackets and backpacks, then I just assume the twin I see is the one I know. If I wave to the wrong one, she can correct me, or just wave back and keep walking.</p>
<p>I agree, UCLA has the reputation of being more fun than Berkeley. </p>
<p>@dina4119 thanks for your reply!! and as for if i are the twin, nope i am not. I wud love to be a twin tho twins are very very fascinating and i doubt they ever feel lonely??!! hehehe
Is berkeley competitive and very intense according to you? :)</p>
<p>@kittenzzz foothill is real close to Soda (CS bulding) so imma go fr that maybe?? engg crowd might give me a kick to study or so sumthin loll
summer bridge? i dunno what that is even </p>
and I didn’t venture out haha, I had other friends with me during Senior weekend, we went out every night and had fun 
and everyone in summer bridge is placed in Unit 3 :)</p>