<p>So I got accepted to Carnegie Mellon and Berkeley in the States, and Cambridge in the UK. CMU isn't that appealing (too many Singaporeans) so I'm considering between Berkeley and Cambridge.</p>
<p>Fees isn't too much of a issue, since I'll need a scholarship from Singapore for both of them. But I really have no idea which one I prefer. They just seem so... different!</p>
<p>FYI, I'll be doing Comp Science (in L&S if it's in Berkeley).</p>
<p>I was kind of thinking of that too, since Cambridge doesn't have a direct MS in Comp Sci, and the BS is only 3 years. but still... I wonder...</p>
<p>I did a summer study abroad program @ Cambridge when I was 17, and I've lived in Northern California my whole life and am very familiar with the bay area, so I'm familiar with both schools/areas. As much as I love the bay (I'm actually hoping to go to Berkeley this fall) I would probably recommend going to Cambridge - I fell in love with the town, it's kind of quaint and cute: lots of history, beautiful old buildings, and it's also only 50 miles from London so making the trip down there to do whatever isn't that big of a deal (we went to London quite a few times when I was there). Less hobos roaming the campus/town, too. ;) As far as degree programs go I don't know anything about computer science (I'm a music major... my knowledge of good/bad schools for majors doesn't extend beyond my own) but from what I've heard you really have to put in a significant amount of effort to get the most out of your undergraduate education at Berkeley (you'll have to make effort to get involved in research projects, etc.). Cambridge seemed a little more undergrad-friendly to me.</p>
<p>Dude, Cambridge. No doubt about it.</p>
<p>Cambridge has much stronger students than does UCal Berkeley's undergraduate school. As posted above, Berkeley is a great choice for graduate study in your case.</p>
<p>Wow...CAMBRIDGE...DUH!!! I wish I had choices like this...</p>
<p>I certainly think Cambridge for undergrad then Berkeley for grad school sounds like a good combination to me. ;-)</p>
<p>Check out the unbaised rankings done by Shanghai Jiao Tong University:
Academic</a> Ranking of World Universities - 2007</p>
<p>and by fields:
[url=<a href="http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/ARWU-FIELD2008.htm%5Dfield%5B/url">http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/ARWU-FIELD2008.htm]field[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Cambridge. Duh. </p>
<p>One in a lifetime opportunity.</p>
<p>Wow, I'm a bit surprised by the responses here. Berkeley has just as strong a reputation as Cambridge does, and I don't think there's any way that the decision is easy in any way. If you're looking for an intensely 'traditional' experience, Cambridge. Otherwise, Berkeley. They're vastly different environments with completely different feels, so I'd advise you just to pick whichever one you like better. They're both excellent, so you really can't go wrong!</p>
<p>thanks quirkily, but the problem is, I don't know which one I like better! Someone on a UK forum suggested I visit the campus and see which one I prefer, but it's really expensive and considering that I live in a completely different continent.. (right, it's not a continent, it's an island) it's just unfeasible.</p>
<p>but maybe I'll still go to Cambridge, just for the sake of the nice buildings and the "less hobos" part ^_^</p>
<p>(on a side note, one of the reasons I posted this in the Berkeley section instead of the International section is because I thought people here would defend Berkeley better. :P)</p>
<p>Well, remember, Americans have an idealized, romantic notion of England, and especially Oxford and Cambridge. </p>
<p>The argument for Berkeley is simple. Berkeley has one of the best CS programs on earth. On top of that, it is a stone's throw away from silicon valley. You are practically guaranteed a job after college, and if you want to live and work in the US, obviously Berkeley is a great place to start. Also, if you want to go to grad school in the US, it would make sense to start at Berkeley. Berkeley is not elitist at all; in fact, most of the students are middle class and went to public (I mean state supported) school. There is a huge asian population, and it is close to Oakland and San Francisco chinatown, if that is something you'd like.</p>
<p>The main reason people are saying go to Cambridge is that with a Cambridge degree in CS it's going to be no problem to go to grad school in the US for computer science. On the grad school level, you want to be in the US, but for undergrad the Cambridge experience would be special, and wouldn't limit your options in the future at all.</p>
<p>wow congrats man! </p>
<p>i would choose cambridge though XD</p>
<p>If you're an international student, the weak dollar will make your money go further at Berkeley than Cambridge.</p>
<p>If you go to Cambridge, it's like you're going to HYPS</p>
<p>Top notch school.</p>
<p>I'm not sure that you will necessarily get a better education in Cambridge (learn about the tutorial system they have their if you have not already - it favors self-directed learners), just like you would not necessarily get a better education at HYPS than Cal, but Oxbridge has an idealized reputation, especially in America. It distinguishes you from the 6000 or so other people graduating from Berkeley every year, most of whom enter the American job market. How many other Americans can say they went to Cambridge?</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Fees isn't too much of a issue, since I'll need a scholarship from Singapore for both of them. But I really have no idea which one I prefer. They just seem so... different!
[/QUOTE]
I'm assuming you know all about scholarships, but anyway there are lots of Singaporeans at Cambridge and those I knew seemed to all have government scholarships which meant that they were bonded to work for the government for several years after they graduated. The two from my college (both did Natural sciences) have both had to become teachers. They seem to enjoy it (as far as I can tell through facebook!) but I don't think teaching would be their first choice job if they were allowed to do anything (and they could probably get more well paid jobs in other professions). Just so you know what you might be letting yourself into.</p>
<p>You will so find England cold.</p>
<p>CC- Cambridge Natural Sciences graduate</p>
<p>LOL at the weak dollar comment XD</p>
<p>@cupcake: thanks for telling me about the scholarships, but yes, of course I know all about them! what you mentioned is exactly why I didn't follow my original plan to apply for every single scholarship I see (burr.. can't stand teaching!), but there are IT scholarships, and those are the ones I'm aiming for. </p>
<p>What's HYPS??</p>
<p>EDIT: Ah I get it, HarvardYalePrincetonStanford?</p>
<p>I think this one's a no brainier... Cambridge.</p>
<p>It has 800 years of history and still manages to be a top notch school for computer science and other high tech studies (there is also very strong connection between Cambridge and Bill Gates / Microsoft).</p>
<p>Despite the fact that Oxford is more "internationally renowned" Cambridge has the best science departments in the UK.</p>
<p>I would choose Cambridge because it is essentially the Harvard of the UK.</p>
<p>Although, just a warning, Cambridge is somewhat of a depressing campus due to its focus on the hard sciences and rurality. However, Berkeley's campus isn't in a much better location, so yeah, choose Cambridge.</p>