<p>Hey Everyone,</p>
<p>I just wanted to know whether there is anyone on the CC boards that is either a current or past Regents Scholar at UC Berkeley. Im still deciding and with 5 days left I have to make a decision soon. Please respond to the thread if you are willing to talk to me and answer some questions! :)</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>hi asian. 1112</p>
<p>I’d be happy to help you.</p>
<p>Hey guys, thanks for responding. I was just curious about how beneficial the benefits of the award actually are. I know the scholarship comes with an incredible amount of prestige, but since money really isnt an issue, Im trying to focus more on the benefits of having a faculty advisor and being part of the RCSA resume book. Does having a faculty advisor really help or is it just something for show? Does it open up any special opportunities? Furthermore, for the RCSA resume book, does it really lead to great internships/jobs or would one be able to find these things by themselves? Finally, does being able to say you are a Regent’s Scholar make the person more appealing to graduate/professional schools? </p>
<p>I guess, in conclusion, what I am asking is whether the Regent’s Scholarship is all it is reputed to be and whether it is worth it to go to Berkeley for the scholarship or go to another school that I prefer more? (Sorry, Berkeley is a great school, but it is my second choice) </p>
<p>Thank you so much for your responses.</p>
<p>You have quite a decision to make - Ivy league, even if Cornell, or Cal. If your intended major is EECS, you are dealing with a very strong Cal program which sort of narrows the decision gap further. </p>
<p>I guess it will come down to softer factors. Looks like prestige is a fairly significant one for you, balancing Regents prestige at Cal vs Ivy prestige. There are other soft factors as well. Have you visited both?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I havent been able to visit either. But based on what ive heard and what Ive seen in brochures, online, etc, I think Cornell would be a better fit lifestyle-wise for me. But then again, Berkeley is miles ahead in EECS.</p>
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<p>My experience says the only possible benefit is really when you get your housing – I have seen all of the Regents’ scholars I know get their housing preferences, in fact their first choices. You get a faculty advisor assigned to you when you declare a major, and chances are if anyone, this individual is who will give you advice about classes, etc. In fact, it may not even be this individual – it probably will be whichever professors you meet, whom you grow to like.</p>
<p>The award is monetarily insignificant compared to what other UCs may offer.</p>
<p>From a Regents’ scholar here, I’m going to say it’s not worth it coming to Berkeley for the scholarship if there’s another school you prefer, possibly with one exception, i.e. if Berkeley is vastly, vastly stronger in your major of choice.</p>
<p>If you are making a choice between Berkeley and Cornell, I’m fairly sure their engineering program is good enough that you don’t have to worry about turning down Berkeley…but I will have to be honest and say there probably is something special about Berkeley’s CS. The people are unquestionably among the gods of the field, and hardly a few schools can say the same. As far as training career-wise, I’ll bet you’ll be fine at Cornell, because I’m sure their program is hardcore.</p>
<p>Faculty advisor is assigned to you when you decide to come to Berkeley. This is often based on what you marked as your interest for either your application or your interview. Many freshmen come in here not knowing what they want to do so they get an advisor in a department that they don’t end up majoring in so the advisor is essentially useless (e.g., mine is in Haas school of business and I am MCB). I and many of my Regents friends have never met their advisors. Regents does hold game nights with professors/faculty but they aren’t widely participated in by faculty so in essence, Regents doesn’t give you any assistance in getting to know professors better.</p>
<p>The real benefits of Regents are