Torn Between Berkeley L&S and UCSB Computer Science

Applying to College
1

I’m an incoming Freshman interested in EECS/Computer Engineering, and, slightly less so, straight Computer Science. My top choices that I was admitted to were: UCSD for Computer Engineering at the School of Engineering; Cal Poly for Computer Engineering at the College of Engineering; and UCSB for Computer Science in the College of Engineering. I narrowed that list down and SIR’d to UCSB, with the intention of eventually changing my major to Computer Engineering.

Then, by way of appeal, I was admitted to Berkeley to the College of L&S. I’m now deciding between 1) attending Berkeley with the intention of attempting a transfer to CoE&EECS (near impossible?) before embracing the CS major (which I’d have to have a 3.3 GPA to declare as – not too intimidating), and 2) attending UCSB, and switching majors within the CoE from Computer Science to Computer Engineering (quite easy). Those are my choices, and I must make my decision by the end of tomorrow night… here are some of the things I’m thinking about.

The financials for the two are the same.

I live half of an hour’s drive from Berkeley and five hours of a drive from UCSB. Might be nice to stay local, but it might also be nice to get to see and live in a new area away from home. Not concerned either way.

I’d like to participate in a summer program for either school, and I’m already enrolled in 10 units at UCSB’s Freshman Summer Start Program and have already found a truly wonderful roommate for the program & rest of the year. Comparatively, at Berkeley, there is a “Freshman Summer Edge” program which I actually don’t know a whole lot about, except that it lasts 6-8 weeks and I’d be taking two courses that would naturally take a semester to complete. It may already be full.

I have AP Lang (5), AP Chem, AP Psych credit, and I took the AP Calc BC/AP Comp Sci A tests this year. As far as I know, my credits would transfer much better at UCSB.

UCSB and Berkeley have a quarter and semester system respectively, and I have no preference for either.

I think I would be happier at UCSB, given the atmosphere, environment, social life, and slightly relaxed academics (Computer Engineering is brutal regardless, but the competition at Berkeley would be so much more intense), and I’m a little bit worried about the small, off-chance that, after deciding on Berkeley, I don’t make a lot of friends, fall behind in class, and become depressed or something. It sounds unrealistic but I’ve heard of it happening. I really don’t know a whole lot about Cal’s atmosphere and social life.

And, of course, the one, huge, undeniable thing that Berkeley has going for it: prestige.

Would I be crazy to turn Berkeley down, as a comp sci major? Is it harder to get into grad school from UCSB, considering that it’s easier to have better grades? What do California employers in the comp sci/engineering industry think of UCSB compared to Berkeley?

Would it be much more difficult to find internships, land a good job after graduation, and then eventually attend grad school at UCSB? And after grad school, would it even matter where I did my undergrad? These are the questions that are make or break for me, because I really believe that I would be happier at UCSB.

If you can answer any of this, shed some light on the topic, or give me some perspective… I would SO greatly appreciate it! This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make, and I’ve got until the end of tomorrow.

Thanks so much.

2

For CS majors, it is a no-brainer to choose Cal. However, every sentence you type out screams for UCSB.

If people went to college strictly to maximize their future potential, cold logic dictates an institution of better prestige and renown. But that’s not the case at all. College years are 4 best years of one’s life. If you are fearful, constantly doubting yourself, it is not the choice for you.

Yes, Cal grads may be more closely scrutinized by the recruiters. But everyone knows that UC system overall is getting more and more selective, and the IT/STEM field is only growing exponentially.

I think I can especially relate because I was admitted to Carnegie Mellon SCS. It basically boiled down between Duke Engineering/CS and CMU SCS. But after countless thoughts and deliberations with myself and close ones around me, I made my decision. I loved everything about Duke despite its “lack of renown” in engineering and CS. I came to a conclusion that my 4 years of college is much more important and valuable than getting a specific field of education tad better than the other.

I don’t know your future plan, whether it is to be a programmer/analyst in front of a screen all day. I could not see myself doing that; it helped me be more decisive.

The strength you need right now is to choose and never look back. It may be undoubtedly the hardest decision you have to make - because it was for me.

Let me know where you will be calling home for the next 4 years.

3

There is the matter of getting into the major at UCB. The previous 3.0 threshold was not as big a deal as 3.3 is. If you like UCSB better and are assured your major, that is a strong point in its favor.

It is true that UCB is local to many small computer companies, which can help recruiting and interviews.

4

UCSB has a really small CS department as it graduates about 60 students vs UCB. There’s pros and cons with a small department. But it sounds like you like Computer engineering better than Computer science. I think it’s much harder to transfer into EECS at Cal.

5

Thank you for the advice, it was very well said.

What’s really preventing me from deciding is that I really don’t know a lot about the social environment and atmosphere at Cal as well as what doors would be shutting by me turning Berkeley down (how much would it matter after grad school? how much would employers for internships/jobs care about UCSB vs. Cal? how would it affect grad school apps? etcetera).

Congratulations on your acceptances to some incredible and incredibly selective universities… I’m jealous! And also jealous that you’ve already made up your mind! I, too, have a hard time seeing myself in front of a computer 100% of the time and I desire a more balanced Engineering/Computer Science education… but I really don’t have a lot of experience to know for sure one way or the other.

6

@ucbalumnus I don’t want to let the major GPA requirement discourage me, although that is a point to consider… could you tell me anymore about recruiting/internships for Comp Sci students at Berkeley? or UCSB if somehow you know about that!

@DrGoogle what are the pros and cons of a small department? More attention from faculty versus less recruiters coming to campus? And does anyone know if it’d be possible/advisable to major in L&S Comp Sci with a minor in something EE related, even if that’s just physics, considering that EECS will likely not be possible to transfer into?

Thanks!!

7

Bigger companies tend to recruit widely. However, smaller companies may only recruit locally, so a small company in San Jose may just go to UCB, UCSC, SJSU, SCU, and Stanford. From UCSB, you may have to be more aggressive at looking for and applying to smaller distant companies.

8

Aren’t the larger companies making the most promising offers? Wouldn’t it essentially not matter for a student who’s academically doing near the top of his class?

9

You asked:

They see UCSB as a competent university but no comparison to UCB.

Since you are asking this very basic question I strongly encourage you to pick UCB.

10

UCSB is not holding you back from graduate school but UCB is more well known in the Bay Area. Everybody works in computer all day including finance people and not just Computer Science people. I have EE for undergraduate and CS/CE for graduate school and I’ve been working with computer ever since I graduated. I sometime hate it so much that I want a different career like Medicine but guess what, my doctors also work with computers all the time.

11

I keep flip-flopping between the two… this is a really tough decision. do you cal alumni have any insight on what life at UCB is like in terms of the social environment and the amount of studying you have to do?

12

Honestly ask yourself this question, back in March if you were accepted to all these schools, which one would you pick. And if it’s still UCSB then go for it. But there is a Berkeley forum you can ask question.

13

Part of the decision depends on how much risk you are willing to take. Go to Cal and you don’t earn high enough grades your 1st year to be a candidate to change majors, bye bye Computer Engineering dreams. Go to UCSB and have a 1st year that isn’t stellar, nobody will care by the time you are graduating. All the comparisons people have given you above, and they are good ones, hinge on your gamble that you can do well enough at Cal to switch into engineering. And you aren’t the only frosh entering Cal with those hopes.

Also I get the impression you’re approaching this with an “external locus of control” mindset (google that phrase for more info). You seem to be counting on these colleges, these departments, to give you great job prospects when you graduate by virtue of earning a degree. You can find seniors at the Cal State Hayward engineering program down the road from Cal that have better job prospects than some Cal engineering seniors. Why? Because they got involved in student projects, took part in internships, built connections. Either UC is going to be an impersonal place and its on your shoulders to make sure you are doing the things that will attract future employers.