<p>My friend is in quite a bind here. He was accepted to UCLA, UCSD, UCD, UCSB and UCI. However, he was rejected from his dream school, UCB. He doesn't want to go to UCLA since for some reason he doesn't like it, i dunno why. He also doesn't want to go to UCI since it's so close (he lives like 10 mins away). So basically it's between UCSD, UCD, and UCSB. He got regents from UCSB, Chancellors at UCSD, and nothing but loans at UCD. However, he is appealing to Berkeley since it is his dream school. He wanted me to tell his situation, and he wants some advice on what he should do. He's always wanted to go to school up north, especially near the bay area. He's thinking about going to Davis, but they are giving him nothing but loans. UCSB isn't good for his major, but he likes the party scene there. UCSD is giving him chancellors, the major perks being a faculty mentor and priority registration. Out of all these, UCSD is giving him the most money. However, he feels that UCSD is too close, and he is worried about it's reputation as the "most boring UC." He is planning to attend grad school, so it would seem as if UCSD would be the most suitable, but he doesn't like how UCSD doesn't have any Division 1 sports, they don't have any frats, and they aren't good for humanities majors (in his case comparative literature.) </p>
<p>If his appeal is successful and he does get into berkeley but is given not so great financial aid, would it be worth it for him to just go, even if it means emerging with lots of debt? He values college experience over the prestige of the school, and thats why he likes Cal: because there are so many things to do there. And if his appeal is unsuccessful, where should he go?</p>
<p>He should go to UCLA. I know there's a prestige factor with Berkeley but UCLA is good too. </p>
<p>I got into both UCLA and Cal-- my parents are pretty much forcing me to go to Berkeley because I live 30 minutes away from there. -__-. I personally want to go to UCLA since it's far.</p>
<p>^ I have the same situation with half parental pressure on UCLA and half parental pressure on Berkeley. UCLA appeals more to me overall, but I don't know where I'll be going...</p>
<p>well i have to say i wish i were in the same position as your friend... i would choose UCLA over Berkeley but I got into Berkeley and not UCLA...</p>
<p>with that, I say that he needs to reconsider his priorities, if he REALLY doesn't like UCLA then there's no changing that... it really depends on what he's looking for. if he's looking for a VERY active social life then UCSB is where he should be ... if he's looking for really great academics with a very downer of a social life then UCSD is where he should be... if he's looking for great academics with a good social life (but not crazy), then maybe davis is where he should be...</p>
<p>to me though, i dont understand why somebody would love Cal so much but completely hate UCLA... but that's not my place to judge.......</p>
<p>For me, considering the four UC schools i applied to (UCLA, Berkeley, UCSB, UCSD) I got into 3 of the 4, not UCLA, if I wasnt going to Cal, I would go to Santa Barbara because of its great reputation for academics (tied with davis) as well as its incredible social scene.... I'm even considering dropping Cal to go to SB because of it....</p>
<p>either way, obviously it's completely up to your friend, but again, he needs to know how lucky he is to be in the position as open as the one he's in.</p>
<p>you shouldn't let your parents tell you where you should go. This is a 4 year + commitment and you are (or will be) an adult. Go where you want, not where they want.</p>
<p>Also, most students leave with a lot of loans, that's life.</p>
<p>FYI he didn't make it to Berkeley, he was rejected and is appealing. He doesn't like UCLA because it is too close. And Cal is not that prestigious anymore, some of my parent's think that UCSD is better, especially for the sciences. He just wants a school with great academics, good social life, far away, good location, and good food. With Davis, SB, and SD, only some of his preferences are fulfilled, but to him Berkeley matches all of those. He doesn't hate UCLA, he just isn't inclined to go there because it is too close. I know that it's a fact that many students graduate with loans, but since he's planning to go to grad school he wants to try to save as much money as he can (his family isn't that rich and he doesn't want to burden them). </p>
<p>I don't know why he likes Cal so much, but it's been his dream school since he was 10. Maybe thats why he's so fixated on it.</p>
<p>People have this skewed point of view about UCSD because the only thing it's good in is the sciences. Berkeley is so good all around you never hear anybody commending just one subject area intensively.</p>
<p>some of your parents? anywho...
this is how i see it
ucsd's science (esp bio/biomed stuff) is the strongest field at ucsd, but it doesn't mean that it's the strongest among the UCs. i honestly think that cal has the strongest academics in every field of studies among the UCs</p>
<p>Yeah, but Berkeley Engineering doesn't overshadow Berkeley Physics, or Berkeley English, or Berkeley Business, or Berkeley Economics, or etc....</p>