<p>So Berk has been my dream school for a long time and I was really stoked to get in. However, recent posts on the Berk board have made me question the overall quality of the undergrad experience there. Of course I will go visit Davis and Berk to get firsthand accounts, but these posts still kind of worry me b/c there must be some truth to them, right? I am academically serious and motivated but not in the cutthroat way and I am just an overall down to earth gal. So I am very torn. Anyone wanna make me feel better about the people and atmosphere at Berk?</p>
<p>Just go to Berkeley.</p>
<p>Berkeley is a great experience for most people. </p>
<p>I'm being serious here. I don't think it could be doubted that most undergrads love Berkeley. </p>
<p>But like many things in this world, "the Berkeley undergraduate experience" is what you make of it.</p>
<p>If you have friends already at either institution that will help a lot.</p>
<p>I would try to narrow by priority what you want in terms of overall experience and academic experience and weigh those accordingly. You might avoid a lot of the things I've stated by majoring in something small or finding a nice mentor who's willing to show you the opportunities available at Berkeley. I don't know what UCDavis is like. You can also probably get contacts to recent grads from the career center or some alumni service. Pick a major you're interested in and call the career center for alumni information for that major. Mass email and call a few and see what they say.</p>
<p>College is a very deep experience, try to be prepared as possible before making a decision.</p>
<p>Aww, I was hoping I'd find some more insight on this thread. I was actually considering starting a Cal v. Davis thread myself. I'm in an almost identical situation as soccersarah.</p>
<p>honestly, you can go to berkeley and have the negative experience some have described. i don't doubt that some do and some will. i actually was torn between berkeley (the school i had been trying and hoping for since day one) and uc davis. weird that it wasn't a cal/ucla decision, but i simply loved the davis campus and almost started to think that i might get a nicer, more enjoyable college experience. it had a more kick back feel, and just felt like home. however, i followed my heart and went with what i always wanted - i came to cal, prepared to get the degree i had been dreaming about. i was aware that i could be making a big mistake - i was read for the enivironment to be cold and unfriendly, and i was crossing my fingers that i didn't get stuck on an anti-social hall, and have a lousy schedule of dull, over crowded classes.</p>
<p>however, nearly a year later, i have not regretted coming to cal a day in my life. i got involved in the right things, met the right people, and took the right classes. i might be one of the lucky ones, but i am serioulsy having the time of my life. I adore cal on so many levels, but others do not. its a toss up. hand it to fate and roll with it.</p>
<p><3,</p>
<p>Izzie Bear</p>
<p>don't listen to what anyone says here. go where you're most comforable. cal was my dream school too (since i was 4 years old) and if you love the school as much as i did then you will love your undergraduate experience here</p>
<p>Uh ... no. As Sakky has pointed out you may very well get screwed at Berkeley if you fail in engineering or don't get into the business school after getting here; if that's what you want to do.</p>
<p>You definitely need to do research before coming to Cal, and make smart decisions depending on what you want to do.</p>
<p>no matter if you get "screwed" at berkeley your degree will be worth 10x more that a davis one. if you are smart enough to get into berkeley than you can excel here. kids who get "screwed" usually bring it upon themselves.</p>
<p>Yeah, we all have our own distinct personalities and opinions. Some people thrive here and love it and others do not. Honestly, you need to just make the best decision for yourself - think of your likes, dislikes, personality, and what you want out of the next 4-5 years of your life. Seriously, don't listen to us. I love Cal, Polite Antagonis obviously does not. In turn, we will have two completely different opinions, and that is the problem. We're not going to help you too much, because it's such a conflicting argument. </p>
<p>All I can say is that I am a Cal student who loves her school and proudly displays it, but I would point any student researching the UC system in the direction of taking a serious look at UC Davis - in addition to my wonderful university o'course!</p>
<p>G'Luck!</p>