UC Berkeley Fall or USC Spring?

[sushiLOVES]

<p>Hello everyone! I could really use some help/opinions to help me with my college decisions, cause right now, I'M STRESSING OUT!!</p>

<p>So it all boils down to either USC or Cal, and I'm getting mixed feelings for both. I got accepted to both for the College of Letters and Science. I plan on double majoring in English/Literature and geology. </p>

<p>Cal seems great! widely known, prestigious, and it's close to home since I live in San Jose. (not sure if that's exactly a great thing haha) But I really hate the idea of being in a class of 500 and the intense academic competition atmosphere there. I enjoy my academia, sure, but I wouldn't want my main focus in college to be avoiding everything at all costs to not fail a class! Also, since I am Asian and lived in the Bay Area all my life, I'm not sure if I want to go to Cal since it's so similar to SJ. </p>

<p>USC would allow me to exposed to a totally different culture, but I only go accepted for the spring =/ Now, I wouldn't mind that so much since I could always go to a CC, but it's just the whole jumping in the middle of the year and missing the fun/welcoming freshman vibe. And I'm missing the football season!!!! USC has a great alumni network but the school seems synonymous with partying and greek life. Also, I'm offered a spot in the Structured Curriculum Program if that makes a difference. </p>

<p>So here are my questions:</p>

<p>Which school will allow me to grow intellectually, but still give me a great college experience?
Which will give me greater success in finding a job/graduate school?
How are the English/science departments?
Which has a better study abroad program?</p>

<p>Any information/advice will be gladly appreciated! Thanks!</p>

[Beatchick]

<p>Hi, and congrats – both great choices!</p>

<p>I’ll try and help with the limited knowledge I have. My knowledge is only based on what I personally know (as an English major) and what my mom told me about the way things were way back when, but I think her insight is still pretty accurate.</p>

<p>First, I’m from So Cal and one of the things that really attracted me to Cal was that, at least as far as grad school, its English Dept. has consistently ranked number 1 in the country, and USC is way down there – I think somewhere in the 30’s, maybe 40’s. My feeling is that grad school gives some indication the education an undergrad is going to get in terms of rank. And I have friends who graduated majoring in English either here or at UCLA who assert there’s some correlation . Whatever, the professors here are engaging and mentally stimulating, and as you move up into upper division, the classes get smaller and smaller. </p>

<p>Second, and this is my mom’s past experience, not me speaking from having any knowledge about it, while the English department at USC is good, it’s not outstanding. She said back in her day (she went to UCLA but had a lot of friends who went to SC), you did the same work to get an A in an upper division English course at SC as you did to get a C in an upper division English course at UCLA. She said at UCLA the difference between getting an A and a C was originality vs. spitting back information. And to do well at SC, only spitting back was required. </p>

<p>Now, these days that may not be true at all, but Cal and UCLA try to push you in English to not just regurgitate information, but to think outside the box. </p>

<p>I think based on my mom’s past experience, my current experience, and the graduate school rankings, that this is probably still the case.</p>

<p>Now, for you, you may want to take an easier road, especially if you’re thinking about double majoring. In that case, you may be better off at SC, which like I said, is not a bad college if majoring in English. Further, as you suggested, their football season and party atmosphere is seriously fun.</p>

<p>On the other hand, Cal has great spirit, as seen by the UC Rally Committee, surprisingly good, festive, spirited Greek system; and in my view, Cal students (most anyway) live by the motto: “work hard, play hard”. Well, at least I do, that’s for sure.</p>

<p>You have a lot to think about, so visit both and make your decision based on what YOU want. BTW, I have friends here from San Jose, Redwood City, etc. and it might as well be 300 miles away. They don’t go home much more than I do. Sometimes I think it’s even faster for me to hop on a plane to LA than it is for them to take BART and Caltrain to SJ!</p>

<p>On semester/year abroad, idk about SC, but Cal’s program is phenomenal. I think the only UC that beats Cal is UCSC.</p>

<p>Finally, “totally different culture” – huh?!? Except for the fact that they don’t say “hella” in So. Cal., the culture is, uh, exactly the same. Maybe you meant climate?!? Even then, pretty similar if you’re comparing it with, say, Minnesota!</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>