UC Berkeley or UC Irvine CHP?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
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<p>I am a senior in high school who was accepted to all the UC's that I applied to: UCB, UCI, UCSD, UCD, and UCLA. </p>

<p>Bascially, none of the UCs have offered me much financial aid of any kind. </p>

<p>I am interested in majoring in the humanities (journalism, communications, literature, etc., the details have yet to be figured out on my part) and am interested to know which campus is the best for this kind of thing. </p>

<p>I have heard so many good things about every single campus and am totally lost as to where I should go! I will not have an opportunity to visit any UC campus, other than the fact that my sister already goes to UCB, but she is a science major, and knows nothing about the humanities programs at Cal or at any of the other UCs for that matter. </p>

<p>My concern is that I do not want to pick my college based on solely name. Everyone says Berkeley is the best, but I am worried about the competition level there, as it is extremely rigorous academically. UC Irvine has offered me a position in their CHP, and I am starting to think that going there and being part of a program and a support group will be more beneficial than going to a university such as Berkeley and being "lost in the crowd" and starting from scratch. </p>

<p>Berkeley is closest to my home. My sister goes there, and I know that many of my best friends will be going there as well, but I know that this is NOT what I should be basing my decision on. </p>

<p>What do you guys think? A student's perspective from any campus would be appreciated, and input of ANY kind will help me in my decision. </p>

<p>Thanks so much!
Also - exactly how small are the "smaller" class sizes described in Irvine's CHP program?</p>

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<p>Hi ssweet394,
I’m in the same boat as you, trying to decide between UCI CHP and UC Berkeley (I’m a Spring Admit).Like you, I am also interested in majoring in something related to Journalism, Communications, or Business.</p>

<p>When I first read that I had been accepted to Berkeley, I was excited and initially thought that I would go there for sure…but then one of my good friends, who is going to be the salutatorian of my high school (4.8, genius status), said that she was choosing UCI over Berkeley cause apparently the English program there is the second best in the nation. Her decision caused me to rethink my own decision and consider UCI CHP as another option for my college career. </p>

<p>I actually went to go visit and meet with an advisor from the UCI CHP program today and was able to learn a lot of good things about the program! There are many benefits to doing this program:

  1. Smaller Class Sizes for your entire 4 years as a UCI student.
  2. More personalized instruction and interaction with the faculty
  3. Special activities and events just for CHP kids that create a sense of “family” within the program. These include things like weekly coffee hours and fun trips to go to musicals, Disneyland, the beach etc. When I went to the offices, all the CHP kids were getting ready to go on a group camping trip. :slight_smile:
  4. Priority registration/Special Library Privileges/Special CHP Housing
  5. Special CHP Advisors who help you choose your schedule and solve any problems (academically and socially) you might have.
  6. Opportunities for Research and Internships
  7. More Detailed Roommate Questionnaires. Students in CHP actually get to fill out a detailed survey that goes beyond the standard Roommate questions (such as “are you a smoker or nonsmoker?”,“morning person or night owl?”) and asks more detailed questions about your hobbies and passions. CHP staff then looks at each application and pairs you up with someone who has similar interests.
  8. Really Nice Staff Members who are very approachable and kind!</p>

<p>I am going to visit Berkeley for Cal Day later this month and then I’ll try to make my decision! It’s a tough one. I think Berkeley wins over UCI in terms of location, prestige, and school spirit. I also have a bunch of good friends going there too, which is a definite plus haha. But UCI does have smaller class sizes, less competition, and the nice CHP program. If you’re a spring admit to Berkeley, you can get similar benefits (smaller class sizes, more interaction with professors) to CHP but housing is not guaranteed and these benefits only last one semester…… Either way, both UCI and UCB are wonderful schools and I feel that regardless of what we choose, both will be a lot of fun and great experiences.</p>

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<p>Awesome! </p>

<p>Thanks for all the input, it will definitely help in my decision! =D
I was accepted to Berkeley for Fall 2010, so I am not a spring admit. A few days ago I visited Berkeley with my sister and stayed with her for three days. I think Berkeley is pretty diverse, and there is always a lot going on there, so it’s good for people who like more of the “city” life. </p>

<p>I actually heard that Berkeley was the best in terms of the arts and humanities, but I really have no idea how they rank colleges, and I will have to look more closely into the programs that each school offers. </p>

<p>Once again, thanks for all of your help! Good luck with your decision as well!</p>