<p>Hi I got accepted to those three colleges until now and waiting for few more colleges.
However UC Berkeley is one of my dream school so I definitely decided to go there.
I will be majoring in Material Engineering so I thought UC Berkeley will be the best choice.
But few days ago someone gave me a weird suggestion that I should go to USC instead because public school sucks in many ways.
Are you kidding me, UC Berkeley sucks?:( anyhow, I think he wanted to tell me the fact that when studying in public school I should study harder than when I go to private, and no one really will help you studying in public eg. counselors or TA or professors.
Is that right? Should I really go to USC instead?
I am still waiting for:
Boston College
Johns Hopkins
Carnegie Mellon
Rochester
Wake Forest</p>
<p>I have no idea how strong your major is in each of those schools, but there is a good deal of merit in the advice you got. In private schools you are treated like a costumer, and in public, more like a production unit. Think DMV:-) </p>
<p>I am a USC grad, and had a lot of friends at UCLA, and they struggled to get a lot of their administrative needs met that were a breeze for me. Having said that, obviously people survive and thrive at UCLA and UCB. My daughter is in the same boat as you. She got accepted in all three as well, and still waiting for a few more decisions tomorrow, but she likes Cal the best, primarily based on the feel of the campus. She’s been to SC campus a few times, took a tour, and just does not like the feel of it for whatever reason. We spend at a couple of days at Cal and she loved it, because it seems very lively and social, where as kids at UCLA seem pretty stressed out. Pretty quiet campus, not a lot of laughter and chatter, unlike Cal.</p>
<p>Just one opinion, and a lively social scene is important to her, and it depends what’s important to you, but everything else being equal, a private school definitely offers many advantages. I personally tend to put a lot of weight into the relative strength of the department you’re applying to.</p>
<p>If money or your program of interest is not determinative, then with schools of similar quality it is not frivolous to include weather as a factor. On that criteria alone I might leave UCB on the list bottom.</p>
<p>I actually have the EXACT same dilemma. I was thinking UCLA over UC Berkeley because UCLA is only an hour away from my house and I would like being near my parents…but then recently, I have been thinking that UC Berkeley has a more prestigious name which is also important to me. Then a few days ago, I’ve been hearing that it is getting hard to get the classes you want at UC’s as there are many waitlists and juniors and seniors get priority so it is harder now to finish your studies in 4 years. So now I am considering USC since it being a private school, this problem won’t really be there.
I am planning on visiting UC Berkeley this weekend, UCLA next weekend, and then USC when I get a chance. In the meantime, I am just asking many people for their opinions. I can’t really advise you since I am in the same boat…but I guess keep talking to people and visit the campuses! It can only help!</p>
<p>OH WOW. That means what I heard was right. I heard that in Cal, it’s hard to graduate…I wish there are people I can ask for help, but since I am living outside the state, there are few people I can find. Neither I can go to visit schools for my further information. SUCKS for me…:(</p>
<p>To Namee and Ready,</p>
<p>It will definitely be easier to get into the classes you need at USC, as well as get better advisory services, but on the other hand, if you have lots of AP and/or community college credits, UC’s will likely accept more of them than USC. So that will reduce your needs towards graduation. Plus, you can always take some of those lower division GE’s at community college during summer or even during school year. You can also possibly take classes at UC’s during summer, if you need to catch up. I’d call the schools to verify how well that works for them. I do know a couple of Berkeley students that take classes during summer to keep up, but it may be because they were doing poorly, and changed majors.</p>
<p>UC’s definitely cut some classes here and there due to budget cuts, but I hear that class unavailability is overhyped. It’s not that bad. Bottom line, there are pluses and minuses with each school, but you can’t go wrong with any of the three, assuming the strength of your major is within the ballpark among all of them. Obviously, if one really stands out, I would go there.</p>
<p>Thank you for very useful information ConcernedDad101 ^
I guess not all the schools are perfect–and I am so glad to hear your suggestions!
Go Golden Bear!</p>
<p>YAY I love helping people decide on colleges!</p>
<p>okay WHAT? UC’s have a really stupid AP test policy whereas I believe USC would be more lenient on this matter (though you would have to check). </p>
<p>You can take community college classes to make up for your GE’s at berkeley, but even with this I hear its difficult to graduate in 4 years. </p>
<p>lol yeah for me UC’s were my last last last option, mainly cause of budget cuts. Although it is true berkeley is still getting alumni money, and will not be ever running on 0 even if state + federal cut off all funds (which its coming dangerously close to; FEDERAL gvt. now gives more money to UCB than state), remember that resources will be declining over the next couple years, tuition is likely to go up, and that its just going to get worse.</p>
<p>COST:
Keeping this in mind, be sure you can afford to go to UC berkeley. Are you going to be willing to pay 45k per year, which is probably what it will be by the time you’re a senior? Even as a freshman you’ll be paying a little over 35k per year, whereas at USC im guessing it will be much cheaper (especially adding in scholarships)
Winner: USC</p>
<p>Reputation:
UC berkeley is world renown [for primarily its grad school], but when you name drop UC berkeley friends and family will prolly be “WOW she goes to berkeley?” whereas if you name drop USC (at least in northcal) everyone would be like “meh. That spoiled kids school”
Winner: UCB</p>
<p>Class sizes/personal attention:
Yeah. I dont even think this needs explanation. Just google for some basic numbers and that should be proof enough. Privates tend to beat publics in this area, and esp with UC’s. Remember small class sizes = better research opportunities too.
Winner: USC</p>
<p>Environment:
Okay I have to give this one to berkeley; I have not seen more perfect weather than berkeley weather (I took classes at berkeley two summers so I would know). The campus is lovely in a quirky way; trees and large expanses of grass everywhere, buildings scattered forcing people to go outside and take a nice walk, its always a perfectly cloudy day (my type of weather) and overall is just a really really nice college town. IDK about USC, but im not sure if i would want to be next to hollywood
Winner: UCB</p>
<p>Grad school admittance rates:
This one is easy too. I’m a premed, and if you are too, steer clear of berkeley, and any other school that grades on the magic word of a bell curve. You will have a much much MUCH tougher time of getting into med school. idk about law and business school, but I would recommend davis if you want to go to med school (feeds into UCSF as well and is much easier). Im not sure how USC is for this
Winner: NOT UCB</p>
<p>Education:
This one depends on you. I know for me it would be USC, because i do better in a more hands on, smaller class size environment where im not stressed out about getting the classes I want. But some people do better with large class sizes, so idk</p>
<p>wow what a long post 
Hands</p>