Hi guys, so basically I was accepted to UC Berkeley for Spring 2016 and USC for fall 2015, both for political economy as a junior transfer student. I had a hard time deciding between the 2 so I paid the deposit for both schools in order to buy some time. But now that it is nearing the start of the fall semester, I think it’s time I stop being so fickle and make a decision. I was wondering if you guys can help me out in choosing a school to attend?
So first, the cost of attendance: I am an out of state student so I can’t pay in-state tuition at Berkeley. After looking at my financial aid packages, Berkeley will set me back around $43,000 a year while USC will only set me back about $15,000 a year. Money is not a huge issue (still an issue to a certain extent), but is it really worth it to spend almost thrice as much at Cal for it’s academics and prestige?
Next thing to consider is that I’m a fall 2015 admit for USC but a spring 2016 admit for Cal. I know one semester is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I’m worried that it may be hard to adjust and make friends since every body is already there for a semester.
I hope to attend grad school in the future, hopefully for a masters in education or an MBA. Would it be harder to get into a good program if I attend Berkeley considering the whole grade deflation thing? But on the other hand, I can’t find any statistics on USC’s job placement rate or grad school rate and I’m worried that USC will not prepare me for grad school. Is it harder to get to know professors at Cal who can write a letter of rec for me, since the classes are much bigger?
I’ve heard people say that they regret transferring to Berkeley but I have never heard anyone say the same about USC. I’m not one who can study 24/7 nor am I extremely smart, how will I fare at Cal? I heard that networking is not as great at Cal compared to USC, but Cal graduates seem to get hired more.
I like Cal’s prestige, but I’m not sure if I’ve got what it takes to be successful there. I like USC’s atmosphere but I’m afraid I will regret not attending Cal. Anyone have any suggestion on where I should attend and why? Thank you in advance.
TL;DR: Cal for $43,000 a year or USC for $15,000 a year?
How much debt would the extra $56,000 over two years require?
In any case, double committing is a no-no.
USC is the obvious choice here given that it’s significantly cheaper for you and considering the time value of money…you’ll be out in the workforce sooner. MBA typically requires work experience.
@ucbalumnus I wouldn’t be in any debt as my dad is willing to cover my undergrad cost. So if cost isn’t taken into account, do you have any suggestion on which school you think is the better choice?
Um… too late, I already double-committed 2 months ago lol. Now it’s just the problem of choosing which to attend before it’s too late.
@UCBChemEGrad If money wasn’t taken into account, would USC still be a better choice? I’m just worried that I wouldn’t be able to find work after graduating from USC since I don’t know how it’s job placement rate is like. Whereas for Cal, the job placement rates on their website seems pretty decent.
This is crazy, you need to make decision and let go of one. It doesn’t matter where you go but unable to make decision will affect your performance at any job regardless of the school you attend for undergrad.
For that major it’s probably Berkeley if money is not a problem.
But kids at USC do find jobs, heck one kid who was my daughter’s roommate is now a partner at a top VC in Silicon Valley where Berkeley and Stanford dominate. If a person is smart and goal focus, there is nothing stoping him/her. But this kid got nearly 4.0 from undergraduate and only 3 years out of school.
I would definitely decide quickly!
But, Cal student here, and for that price, I would honestly choose USC. UC Berkeley is awesome, it has a great student body, academics, etc. but it’s not worth $30,000/year over USC, which has a nicer campus, smaller class sizes, and honestly probably has less academic rigor that will result in a higher GPA. Job prospects will still be great for USC grads… the name might not take you as far but from what I’ve heard USC has a great alumni system that can help you get connected to a job. And since you mentioned going to grad school, grad schools don’t care nearly as much about the school you went to (unless it’s Stanford vs. Chico State) and rather focus on how well you’ve done.
Ultimately, it’s your own choice-- but I would easily pick USC.
PICK UC BERKELEY.
Berkeley isn’t considered the #1 public school in the world for nothing. As a transfer who just graduated from Cal, I was in the same situation as you, deciding between UC Berkeley and USC. Money should be the last consideration, because in a place like UC Berkeley, with the amount of alumni support, finding money as a transfer isn’t a problem.
UCB is one of those places that will change your life, and opportunities that come along with a degree from such a powerful place are priceless.