<p>In five days, I have to make a decision as to what college I will attend in the fall. My current choices (as you can see above) are University of California Berkeley and Boston College, as well as UCLA and UCSD. At Berkeley, I'm a molecular and cell biology major and at BC, I plan on double majoring in education and biology. In truth, I'm not set on either major and will probably change many times. I keep debating the pros and cons of each school, but come no closer to choosing. If you could give me some advice, or mention something that I have not considered yet - I would really appreciate it! Please read further before replying >>> THANK YOU in advance for reading my super long entry!!!
Note: I have already been accepted to the above schools. This thread is not about college admissions, rather college selection.</p>
<p>First, here is some background on my high school experience:
GPA (weighted) 4.25/5.0
GPA (unweighted) about 3.66 - rough estimate, our school does not calculate this
SAT: 2270 (800 W, 750 CR, 720 M)
As for course load, I have taken honors classes throughout high school and only two AP classes altogether, both this year.
Extracurriculars (and stellar college essays) are probably what got me into my schools in the first place. I have been involved with nine clubs and organizations, participated in over 600 hours of community service total, and performed in five music groups. I am president of Amnesty this year, vice president of another club, and historian of student council. I do not play any sports.</p>
<p>UC Berkeley (PROS)
-number one public school in the nation
-excellent research opportunities as a science major
-great nobel-prize winning professors and NO classes taught by grad students
-very active/school spirit
-many choices to explore other subjects through seminars and student-taught classes
-students in the college of letters and sciences enter undecided and go from there
-all students, regardless of "major" take similar GE classes the first three semesters
-as I said, the reputation
-the social atmosphere such as bands, clubs, and sororities
-large, but pricey dorms</p>
<p>UC Berkeley (CONS)
-academic competition (as you can see above, I will probably not be the top student there)
concerns about low GPA and getting into grad/med school
-the location
-since I live on the east coast, it is very far from home
-the city of Berkeley is not great
-costs more than BC for me
-a very large student body where I could get lost
-classes range up to 700 students per class</p>
<p>Boston College (PROS)
-small student-teacher ratio and good advising
-I am in the honors program, where classes are only 15 students ***
-I received a 3/4 tuition scholarship. This means I would pay much less than at Berkeley
-since I'm not very self-motivated, a set curriculum may be beneficial
-the campus is gorgeous, and Boston is a bus ride away
-stay perfect distance from home
-religious affiliation, as I am christian</p>
<p>Boston College (CONS)
-limited curriculum means less room to explore options
-a requirement of the Lynch school of education is I must double major, leaving no time for other "fun" classes
-reputation is not as good as Berkeley
-not many extracurricular activities outside of athletics
***the student body is so small, I have concerns about making friends there</p>
<p>Ideally, I would go to both universities next year, but of course I cannot do that. Which school should I go with?</p>