Got a match up for you guys to ponder about. So I was accepted to Georgia Tech and UC Berkeley. Thought this choice would be easy but I am far from wrong. I will tell you most as I can about my choice and I want to hear what you have to say!
I applied EA for GT and got in. I applied as a Aerospace Major. I am really passionate about aerospace, absolutely love rockets and NASA and SpaceX and stuff,Ive even done a few things with Lockheed Marten before, but not quite sure about intensive math that would come with it (i decided to skip BC calc). I’m instate and have a good enough GPA/will be Salutatorian so I will get Zell Miller and GT would cost me about $12000. Visited the campus and like the quarks about GT.
Accepted to UCBerkeley. Realize that it would cost me about 45000 and that is quite a daunting number. I was accepted as a CompSci major. Taking AP CompSci now and got a handle on it somewhat. Interested in comp sci but would consider it as my second major choice. I also like finance, was in the finance academy at my school, and speak german on a 3 level so maybe that means something? Have not visited Berkeley so I am trying to leave my biases about the looks/feel vs GT aside.
I realize that Berkeley is such a world class school that maybe I should just bite the bullet get a lot of scholarships and a good bit of loans and make it happen somehow, or is there really not that much of a difference and I just should take the more economically responsible option?
As far as engineering goes, both are excellent schools. Although I’d still say Berkeley is the better option, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it would be worth the money and the move to go to Betkeley vs GTech.
We are from California and my D is a freshman at Georgia Tech. I recommend that you take that great scholarship and go to Tech. (We are so jealous of all the Georgia residents that have that great scholarship because there is nothing like it in California). Tech has been a very positive experience for my D and she loves it. Here are some things to consider:
There is a huge budget fight going on right with the Governor and the UC's. This means there will be increases in tuition regularly and you need to account for that in your budget. Plus class sizes are much larger at Berkeley because there are a lot of impacted majors. My D's largest class is around 100 but that is for her intro classes. Many of her classes are in the 25-35 student range. She has no problem seeing her professors and they know who she is. Tech is a smaller school that Cal so the situation is not like what the poster above says. You get to know your fellow classmates.
Tech Square is awesome. Companies love Tech graduates so many of them have set up innovate centers in Tech square to attract Tech students to their companies. If you google in the Atlantic Journal you can find a article this week that said Boeing was coming to Tech Square and setting up a center in order to attract the aerospace eng. majors. I don't now if there is an equivalent situation at Cal.
$$$ You say you will just get scholarships and loans but that is much harder to do for a figure as large as $45K. First most private scholarships are smaller and one time awards. The deadlines for most of those have pass already. You think loans are easy but they can really be crushing to a young person just starting out in their career. My older child graduated from Ohio State with a full merit ride. He is so thankful he has no loans because it means he can try different careers like he is doing now. Back when he was deciding on colleges he has two full-rides and merit from other places. We consulted with the author of "The College Solution" (leading book on the money issues of college admissions) and she told him "take the money at Ohio State". Best advice ever given.
The thing that really impresses me about Tech is the endless opportunities for the students. In fact my D says it is the one thing tough about Tech, there is so many opportunities that you want to jump on all of them but you really can't do them all and still get good grades. It is just amazing all that Tech does for its students. I mean President Obama was there two weeks ago to speak to the students.
It is difficult to change majors at the UC's and you have already said at Cal you got your second choice. This is not a problem at Tech. If you like finance well Tech has a great business school. At Cal it is really tough to get into Haas and in fact you have to apply again for that school once at Cal. You like language, well Tech has an add on you can do called "The International Plan". Everyone does study-abroad at Tech especially at the campuses Tech has in different countries. My D is doing such a program this summer. I don't believe Cal has their own campuses in other countries.
I recommend you take the money and attend Tech. You can always go to Cal for graduate school. It simply isn’t worth the additional costs. Tech has risen in rankings and it has really become one of the top engineering institutes in the country. Plus the students have great school spirit and know how to have fun. They study hard but also have a lot of fun. Game days are a blast; there is a greek system and a lot of special programs like Grand Challenges.
I was making my comparison based on the fact that at Cal the average class for freshman intro classes is 500 to 800 students. A difference of 100 to 500/800 is not a similar comparison in my opinion. Just last month I went and visited my D and as we walked across campus she was greeted by several students from her classes.
I went to a UC so I know what you were talking about with large class sizes at UC. Tech is not the same.
I would say $120,000 makes a difference definitely, it would in my case but, I have been waitlisted by both, I wish I could have the same problem in about a month, but probably not
YOU would not be getting the loans – your parents would, since students are limited to about $7,000 a year in loans. And don’t forget the high cost of living in Berkeley, and expensive flights back home to Georgia. Also there really are no scholarships to speak of from Berkeley for out of state students. And all that for a major that you’re only lukewarm interested in and “got a handle on somewhat” in AP Comp Sci. You’d need a lot bigger handle on computer science to consider it as a first choice major and be competitive. Stick to your passion in aerospace and what is realistic financially. It’s huge to be able to go to Ga Tech with Hope/Zell, so take advantage of it. And don’t be afraid of the math and physics – just about everybody struggles with it and survives. But to keep Hope/Zell, make sure you are getting whatever tutoring or other help on the side you need to keep your GPA up. 60% of Ga Tech students on Hope scholarships lose Hope (can’t keep a 3.0 GPA), so plan on making studying a priority.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math: Berkeley would cost $132k MORE over 4 years. If $132k in 4 years is chump change to you, then go for Berkeley.
Thank you all for replying. Thank you @itsv for such an insightful reply. Yes i did apply there for CS but i did so because UCB is such a great school for CS, and GT is better at AE. I am glad your D is having a good time at Tech. I think your statement about all the opportunities from on campus activities to Tech Square is really helping me with this decision.
Go to Georgia Tech, great school. We often forget that the name of the school on your diploma is not a guaranteed ticket to success. Do not go into debt for undergrad if you can avoid it. It just is not necessary and it would be your parents debt because they are the ones signing the loan documents. You can always go to Berkeley for grad school.
OP. If you were living in a neutral state and both schools would have cost the same…then I would have recommended Berkeley. But, since GT would be significantly cheaper…I would attend GT if I were you. You will still be respected for either aerospace engineering or CS coming from GT (far better than most of the ivy privates)…and will be welcomed not only in Georgia but in Silicon Valley! Best wishes!
Yeah, Georgia Tech hands down! It’s a great school, the price is right, and you can go wherever you want for grad school. My son actually applied to GT, and was accepted, but as an out-of-state student he didn’t get an affordable package. As you know it’s a great school, and the financial considerations really are important!
Both are great schools but Berkeley is an iconic institution and one of the “elite six” universities globally.
The name itself carries you to places you can’t image. I wouldn’t like to tell my grandchildren I got into Berkeley but decided not attend it - and instead attended Georgia Tech!
Unless I go to attend a Stanford or MIT (also part the “elite six”) - I wouldn’t miss the Berkeley opportunity. It will also prepare you to face life better than other smaller public or private universities that have smaller class sizes and higher level of hand holding.
