<p>Any thoughts on the differences between the two, or if one is better than the other and for what reasons? Particularly interested in EE and CS. Besides environmental issues like campus and location...more on the programs - accessibility of classes, who teaches classes (TA v Professors) access to labs, internships, lab versus textbook oriented, etc....any big differences or plus/minuses for either school?</p>
<p>Berkeley’s generally considered amazing for EECS, usually ranking in the top 5 or so programs I think? UCLA’s pretty good too. Admission can be pretty competitive though, so you should probably apply to both and see where you get in.</p>
<p>In terms of the classes themselves, even within the school (I’m EECS at UCB) it can really vary. Some classes are more theoretical, some are really hands on. None are really textbook oriented. Some classes have labs, some have huge group projects, some just give problem sets. You’ll generally have a professor teaching during lecture (100-600 students), and TAs in charge of labs/discussions (20-40 students). Sometimes you’ll get a GSI lecturing during summer courses, but the ones I’ve had have always been really good. I’d imagine UCLA is pretty similar with all that.</p>
<p>Internships and stuff: A bunch of companies recruit at Cal, there are a couple info sessions every week. [Electrical</a> Engineering and Computer Sciences Calendar](<a href=“http://events.berkeley.edu/index.php/calendar/sn/eecs.html]Electrical”>Events at UC Berkeley)</p>
<p>Thanks failure622. Applied to both, counting on neither, but just incase moon and stars align want to get some background. I heard UCLA is more textbook oriented - surprising, but from an experienced parent of kids there and somewhere else, also a lot of TAs teaching, not so much professors. UCB seems to reign supreme in EE, but socal pretty sweet. In terms of both, just not sure about dealing with the struggle like everything in California is - waiting in line for this or that, stressing if ya can get in a class, finish major in less than 5 years, all the pains of an overcrowded impacted public school. Trying to gauge if either school is worth the angst that comes with it. But alas, that is another thread. Thanks for your time, good luck at UCB, also applied to EECS there, encouraging you had time to post!</p>
<p>Berkeley has about a 70% four year graduation rate, among the highest of public universities in the US. UCLA is close to that as well. The students on the Berkeley forum generally are not complaining about involuntary delayed graduation (although popular out-of-major courses can be hard to get, like CS courses for non-CS/EECS majors).</p>
<p>I would not be surprised if both use the model of a faculty member leading the main course with TAs leading smaller discussion sections and labs (this is the common model at Berkeley). In introductory courses, this may mean a 500 student lecture, a 30 student discussion, and 20 student lab, but some upper level courses may have just 30 students total but still have both a faculty member and a TA (though EECS (especially CS) courses tend to be larger due to the popularity of the major). Honors lower level math and science courses are often small as well.</p>
<p>On-line schedules of classes at the various schools can give you an idea of class sizes.</p>