Read it here:
There’s no sense in calling the UCs public schools if they’re not affordable, as all public services should be. I doubt this will get anywhere by itself, but it’s a good first step, and hopefully, it will encourage students and their families to pressure the state legislature to increase funding.
They can definitely find the money to fund these schools beter—they can redirect funds appropriated towards prisons to the UCs, CSUs, and CCs, for example. We spend too much money on incarcerating people and keeping them locked up anyway.
Instate gross COA is 30k. 2/3 of undergrads receive an avg FA award $16k+. The Blue & Gold Opportunity Plan ensures free tuition/fees for families earning less than 80k. Even illegal immigrants are entitled to the largess.
Doesn’t sound so bad.
I agree @cayton, I hope Jerry gets on the ball with it.
@gmtplus7, the problem is there is a middle tier stuck paying the whole enchilada, and I don’t mean the super-wealthy, I’m talking about the folks who fall through the cracks. And the cost is hurting them. There needs to be a better way.
The whole enchilada is 30k. It still beats paying $65k for a private college.
Good point. It is cheaper than Harvard. I guess that settles it.
As an OOS, I wd be thrilled to be billed only 30k for UC
Good for you.
Nice overview of the budget issue and the decreased state funding to UC over the more funded CSU and CCC. Plus, the state gov’t threats of withholding funds if the UC tries to make up for shortfall.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/csu-649039-increase-students.html
BTW, @briank8 and @mikesauce, you might like the transfer student to Haas paragraph about midway.
Why not start with the publishing companies…every semester they sell a “New Version” of the book and charge waaaaay more money than the book’s worth. Putting a cap on the amount of money publishers are allowed to charge schools/regulating the “New Version” distribution of the publishing companies – i.e. we don’t allow them to come out with an identical version of the same book every year, calling it new and charging ridiculous amounts of money – would definitely make an impact. (Books would cost $50 as opposed to $200).
Nice, @lindyk8! Yay, 30 slots! lol 
I met with my TAP advisor yesterday. She tried to sway me away from Haas because it’s so competitive and there are simply so few slots available for transfer students. Not wanting to go anywhere but UCB (or possibly Cal Poly SLO because my significant other wants to get back down there), it definitely discouraged me a bit. I could take my chances on Haas, or probably do something like Political Economy and probably have no problem getting in. Ugh. I’m going to reevaluate where I’m at at the end of summer and go from there.
Thanks for sharing that article!
People often say Haas requires a certain amount of luck to get in, but if you do well in all areas, you are very likely to get in.
By do well, that means a GPA 3.9+ (average GPA is 3.84, but it is not the median, median is likely around 3.9+), complete all the prereqs and breadth requirements by the time you apply in fall (this would force you to take a heavy course load), write great essays, and find an internship or something you’re very passionate about.
Everybody I know who has met all of those criteria has gotten into Haas. Those who didn’t were always lacking someway whether it was a high GPA, but poor course load, or great stats, but poor essays.
I agree with @spenceyboi . Of eligible transfers 18% got in. That’s better than a lot of impacted/selective majors. I forget what your GPA is, but you have military service (leadership/teamwork/focus/commitment), plus a compelling story.
http://haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html
Also, there are people with 3.84 and lower, so having that lower GPA did not disbar them. The key would be essays and ECs, which I believe you have.
Also, can’t you select an alternate major? Put political economy as alternate (unless impacted?). And, of course, apply to Cal Poly.
@lindyk8 My GPA will probably be around a ~3.84 when I’m ready to transfer, with the “wild card” being those three 10 year old C-'s (two are transferable, one is iffy) which aren’t factored into that 3.84. If I can get someone to give me some inclination that if I repeat those courses (again, taken 10 years ago OOS) that they’ll use the newer grade, I’ll just repeat them and hopefully that will be that, but so far I keep hearing not to worry about them but obviously I am. I have a fair amount of B’s in there, but I also have a lot of units.
Unfortunately there’s no alternate major choice for junior transfers. For people who go straight to L&S from high schools, they can have alternates when they apply for Haas and I think typically go to Econ or Political Economy or something like that. So if I shoot for the moon … and miss … I’m not going to Berkeley.
My ECs still need some work (though I was just elected VP of my school’s Student Veteran Organization … woot!), but I have a lot of really unique, interesting, and compelling hooks and anecdotes. I think I’m the “well-rounded” type of person that Haas says they want, but the all-or-nothing nature of this situation is kind discouraging to say the least.
I’m taking 19 semester units this semester and anticipate a 4.0 for the semester. Will likely take ~9 or so units over summer, including possible a summer class at Berkeley through TAP’s Summer Enrichment Program. Next year would be over a full load as well finishing pre-reqs and boosting my grade.
That link you posted, showing 91 out of 512 applicants doesn’t make it seem THAT bad … though I know it is.
Anywho, sorry for taking your post off-topic!
I remember a counselor telling a high school student that Sonoma State was a reach for her. Against his suggestion, she applied to UCLA and got in.
The point being if you feel you are a competitive student based on the known Haas criteria, I don’t quite get where she’s coming from, except maybe a position of extreme caution.
@lindyk8 thanks for the info, Im not sure wether its good or bad that 1/3 of the spots are reserved for transfer students. On the one hand it guarantees seats but on the other it acts as a cap.
Those who have not gone to school elsewhere seem to not understand the comparable affordability California offers at their public schools. Being from WA state, I can tell you WSU and CWU both cost within $3-4k of UC’s, without the prestige or notoriety.
I opted to go to community college because I was unable to pay that, and paid $80/credit at CC, plus hefty lab fees in the $100-200 range for physics and chem classes. WA has no Board of Governors Waiver equivalent.
Here in CA It costs $28/credit, with no course fees, and everyone complains about it like its crazy expensive.
The quality of student services and facilities between the two CC’s are night and day. At my San Diego CC I had chem labs where sections of seats were taped off when it rained due to huge leaks, roaches and rats infested buildings, counselors are nearly impossible to get an appointment with, the financial aid line can take hours, etc. There is a lot that can be done by increasing tuition. Alternately, the increased funding can be used to freeze tuition rates and still make
Improvements. I agree that the CC’s should be a priority in funding due to the sheer number and variety of Californians they serve compared to CSUs and UCs. This is where the money can do the most good for more people.
UCs are also still an amazing deal compared to private schools, which range from 1.5-3x the tuition.
I also take some issue with the overwhealming number of stories out there of students who have amassed huge debt and have a bleak future of paying it off and place blame elsewhere. I do agree school is expensive in general. However I think a larger part of the problem lies in students/their parents not having sound financial knowledge. Most of these are from private schools where tuition is much higher, but even at UC taking out $30k/year in loans for 4 years on a degree that leads to a job where you will make $40k a year is a bad idea. Worse yet a major that leads to no job. With options such as working while in school, applying for scholarships, going to CC first, enrolling in tuition reimbursement/repayment programs, military, etc there are so many ways to reduce what you pay/borrow.
I don’t think it’s fair to simply say that school is expensive and it shouldn’t be, so make it cheaper. California higher education is already cheaper than lower quality public schools elsewhere.
@MikeSauce Perhaps it’s not so much of a cap as it is a minimum? If 1/3 of the ~90 transfer students come from CCC’s, where are the other 2/3’s coming from, when very few OOS and international students are selected?
Maybe not a “minimum,” for lack of a better word, but hopefully you get what I’m saying.
RE Haas, I think the breakdown is 2/3 from the Berkeley campus (i.e., freshmen admits) and the remaining 1/3 from the transfer pool, which is virtually all CCC.
@bear87, you’re undoubtedly right. I just think some of us, who are in the middle bracket, feel a little bit like our kids are shut out of even the smallest crumb. I am definitely not alone in this feeling. Having said that, I love the UCs and will just suck it up. 8-}
@briank82 , the 1/3 stat means that 1/3 of all Haas applicants chosen are transfer and the other 2/3 are from UC Berkeley. Haas actually almost exclusively only considers CCC students. OOS and UC to UC transfer for Haas is incredibly difficult.