<p>Help! UCBerkely VS UVa </p>
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<p>Hi!</p>
<p>Admitted by both and now is very entangled with which one to attend. My prefered majors are political sciences and international relations, the sort of Humanities things. There are great differences in characteristics between these two universities. Anybody can give me some suggestions on which school to pick?</p>
<p>Thank you very much!</p>
<p>Would cost be a factor?</p>
<p>Academic strength of your major: Berkeley > UVa
Weather: Berkeley > UVa
college experience: Berkeley = UVa
overall prestige: Berkeley > UVa
law school preparation: Berkeley = UVa
employment prospect: Berkeley = UVa</p>
<p>Another factor is that UVa has a very strong and extremely loyal alum network throughout the DC area and in many nearby state capitals. That is helpful to get great internships and your first job interviews, if you want to work on the East Coast.</p>
<p>If you want to work in the western US or Asia, certainly Berkeley would have a stronger network.</p>
<p>Re RML’s very good assessment, I disagree on a few points.</p>
<p>First, re overall prestige of the undergrad: UVA = Berkeley. UVA is the status symbol undergrad school for parents in the Washington area (ie, by that do not mean the one perceived to be the best (ala HYP), but the one that DC residents are very familiar with and that hoards of the very best students from NOVA attend due to the tuition being much lower than the privates.</p>
<p>Second, there are a number of people still re-living the 1960s who reflexively think of Berkeley and student activism (others love it for this, and so depending on your political persuasion this might be a positive or negative). Not aware of anyone with a strong negative perception of UVA. As lawyers tend to be risk averse (I am a trial lawyer for DOJ), UVA is the safer choice in this regard. </p>
<p>Third, while I agree that if you surveyed university professors/administrators re the relative reputation’s of the two universities’ political science departments, Berkeley > UVA, but that would be based on graduate studies. For undergrad, I think UVA at least = and probably > than Berkeley. I don’t know of any Berkeley PS professor with the reputation of Larry Sabato who runs UVA’s Center for Politics and is regularly quoted in the NYT and Wash Post. Also UVA’ s proximity to Washington DC and status symbol perception give it the edge for finding political internships. The Hill and K Street (not to mention DOJ) are filled with many UVA grads, not so much re Berkeley. </p>
<p>Finally, you might also consider the character of the college town, and here UVA far exceeds Berkeley, with Charlottesville acknowledged as one of the very best in America.</p>
<p>I think that overall, a degree from either place will get you a great job. So you should pick the place you prefer. I’d recommend campus visits. You will be more successful at a school where you are completely happy.</p>
<p>I agree with most every point muckdog07 has made in reference to RML’s comparisons. I few things I might also add:</p>
<p>Weather – Charlottesville winters are mild in comparison to Northeastern states and those in many areas of the Midwest (ex: Chicago). Weather was a major factor for our southern D when choosing from her lost of accepted schools. She could have gone to school in warm, sunny southern California but decided she wanted a change of seasons. Similarly, she could have selected a school on the outskirts of Chicago but did not want to spend 6 months in a frigid icebox. New England was a contender but ultimately she picked VA because of the beauty of this historic college nestled in the mountains. In the fall, the foliage is breathtaking. In the spring, the dogwoods are in bloom and flowers are abundant. In the winter, kids build snowmen on the lawn and there’s always a chance of snow to make the holiday break more festive. So, she opted for VA’s distinct seasons (very mild winters). Also, UVA’s buildings themselves are far more attractive, IMO, than the cold, impersonal architecture at Berkeley. Look on most any list of “Most Beautiful College Campuses” and UVA is usually there. </p>
<p>College experience – Berkeley is significantly larger than UVA, and decidedly more unilateral its political climate and attitude of its students. This could be imposing for many students. UVA’s size and diversity makes it more welcoming for all types of kids. Plus, I agree with Muckdog that the town of C-Ville is a true college type town – not too large and not too small – that revolves around supporting the UVA community; hence, I would give te edge to UVA. </p>
<p>Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, students at UVA all graduate in 4 years. Because of CA’s budget woes, it’s taking numerous, numerous Berkeley students 5 years. Is Berkeley worth an additional ~$59K to you?</p>
<p>Numerous, numerous?! Haha! </p>
<p>Berkeley admits many more poorer kids than UVA. This impacts grad rates more than the budget woes. Berkeley added core classes. </p>
<p>I agree it depends on where you want to eventually settle down…East Coast go for UVA. West Coast go for Berkeley.</p>
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Cold and impersonal? Maybe…but you can’t beat its location overlooking the Golden Gate…
<a href=“Wrong shelf. | UC Berkeley Library”>Wrong shelf. | UC Berkeley Library;
Berkeley campus photos here:
<a href=“Wrong shelf. | UC Berkeley Library”>Wrong shelf. | UC Berkeley Library;
<p>Well, UCBChemEGrad, we’ll agree to disagree on this one. I feel Mr. Jefferson was a marvel and perhaps the most intelligent president in U.S. History. The architecture at UVA is second to none and years before its time, and I’d take it any day of the week over the more modern, mundane buildings at Cal. I know others must agree and appreciate the history intertwined with beauty because UVA is the only college campus in the world that’s registered as a world historic landmark – it’s unique and special:</p>
<p>[The</a> University of Virginia Rotunda - Historical Tours of the University of Virginia - Virginia Travel](<a href=“http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/historicsitesculture/qt/uva_rotunda.htm]The”>http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/historicsitesculture/qt/uva_rotunda.htm)</p>
<p>I’ll agree that a view of the bridge can be quite breathtaking, but one must first be able to see it to enjoy it, and unfortunately, the fog and rain often interfer. ;)</p>
<p>^ Beats walking in muggy, Virginia weather. </p>
<p>Clark Kerr also was a genius in setting up a world model for public education. :)</p>
<p>August can be humid in Cville, but the rest of the year is very mild, but a little rainy.</p>
<p>As a current government major in the politics department at UVA I can vouch for the quality of the professors here. They are truly active and well known in the political science realm and most are really good at actually teaching. I have had professors who have been policy experts for Presidents (Quandt), contributors to television news programs (Sabato, Freedman), prominent authors (haha almost everyone), the list goes on and on. However, the one drawback of political science in general is that you do not come out with a specific skill set that makes it easy to market yourself. As a fourth year, I can tell you that finding a decent job is not as simple as “oh, I am graduating from UVA, when do I start?” Proximity to Washington D.C. helps, but you have to be extra proactive as a Politics major. Several friends of mine in the department (including myself) have no choice but to go on to do graduate work to boost our resumes in order to be more attractive candidates for possible jobs with the federal government. Nevertheless, UVA has a very strong politics program and I have loved the atmosphere here intellectually and socially. Sorry that I cannot compare it to Berkeley because I do not know too much about it, but its safe to say that you cannot go wrong between the two.</p>
<p>It might take you 5-6 years to graduate from UCB with their budget cuts and all… If you do pick UCB, let’s hope you get into the required classes!</p>
<p>Hello! thank you very much for answering my UVA VS UCBERKELY for politics post, the information all of you gave was very helpful! Thank you! But I am still entangled. The biggest factor in my consideration is the chances of getting internships in government or NGOs, working in these organizations has always been my goal. Work prospect matters the most to me. I think UC Berkely may not have as many opportunities to work or get network in the east coast as UVA does. I worried that UCB mostly have internships with government in California while UVA can have internships in New York and DC where so many international organizations located. Also many headquarters of NGOs located at the east coast. Would you please tell me do UVA politics students have a lot of opportunities to get internships in government, Capital Hill, white house, think tanks, NGOs? Do the professors of politics in UVA have many connections to the government, Capital Hill, white house? I would like to settled in the East coast. I wonder if attending UVA helps at this pont, since in the politics ranking UCBERKELY is higher than UVA. But I will attend UVA absolutely if UVA has better chances of getting internships in government or NGOs, and a political career in the east coast. I love to work in international NGOs.
Thank you very much!
Best Wishes,
Angeli</p>
<p>[U.C</a>. Berkeley Washington Center: The Undergraduate Academic Program](<a href=“http://ucdc.berkeley.edu/program.htm]U.C”>http://ucdc.berkeley.edu/program.htm)
<a href=“http://www.ucdc.edu/[/url]”>UC Washington Center - Home | UCDC;
<p>Can anyone make a comparison between the international relations and foreign affairs in uc berkeley and uva</p>
<p>Which area in the world are they good at？</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>Most west coast universities have stronger ties to Asia, while most east coast universities have stronger ties to Europe. Of course, at UVa you are 2 hours away from all of the embassies and a few hours of a train ride away from all of the consultates around the UN.</p>
<p>taking into consideration UCB’s budget cuts, and your desire to work in a foreign affairs related field, I would choose UVA. I am planning to major in Foreign Affairs in the fall and considered UCB but the distance, budget cuts, and distance from opportunities led to not apply.</p>
<p>UVa students are still able to graduate in 4 years - it has the highest 4 year graduation rate among public universities. I don’t know about Berkeley in particular, but there have been plenty of stories about UC students who could not graduate on-time because of budget cuts.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that the World Bank, the Organization of American States and many similar organizations are headquartered 2 hours away from UVa. The whole national security industry is also based in the DC area.</p>
<p>Budget cuts are overblown and have not impacted Berkeley’s 4 year graduation rate. Read current Berkeley student accounts on the Berkeley board. Berkeley has added core classes:
[UC</a> Berkeley | Cal Day | Top 10 Reasons to Come to Cal](<a href=“Cal Day | Visitor Services”>Cal Day | Visitor Services)
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<p>The whole not graduating on time for Berkeley due to budget cuts is a scare tactic used by outsiders.</p>
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Find me the “plenty” of stories about Berkeley students who could not graduate on-time because budget cuts prevented them from getting the courses they needed.</p>
<p>That being said, if you want to work in Washington D.C., UVA’s proximity is an advantage.</p>
<p>^ Um, have you been on the UCB forum here? I remember being there a couple years ago and students were complaining about how hard it is getting into classes. UCLA is no different. Cali public schools are sinking fast.</p>
<p>61% graduation rate at UCB? OP is basically risking a 5th and maybe 6th year. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/128351-4-year-graduation-rate.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/128351-4-year-graduation-rate.html</a>
Compare that with 86% at UVA, much less risk. [Current</a> Enrollment, Facts at a Glance, University of Virginia](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/Facts/Glance_Enrollment.html]Current”>http://www.virginia.edu/Facts/Glance_Enrollment.html)</p>
<p>61% graduation rate is pretty horrible for a school like UCB. Either the school isn’t doing something right or there are significant budget cuts causing students to not get into many classes.</p>