Hi,
Currently trying to decide between Berkeley and Uchicago for a major in Computer Science or Chemistry. Berkeley has a more of a STEM bent and probably more cutting-edge research opportunities, but Chicago has been dream school for the longest time. I’d like any opinions please? I’m really very very very torn
As I said in your “Berkley” thread of the same name, UChicago is ranked 3rd for undergrad universities and you cannot go wrong with it. Moreover, it is ranked 12 in graduate school chemistry which should mean the research opportunities for undergrads will be excellent ones. Good luck with your choice! Maybe you should visit both if possible.
Is there a big price difference and, if so, does it matter to your family? I might start there because both are great schools. And I don’t think I’d go an extra 200K in debt (for example) to choose one over the other.
If the answer is no, I’d say that the major educational differences (outside of the Core) will probably involve scale and the accessibility of faculty. We’ve been amazed at how helpful and how available faculty have been to our first year student. Lots of office hours/informal study sessions to work on psets, timely answers to quick questions via email or course chat boards, willingness to explain things one-on-one without referring you to a TA first, availability not limited to 9-5 M-F, etc. Seems to be par for the course for Computer Science faculty and true of our kid’s current Chem prof as well. And this is her experience while taking *intro courses (for majors, though not her own). FWIW, I think her Chem course has about 40 people and her CS about 60. She really likes her cohort in both. Thinks CS, in particular, has great people - very friendly and collaborative. Has also really liked the Harper Tutors set-up: free HW help for intro STEM classes available every Sun-TH evening on a drop-in basis in a building with a good cafe and a large and beautiful study space.
UChicago also seems to have a very good internship program/career services office. As an undergrad who couldn’t afford to take unpaid summer internships, I’m particularly impressed that UChicago steps in to fund many such opportunities. I was also surprised at how immediately incoming students were encouraged to use these services. My daughter took advantage of a few of the programs offered and came away with a summer research gig in her field.
I can’t speak to coursework/opportunities beyond first year, but others here can. Wrt Berkeley, given the fields you’re interested in, if you haven’t already, you should ask current undergrads about how easy/difficult it is both to get the courses you need/want when you need/want them and to switch majors.
I’ve lived in both Berkeley and Chicago as a (grad) student and revisited both recently. There’s a lot to love about each. Great foodie towns and both campuses have amazing bookstores nearby. For an undergrad, UChicago will have better housing and a more “residential college” feel (Berkeley’s kinda free-range by comparison). Both places have decent/reliable public transit connecting you to cultural/entertainment and job opportunities downtown. But you probably knew that anyway!
*If you haven’t looked closely at UChicago’s Core Curriculum, you should. Could be a voting issue (either way, LOL)!
@Neha2341 Are you able to attend admitted student days? this will likely help you decide. Both are excellent schools. Is one cheaper than the other?
Money isn’t a factor as with aid, I will be paying about the same for both.
Then if you find the Core Curriculum appealing, I’d say go with UChicago. When I first saw that the student:faculty ratio at UChicago was 6:1 (or 5:1 – sources vary), I had no idea how much that could matter in practice. But it really seems to.
Two of my sibs (and one’s spouse) were Cal grads and while they loved their undergrad experience there, it was worlds away from what I experienced educationally at Harvard and what my daughter is experiencing at UChicago. Professionally, I have no doubt that either school can get you where you want to go. It really comes down to how much you enjoy learning and whether you love being continually challenged intellectually. Since you said UChicago has been your dream school, I’m guessing you do.
I would look at the big stuff, do you want to go to a large University or a College? Do you want to live in the bay area or Chicago for your undergrad years? Do you like the fact that UCB is a Div 1 sports school vs Div 3 for UChicago? Both educations will be excellent but quite different in how you get them as alluded to above.
Thanks! Would you know about the crime in chicago?
The kind of Chicago crime the media likes to play up to scare people is irrelevant to your life at UChicago. Hyde Park is safer than Berkeley (especially at night).
People ask this all the time, but really your question is too broad. You should look up the statistics that are required by the government on crime committed on campuses against students. Here is the data for both that I pulled off the Dept of Education website. Sorry about the layout but the first number under each crime is for UChicago and the second number is for UCB
Criminal Offense
A University of Chicago
B UCB
a. Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter
0
0
b. Negligent manslaughter
0
0
c. Sex offenses - Forcible
N/A
N/A
d. Rape
6
18
e. Fondling
5
28
f. Sex offenses - Non-forcible
N/A
N/A
g. Incest
0
0
h. Statutory rape
0
0
i. Robbery
8
37
j. Aggravated assault
5
16
k. Burglary
20
54
l. Motor vehicle theft
12
37
m. Arson
0
1
If the price is the same, UChicago is the clear choice. I say this as a Bay Area Californian who is a huge fan of UCBerkeley, the best public school in the nation and a really remarkable place
At UChicago, you will have far smaller classes, no impacted classes that you can’t get into, far easier access to research and internships, closer and better relationship with your professors, far nicer dorms (that will be available for all 4 years), better career counseling, pretty much all of the advantages of a smaller school with all of the advantages of a research university.
Berkeley will give you better weather, better off-campus food, and better sports/rah rah culture.
As far as crime goes, Hyde Park and Berkeley are going to be roughly the same. Hyde Park is not the scary part of Chicago.
Here are the number base on percentages (per 1000 students) since UCB is much larger than UChicago. As you can see on a percentage basis UChicago is the “safer” of the two.
Criminal Offense
A
B
a. Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter
0
0
b. Negligent manslaughter
0
0
c. Sex offenses - Forcible
N/A
N/A
d. Rape
0.39
0.47
e. Fondling
0.32
0.73
f. Sex offenses - Non-forcible
N/A
N/A
g. Incest
0
0
h. Statutory rape
0
0
i. Robbery
0.52
0.97
j. Aggravated assault
0.32
0.42
k. Burglary
1.3
1.41
l. Motor vehicle theft
0.78
0.97
m. Arson
0
0.03
CS, Business, Chemistry and English are well known top majors with world wide accolades at UCB.
you can’t go wrong at either, but I would think Berkeley is the stronger school for what you want to study.
One advantage of small college (compared to large university) is a student can enroll into the classes (bot required and elective) easily. My D has always been able to get into the classes she wants even the classes are full sometimes. When the College registration is full she emailed the professor and got in.
For more stats added Harvard and Cornell. The incidence of rape at Harvard is disturbing.
Criminal Offense
A Harvard
B Cornell
C UChicago
D UCB
a. Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter
0
0
0
0
b. Negligent manslaughter
0
0
0
0
c. Sex offenses - Forcible
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
d. Rape
1.21
0.78
0.39
0.47
e. Fondling
0.67
0.32
0.32
0.73
f. Sex offenses - Non-forcible
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
g. Incest
0
0
0
0
h. Statutory rape
0
0.09
0
0
i. Robbery
0.57
0
0.52
0.97
j. Aggravated assault
0.61
0.09
0.32
0.42
k. Burglary
1.52
0.96
1.3
1.41
l. Motor vehicle theft
0.47
0
0.78
0.97
m. Arson
0
0.05
0
0.03
On the surface the Bay area seems much safer than Chicago, thanks for the continuous crime (happens a lot) coverage in the national news.
But for a UChicago student the general crime concern (even in the areas surrounding its campus) does not seem to have impact on their daily activities. UChicago students like complaining everything from food to weather to grade but you hardly hear them complaining the crimes.
Of course I like to see Chicago’s crimes to be purged but it is another topic.
@preppedparent All popular majors at Berkeley are impacted. If OP was not already accepted into the CS program or the small College of Chemistry, there is no guarantee that they ever will be able to get in. Just being admitted to Berkeley does not give you access to the whole university. Meanwhile, being admitted to UChicago not only gives you access to every class and major, but it also gives you access to all the classes at in the graduate and professional schools as well.
^^^
<<at uchicago,="" you="" will="" have="" …="" far="" easier="" access="" to="" research="" and="" internships,="" closer="" better="" relationship="" with="" your="" professors,="" nicer="" dorms="" (that="" be="" available="" for="" all="" 4="" years),="" career="" counseling,="">>
My Berkeley student had lots of access to research and close relationships with her profs. She also has had fantatic apartments at Clark Kerr and in the middle of campus, and career counseling helped her get into Haas.
Not sure Berkeley would hold you back on these things. But yes, I think you have to apply to your major to get in, and if not, switching may prove difficult.
@CU123 unless your key is off - Cornell is disturbing as well.
True but Harvard stands out.