<p>Im a political Science major, and I was admitted to CAL for the spring semester 2006. UCLA admitted me for the fall 05, which begins in september. My real question is Berkeley worth the wait? Im being pushed from two different directions by friends and family, I love both campuses, but slightly like the social atmosphere better a UCLA. I never thought that I would get into either schools, but I guess hard work does pay off. Any feedback is much appreciated</p>
<p>Well it sounds like you already chose. You like UCLA's atmosphere better, and Cal and UCLA are both great schools... so it only makes sense that you would go to Cal. The deciding factor should be whether or not you can imagine yourself living there for the next 2 years.</p>
<p>If you want to spend your Friday nights drinking lattes and listening to pseudo-intellectuals misuse big SAT words and rave about indy flicks they secretly didn't understand at all, go to Cal. </p>
<p>If you want to have fun while still going to a great school, UCLA.</p>
<p>I dont understand how all of you guys can asess the social quality of the schools. That is, be knowledgable about the personalities of the students and see a real difference yet claim there is no real academic difference. If anything, it should be the other way around. Both are large schools with alot happening and there will be groups doing whatever it is you want to do socially. It is silly and unnessaryly spitefull to suggust that they will all be "drinking lattes" and "misuse big SAT words". If you visit the campus and feel like you fit socially then fine but I seriously question any attempt to judge the social life with a quick visit. On the other hand, academics are much better at ucb by any type of statistical poll you want to use. As an east coast student I consider ucb to be a great school but had never heard of ucla until I visited these forums. You can look at gourman or us news or whatever else and ucb is top on almost every subject where ucla gets hardly any play. In british college rankings (where they dont have the priviate school prefrence due to their best colleges being public) ucb is put above stanford, oxford, cambridge, and most of the ivy league. You shouldnt go to ucb just because it is ranked higher somewhere but I think these rankings do suggust a disceriable difference in academics (I would even say sizable) whereas the proof I see for any social difference is spotty and personal.</p>
<p>Your'e kidding about never having heard of ucla right? I know you favor ucb but c'mon you never really knew ucla existed before cc? You said it yourself he "shouldn't go to ucb just because it is ranked higher" every school is a different fit for every person and maybe ucla's combination of great social scence coupled with a world class education is something that scott945 finds appealing. I still can't believe you hadn't heard of ucla though.</p>
<p>And you clearly haven't been to Berkeley, the city or the school. I grew up and still live 15 min. from Berkeley, and I don't know anyone who can stand the place or the people there. It IS a pseudo-intellectuals haven, and anyone who's visited or goes there will probably back me up on that. At least it's near San Francisco, which can be fun.</p>
<p>no, i really had never heard of ucla. Im sure many students in california are not familiar with uva and unc and those are the flagship state schools here (of equal or greater caliber to ucla). I recognize that academics arent everything but I think they should comprise the greatest part of ones choice of where to attend and I dont think something as seemingly generic and meaningless as "great social scene" should really compel the choice. Ive never been to ucla and maybe there is a awesome vibe that cannot be found anywhere else but it seems a pretty superfical characterization compared to the fact that ucb is world leader in political science. I think one could tell the difference in academics and im not sure once you find a group of friends you could tell the difference in social life.</p>
<p>Im not a ucb troll and I think there are a number of reasons to choose ucla over ucb (even specific social reasons) but not a general social impressions. I have been to sf and im not pretending to be a expert on the campus or students. I just think it isnt a bit fair to make generic comments about all the students and present that as data that is more valid then academic qualities</p>
<p>Hey! Tallywhacker, about Berkeley being a pseudo-intellectual's haven, I imagine that there are bad eggs here and there, perhaps more than there should be, but "haven" is too strong a word. And you don't know <em>anybody</em> who can stand the place? THAT I don't believe, because I find it implausible that no one in anyone's circle of friends or acquaintances can NOT stand Berkeley. Maybe dislike it. But not NOT stand it.</p>
<p>_42, it is weird that you have never heard of UCLA until CC. Then again, you made an excellent point when you said that some West Coast people might have never heard of UNC or UVA... I don't even konw what UVA is until know. UNC I know of.</p>
<p>If you think you will enjoy UCLA go there ( i know i am). I honestly believe that you will get an amazing education at either as they are both top 25 schools in the nation. </p>
<p>I am sure there is plenty to do around Cal, but probably not even close to par with UCLA. Westwood is a really nice part of LA with just about any sort of venue you can possibly imagine within a 15 minute drive, or even a short walk in some cases! I currently live in San Luis Obispo which is a pretty cool college town (many people would describe it as an amazing college town), but in my eyes SLO is not even close to as much fun as UCLA.</p>
<p>Both have excellent mock trial teams, which is a very good EC to pick up on (and probably one of the few law schools will actually pay attention to). UCLA is on a winning streak right now, though -- won the top national tournament two years in a row (this year and last)!</p>
<p>They both have law schools associated with them, and though Boalt is the better known and better ranked of them, both are VERY good nationally, and definitely among the best if you plan on staying in California to practice law.</p>
<p>No offense, but what cave did you grow up in? UCLA is probably the most famous sports school in America, its hospital is world-famous (best in the West), and it is constantly referred to in top newspapers and news magazines worldwide. You'd have to be trying pretty damn hard to miss it, even as a high schooler. </p>
<p>UCLA and UVA? Maybe. UCLA and UNC? Not even close in terms of prestige and "perceived value." Again, I'm not saying that it is better, but I guarantee that if you go throughout the US, UCLA will be seen differently.</p>
<p>And UCLA is also a world leader in political science. Go ask some UCB faculty if UCLA is some lightweight, and you might be surprised. UCLA consistently ranks in the top 10 of all political science measures, and has some of the leaders in every field on its faculty. I try not to toot my own horn here, but I guarantee you that I know more about this than 90% of the people on this board, including you. UCLA's is a very very well-known poli sci dept.</p>
<p>man, stop this UCLA vs. UCB duel. All I knew about Universities is that you go there to study, not to have fun. I mean, San Diego State is a good choice if you want to party.</p>
<p>since party schools were brought up...I just HAD to list them!</p>
<p>In California top 3 party universities are (in order):</p>
<ol>
<li>Chico State</li>
<li>San Diego State</li>
<li>UC Santa Barbara</li>
</ol>
<p>Just a little food-for-thought....JUST the Chico State university...accounts for 1% of the alcohol in the entire United States!!! I think I mentioned this before on collegeconfidential...but I had to mention it again. HAHA! Isn't that crazy though??? 1% of all the alcohol in the US all at that university...that is seriously insane.</p>