<p>Hello, I got accepted to both UCLA and UC Berkeley. I am having a really hard time deciding between the two :P I don't want to pass up the opportunity to go to Berkeley, but UCLA is also an exciting place to go. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>UCLA Pros </p>
<ul>
<li>Better major & curriculum (For my major Applied Science, I am able to make my own curriculum, and thats amazing!)<br></li>
<li>Better Environment (Westwood vs. downtown Berkeley) </li>
<li>Top ranked Applied Science program (#2 in the nation) </li>
<li>UCLA Regents Scholarship = Full Ride = 28 k </li>
<li>Preferential Pre-Enrollment (means UCLA not a public school to me anymore ) </li>
<li>Guaranteed Parking ( - - OK, this is cool!!!!!!) </li>
<li>450-member Regents Scholar Society (RSS) </li>
<li>Close to home (I am living in LA, and I love Los Angeles) </li>
<li>I prefer quarter system </li>
</ul>
<p>UCLA Cons</p>
<ul>
<li>UCLA is not as prestigious as UC Berkeley </li>
<li>All My friends are going to Berkeley (they all got admitted into both schools, and they dont even look at the fact that UCLA offers many amazing opportunities)</li>
</ul>
<p>UC Berkeley Pros</p>
<ul>
<li>UC Berkeley is a highly-renowned college, especially in math and sciences. </li>
<li>Actually Bay Area is a pretty good place to live & study, too.</li>
<li>Berkeley offers me 21 k, which is also a very good deal</li>
<li>UC Berkeley campus looks amazing. </li>
<li>UC Berkeley was my first choice until I got UCLA Regents Scholarships (to be honest) </li>
</ul>
<p>UC Berkeley Cons </p>
<ul>
<li>Not in LA! </li>
<li>The Curriculum is not as good as UCLAs (There are 9 major requirements + 3 electives, and I dont like some of the courses) </li>
<li>It doesnt have an Applied Science major over there, so I instead I will have to major in PURE Math & Physics (= =). </li>
<li>I heard that Berkeley is cut-thought, especially for sciences majors. </li>
<li>UCLA seems like a great place for me to get on the path to graduate school.</li>
</ul>
<p>I also got Regents at UCLA but not a Berkeley. I ended up choosing UCLA because honestly the difference between the two is fairly negligible, and if you find that your major is actually stronger at UCLA AND you have a full ride (!!!) then UCLA is the clear choice. As with you, If I had not gotten Regents at UCLA I would have probably chose Berkeley but with Regents as the cherry on top UCLA ended up on top for me. I stayed overnight at both and while I did like them they are VERY different – I found students at UCLA to be more outgoing and overall happier while at Berkeley they tended to be fun yet very studious and frankly more nerdy (I’d consider myself nerdy but in a love-to-learn way). It sounds like your pros are much stronger for UCLA than for Berkeley. And look at your cons for UCLA – pretty unimportant in the grand scheme of things. I think your gut is already telling you that you’re going to UCLA ;)</p>
<p>I live in Bay Area. Most of my friends go to Berkeley if they are admitted to Berkeley. The school is only 50 mins on BART to my area.</p>
<p>I chose UCLA over Berkeley becasue the courses that I will be taken match my interest. And, I know I can easily volunteer in UCLA hospitals when I am there. I also like the activities that they offer. Moreover, I can see a promising path after my graduation.</p>
<p>I also feel UCLA is not far from my home, Southwest can serve this when I need.</p>
<p>I had hard time to decide going to UCLA or CAL. The thing that made me worry about losing is “the connection” and perhaps “Famous Degree”. But, I know there is a clear path for me at UCLA.</p>
<p>I think the connection only works if I will be major what I really like to do and enjoy to do. I also think “Famous Degree” works probably I end up not doing what my major is. So, to me, why not doing what I want to do? :]</p>