There have been a few posts on this subject already, but the most recent one I could find was from 2011. I think most would agree that a lot has changed since then, especially in the bay area. Like many others, I’m currently trying to decide which school I’d rather attend if I’m lucky enough to gain admission to both. I’m a philosophy major and the philosophy programs are essentially of equal status. So basically for me it comes down to whether I’d rather live in the bay or LA. However, I’d love to see others’ input on this topic, especially from those who have graduated within the past couple of years or those who are also trying to decide which they want to attend.
Both are excellent schools but the campus atmosphere are nearly opposite. Have you visited each campus? If admitted to each school I would make sure to visit and sit in on a couple of classes. Once you do that I’m sure you will know which one you like the best.
Besides the So. Cal and No. Cal differences, UCLA is on a quarter system while UC Berkeley is on a semester system. Many students who are on the quarter system tend to agree the quarters seem to go by fast. Despite the slower pace semester system, the academic environment at UC Berkeley has the reputation to be a little more rigorous than at UCLA. Both are beautiful campuses.
Go to UCLA
UCB is a little more rigorous, and the social scene is not as intense as UCLA’s. However, Berkeley definitely has a much better reputation, and most of its courses are rated much higher than UCLA’s. Regarding the UC system, I only applied to UCB, as I felt it would be a much better fit for me than any other of the UCs (rigorous programs, stereotype of smarter and nerdier students, campus atmosphere…).
I got into both UCB and UCLA as a Bay Area high schooler. I’m very glad I chose UCLA and have no regrets.
I attended a notoriously rigorous and competitive high school (we’ve appeared in the news). I feel my high school friends at UCB (who were as equally qualified as me) have nonetheless struggled whereas I feel I have been doing pretty well at UCLA (if I said it modestly). They were in UCB Letters & Science and I am on an engineering track at UCLA. Indeed, I do think it is more competitive at UCB, but I don’t think that’s a good thing.
More competitive does not mean better; in fact, I believe at such an extreme as UCB, competition works against you (rather than pushing you to succeed and do better, the curve keeps you down unless you go insanely try-hard or cheat). UCLA has been relaxed; it’s competitive but collaborative. I can work and study with my peers rather than worry whether or not they’ll try to sabotage me or abandon me in the future. Of course, UCB has some programs higher ranked than UCLA, but at this level, rankings are irrelevant. You’ll be going to top notch schools regardless of which you choose.
Lifestyle at each school is the determining factor. Coming from the Bay Area, I wanted a new environment. And believe me, SoCal and NorCal are VERY different. SoCal has a completely different culture more based on entertainment and what’s hip and popular; it’s more materialistic. Does this mean that SoCal natives are vapid cretins that are slaves to pop culture? No. It’s just what they do for fun. They go to wherever is pretty and can take good pictures of themselves in. They work out and eat healthy to look good and go shopping to stick with the fashion trends. In NorCal, we like to go outside and enjoy nature (NorCal and SoCal both love hiking, but I feel it’s for slightly different reasons). We are more tech-oriented and enjoy more conversations surrounding social justice. Of course, these are generalizations, and at schools like UCLA or UCB, you’ll meet people from both sides of the state. It’s just that the things to do in LA are different from the things to do in Berkeley/San Francisco.
One of the more frustrating things I have run into here in SoCal as a NorCal native is the lack of public transportation. Fortunately, UCLA provides weekend shuttles to various places of cultural significance in LA. Also, Uber/Lyft are much cheaper in SoCal than they are in NorCal because the demand here is lower since everyone is supposed to have their own car (it’s a nightmare to live in LA without a car if you’re not a college student).
Anyway, go UCLA! I tried to be honest in my comparisons.
Having visited both campuses and many different states in the U.S. and having lived in various states and countries, here are my quick observations.
- UCB's campus is older and has a feel of a NY college transplanted to CA. You see many homeless people outside the campus and is dirtier but hippie feel to it. Definitely has the NY feel to the campus, good and bad. Since UCB is near or in the Silicon Valley area, job opportunities may be better.
- UCLA is in the Los Angeles city, so more modern, near the entertainment industry.
I would say UCB is slightly more academically competitive. Both are at the center of earthquake areas, so . . .