Hi! I am trying to decide between UCLA and Cal as a polisci major! I was admitted to LA as pre-polisci and admitted into both for College of L&S. I am planning to apply to law school after undergrad too, so GPA will be a large concern for me. I would be appreciate it if some people could give some advice, maybe which would you prefer? How are the social climates? Which one would be prepare or help me get into a good law school? Also, please do not ask me to visit and see which one I would like, due to COVID-19 I am unable to. If it helps at all, I am from SoCal, about 30 min out from UCLA. Thank you for your help!
The social climates at the schools are very different. What types of social things do you like to do? Would you prefer to move away from home, stay close or does it not matter to you?
It doesn’t matter to me about moving away from home, but I am worried about having to travel home for breaks especially because I would not bring a car with me. Also, I really would like to get involved in clubs and advocation groups on campus, and I don’t want to be completely tied into academics 100% of the time (which is what I heard Cal is, but I’ve also heard the opposite so I’m not sure), as well as just being able to explore the surrounding area. Thank you for responding!
I’ll write about Berkeley because you probably know enough about UCLA. My opinion (so take that for what it is worth) is that you don’t need a car in Berkeley.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) will take you from Berkeley to Oakland airport. Southwest flies from Oakland to all of the LA airports. It is about an hour flight and if you are flexible and plan in advance, you can find affordable prices. Thanksgiving will always be expensive but you might be able to find a friend with a car who is driving down.
The most important thing is to be organized in college. Attend class, take notes, read the books, complete assignments, go to office hours, stay on top of your studies and you will do fine. Make it a priority to get your school work done before going out. You can do this between classes and during the day so that you have time to relax at night. You will always hear about people who are stressed or are cramming for a test or pulling an all nighter. You don’t need to be one of those people. The choice is yours. 