<p>After being accepted into UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego, I've pretty much eliminated UC San Diego and am now focusing on deciding between UCLA and Berkeley. </p>
<p>I'm interested in biology right now. I have a strong interest in marine biology (although I have concerns about paying the bills with that if I go into it) as well as genetics and neurology. I know Berkeley has a stronger biology program but none of the majors seem to quite be what I'm looking at. At some point I might change majors or double major or something to a technology field because I am extremely interested in working with Google or something of the sort (I have an interest with the Neurogrid projects of making neuron chips which I believe I could combine computers and the neurology I am interested in). Difference between costs are minimal. </p>
<p>I enjoy playing music (trumpet and bass guitar). I like weather to be nice because I enjoy playing sports (football and soccer mostly). Very clean and a good boy. Never did and never will do drugs or alcohol. I simply find them all to be distasteful. I've been offered pot and painkillers and beer and I've always turned them down. Even when I'm of age I still won't drink just because I think it's a foul habit that I'd rather not be involved with. I'm pretty liberal but my gauge of that might be off from living in the ultra-conservative Bible belt. I have some very Protestant and conservative ideals despite being atheist (like while I don't necessarily think no sex till marriage, I do think it shouldn't be something people just do for fun. Should have more meaning than that.). Not sure which school suits my sort of life style better. Perhaps someone whose gone to one can inform me. </p>
<p>Berkeley I was accepted into the College of Natural Resources.<br>
Berkeley has the Silicon Valley and therefore I could probably make better technology connections for post-grad work.
If I continue with my biological studies Berkeley is extremely high ranked for that.
Berkeley has a reputation that UCLA does not.
Big Golden Bears football fan. Almost matches my UT Vols love.
Weather seems kinda dreary but may still be an improvement on the South.
Don't like the high stepping style of their marching band.
Area around it seems to be not so interesting. I lived in San Jose before I moved to Tennessee and it wasn't all that. </p>
<p>UCLA I was accepted into the College of Letters and Science with Biology as my major.
Marching band is very similar to my style. Band is a large part of my life. I feel like I will enjoy their band more.<br>
Google offers internships in the LA area that as far as I am aware are not offered in the San Fransisco area.
Weather seems better.<br>
General campus life seems better.
Not a fan of basketball and it's a basketball school... can't see myself being too involved in that.
While it seems to be lesser in my fields to Berkeley, I have no doubt strong connections will be made there for my post-Grad work although they might not be as good as the ones I'd make at Berkeley.
Probably going to go through culture shock. I feel like people in the LA area, for lack of a better word, are more shallow than those in Tennessee.</p>
<p>In general I'm not sure about how much of a difference they are but I feel like I'd feel happier at UCLA but get more education and connection-wise out of Berkeley. I do not know where I will go for Graduate school but I am thinking another UC. </p>
<p>EDIT: Also my living style is staying up late (for no reason usually. Not even doing homework) and I'm a procrastinator. Bad. Don't know if that changes anything.</p>
<p>One thing I must warn before I offer my advise:
If you think you might do “pre-med” at either school, UCLA would be better, not only because of its renowned medical center and medical school, but also because Berkeley’s “pre-med” (I only say it in quotations because the UCs technically don’t have pre-med programs…but students still declare themselves as such anyways) is abnormally cutthroat to the point of sabotage. Something to be aware of.</p>
<p>Anyways, when it comes to prospects of working with technology, you’re right on track about the Silicon valley area near Berkeley, which has THE world headquarters for Google, so lots of potential for connections there. </p>
<p>However, be aware that Berkeley is a very liberal city and has a very active political climate. The locals themselves are liberal, and so are the students in general, so you will encounter many who have a liberal perspective on religion (meaning many are atheist), the government, education (that’s what most of the Berkeley riots are about), gay rights, etc. So if you want a chill atmosphere, UCLA would be better for that. </p>
<p>Both of those schools are very impressive, so you should be proud of yourself for getting in! Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>No worries on premed. I’ve not the stomach for that. The problem is I’m not exactly sure what I want to do. I never was really huge on computers but I can see myself going into that. It looks really interesting and Berkeley would probably set me up better for that. But the biology they’re offering I’m not really liking and if I pursue that I might be leaning UCLA. </p>
<p>Also it’s worth note that the parents are pushing Berkeley while I’m leaning UCLA.</p>
<p>I suppose at this point you can do three things:</p>
<p>1)Check your financial situation for both schools; sometimes the best choice is the cheapest choice (and can leave you more money towards grad school).</p>
<p>2)Talk to your folks about their preference for Cal. Maybe their reasons are compelling enough to help make you decision.</p>
<p>3)Visit each campus. Bruin Day at UCLA is coming up this Saturday, and Cal Day is on the Saturday after that. These will be great opportunities to look around campus and the city, and see which one feels right for you; determine which one you can actually see yourself as a student in. :)</p>
<p>if you are pre-med, between berkeley or ucla, I would suggest UCLA because they have a med center on campus in which you are able to do your undergrad research, internship and volunteering over there. Their med center is more easily accessible to undergrad research. </p>
<p>There is UCSF and other hospitals but it may be more difficult for pre-meds studying in berkeley to get research, internship and volunteering experience which is crucial in your med school app.</p>
<p>Did you apply and got accepted to UCSD or UC Davis? If so, look at those schools as well as they would be a bit easier to get a higher GPA which is important for med school and both have great research, internship and volunteer opportunities especially for pre med. Med schools really only care about GPA, MCAT, and research, internship, and volunteer work.</p>
<p>Ya’ll I really have no plans on going pre-med. I was also accepted into UC San Diego in Muir as an Ecology, Behavior & Evolution major. I have been to all of their campuses before. UCLA and San Diego Spring 2010 and Cal Fall 07. I really liked all their campuses. The Berkeley area I felt was a little less interesting than LA or San Diego. I used to live in the Bay Area so I’ve been to the Fisherman’s Wharf and all that stuff. </p>
<p>Financially no matter where I go I will have to pay a lot. $40000 for UCLA and San Diego. $39000 for Berkeley. Really money is not going to decide anything right now. </p>
<p>I’m pretty sure my parents only prefer Berkeley because it has a bigger name (They came here from Taiwan some 20 years ago. They pretty much only knew about big name schools.) and is in the Silicon Valley (my dad’s company makes DVDs and computers). But we have some family friends in LA who really want me to go to LA. Mostly business reasons waiting in in San Jose and San Fransisco.</p>
<p>I have on daughter who goes to UCLA graduating in June and the other who is a sophomore at UC Berkeley. They are both outstanding schools. If you are into the marching band, the upside of Cal if that there games are on campus. However next year they will be in SF because the are renovating the stadium. The marching band marches thru campus on game days up to stadium with students and cal fans behind them. uCLA games are at the Rose Bowl. But I’ve been to both schools games and they are equally as fun</p>
<p>As far as being too liberal, as a conservative, the vibe at Berkeley has been very friendly. I think the school still has a stigma from the 60’s. My daughter has not encountered any issues that were offensive and if anything, Cal welcomes all opinions.</p>
<p>UCLA has a cleaner campus and it does have the fabulous Medical Center right there. My Bruin has had many great intern opportunities as a communications major very close to campus. At Cal, most internships are in the city requiring taking Bart. The nice thing about Cal is you don’t have to have a car. The public transportation system is great. In so cal you pretty much have to have a car to go anywhere, expect walking to Westwood village. My daughter actually was 20 minutes late to an interview that was only 6 miles away from her apt., and she left 40 minutes ahead of her appt…terrible traffic.</p>
<p>I hope I have helped with a parents perspective, two great schools to choose from. good luck!</p>
<p>That’s interesting. I knew about the car situation with UCLA and such but the traffic sounds worse than I thought. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind the CalBand if it wasn’t for the high stepping. I march corps style like UCLA’s band does and since I do do drum corps I don’t want to have to deal with the significant transition between styles.</p>
<p>You should take a look at the Computational and Systems Biology program at UCLA. It may interest you since you seems to have interests in Biology and the technical world. There is a concentration within the major that focuses on neurosystems, which may attract you since you stated you were interested in neuron chips.</p>
<p>I know you’ve already said you’ve eliminated it, but i would recommend you reconsider UCSD. It’s arguably the best UC, and one of the best schools in the country, for biology. UCSD is known for biology like Berkeley is known for engineering or UCLA is known for film. I think i also remember reading that UCSD has like the most funding from the NIH for nano stuff.</p>
<p>If SD is completely out of the question, then i’d recommend LA. Speaking of google, they’re opening up an office in Beverly Hills. (which is probably like a 5 min drive from westwood) so that will be worth considering. You’ll definitely network with more tech people at berkeley, but you’ll no doubt be able to network with people like that in LA. they just require some finding.</p>