<p>I have recently visited both campuses and liked UCLA more. I live in orange county so I would be much closer to UCLA. I know that Berkeley has a better academic reputation but I'm wondering whether it is superior enough to warrant me going there instead of ucla, which would probably be more fun. My question is do grad schools view a cal grad as slightly better than a UCLA grad? Is Berkeley really better than UCLA? My major would be biology. Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>Also, I was admitted for spring semester for cal, and fall semester for UCLA.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to biology, maybe someone else can jump in on that. I know the fall start is obviously preferred. If you are planning on graduate school, I have heard that schools like you to go to another school for that, meaning if you went to UCLA undergrad, you would have better chance at UCB grad school than a UCB undergrad, but then I believe a lot of UCB undergrads apply to Stanford for graduate school. I’m sure that is not exclusive, but seems to be a general consensus from alumni that went that route. I hear Berkeley is competitive to a fault, meaning a lot go there for the academic reputation, but culturally they don’t like it. Again, this doesn’t apply to everybody. S didn’t get into UCB which I was thankful for because while it probably would have been the best academically, he would have felt he should choose it because of that, but I could tell he didn’t really think it was a good fit. He wants to be in LA. Who wouldn’t at 18?!</p>
<p>Most graduate schools are merciful when viewing applicants from Berkeley as their average GPAs tend to be quite low, Med schools don’t care. So it’ll be great if you’re planning on graduate school to attend Cal, but not med-school because they literally kill your GPA. Most grad schools don’t make a comparison on which applicant is better whether they came from Cal or LA, so you probably have no advantage for graduate school based just off which school you graduated from. Berkeley is indeed better than UCLA in ranks and prestige, but if that is the only reason you’re choosing one or the other… then I have no words for you.</p>
<p>^^^ and what they said.</p>
<p>@CADREAMIN The truth of the matter is that there is no correlation to whether it is harder for a UCLA undergrad to get into UCLA grad school. Those are just rumors, as it is also false that is “easier” to get into grad school of the same school you went for undegrad. You shall be treated the same like every other applicant.
*By the way most UCB students are Stanford rejects which is why most apply to Stanford graduate :x (just something from the rumor mill).</p>
<p>^^^ Makes sense, good to hear another thought on the matter.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. If there is no real difference between the two when it comes to grad school admissions decisions, I am going to go to UCLA. The Berkeley campus was nice, but in all honesty, the surrounding area was disappointing. I really liked UCLA’s campus, and the surrounding area is a nice part of la.</p>