Hey everyone! I’m in in-state student who was accepted to both UCLA and Berkeley in both their Letters and Science colleges, and I’m having trouble deciding. Ultimately in my career, I want to work in business, so academically Berkeley will be the better fit because of potential to get in to Haas. As a backup, I would study computer science or economics in the Letters school at Berkeley, which is not offered at UCLA. However, I feel that I would fit in to the social scene better at UCLA. I hear they are a little more laid back and less competitive, and they also have much more support for college sports, something very important to me. The downside is I would either study business econ, cognitive science, or try and transfer into the College of Engineering, and I’m not sure how these degrees will translate to a career in business. Basically, I’ll be happier at UCLA, but may be forfeiting an academic advantage that I would receive at Berkeley, so is it worth it?
bump
Berkeley by far. But, I’m biased.
Another Berkeley (grad) alum here… at the UNDEGRAD level, they are equals. No, UCLA is no more laid-back or less competitive than Berkeley, and no sports are not any more supported or valued at UCLA vs. Berkeley.
As far as careers in “business”, to be honest, it just does not matter what your exact degree is. Anything technical will do, plus making sure you have excellent communication skills (writing, public speaking).
I don’t think UCLA is more laidback and the classes are less competitive. I think UCLA’s academic standard is as high as Berkeley’s. It probably only differs sightly for engineering, due to the very high concentration of gifted students enrolled in Berkeley COE, making competition a bit stiffer. But for social sciences and natural sciences, I think the level of difficulty at both schools are about even. And, since there are way many more highly achievers enrolled in Berkeley, your chances of getting higher grades are also higher, because you would be surrounded by smarter students who normally deal academics more seriously.
Both Berkeley and UCLA students are friendly, outgoing and highly sociable. While UCLA students are more athletic, as generalization, Berkeley students, on the other hand, are more politically inclined and outspoken. In reality, you’ll meet a lot of very attractive sports buff at Berkeley and also a lot of political activists at UCLA. Due to having better leadership skills, the Berkeley students are just naturally better at organizing events and symposia, thus crowds are more visible on Berkeley campus, which often are being highlighted by media in order to catch more of the viewers’ attention.
As for my advice: I’d say both schools will open doors for you, specially if you’ll graduate with flying colors. But, as a general rule of thumb, choose the more prestigious school. In this case, UC Berkeley, obviously. I believe Berkeley would open many more doors for you than UCLA would. Berkeley’s superior brand name and stronger connections in the corporate and financial world will get you internships in Wall Street, or in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo or Dubai a lot easier and faster than UCLA will.
You’ll also have much higher chances of getting into a top graduate business school like Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Haas and Sloan coming out of Berkeley than UCLA. The gap difference is not even close. Same as for law school. There are twice as many Berkeley grads enrolled in Yale, Harvard and Stanford Law as there are UCLA grads, including in the whole T-14.
That said, if after having visited the Berkeley campus and having met and mingled with the students and faculty there you still dislike the experience, or you simply dislike the atmosphere and environment there, and you have this option which has the kind of ambience you love, and you’re willing to give up the extra prestige which Berkeley pocess, then I’d say, follow your heart and never look back.
Hi. Here’s my two cents worth.
I don’t think UCLA is more laidback and its classes are less competitive than Berkeley’s.
I think UCLA’s academic standard is as high as Berkeley’s. It probably only differs slightly for engineering, due to the very high concentration of gifted students enrolled in Berkeley COE, making competition there a bit stiffer. But for social sciences and natural sciences, I think the level of difficulty at both schools are about even. And, since there are way many more highly achievers enrolled in Berkeley, your chances of getting higher grades are also higher, because you would be surrounded by smarter students who normally deal academics more seriously. Berkeley students these days work well with follow classmates. Nobody would ever try to ruin your grades in order to boost his. Such thing doesn’t exist at Berkeley these days anymore. Your profs would encourage you to be highly collaborative. You wouldn’t just need to learn on how to be a good team player in order to excel in class, but, also, to survive when you find the classes gruelling…
Both Berkeley and UCLA students are friendly, outgoing and highly sociable. While UCLA students are more athletic, as generalization, Berkeley students, on the other hand, are more politically inclined and outspoken. In reality, you’ll meet a lot of very attractive sports buff at Berkeley and also a lot of political activists at UCLA. Due to having better leadership skills, the Berkeley students are just naturally better at organizing events and symposia, thus crowds are more visible on Berkeley campus, which often are being highlighted by media in order to catch more of the viewers’ attention.
As for my advice: I’d say both schools will open doors for you, specially if you’ll graduate with flying colors. But, as a general rule of thumb, choose the more prestigious school. In this case, UC Berkeley, obviously. I believe Berkeley would open many more doors for you than UCLA would. Berkeley’s superior brand name and stronger connections in the corporate and financial world will get you internships in Wall Street, or in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo or Dubai a lot easier and faster than UCLA will.
You’ll also have much higher chances of getting into a top graduate business school like Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Haas and Sloan coming out of Berkeley than UCLA. The gap difference is not even close. Same as for law school. There are twice as many Berkeley grads enrolled in Yale, Harvard and Stanford Law as there are UCLA grads, including in the whole T-14.
That said, if after having visited the Berkeley campus and having met and mingled with the students and faculty there you still dislike the experience, or you simply dislike the atmosphere and environment there, and you have this option which has the kind of ambience you love, and you’re willing to give up the extra prestige which Berkeley pocess, then I’d say, follow your heart and never look back.
Apologies for the double posts.
Cal alum perspective: Any degree translates into a career in business. Your last sentence is your decision. If you will be happier at UCLA, that is where you should go. Go to the undergraduate school where you will thrive and be successful. Grades and test scores matter more than the name on the diploma.
OP: If I understand your thoughts based on your original post in this thread, you prefer Berkeley academic offerings & UCLA’s social life.
Enjoying one’s undergraduate years is important, and both schools are outstanding in all respects. But they do offer contrasting social environments.