<p>Hi guys. Ive been admitted to both University of Michigan and UC Berkeley for undergraduate engineering, and Im seriously considering both schools. Im thinking of majoring in mechanical engineering, but I also want to do some business/management, and Im thinking of doing an MBA program in management before I go for a career in (probably aerospace/NASA) engineering. For the undergrad engineering however, would going to one school over the other give me an advantages in things like job opportunities and name recognition by graduate schools and companies? Diminishing the whole OOS tuition issue (I live in Michigan) but otherwise counting the little things (social life, weather, things to do on campus) as well as job/internship opportunities in either engineering or business during undergrad years, which school seems like the better option? Im posting this on both colleges threads, so feel free to be somewhat biased in your responses. Thank you very much!</p>
<p>I really wanted to go to Berkeley 
But I couldn’t, because I live in Michigan, and for an ocean, and sun, and palm trees, and coolio Asian friends, I wasn’t about to pay 145k$ish more for something with cool weather and more Asians (that’s the only difference I see between the schools anyway).</p>
<p>Despite that though, I love San Francisco SO much! They were the first to so openly accept the Chinese (1850’s), the gays (1970’s), and the Muslims (2009ish) on such an open, accepting basis. That city is legendary for its people. I’m not saying that Ann Arbor’s that great, but I think ultimately, your only real decision factor- b/c both schools are on par, academically really- is San Francisco vs. Ann Arbor. Both have awesome squirrel clubs, really great academics, internationals, huge diversity populations, really cool people, too many instaters (in my opinion), and amazing grad schools and internship opportunities.</p>
<p>I never actually applied to Berkeley because I didn’t feel that the schools were that different, or worth the cost. You say to diminish the OOS costs, but my family can easily afford a lot of schools too. Costs matter- a lot- despite the circumstances. </p>
<p>I love both a lot (Berkeley tons more to be honest) but I don’t think Berkeley is worth leaving UMich.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is what you wanted, but good luck!</p>
<p>That is a tough decision. Academically, Cal is slightly better than Michigan, both overall and in Engineering. Reputationally, again Cal is slightly better than Michigan, with the former being considered a consensus top 10 university while Michigan is only arguably so but definitely a top 15 university. </p>
<p>However, Mechanical Engineering at Michigan is as good as Cal. In all things Aero, Michigan is actually excellent and possibly better than Cal. The university places many students in major Aerospace companies such as NASA, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman and Boeing. In this regard, Michigan is second to only MIT.</p>
<p>Graduate schools and employers will typically not differentiate between graduates of Cal and Michigan.</p>
<p>I would go for fit and for whichever school is cheaper. As a resident of Michigan, UM will cost you roughly $100,000 less than Cal over four years. Furthermore, I think Michigan offers a more well rounded and balanced undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>To all Michigan residents thinking the grass is greener everywhere else, IT ISN’T! It is beyond ridiculous to pay 100K more to attend a school that is only marginally better than U-M academically. Berkeley is a fabulous school, but so is Michigan. You do realize that California is going through a tremendous budget shortfall that is going to and is affecting the public schools there right now, correct? Michigan as a state is not in good shape financially either of course, but The University of Michigan is. Thanks to one of the largest endowments in the world, the school will weather this financial crisis just fine. Keep that in mind too when you think about the cold ocean, few palm trees, coolish tempuratures, and foggy weather in the Bay Area. The San Francisco area, while I love it, is not Los Angeles/Southern California weather wise either.</p>
<p>Read the newspaper about all the classes being cut at Cal [and all the UC’s], associate professors not being hired, etc., etc. Michigan is almost completely independant of the State of Michigan as concerns state financing. The same cannot be said about Cal. </p>
<p>Take a look at the Cal catalogs from 2007 through 2011 and see if classes available in 2007 that interest you are still in the 2011 catalog.</p>
<p>We are out of state from both [Washington] with not off-the-charts Engineering opportunities like Michigan, Cal and another 5 to 10 schools offer. UW gets most all of its credibility from pre-med and the medical school there. Recognizing the same, my son didn’t apply to Cal after doing his research about that state’s financial woes. He didn’t want to go somewhere just to have what really intrigued him about Cal later removed from his options.</p>
<p>Berkeley is great and I have nothing against it, but the UC system is really starting to see the **** hit the fan. You have to live with three kids in a small double your first year, it’s darn near impossible to get into classes, and tuition could double during your time there. Not to mention that obviously there is nothing new being built on campus because they keep having to make cuts. It’s REALLY BAD. As others have said, the University of Michigan is in fantastic financial shape and continue to pour money into the school. So it’s up to you about whether or not going to live in San Fran (which is not Southern Cali) and dealing with all the headaches that the UC will inevitably give you is worth the extra X amount of dollars over staying in Michigan and heading Ann Arbor. Job opportunities will be pretty much equal and I don’t think there is a shortfall in social life or things to do on campus at Michigan that would be significantly better at Cal. I mean they don’t have Big House Saturdays.</p>