<p>Hi all! I am an international student who has just been accepted into two of my top choice colleges, UC Berkeley (College of L&S) and the University of Chicago. I realize that the two colleges have completely different atmospheres and will provide completely different college experiences. I am attracted to the environment and social life at Cal, but at the same time I am worried about the large class sizes and the general lack of intimacy due to the number of students. I have also heard some accounts of professors being so focused on their own research that they do not have time for undergraduate students. It would be great if any current UCB students could give me some advice regarding my dilemma. How is the quality of education for undergraduate students at a large state school like Cal? Would I be better off attending a smaller private university like UChicago?</p>
<p>I am planning to major in physics, but I may change my mind.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptances! I am a current student at UC Berkeley and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about it.</p>
<p>There is everything at Berkeley that you could ever want (in terms of academics, research, sports, extracurriculars, social life, easy to get around, etc). The students are awesome and very enthusiastic about Berkeley and would welcome you with open arms.</p>
<p>I’ve never had a problem getting into any class (this semester I started off at #90 on the waitlist for a 600+ person class and ended up getting in), although I entered Berkeley with many AP/college credits (so I entered with sophomore standing). I suppose it depends on your intended major / AP credit standing.</p>
<p>At Cal, there are many useful tools which help you plan your schedule / find classes. Ninjacourses (<a href=“http://ninjacourses.com/”>http://ninjacourses.com/</a>) is the best way to visualize your schedule and peruse through ratings of classes/professors while Telebears Oracle (<a href=“http://telebearsoracle.com/#semester:sp14”>http://telebearsoracle.com/#semester:sp14</a>) helps in determining when certain classes fill up compared to other classes (so you can determine when to sign up for which classes).</p>
<p>I am majoring in applied math and have taken several classes in physics and know many physics majors. As an undergrad taking undergrad classes, it is very easy to get to know professors and graduate student instructors. When I took upper division first semester quantum mechanics I had the greatest professor and greatest GSI and greatly enjoyed the experience. Many people I know double in applied math/physics and I’ve never heard of people having trouble getting involved with research or contacting professors. The physics department hosts many lectures and seminars during the year and offers many upper division electives and graduate courses (undergrads are welcome to audit or enroll in graduate classes).</p>