<p>I'm OOS for UC Berkeley, but discounting all aid, which would you choose, UC Berkeley for Letters and Sciences Computer Science, or Vanderbilt for physics undergrad? After UC Berkeley comp sci, i'd look for a job before grad school. After Vandy, i'd try to get into a top engineering grad school. By top, I mean MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Cornell, UMich, or CMU. Would Vanderbilt give me the opportunity to get into these top schools or is Vanderbilt just not recognized as much as UC Berkeley?</p>
<p>Discounting costs, what would you choose?</p>
<p>NOW COUNTING COSTS:</p>
<p>Vanderbilt costs me 20k/yr and Berkeley costs me 46 k/yr. What do you choose now?</p>
<p>I’m also choosing between Vanderbilt and UC Berkeley. Both counting and discounting costs, I’m leaning towards Vanderbilt because I hear Vanderbilt is just generally better than Berkeley for undergrads; it’s smaller, undergrads are given more attention, etc. And Vanderbilt is a really good school, so I’m sure top grad schools would definitely recognize it!</p>
<p>hmm alright. I forgot to mention, I am also a semifinalist for the leadership scholarship at Berkeley. Not sure if that changes much since it’s only 2 k. I am scared that grad schools judge by department and not overall strength. If it’s department, I am afraid Vanderbilt will not offer me the same opportunities as Berkeley in STEM. Not to mention, Berkeley is a much better fit. I don’t intend to party in college and I don’t want to drink/smoke. I want friends that don’t drink/smoke.</p>
<p>Sounds like you are leaning towards Berkeley which is a great school but I would make 2 points: 1) going to Berkeley will cost you more than twice as much as Vandy and you still want to have money to go to a top grad school; 2)I would be extremely surprised to hear that no one drinks/smokes or parties at Berkeley, I’m sure there is a party scene there too. (You can find friends at VU that don’t smoke or drink, my daughter knows lots of kids who aren’t into that).
Best of luck with your decision, either school is excellent.</p>
<p>@LHSCary, that’s nice to hear! I was more afraid because the frat scene is huge their and i’ve read other posts that say people who don’t smoke/drink/party cannot fit in. I also said i’d probably find a job before grad if i went to Berkeley. Does your daughter know anyone who graduated with a physics major by any chance? I looked at Vanderbilt graduate school stats and they seem okay, but i’m afraid they’re mostly med school stats because Vandy’s med is amazing. I talked to my uncle who’s an MIT grad + professor at UCs and he said Vanderbilt physics does not look as good for graduate schools. @Pancaked, I’d choose Berkeley if costs were equal no question, especially because computer science at Berkeley is so advanced. I looked at Berkeley average salary for computer science and it’s 80 k/yr. Besides, 2 people with 3.3 GPAs got into Vanderbilt from our school cause they want more Northeast Asian kids, but Berkeley’s average GPA is a 3.86 from our school which is much better. However, cost makes this decision so much harder. My parents would be able to afford Vandy w/ 0 loans…Do you think i can ask Berkeley for more money?</p>
<p>You can always ask for more money, and I think that’s a good idea. You can tell them about your offer from Vanderbilt and say that, were it not for the money, you would really prefer to go to Berkeley. Can’t hurt–you’re already in!</p>
<p>If you’re still worried about prestige, check out this:
<a href=“What banker careers REALLY look like: The DATA | Wall Street Oasis”>What banker careers REALLY look like: The DATA | Wall Street Oasis;
Vanderbilt seems to be able to place kids into BB IBD firms just as well as, if not better than Berkeley, despite having an undergraduate reputation about 4x smaller. I’d also be curious as to what those two 3.3 kids from your school got on the SATs. It seems that Vanderbilt places more weight on test scores than on GPA, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your own opinions.
Keep in mind that Berkeley’s OOS stats are extremely high, only because their in state quota is so large. Look at their in state acceptances, and you’ll find a completely different story. That being said, it’s still a fantastic school, just moreso for graduate school, as its undergrad is virtually indistinguishable from UCLA (which you seemed to have ruled out from your previous posts.) Just looking at the recent academic profiles of both schools, I’d be inclined to think that Vanderbilt has a stronger student body academically, and also brings a rising reputation (especially if asian kids from the northeast begin flocking here) while UC Berkeley will continue to be held back by its in state quota.</p>
<p>I have two friends in physics. One of them is at Berkeley and the other got into Vandy and Illinois and chose to go to Illinois because it was cheaper and their physics program is better. It sounds like you are more interested in computer science in which case Berkeley will obviously be the better place to go. It also sounds like you be a better fit with the student body at Berkeley. There’s no question that Vanderbilt offers the better undergraduate experience than Berkeley and its 25,000 undergrads, but that may not be important to you. Your decision should probably be based on what you think you want to do after you graduate, since each school will put you on a different path.</p>
<p>If cost is the only reason you would choose Vanderbilt, you will not be happy here. If you have an open mind and are willing to make it work, then by all means, pick Vandy and save the $100k.</p>
<p>THANK YOU VANDY REALIST AND THANK YOU PIZZA PLATE. I was really afraid to go to Vanderbilt because its acceptance rate only dropped in recent years and I thought it would not be recognized as a good school yet. And @Pizzaplate, for the 2 people accepted with 3.3s from our school: one was 3.3 2340, and the other, I have no clue SATwise. </p>
<p>And @Vandy Realist, yes, Berkeley is a better fit for me, but I do like small classes nonetheless. I hear there is tension between the frat scene and the independents, and I do not wish to drink/smoke.</p>
<p>Wow. While their GPAs may be low, I have a feeling that these kids, with the right work ethic, are more than capable of succeeding academically at Vanderbilt. In fact, I believe the ability of your high school to somehow produce multiple kids with sub 3.7s and 2300+ is more of a testament to the rigor of your school than anything else.</p>
<p>Wow, you’re right…EECS sends a lot more kids to good grad schools…Alright, I think i’ll choose Vanderbilt UNLESS i can get Berkeley to reduce their cost by 5k +</p>
<p>You may have already made your decision, but I just stumbled on your post while researching a similar situation for my son.
I know of 2 Vanderbilt Physics grads that are now getting $$ to go to grad school at UC Berkeley.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is the state of funding of the university as a whole. I know that the UC system has suffered some cuts in the past few years that have impacted class sizes, number of teaching assistants, number of times the trash is picked up, etc. I would definitely consider the financial health and stability of the institution as a whole.</p>
<p>Amen, LBowie^ that point can be made for public institutions in many states, makes one worry about the quality of education long term at places like UMich, UNC CH and UVA.</p>
<p>I am a graduate from Vanderbilt and my kid is an undergraduate from Berkeley.
I talked to a long time professot at Engineering school at Vanderbilt and he classify Berkeley Engineering school one of the best if not the 1st , and at least on the same range of MIT and Caltech.
He finalizing saying well some of people may argue with my point of view and may say Stanford.
I do think Vandy is also an excelent school by the way at MLK High School ( MNPS) there is a former Vandy professor that teaches Physics there he went to UC Berkeley and MIT for graduate school you may ask him his view his name is Dr. Desai .
By the way my daughter is a freshman at Berkeley .
She definitely fit in at Berkeley but she did not think would fit at Vanderbilt.
I went to graduate school at Vanderbilt and like it.
the environment is different in both school if you would like more info. Opinion send your email</p>
My parents would be able to afford Vandy w/ 0 loans…Do you think i can ask Berkeley for more money?</p>