<p>D got in UVA as Echols scholar. She is deciding between UVA and Berkeley. We are out of state, from NJ. She plans to major in Bilology. She will go on to Graduate school or even Medicine. She visited both and liked both. Berkeley is a little more expensive for out of state than UVA and it is also far away. But she likes California's weather and diversity. Care to start a debate why UVA is better?</p>
<p>
I think you must be a little bit tired OR I must not know there is a new major that is the study of bile. I'm kidding, you must be referring to Biology.
Anyways, The University of California-Berkeley is a prestigious school and so is UVa. There are many books at B&N that describe each school. You may want a student's experience that is currently attending UVa.</p>
<p>I can't think of anything that UVA is better at with regards to majoring in Biology. Berkeley seems to have the perfect setting, not to mention the gorgeous weather. UVA's weather on the other hand is quite erratic.</p>
<p>This is a tough call. Both excellent choices in biology (I work in biotech). Both are top notch research Univeristies - maybe Berkeley by a nose on that, but not as a major factor for an undergraduate. Having lived in Va and the Bay area, the weather in Berkeley is definitely better (no humidity), but C'ville is probably a bit prettier. Berkeley is a more urban environment, C'ville more rural. No earthquakes (or at least no big ones) in Va, but icy winter roads probably equalize any risks. Less liberal (but still liberal in the University area) in Va, more wildly liberal in Berkeley. Again, not a big factor for a science major.</p>
<p>I would suggest contacting both schools and getting some ideas about class size, research opportunities for undergraduates, etc. </p>
<p>All in all, a win-win choice. Good luck.</p>
<p>im from jersey so i'll list some of the advantages i guess.</p>
<p>i <em>can</em> drive home if i need to. its not far enough away where you have to fly. this good because i always go home for easter...which i probably wouldn't do if i went somewhere where i had to fly.</p>
<p>there are a fair amount of jersey people here (i think its like the 2nd or 3rd most represented state) so you'll always be able to find a ride home if your d doesn't drive. she also shouldn't have a hard time fitting in because i'd be most of the people not from virginia are from the northeast. </p>
<p>also, there is an amtrak station in c-ville which goes right into newark on a straight shot.</p>
<p>school vs. school, has your daughter seen both? they're very different. is your daughter artsy? preppy? is she into music (c-ville has a great music scene)? does she like california/coastal weather? i doubt you'll find any difference in the educational quality, so these are things to consider. does she want to stay in california when she graduates? i'm sure its easier to get a job on the east coast from virginia than it is from berkeley and vice versa.</p>
<p>From Long Island Mom... Waiting to hear form UVa. Looks promising for my son. Great school and beautiful campus. Got into Berkeley. The Berkeley blog scared me. Someone posted lots of negatives. read it. We'll have to visit and see if my son likes it though. Lots of $$$ to go there.</p>
<p>Anyone on this thread have friends at Berkeley to give us info??
What about Amtrack to NY? Lots of stops?</p>
<p>Could you share a link to UCB's blog?</p>
<p>Yea, love to see to UBC blog.</p>
<p>I just dropped by Peabody earlier today. Very pretty place. People were pretty helpful.</p>
<p>The Berkeley blog /thread was on this website. I'm the Mom, remember. This computer stuff is not easy for me! I'll try to find it. Was very saddened by it. My son thought he was a perfect fit, first choice and got in. I know UVa willbe a perfect match though but it has to be his choice and our money!!</p>
<p>If it's on this website, it's probably just some postings, not a full fledged blog. </p>
<p>A blog: <a href="http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com%5B/url%5D">http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com</a></p>
<p>:)</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26518%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26518</a>
On this website by schools, UC Berkeley with the thread " Getting into Cal and what to expect when you get there".
Read the whole thing and comment on this thread and let me know if you are are freaked out as I am.
Anyone apply to JHU? Brown? Harvard?</p>
<p>Without a doubt, Berkeley is the superior academic institution. It is perhaps the best academic institution in the country - its graduate programs and research are, in many ways, without peer. When you consider the close relationship with UCSF, it becomes even more incredible.</p>
<p>But at the undergraduate level, the differences are much less pronounced or important. In fact, I'd give the edge solidly to UVA for two reasons. First, the social scene is better. UVA has a beautiful campus, an active sports scene, beautiful women, and plenty of social, outgoing people. If you want to party, you can party. If you want concerts, there are concerts. Whatever. Second, I've heard a <em>lot</em> of negative things about getting courses at Berkeley, particularly popular/important courses. Berkeley's relatively low graduation rates would seem to confirm this - that courses needed to graduate can be difficult to get into. At UVA (like at any school), there are several popular courses that can be difficult to get into as a first or second year, but in general, it's not much of a problem getting the courses you want.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In fact, I'd give the edge solidly to UVA for two reasons. First, the social scene is better. UVA has a beautiful campus, an active sports scene, beautiful women, and plenty of social, outgoing people. If you want to party, you can party. If you want concerts, there are concerts. Whatever. Second, I've heard a <em>lot</em> of negative things about getting courses at Berkeley, particularly popular/important courses. Berkeley's relatively low graduation rates would seem to confirm this - that courses needed to graduate can be difficult to get into.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am a Berkeley-o-phile, and I would make a couple of comments. Berkeley is definitely not for everyone and it's quite possible that UVA would be a better fit for more mainstream applicants than Berkeley.</p>
<p>I agree with cavalier302 that at the level of UVA or Berkeley, I don't see huge distinctions between the quality of education available. I would delve into the kind of thing that C302 quotes, ease of getting into classes, etc. and look at that stuff objectively. I really don't know the answers comparitively speaking.</p>
<p>I would also say to take a grain of salt about what you see on the threads about Berkeley. There are a lot of people who go there that see its premier ranking on the graduate level -- it is arguably within the top 3 if not the top in the country in terms of its breadth and depth of quality -- and wish that it had that same excellence and exclusivity on the undergraduate level, and it doesn't ultimately. And I am sure I'll get flamed for saying that. Though for good and motivated students I would argue, if you do well there, you can and will do well anywhere.</p>
<p>Beyond that it's a fit question: I have been to both campuses, but of course know Berkeley more intimately. From what I can tell: UVA is a more conservative country club type atmosphere with a more stereotypically quasi-Southern,quasi-Greek,quasi-Ivy League feel to it. Berkeley is beautiful, its weather is great except during the summer (and part of the winter), it is a more intense environment that most schools. It is in a town that has some city problems. If your daughter likes off-beat urban and intensity, she'll do fine at Berkeley. If she likes a more staid environment (though by no means bad or boring), UVA. I don't think anything compares to visiting the campuses and talking to people.</p>
<p>I loved Berkeley, but my philosophy is, at that level, fit is all important, not relative prestige or other factors.</p>
<p>Good answer, BedHead! Also, CAL is so much better at athletics.</p>
<p>tenniscraze,</p>
<p>I don't think Cal is "so much better" at atheletics than UVa. Both Cal and UVa are always in the top 20 in the directors cup...both are usually in the top 10. Although I will definately agree that Cal is almost all the time in the top 5.</p>
<p>Cal's football team is in close contention to be number one in the Pac-10. (Actually, it did split the Pac-10 title with USC this year). Traditionally, it's rivalry with Stanford has been really fun in football. Though in the past 10-15 years one or the other has dominated for stretches making it much less up-in-the-air than it used to be.</p>
<p>Other standouts that I know about off-hand:</p>
<h1>1 Water Polo nationally</h1>
<h1>1 Crew (I think both women's and men's, which doesn't count in the Director's Cup, I believe, 'cause it's not a NCAA sport)</h1>
<p>Perenially #1 Men's Rugby</p>
<p>It's often been one of the top Gold medal winners in the Olympics.</p>
<p>I don't really know how any of this is relevant to the poster, since I didn't see anything about sports as a priority. Tenniscraze just lobbed that into the discussion. Tenniscraze, Go Bears!</p>
<p>Students usually only care about football, (men's) basketball, and sometimes baseball or lacrosse. Few people attend other events.</p>
<p>That's an understatement and may only be true for certain schools like UVA. While students are most interested in football and basketball, no school in the west cares about lacrosse or baseball as much as they do in the east coast.</p>
<p>No, it's not just true for "certain schools like UVA". I realize that you're fairly ignorant about US human geography, but you must realize that the vast majority of the sports scene at US colleges centers on football and basketball. Lacrosse may only be an east coast (and primarily northeastern) sport, but college baseball certainly is popular in the southeast, southwest, and California (which is due in large part to weather). I should add soccer into the mix as well- it's popular at a some colleges, particularly big games. The few men's soccer games I attended here this season were fairly well attended. </p>
<p>However, the fact remains that few people attend women's water polo games or cross country meets, and a true "sports fan" will still care mostly about the "major" sports.</p>