<p>Top choice as in you would definitely go here with no doubt if all the UCs you applied to accepted you.</p>
<p>I'm just wondering if anyone else had a hard time deciding between other UCs back in April.</p>
<p>No, Cal was my definite first choice. I felt like the only UC of similar academic caliber was UCLA, and I live right next to it and want to leave the area. So Berkeley it was. </p>
<p>The only thing that came close to tempting me was NYU, but that big fat NYU bill really made it a non-option for me.</p>
<p>I had a really hard time choosing between Cal and UC Santa Barbara. I had already decided to go to UCSB by March and was about to submit a positive SIR there when I found out Berkeley had accepted me. I stayed up late every night just thinking about it. Then Berkeley says that they'll offer me a full ride. So I thought about it for a week or two and finally said, "Alright, sign me up." It was the last week of April. So that's how I ended up at Cal.</p>
<p>Among the UCs, definitely. No better choice for engineering. Among all US colleges and universities, definitely not. I really wanted to go to CalTech, MIT, or Princeton (tied for top choices I think). The only competing school that I got into was Harvey-Mudd. I decided on Cal because first of all I got the Regents' & Chancellor's scholarship, which made it a no-brainer price-wise. Plus, it was a big campus with a lot going on. Harvey-Mudd and CalTech are like high schools compared to Berkeley in terms of size, and I thought it would feel kind of silly going to such a small college.</p>
<p>But since this was a discussion about the UCs, I would say that there are definitely other nice choices in the UCs for fields outside of engineering, and I'd also say that many of the other UCs are in much nicer areas than Berkeley (Irvine and UCLA in particular, since I've been around both a lot). But Berkeley (the city) is a great place once you get to know it, and the education is top-notch, so for me there really was no trouble choosing.</p>
<p>Eudean, you think the Irvine area is nicer than the Berkeley area? I don't think I've ever heard that before.</p>
<p>Out of the UCs, it was between SD and Berkeley</p>
<p>SD had a really nice campus</p>
<p>I visited LA, and just didnt like how the campus was so closed
Then I realized I also did not like southern california characteristics (beaches and hot weather especially)</p>
<p>Out of the UCs, it was pretty clear to choose Berkeley. I really don't think SD compared in prestige and that was a big factor. Although I didn't want to stay so close to hom (I live in Fremont), I chose Berkeley</p>
<p>Although my top choices in all were Columbia, Cornell, and UPenn, I was rejected in all of them. After visiting during CalDay, I realized how much I liked the campus and the feel. Berkeley it was.</p>
<p>Like Eudean, among the UCs, Berkeley was definitely my top choice. But I have to disagree:I think Berkeley's area OWNS every other UC campus' surrounding area (with the possible exception of UCSC's). Irvine is boring. Westwood is too suburban for an urban neighborhood (there are redeeming qualities nonetheless).</p>
<p>Berkeley was definitely my top choice--financially, academically, etc.</p>
<p>Although I did get admitted to U Penn and that was my second choice.</p>
<p>I think in "nicer" I meant "safer, cleaner, more accessible". I mean, you have to have a car in Irvine, and it is definitely not a college town, but it's just a nice, safe city. Don't get me wrong, I love the Berkeley area. But I know lots of people that would hate it, and for good reason. I find Irvine incredibly boring, but it is a very nice place to live.</p>
<p>I think Westwood is probably the best balance for most, which is why I know some of my friends chose UCLA over Berkeley. Again, it's a personal preference thing. I like all three campuses and their respective cities for different reasons, but some significantly prefer one over the others.</p>
<p>I forgot to add that I don't live too far from UCLA.</p>
<p>I'm sharing what happened to me:</p>
<p>My top choice was UCLA, and UCLA was the first school to reject me. I applied as an engineering major and got accepted into Berkeley. Ha!</p>
<p>Wonder if I would have gotten into UCLA if I applied as a major in L&S.</p>
<p>berkeley was definitely not my top choice. I didn't care even when I got in. I was all excited about getting into columbia. but then I did some research and visited berkeley and decided i preferred it.</p>
<p>brown was my first choice actually, but i didn't get accepted. I'm from out of state, so I couldn't depend on being accepted to berkeley, and I forgot all about it because I figured it wasn't even an option. but when i did get in, i liked berky best.</p>
<p>admissions are such a crapshoot</p>
<p>Nope it was second behind UCLA, until i visited Cal's campus, which was only AFTER i got in. i filed my SIR the same day...</p>
<p>same here, UCLA was my first choice till i visited Cal....everyone at berkeley was sooooooooooo friendly, i just knew that i had to spend the next four years with these people...GO BEARS!</p>
<p>They had to make to very it/more friendly on Cal Day to attract students to go there!</p>
<p>What's wrong about UCLA?</p>
<p>Personally, I just dont like Westwood. I feel like Berkeley is more vibrant or something. </p>
<p>And for me, UCLA was too close to home. I dont want to be within a half hour of my house for college.</p>
<p>Between the UC's it was UCLA and Berkeley. I've always wanted to attend UCLA; I went there as a student living in thd dorms, and even had my Bruin Card and UCLA e-mail. There is something about the campus with its red bricks and Royce Hall. The campus is safe and Westwood is safe as well. It was also close to home just in case I needed or wanted something back home.</p>
<p>But then I visited Berkeley. I was terrified of the city (because OHP had us arrive in the evening) and to see so many homeless people and what not. I don't live in the upper-class suburbs, in fact I live in the most dangerous county :), but the people really creeped me out. But then I visited the campus, loved it there and in the day time, it is really not that bad. So I signed on to Berkeley and was happy that I made the decision to attend. </p>
<p>Though I have a late class at Goldman's Public Policy building and I have to make my way down to Unit 2 at 8:30 at night so I'm not thrilled.</p>