<p>having left berkeley over 35 years ago, i was thrilled after both my boys were accepted. they have finished their time at cal and are off on their quest. it is large. it has always been large. while not encouraging diverse thought, the academics are outstanding. as i have aged, i have become critical of the mentality of narrow thought that pervades social berkeley, but i was in science and found it to be the best. my career has taken my elsewhere in the world, and i remain a devoted cal propagandist in spite of the need for one to be made bullet-proofed against the extreme leftist social culture. go there for the education. you will get it. they wont treat you like a high school kid, as in most of the small liberal arts colleges, which i am told are also very left leaning, particularly in the northeast. but you cant beat the sciences or math departments. and do take classes given by their most popular profs. they have earned their reps for good reason and no matter what your interests or major, they will be some of the most exciting classes you will ever take. i continue to take classes on line fro cal and mit, and hope to do so till i die. forever young.</p>