<p>My son has been accepted to both and plans to major in business economics at UCLA or business at UCB (Haas). UCLA offers an extra $10,000 scholarship per year versus that from UCB. In considering the pluses and minuses which one do you suggest is a better choice? We understand Haas provides a superior career opportunity but is very competitive to get in (later as a sophomore/ junior). In addition, does the Hass degree worth $40,000 more than the UCLA degree? He likes both campuses so the location is not a factor.</p>
<p>Can you reasonably afford either (without him going into extra debt?) Not having to worry about Haas admission is pretty good thing, I would think, and I can’t imagine there are many employers who will look at an undergraduate business degree who will think it is substantively better than a good B.A. in business economics at UCLA.</p>
<p>Where I’m going with this is, if the money is not a determinant, let him choose.</p>
<p>Have you politely mentioned to Cal that your son has this $10k offer from UCLA?</p>
<p>^
mom2 – no. It is a merit scholarship and we afraid it becomes embarassing to ask UCB for one.</p>
<p>mini – we will take out more loans if he decides going to UCB. The additional $ is manageable but surely we prefer to have less debt. Yes, we will let him to make the final decision.</p>
<p>Under the circumstance what would you do? Thanks!</p>
<p>Oh, I’m mostly concerned with loans for HIM. I think it is a good thing for a student to have some “skin in the game” (I don’t think the Ivy no-loan policy is a good idea), but the level of loans should always be manageable (my rule of thumb is the same as the U.S. government’s for subsidized loans - $23k over four years is the absolute maximum (and lower is better). </p>
<p>Personally, I don’t see undergraduate Haas as much of an advantage, if any. But others with more experience in business might have more input.</p>
<p>Might the “cultural differences” between UCLA and UCB be more of an issue than any of these other issues?</p>
<p>The extra scholarship is tough to beat.</p>
<p>But there are other differences to weigh:
Semesters vs. Quarters
Potential for Haas enrollment and stand apart vs. the mass of Biz Econ UCLA majors
Risk/Reward vs. $40k saved in your pocket
Pedestrian friendly college city with excellent public trans. vs. Gentrified, traffic choked area of a megalopolis
Football played on campus vs. 15 miles away
The true original vs. the satellite campus
Yale Blue vs. Baby Blue
Original fight song vs. stolen fight song
…</p>
<p>Some of those factors are more important than others, but they are considerations, Caldad. :)</p>
<p>What about the cost of living at both? I know that rents are pretty high around UCLA, but have no idea what they are near Cal.</p>
<p>Oh, a P.S. What does he do at UCB if he doesn’t get into Haas?</p>
<p>The cost packages are approximately the same at both. My caldad user was picked several years ago so it has nothing to do with Cal preference but I get your point UCB
The business world says the Haas degree opens up a much better job placement opportunity than the UCLA degree. I do get minis points however. What if he does not get into Haas? From the Haas student profiles the average gpa of Berkeley students is 3.7 who are in! Then you are correct that the risk/ reward factor and the $ factor are important considerations now. Thanks.</p>
<p>*mom2 – no. It is a merit scholarship and we afraid it becomes embarassing to ask UCB for one.</p>
<p>mini – we will take out more loans if he decides going to UCB. The additional $ is manageable but surely we prefer to have less debt. Yes, we will let him to make the final decision.*</p>
<p>Embarrassing? No. Your child must have very desirable stats for UCLA to make that award.</p>
<p>A very, very polite note to scholarships/FA office mentioning the preference for Cal, but affordability is a concern (mention the need for MORE loans for Cal and the $10k from UCLA.). </p>
<p>State that your child will certainly commit to Cal if it could be more affordable. This is a very, very polite request for review. Attach the UCLA offer.</p>
<p>This is not embarrassing. This is business and it’s concerning money (borrowed money!!) The school isn’t going to think less of you or be mean to your kid if he enrolls.</p>
<p>OT to Mini…</p>
<p><a href=“I%20don’t%20think%20the%20Ivy%20no-loan%20policy%20is%20a%20good%20idea”>I</a>*</p>
<p>I hear you, but I think their logic is that many, many of their students have EFCs that are a bit unaffordable, so the kids can do Stafford loans to help with EFC.</p>
<p>Also, since these schools usually include a summer work contribution, they do have “skin in the game.” Furthermore… by not having loans that provides relief in case the student wasn’t able to earn his summer work contribution…he can do loans instead.</p>
<p>^
Thanks mom2; we needed your (push) encouragement and I will try that very very polite approach with UCB. Now I will leave the risk-to-reward factor to my son for consideration.</p>
<p>“I hear you, but I think their logic is that many, many of their students have EFCs that are a bit unaffordable, so the kids can do Stafford loans to help with EFC.”</p>
<p>I think the logic is to offer scholarships to lots of rich (top 5%k, but not top 3%) kids who don’t need them rather than lose them to the Vanderbilts of the world. It makes them look much more generous (and they can trumpet their generosity about all those students receiving “need-based aid” without having to take on serious Pell grantee commitments. And it allows them to offer athletic “merit” scholarships dressed up as need-based aid - see what’s happened to Harvard’s football and basketball teams lately?</p>
<p>Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…</p>
<p>As a laid-off lecturer, I can say that UCLA is a great choice if he can get his classes. UCLA systematically oversells admission by 8,000 students so many cannot find their classes in a timely fashion. This means that a 4 year degree can take at least 6 years. UCLA had laid off the best lecturers, cut course offerings, and raised the tuition. At an Executive Council Meeting, the Vice-Provost told me that “IO am too idealistic. UCLA does not care about education, we are a research school.”</p>
<p>^
Unfortunately, isn’t it the same problems with all the campuses in the UC system? Sorry to learn you got laid off.</p>
<p>No, Cal added classes and has less undergrads.</p>
<p>Last year (2011), the Congratulations on your acceptance letter to Cal expressly stated we should budget for the possibility of more than four years if required courses were unavailable in sequence. Did they omit that caution this year? If so, maybe it is a reflection of improvement!</p>
<p>Thanks for bringing up another potential problem for consideration. So attending UCLA might take ~ one year longer to graduate than UCB? This could remove partially the extra scholarship advantage provided by UCLA?!</p>
<p>YMMV but my Bruin is in his 6th quarter and so far has had no problem, what-so-ever, getting the classes he needs and could graduate early if he wanted to.</p>
<p>Does your S have experience with Quarters vs Semesters? For our kids, semesters were a better fit. Quarters fly by very quickly and can be a problem for kids who take a while to settle into a class and/or may have a few absences. Do not have personal experience with either U, but congrats to your S for getting into two such fine Us. </p>
<p>Perhaps a frank discussion with both Us about likelihood of graduating in 4 years with the intended major might be fruitful. Also, see no problem with asking UCB whether they would be willing to match the merit offer by UCLA–all they can say is yes, no or maybe can give SOME merit to sweeten the pot a tad. Us are asked this fairly often, as the $$ does add up over 4+ years.</p>