<p>So I've been accepted to UC-Berkeley, UCLA, and Vanderbilt, and I'm really having trouble making this decision. I should start by saying that I don't really know what I want to study yet. I'm going in undecided wherever I end up. However, my interests are business, computer science, pre-law, and pre-med.</p>
<p>The UC's have a better worldwide reputation than Vanderbilt, due largely to their immense capabilities and work in research. Also, the weather out there (especially LA) is just gorgeous. I just got home from a visit to UCLA, and I loved the campus and really felt at home. I have yet to visit Berkeley. However, I love its location and proximity to Silicon Valley, which would be huge if I do end up pursuing computer science.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt, however, has much more of a close-knit, campus-y feel, which is something I'm looking for. I started my college search looking for a school of around 6-8k students, and Vanderbilt fits in that. I think I would like the smaller class sizes. Also, being from Illinois, Vandy would be an easier transition. However, Vandy's reputation as an elitist, rich, white school worries me. (Let it be known that I'm also white and the son of two physicians, so it's not like I would stick out.) But the elitism worries me, as does the Southern "old-boy network" culture.</p>
<p>Any information or advice you could provide to aid me in the decision would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>neither UCLA or Berkeley will have the ‘small campus feel’ you might be looking for; both have around +20k undergraduates. That being said, both are extremely well rounded universities. In a recent ranking by HighImpactUniversities, 2 out of the 5 dream faculties listed were in Berkeley (the other 3 were from harvard); and with UCLA, it was one of only two universities to have all of its faculty departments within the top 10 (the other was harvard) so again, it all depends. Cal has some of the best researchers in its field for Pure, Natural, and Mathematical Sciences and also for Engineering, Computing, and Technology. that being said though, Cal is pretty much a joke in the Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacology, and Health Sciences (where it’s ranked 134, compared to UCLA’s 4; but pretty sure this has to do with its lack of a medical school, for which UCSF, although being a different institution, kind of makes up for.)</p>
<p>So my advice is, if you’re sure what you want to do, go to Cal; if you’re uncertain and want to discover it, go to UCLA. I’m not saying you wouldn’t discover it in Cal either, but if you decide to go premed, it might not be as good at Cal as it is at UCLA.</p>
<p>@knox15, if you are pre-med, between berkeley or ucla, I would suggest UCLA because they have a med center on campus in which you are able to do your undergrad research, internship and volunteering over there. Their med center is more easily accessible to undergrad research. </p>
<p>There is UCSF and other hospitals but it may be more difficult for pre-meds studying in berkeley to get research, internship and volunteering experience which is crucial in your med school app.</p>
<p>If you are pre-business, pre-law, or even computer science, then Berkeley will be the better fit.</p>
<p>As of right now, pre-med is my least likely choice.</p>
<p>Would you all agree that Berkeley is better for business, computer science, and pre-law?</p>
<p>I know that Berkeley has Computer Science available as a major in the school of Letters and Sciences, which I really like, because I’m really not interested in going through a college of engineering, which I would have to do (and transfer into) at UCLA.</p>
<p>I would agree that berkeley is better for engineering, pre law,and busniness programs. For pure sciences berkeley is a better fit. Well.for computer science either one is good but berkeley.has silicon valley nearby so it may be easier to get an internship over there.</p>
<p>To the comment that UCLA would be a better place than Cal is a highly debatable claim. </p>
<p>Yes we already know that UCLA has its own med school and Cal hasn’t. But, so what when Cal has more representation at most great med schools than UCLA has despite that UCLA premeds count more than Cal does. For example, you’ll see/meet more Cal premeds at Harvard Med School, JHU Med School, Yale Med, Duke Med and UCSF Med than UCLA premeds. The only good med school where Cal premeds are outnumbered by UCLA premeds is UCLA Med School, which is understandable given there are many more UCLA premeds that apply there than any school. Someone posted the top representation of premeds at UCSD med and Cal grads outnumber UCLA premeds there too. It’s also the same case at other UCs with a medical school. So, the logic is, unless you’re dead set on going to UCLA medical school, Cal premed would better prepare you to getting into top med schools in the nation. </p>
<p>Forget Vanderbilt. It’s not that well regarded outside of its own State.</p>
<p>knox15- Both have good business programs but Berkeley has Haas business school in which you can get an undergraduate business administration degree.</p>
<p>^ No, not at all. Haas is head and shoulders superior to any school in the West Coast, save for Stanford. Haas grads even compete – head-to-head – with Stanford grads in BB placements. Major banks, including those with Headquarters in New York and London visit Berkeley and recruit Berkeley grads every time.</p>
<p>Rml- berkeley does not have a Med center though. I thought that doing pre Med is better if your school has a Med center on campus like ucla or ucsd</p>
Most anecdotes you’ll hear on this board will suggest that it is actually not hard. All you’ll need to do is comply with the prerequisite requirements. It’s actually just the benchmark of how you’ll do in class once you’re in the business school. Prereqs include accountancy. Of course, if you’re not good with numbers and analysis, don’t major in business because business requires a certain high level of math proficiency and analytical skills. </p>
<p>If you won’t get into Haas, you’re still in a safe net, as most unsuccessful Haas applicants end up majoring economics. And the job placement of economics grads are comparable to Haas grads. But then again, even economics require a high level of mathematical proficiency.</p>
<p>@RML, I’m planning to major in business @ Hass too. Although math is not a big problem for me, I am still a bit worried based on your description :p! By Math proficiency, what kind of math are you talking about?</p>
<p>That’s what I thought too in the beginning before I found out that there were/are actually many more Berkeley grads at top med schools than there were/are UCLA grads that despite that UCLA premeds count many more than Berkeley premeds do. </p>
<p>Also, several top feeder schools to some of the best med schools in the US don’t have their own medical school. Princeton, Amherst, Williams, Pomona, to name a few, don’t have their own medical school but they all do quite well in med school applications.</p>
<p>rml- we have a friend who works in Berkeley, in fact he told me that if you want to become a clinical psychologist, UCLA, UCSD, or UC Davis would be better fits since they have a med center. He suggested me not to go to Berkeley for psychology. </p>
<p>I am applying as a psych major for Berkeley and UCLA. Human development for UC Davis.</p>
mostly basic maths actually. i believe you’re not required to take high level calculus and stuff. Here are the Prerequisite Courses for UC Berkeley Students</p>
<p>Undergraduate Business Administration 10–Principles of Business. All UC Berkeley applicants must complete this course at UC Berkeley.
Math (Calculus)Two semesters of calculus are required: Math 16A and Math 16B or Math 1A and Math 1B or Math 1A and 16B. Math 53 or Math 54 will also fulfill the calculus prerequisite for Haas.
Economics 1 or 2Introduction to Economics or Intensive Introduction to Economics.
Statistics 20, 21, or 25Introductory Probability and Statistics.
English/Reading and Composition Requirement R&C (more information below).</p>