<p>There's this hype around Berkeley, one that makes you feel guilty if you don't choose it, especially as a math major. However, I've read so many student reviews regarding UCB, and it seems that a lot of students are not happy at Berkeley. I've read that classes are so big, and oftentimes they are on videos. I just don't know if I would thrive in that environment. Plus, the administration is so unhelpful and don't give a crap about you, from my experience. </p>
<p>Washington University in St. Louis, on the other hand, has a very caring administration. I've been corresponding with the students, deans, and such, and it seems way more personal. Students seem so happy, and I feel like I would gain a more personal interaction with profs.</p>
<p>However, the superficial side of me leans toward Berkeley due to its reputation. Wash U is ranked #12 in the nation, but a lot of people have never heard of it. Berkeley is internationally known, although it is lower ranked in the US than Wash U. </p>
<p>Is it that impersonal at UCB? Which school would you rather go to?</p>
<p>I think Berkeley is a lot of hype, which is why I chose to go to UCLA over it. If money is really not an issue (and I don’t know if it is), and you think you will progress more and enjoy yourself more at Washington U then go there. It’s an EXTREMELY good school. Very well known in the midwest and east coast.</p>
<p>this is undergrad. if you have the money go to Wash U, having a more personal and caring experience at a smaller school produces greater chances of going to a top ranked grad school especially if you are not the type to thrive in the Berkeley environment. It s large public like CAL you have to really be a competative and a go getter if you want to get a lot of things done, in a smaller private school there are a lot more things done for you and in turn the higher price tag too</p>
<p>If you are already concerned that you might not thrive in a huge school like Berkeley where you are not likely to get any individual attention, then think about California’s current economic crisis and its impact on the state’s public universities. There are going to be drastic cuts that are almost certainly going to reduce the number of classes or class sections offered, resulting in even bigger classes. Things are only going to get worse there, not better.</p>
<p>Unless you are saving mucho dinero by going to Berkeley (you don’t say anything about your financial situation), WUSTL seems a much better choice.</p>
<p>hijinx to say that Cal is overhyped is an ignorant thing to say. CAL and LA are totally different and you seem like an LA person which is cool, but there is no need to bash another school.
It may be overhyped to you, but let’s be honest go to college where you think you fit best.</p>
<p>Sorry, but Berkeley is overhyped. I am not saying it’s not a great school. I would certainly have taken my acceptance there if I was able to commute from home (I am an LA native which is why I chose UCLA), but I think too many people are hung up on the name. It is definitely a prestigious school, but going there does not somehow guarantee you will be more successful or learn more. In reality, all the UC campuses have excellent professors that you can learn from. The degrees in difference are not drastic. Lots of people go to lower ranked UCs and CSUs and still are extremely successful, just like lots of people go to CAL and UCLA and are not successful.</p>
<p>Once again, I am not saying CAL is not a great school, nor am I bashing it. I am merely pointing out it is not the be all end all and should not be an automatic decisions to go there just because of the name.</p>
<p>That like saying Kobe is overhyped, but he is a great player. BUT WHATTEVERRR. Think of CAL as a mercedes benz, UCLA as a beamer and USC is an audi. All great cars, but to me I always wanted a benz. ahhahaha sorry I know nothing about washington U, I just hate people who have to say negative things about a school they aren’t going to.</p>
<p>pootie> I would say that Cal, UCLA and USC are ALL Mercedes Benz vehicles with different paint jobs. I would definitely recommend looking at the various warranties before choosing one over the other. But in the end, they’re all Mercedes.</p>
<p>They can’t all be mercedes benzes. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. lol. I would say that the IVY league are the aston martins and such.</p>
<p>You just can’t put all 3 schools into a single batch and say all of em are the same. There are a ton of varying factors that differentiate schools, even between similarly ranked schools. Job prospectives, price, location, ranking among the different majors, professors, future goals etc. Cal isn’t overhyped, the stats speak for themselves and it has notoriety worldwide for being competitive. Washington U. may have a “caring administration”, but it is not nearly as well known and how could you pass on Cal’s math department? Look, you’re transferring, you are most likely going to stay at either schools for only 2 years. You probably will not notice the mediocre staff at Cal, and the big classrooms? Most of those are lower-division, which you would have completed through IGETC. Upper div math classes are smaller and the professors are brilliant (from my research). </p>
<p>Make a choice based on the level of education you will receive and the feasibility of getting a job over how cool the dean is at one school over the other. Don’t be daft and assume that the panel at your future job interview will ignore the institution you received your degree.</p>
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hijinx to say that Cal is overhyped is an ignorant thing to say.
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<p>No, it’s an accurate thing to say. CAL, and UCLA are severely over hyped. Who’s fault that is, I’ll never know. Fact of the matter is:</p>
<p>You’re still an undergrad going to a research university. To the teachers, and administration, you are an afterthought. </p>
<p>Someone mentioned that only lower division classes are big… HA! I’ve taken 8 upper division courses for my major (BIO), and EVERY single class lecture was 100+ students. That one on one interaction and hand holding you get at CC? That’s gone. Your best bet is to do the learning on your own, and get it confirmed by the TA’s and Instructor during his OH. </p>
<p>Here’s the problem with that: everyone else is doing the same thing. So, it’s you and several other people waiting around to get your questions answered. You only have one hour in which to ask your question by the way, twice a week. </p>
<p>If you can afford going to a private school (like USC), do yourself a favor and go there. You’re paying for smaller class sizes, and more access to your professors. Washington Univ. may not have the name recognition that Berkeley does, but it’s no slouch. </p>
<p>If I were you, I’d take a Private over a Public UC any day.</p>
<p>The OP is a math major, going to Cal would be for the best for him. Upper div. Bio classes are packed because there are a lot of Bio majors in general, especially at UCSD trying to finish their classes for pre-med. If you’ve ever walked into a focused math course at Cal, you’d quickly realize how much attention you would be able to get from the professor. </p>
<p>No way am I putting down Washington U. But I just want the OP to know that Cal, especially the math department, is a better choice for the money.</p>
<p>Can you tell me more about the math department (undergrad) at Berkeley? After you have taken Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, how big are the subsequent classes? How can I get a feel of it if I do not live in Cali?</p>