Michigan vs Berkeley?

[Anonymous]

Michigan all the way.

[Anonymous]

Michigan. Go Blue!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Berkeley

Cal. Michigan is closer to UVA than Berkeley.

Michigan is closer to Berkeley than it is to UVA. UVA isn’t in the same realm in STEM, where the OP’s interests lie. Globally both schools are well known, with the advantage to Cal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both schools with top reputations. But, I'm not sure it makes sense to pay OOS tuition for either school, frankly. Berkeley is a giant bureaucratic nightmare. Michigan is better. Closer to DC. But for OOS tuition, I would pick many lower "ranked" privates.

All privates are OOS tuition. It doesn’t make them any better than the top publics. Michigan offers top academics, athletics, and social life that very few privates can.

[Anonymous]

Cal is overcrowded now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Berkeley

Anything to the argument that Berkeley is too large? Kids just down in there etc? Serious question.

Michigan is a MUCH more cohesive community. Berkeley is not only huge, it doesn't have the school spirit of Michigan.

[Anonymous]

Neither. My DD is choosing Northeastern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neither. My DD is choosing Northeastern.

Nobody asked but congrats.

[Anonymous]

Is this hypothetical nonsense or did your kid actually get accepted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this hypothetical nonsense or did your kid actually get accepted?

Got accepted. Late Jan EA Michigan and Early Feb Berkeley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is at Berkeley for Math and CS, he feels the kids are very smart and driven. It is a very diverse crowd and he has managed to join a competitive club and a few non competitive fun clubs. The workload is very intense and he had to step it up in terms of how hard he worked. He seems to be attending a lot of parties so he has found his crowd. Luckily, so far getting classes has not been an issue and he is on track to graduate in 3 years, partly because of AP credits. I do think it all depends on the kid, some kids may find the size overwhelming and others thrive in it.

Could you say a bit more about your kid for context?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Berkeley housing is very difficult (& expensive)

This is no joke. They do not have enough housing, even for freshman and finding a place is hard.

[Anonymous]

You really need to be aware of what you are getting into with Cal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Berkeley housing is very difficult (& expensive)

This is no joke. They do not have enough housing, even for freshman and finding a place is hard.

Yep. Hard to even get a double room in a shared home on a safer area for under $1300. And food there is also more $$$.

[Anonymous]

Even if you’re lucky enough to get an apt in Berkeley, it might have a leaky roof, unreliable utilities, & a loud psychopath in the apt next to you. Yes, you might encounter some of these elsewhere, but not at this price.