Is what every says about Cal Berkeley true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

A lot of immigrant families hold a zero-sum mentality—the belief that if someone else succeeds, it somehow means they lose. They may live here physically, but they raise and educate their children with an older mindset. The strange mindset of rat race just spill all over CA.

[Anonymous]

I travel to a lot of universities for work and the most unpleasant, angry students were at Berkeley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I travel to a lot of universities for work and the most unpleasant, angry students were at Berkeley.

Presumably that's undergrad. Grad students at Berkeley tend to be pretty great. And it's a very nice campus overall. But I get that undergrad and grad is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

You are forgetting the 7% Chinese students at Cal. 2,637 of them. Going to Cal is huge in China, UCLA second behind, then the East Coast science programs. Those students are cutthroat.

[Anonymous]

Go to a community college in California for a year. Get all As, and the door can be walked through---if you have strong high school stats in the background. While at it, get a CA driver's license, a job to pay state taxes, and register your car in CA and vote when you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP do you know of top STEM schools that are happy collaborative places with hand holding? Cal is great but you have to be self motivated in your studies. DH thought it was a fun place too. Made enduring friendships

I'm OP so thought I would respond. DC is not looking for handholding, but would prefer a strong STEM college without a toxic, cutthroat culture. We constantly hear that kids should look for fit; is there not a college well-fitted for strong STEM kids yet is also collaborative? or is enduring mental health issues and the Hunger game a requirement to pursue STEM?

Hi OP. I’ve only scanned the above so you may addressed. Are you in-state CA? If not do you even know if your kid can get in OOS to Cal? It’s a tough admit for OOS -that may make your next move on the decision tree much easier.

OP here, thanks for asking. Cal accepts 1-3 kids each year from DC’s school. It’s not a large class (about 100) and DC has stats higher than those who were accepted. Typically our top 10% kids don’t apply to Cal; they almost always apply SCEA/ED to T20 and many get in (schools gets 25% into T20). Of course we know it’s a long shot for everyone OOS but DC is top 5-8% of her class and is very interested in Cal as a science major (not engineering). DC is a junior and we’re in east coast so debating if we should book travel to tour Cal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

You are forgetting the 7% Chinese students at Cal. 2,637 of them. Going to Cal is huge in China, UCLA second behind, then the East Coast science programs. Those students are cutthroat.

Will those Chinese kids still be coming to the US for college with Trump’s policies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

I wonder if it is the same in UIUC. I've been hearing the same stories

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

You are forgetting the 7% Chinese students at Cal. 2,637 of them. Going to Cal is huge in China, UCLA second behind, then the East Coast science programs. Those students are cutthroat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

You are forgetting the 7% Chinese students at Cal. 2,637 of them. Going to Cal is huge in China, UCLA second behind, then the East Coast science programs. Those students are cutthroat.

I wonder if it is the same in UIUC. I've been hearing the same stories...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

You are forgetting the 7% Chinese students at Cal. 2,637 of them. Going to Cal is huge in China, UCLA second behind, then the East Coast science programs. Those students are cutthroat.

Will those Chinese kids still be coming to the US for college with Trump’s policies?

Unless the rules actually change, yes they still will be coming -- and the actual rules today are the same as under Biden.

[Anonymous]

Taking full pay international students is such a good business for colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

Yes, the parents push the kids. The kids work like crazy, they don't rebel and they focus on success. I used to work in Irvine around these parents and it's intense. Immigrant and second generation. Also, these immigrant parents I knew were super smart themselves, working in top IT or academic jobs and not only that but they they are probably some of the smartest, most driven people and expect the same from their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

Yes, the parents push the kids. The kids work like crazy, they don't rebel and they focus on success. I used to work in Irvine around these parents and it's intense. Immigrant and second generation. Also, these immigrant parents I knew were super smart themselves, working in top IT or academic jobs and not only that but they they are probably some of the smartest, most driven people and expect the same from their kids.

High schools in the area with very large Asian student populations often end up being intense pressure-cookers. Just look up the Gunn suicide cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taking full pay international students is such a good business for colleges

A school like Cal does not need to take full pay international students. They could take full pay US kids with high stats that are rejected from Cal all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm also from California and went to UCLA. But I have a lot of friends who went to Cal. Like everything else, the echo chamber of the internet greatly exaggerates things that are often based on partial truths. Most of my friends, many of whom were CS majors, loved their time at Cal. It's certainly not a hold-your-hand place (neither was UCLA), but the vast majority of students find their way and are able the recognize that the university has vast resources available for those who pursue them. As much as this forum criticizes this approach, learning to hustle is a life skill and, so, this is not entirely a disadvantage.

Incidentally DD has a couple friends there--one a biology major and the other econ--and they seem to be thriving.

This is accurate. I’ll also add, at least from my perspective, that Berkeley’s reputation is largely based on the past. That fact, coupled with the fact that Berkeley admissions of late seems to value one-dimensional applicants more than the well-rounded applicants that UCLA admissions tends to favor, leads to more Asian and Indian students at Cal.

And if you understand the intense focus on education in these otherwise varied cultures across those huge regions of the world, it makes sense that the legacy reputation at Cal persists today.

But Cal limits the number of OOS and international students, so that can’t explain the high number of Indiana and Asian kids. A lot of them must be in-state California kids.

There is a large Asian population in California especially in southern CA.

Right, I get that. I am from California, but these kids are American so why would they be intense and one dimensional? Because they have immigrant parents that push that on the kids? Are the kids not assimilated?

Yes, the parents push the kids. The kids work like crazy, they don't rebel and they focus on success. I used to work in Irvine around these parents and it's intense. Immigrant and second generation. Also, these immigrant parents I knew were super smart themselves, working in top IT or academic jobs and not only that but they they are probably some of the smartest, most driven people and expect the same from their kids.

High schools in the area with very large Asian student populations often end up being intense pressure-cookers. Just look up the Gunn suicide cases.

Sadly, also look at TJ suicides and suicide attempts...