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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

But, but, but those are grad school rankings.  That’s how I know you’ve never attended a research university, otherwise you’d know the grad and undergraduate levels are intertwined; [b]grad schools are ranked according to strength of faculty and students[/b], and faculty also teaches the undergrads and grad students serve as TAs.

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I think you mean they are ranked on the strength of faculty research, and most of those faculty want to spend as little time as possible with undergrads, and on the strength of the grad students, most of whom have never taught before.

These are issues with private universities as well, but at least they have far better ratios.

This lack of attention is one reason why UCB undergrads go on to earn PhDs at such a low rate (68th) compared to its private peers despite all the amazing research taking place on its campus.

Let’s not forget UCB guarantees only one year of on campus housing. Making friends and useful contacts is one of the primary benefits of attending college, and a 3/4 reduction in residential experience relative to many privates is not to be swept under the rug.

I like UCB and I think it’s a tremendous value.  You’re just overstating its case pretty dramatically. 
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First of all, don’t call it UCB.

Second, Berkeley also has the most top undergrad programs.  In fact, Berkeley practically sweeps the few undergrad programs that U.S. News does rank.  Off the top of my head, Berkeley is ranked #1 for CS, #1 civil engineering, #1 psychology, #1 environmental engineering, #2 business administration, etc.

Faculty is ranked according to reputation, papers they’ve written, citations, awards, and yes, research.  You’re just nitpicking at this point.  Berkeley professors are top notch, and they do teach undergrads.  And yes, they care about their undergrad students.  I think you’ve been led astray by anti-Berkeley infidels propagating false cliches about cal professors to cope with the reality that the best professors would prefer to teach at public’s.

My biggest regret at Berkeley is ignoring the hundreds of emails I received from professors practically begging for us to come to office hours.  They absolutely care about teaching undergrads.  This is common sense. In fact, when former Secretary of treasury for Bill Clinton, Robert Reich, conducted his final lecture at Berkeley for his famous Poverty and Wealth course, he sat outside of Wheeler Hall (where Oppenheimer was filmed) and greeted practically half of the school.

I think you’re far too obsessed with ratios, and a university’s ability to coddle their students.  I get it, the lesser the competition, the better access you have to the folks who will give you the answers.

But at Berkeley, professors and TAs won’t hold your hands even if you’re in a classroom of 12 students.  Their goal is for you to learn how to learn.  I hated it myself at first, but now I can’t imagine a better form of education.  I wouldn’t trade it for the world.  That’s why Berkeley students lead the way with the most venture capitalist-backed startups.  It’s simply a different of teaching philosophy and not lack of resources.  Would you rather have a bunch of navy Seals put through hell to protect you, or regular recruits who got unlimited resources?

Berkeley also sends the most kids to grad schools.  Again, using ratio here is flawed because universities are made up of different colleges and programs, and students have different goals.  Private schools specialize in the humanities so naturally they’re gonna wanna go to grad schools en masses because you’re not gonna get very many job offers with that degree (and I was a philosophy major).  They also tend to come from money so they can pay for it.  Most CS, engineering, data science, etc majors at cal already have jobs in Silicon Valley lined up for them, so why go to grad school?

I will concede to lack of student housing, that’s cal’s biggest problem.  But I’m primarily focused on academics, that’s the only thing I’m concerned about.

It’s not that I’m overstating its case, this forum is downplaying it dramatically to cater to their elitism and their warped sense of “good education” that’s centered on exclusivity and wealth. 
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