Set the next four years of my life

[UKnjb]

~snip~ To the general public, Berkeley has a higher reputation than UCSD. That's in large part a function of Berkeley's long (by California standards) heritage when compared with UCSD's relatively recent founding. ~snip

If it helps, I can only reinforce what WildCowboy has said about general public perception. Speaking from England, and obviously my own opinion, Berkley is well-known and has a very good reputation here. Pretty much in the same league as Oxford/Cambridge here. When I was considering post-grad work in the USA, the big ones were Harvard and all that lot on the East coast and Berkley on the West.

 

[jefhatfield]

and Berkley on the West.

usc, ucla, cal tech, and stanford are not shabby either

 

[UKnjb]

usc, ucla, cal tech, and stanford are not shabby either

Only talking perceptions, only talking my perceptions, only talking my English (probably ignorant) perceptions.

Oxford and Cambridge, here, have terrific reputations within the general public. They actually under-perform, on objective measures, many other Universities in many subjects. But it still counts a lot to have either of them on one's CV.

 

[jefhatfield]

Only talking perceptions, only talking my perceptions, only talking my English (probably ignorant) perceptions.

Oxford and Cambridge, here, have terrific reputations within the general public. They actually under-perform, on objective measures, many other Universities in many subjects. But it still counts a lot to have either of them on one's CV.

so the term "oxbridge"...over here that would most likely literally mean a bridge that oxen cross over

our eight elite eastern schools, some at the very top and some top 25 or so, are called the ivy league, but at least there are still a lot of excellent choices outside of those eight schools which were originally bunched up as 8 sporting schools, not our nation's top ranked 8 schools per se

at least on the east, a school like mit or nyu could be said to be better than some of the ivy league

 

[UKnjb]

so the term "oxbridge"...over here that would most likely literally mean a bridge that oxen cross over

That'll be the one! Um-er-do you still have oxen? Or anything that anybody calls oxen? Are they like your cars and do 6 poos/mile?

~~~~ at least on the east, a school like mit or nyu could be said to be better than some of the ivy league

I think we are probably both coming from the same side on perception and reality, not so? MIT for some time has figured largely as being VERY superior, whilst Cornell, say, has been seen as very Ivy, but not in the same, League.

How do these things figure in your CVs?

 

[jefhatfield]

That'll be the one! Um-er-do you still have oxen? Or anything that anybody calls oxen? Are they like your cars and do 6 poos/mile?



I think we are probably both coming from the same side on perception and reality, not so? MIT for some time has figured largely as being VERY superior, whilst Cornell, say, has been seen as very Ivy, but not in the same, League.

How do these things figure in your CVs?

we have oxen but i don't know how much they poo

in the sciences, many would agree that mit is better than cornell and nyu has a law school only surpassed by harvard and yale on the eastern seaboard

the first four ivies carry a lot of weight...harvard, yale, columbia, and princeton...and the next four somewhat less but still great schools and perhaps none of the latter four will EVER be ranked below the top 50 and those latter four are brown, cornell, dartmouth, and university of pennsylvania...but i would love to see any of those on my resume

like mentioned before, after 2 or 3 years, your experience and work history will mean just about everything and where you went to school will diminish some...unless you go into academia

if you are a ceo or executive director of an organization, or you have your cpa or other certification in a field, or belong to social organizations, that will favor more in your resume after your early 30s

nothing looks more sorry than a 40+ year old with a hoodie looking like an old chav...or one with the words harvard alumni or something to that effect...you will get more respect wearing a paul frank t instead of a college related shirt/hoodie

 

[goodtimes5]

I was thinking about it this way: If I go to SD, do you think I'll have any regrets about not going to Cal? (Other than missing out on bragging rights and such)

 

[muffinman]

I was thinking about it this way: If I go to SD, do you think I'll have any regrets about not going to Cal? (Other than missing out on bragging rights and such)

i think bragging rights is it. you will love the atmosphere in SD la jolla. i live right next to UCSD and it is a great atmosphere to learn. you can take a 5 minute car drive to the beach and study while easing back in a beach chair.

but youre gonna need a car.

 

[itcheroni]

I was thinking about it this way: If I go to SD, do you think I'll have any regrets about not going to Cal? (Other than missing out on bragging rights and such)

Think of it this way. At which school will get more out of your education, for yourself and on paper. By "On paper," I mean how strong your graduate school applicatioin will be. Choose that school and try to get into a really good graduate program and that school will be part of your bragging rights. I think it'll be much better careerwise, too.

 

[goodtimes5]

I've decided to go to Berkeley because I felt that I was unsure if biology was really for me. At Berkeley, I will have the all-powerful Berkeley degree if I decide to not continue to med school. Moreover, I figured that since I was planning to work my butt off in college anyways, why not just put all that effort at the better university.

In essence, though, I just felt that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had been raised to become a Berkeley student, and deciding on Berkeley gives me that feeling of completion and achievement.

 

[maxterpiece]

I've decided to go to Berkeley because I felt that I was unsure if biology was really for me. At Berkeley, I will have the all-powerful Berkeley degree if I decide to not continue to med school. Moreover, I figured that since I was planning to work my butt off in college anyways, why not just put all that effort at the better university.

In essence, though, I just felt that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had been raised to become a Berkeley student, and deciding on Berkeley gives me that feeling of completion and achievement.

Hey congrats on making your decision. Berkeley is a great school, and the bottom line is college is a great experience no matter where you go. Did you get a berkeley t-shirt yet? Or a bumper sticker for the family car?

 

[itcheroni]

I've decided to go to Berkeley because I felt that I was unsure if biology was really for me. At Berkeley, I will have the all-powerful Berkeley degree if I decide to not continue to med school. Moreover, I figured that since I was planning to work my butt off in college anyways, why not just put all that effort at the better university.

In essence, though, I just felt that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had been raised to become a Berkeley student, and deciding on Berkeley gives me that feeling of completion and achievement.

Congrats. Berkeley will probably be a better overall college experience than SD, so take advantage of the atmosphere. It's worth it just for Berkeley Bowl. If you do change majors, consider Economics, Rhetoric, or Comparative Literature. All quality undergrad Berkeley departments.

 

[mariahlullaby]

Congrats on your decision!!!! I would go for Berkeley too, just because there are more opportunities, and if you for some reason decide to change your major, you won't be stuck at a school you didn't like as much. I'm not really familiar with CA schools, except what little info I know about the UCs and Stanford, etc. Good luck in the fall!! I'm starting NYU this year as well, recently made my decision (between NYU, Tulane, and Ga Tech).

 

[semicharmed]

Should have chose Tulane!
(As long as you weren't a mech, civil, cs engineering major...)

I'm biased, that's where I am though.

As long as you can see yourself enjoying Berkely for the next four years, that's where you belong. It's no use going to a big-name college if you're going solely for the name,

 

[jefhatfield]

I've decided to go to Berkeley because I felt that I was unsure if biology was really for me. At Berkeley, I will have the all-powerful Berkeley degree if I decide to not continue to med school. Moreover, I figured that since I was planning to work my butt off in college anyways, why not just put all that effort at the better university.

In essence, though, I just felt that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I had been raised to become a Berkeley student, and deciding on Berkeley gives me that feeling of completion and achievement.

congrats on coming up with a choice

hate to break reality to you...there is no all powerful berkeley degree...or any degree for that matter from any school, but if i had to choose a school in california that opened more doors it would be stanford...nothing comes close in northern california...but i am still only talking about opening doors

once the door is opened, it is 100 percent up to you to make things happen and a degree is only a slight help in making doors open

we are still a country that comes from self made, self employed people who get financial independence on hard work and persistence

school should be 10 percent about making one more marketable in the workplace and 90 percent about learning and thinking critically

i recall listening to kgo radio (abc news) in the bay area and one of stanford's deans mentioned that more than ever, medical schools are looking for liberal arts graduates, and law schools are looking more at science graduates...and that admissions officers from elite schools are in a new renaissance of thinking outside of the box when it comes to choosing applicants for college and graduate/professional programs