The University of California - Berkeley

Date: Mar 14 2016
Major: Mechanical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
I will begin by saying this: Berkeley is HARD. You will be challenged on a daily basis to stretch the boundaries of your understanding, and there will be little time to sit on your laurels and rest. That being said, if you maintain a reasonable courseload and a reasonable set of study habits, you can succeed. Berkeley engineering, specifically, has friendly, understanding advisers, and in general you can find research positions, clubs, study groups, etc. quite easily. I have never felt more at home, nor happier, anywhere else.

There is, however, a dark side. Berkeley students are all bright, hardworking, and in many cases driven by GPA. Because of this, students who receive poor grades can feel cheated and disheartened. In too many cases, students saw admission to Cal as an endgame, which is simply not the proper mindset to take. See every class as an opportunity, force yourself (sometimes) to go, even if you don't think it will help/you don't want to. It will pay off in the end.

The school has limited funding, and as such some of the older buildings (Wheeler, Dwinelle, and LeConte come to mind) are less than ideal for lab, or discussion, but this does not detract from the quality of professors and academic rigor inherent to the school.

If you feel that you are willing to accept the downsides of a public university, which are real, and are willing to devote yourself to your studies and to advancing your career, coming to Cal is a decision you will never regret. As always, Go Bears!