Enrollment: 25151
Average SAT: 680
Most Popular Majors: Computer Engineering, General,English Language and Literature, General,Political Science and Government, General,
Regular Application Deadline: 11/30
Student Faculty Ratio: 15.1:1

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $14,154.00

Students Say - Academics
Tough and competitive University of California-Berkeley "is the epitome of cultural, political, and intellectual diversity," both in its diverse student body (both in background and interests) and its substantial academic offerings. With "many departments ranked in the top five in their field," UCB has the "stunning ability to accommodate nearly every interest and demand of students." One student explains, "The freedom is incredible; there are a great array of majors and minors that all boast excellence in their departments. I feel like no matter what I choose to do at Cal, I will get the best of everything." It won't be handed to you, however; "UCB is a buffet. The opportunities are plentiful, and the education is great, but you have to serve yourself." The many standout departments (featuring "many professors who are Nobel laureates and award winners") include the "top-tier science departments," the "very strong business and engineering departments," "the main humanities (history, English, political science)," mathematics, computer science, and music. No matter what you study here, there's a good chance your professors will "have done great things in their fields." "My organic chemistry professor helped name molecules at an international convention," says one student. "My other organic chemistry professor just won an award for finding a drug to help with cancer research. These are real people with amazing lives, and I get to learn the tricks of the trade from them." Ambitious students can get in on the ground-breaking work, as the school "provides optimal research experience for students and constantly seeks students [who] can bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the table."

Students Say - Campus Life
For many, "Life is mostly centered around academic-related activities, if not classes and studying, then internships or jobs, or something of that sort." More than a few, in fact, live in a near-perpetual state of academic immersion; they "get too sucked in to their work" and "don't take full advantage of their surroundings," but "if you can get your head out of the books for long enough, there's always a movie to catch, a good game of Frisbee going on, or a party in one of the co-ops or fraternities." The city of Berkeley is "amazing." "There are so many great restaurants and booktores and interesting people and just so much stuff to experience and to explore." Better still, San Francisco is "a 30-minute BART ride away" and is "always exciting" with tons of "shopping, eating, concerts, theater, and all the culture of the big city." Around campus, "Many students participate in sports or clubs for fun. Football games are probably the main reason students have school spirit, and the games bring the students together for memorable experiences." The university community provides "a lot of opportunities for everyone: clubs, sports, jobs, internships, sororities, fraternities, dance, art, journalism, etc. There are so many opportunities to meet people and have fun inside the Berkeley campus and out of it," as well as an "endless number of events going on any given day. Art shows, benefits, plays, operas, live bands (local and touring), [and] there are volunteer events and free classes. There is not enough time to do everything."

Students Say - Student Body
The only real common factor among most Berkeley students is that they are studious hard workers. Undergrads here "come from all different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds…It is such a big school that you are always likely to be able to find someone else like you." The mix includes "a lot of emo grad students, Asian premeds, a handful of jocks, and frat scenesters," "nerds who never leave the library, environmental activists, ground-breaking scientists, party animals," and "new age hippies," among many others. In short, "Everyone here is unique, from the run-of-the-mill preppy kids to the neo-hippie and goth crowd, to the guy wearing a kilt in your 8 A.M. Japanese class." Asian students "make up a plurality of the student body, and there are loads of Asian cultural groups on campus. Other ethnic groups-such as African-Americans and Hispanics-can be seen on campus" but are not as well represented. The Berkeley area "is quite liberal," and many students here fit in well with the surrounding community.

Stanford University
University of California--Los Angeles

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