Stanford VS. Berkeley

[WaitingMonster]

Which one will you guy choose assuming both with aid? :p

[scheng75]

Which one will you guy choose assuming both with aid? :p

 

Assuming you're talking about Ph.D program, Stanford hands down because it is much less likely that funding at Stanford will be cut whereas Berkeley is a public school and California educational funding has been cut for many years now. Also, there are many benefits of going to a private school such as better resources, better career centers... In addition, I'm not sure about graduate community, but for undergrad, Stanford environment is very relaxed, stressing out and being competitive is seen as "uncool", whereas Berkeley environment is known to be "cut-throat" or very competitive.

[Yevgor]

I don't think this question was formulated very well. What programs do you have in mind? There are quite a few where Berkeley is ahead, there are some where Stanford is in the lead. If funding is not a concern in either case, then IMO the most importnant factor is strength of the programs, because the universities are almost equal in prestige.

 

As far as "relaxed environment" is concerned, I recently read an interesting discussion about the way Stanford admits a lot of PhD students without funding, counting on the "prestige" factor. Also, it was mentioned that just a few people generally pass the qualifying exams, because the grading system is very tough (I think the reference was to EE program). Not sure if this anecdotal evidence counts, at least noone contested the claims.

[Dhruv]

I wish that were true.

 

STANFORD :eek: BERKELEY:eek: :eek:

 

I am inclined to choose BERKELEY, eventhough there is very little to choose between them.

 

I would choose BERKELEY because it is really competitive:)

[kamer]

Don't know anything about Berkeley, but I recently met a grad student at MIT who had spent a year in the Stanford Ph.D. program. He did his undergrad from MIT and then enriolled at Stanford....he said he hated it, they delibrately admit a lot more students than they intend on keeping and basically remove 3/4ths of them by failing them in the qualifiers....the guy is now at MIT doing his Ph.D.

[gforce]

Even though it would be a MIRACLE to be admitted to both schools, I would definitely go to Stanford anyday...:)

[prochainarretus]

stanford....

[Bons]

Don't know about academic-wise...But place-wise nothing can be better than Berkeley .... I have stayed at both the places............

[fdtd]

I would choose Berkeley. So many students in Stanford and it is very difficult to pass qualifying exam and getting money in Stanford.

[bnm]

UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB UCB

University of California, Berkeley.

[Erin]

Although I admit I'm still trying to figure out the best way to separate “success” posts from the rest, I think this post should be in the graduate admissions forum, not in the "Success" forum, as this is a post about the quality of a graduate school, not the results of applying to a university. Of course, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to PM me. :)

[WaitingMonster]

;) Sorry guys....I posted my message in the wrong place.

 

Yes, I mean the PhD program in EE. I agree that both schools are almost the same and where to go is completely personal preference. :)