My HONEST Thoughts on UC Berkeley (Pros and Cons)
TLDRThe video offers an insightful overview of the advantages and disadvantages of attending UC Berkeley, as shared by a junior studying business administration. Among the pros, the university's strong business program, renowned faculty, proximity to the Bay Area and San Francisco, and a plethora of extracurricular activities are highlighted. The speaker also emphasizes the competitive yet motivating student culture and the diverse food scene around campus. However, the cons discussed include large class sizes, difficulty in accessing professors, a competitive club and major selection process, mediocre dining hall food, expensive and limited housing options, and concerns over local crime rates. The video aims to provide a balanced perspective for prospective students or those curious about the UC Berkeley experience.
Takeaways
- 🎓 UC Berkeley is renowned for its strong undergraduate business program, ranked third in the nation behind only UPENN and MIT.
- 📚 The university offers a wide range of classes and electives within the business major, preparing students well for various business careers.
- 🏆 Berkeley is highly ranked in multiple disciplines including engineering, computer science, English, and political science, making it an excellent choice for students in any field.
- 🌍 The school's global recognition means that graduates are likely to stand out in the job market and have successful careers.
- 🧑🏫 The university boasts knowledgeable and accomplished professors, many of whom are engaged in research, providing students with opportunities to participate in cutting-edge studies.
- 🏅 UC Berkeley has a rich history of Nobel laureates, with over 110 Nobel prizes awarded to its alumni and faculty, reflecting the high level of academic and research excellence.
- 🚇 The campus's proximity to the Bay Area and San Francisco offers students easy access to a vibrant cultural scene and numerous career opportunities, particularly in tech and startups.
- 💼 The competitive and driven student body creates a 'hustle culture' that pushes individuals to excel and explore various opportunities beyond academics.
- 🤝 With over 3,000 clubs available, there is a vast array of extracurricular activities for students to join, fostering a strong sense of community and personal development.
- 🍔 The local food scene around the campus is rich with diverse, authentic restaurants and a growing number of boba shops, offering a wide variety of dining options.
- 👨👩👧👦 However, the large student population can lead to impersonal lecturers and difficulty in forming close relationships with professors.
- 🏢 The competitive nature of the university extends to club membership and major declaration, requiring applications and interviews that can be daunting for new students.
- 🍲 The dining hall food is often criticized for being mediocre, with some incidents of food quality issues, leading many students to seek meals outside the campus.
- 🏠 Housing can be a challenge due to high costs and limited availability, with many students moving off-campus after their first year.
- 🚨 The area surrounding UC Berkeley has its share of crime and homelessness, necessitating caution and awareness for personal safety.
Q & A
What is the speaker's major at UC Berkeley?
-The speaker is a junior studying Business Administration at the Haas School of Business.
How does UC Berkeley rank in undergraduate business programs in the nation?
-UC Berkeley is ranked number three behind UPENN and MIT for undergraduate business programs.
What are some of the other strong programs at UC Berkeley?
-UC Berkeley is also strong in Engineering (ranked number two), Computer Science (ranked number one), English (ranked number one), and Political Science (ranked number four).
What is the name of the research program at UC Berkeley that students can use to get research opportunities?
-The research program is called URAP (Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program).
How many Nobel Prizes have been awarded to UC Berkeley alumni and professors?
-Over 110 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to both UC Berkeley alumni and its professors in its 150-year history.
What is the convenience of the BART system for UC Berkeley students?
-The BART system is a convenient subway system that takes students all around the Bay Area, including to San Francisco, Fremont, and the North Bay.
Why is UC Berkeley's location advantageous for students interested in tech?
-UC Berkeley's proximity to Silicon Valley makes it a great place for tech jobs, founding startups, and obtaining venture capital funding, as well as networking with alumni for career opportunities.
How many clubs does UC Berkeley have, and what is the process for students to join them?
-UC Berkeley has over 3,000 clubs. Students can join clubs that interest them, and if they can't find a specific club, they can submit a proposal to create their own. Some clubs require a competitive application and interview process.
What is the speaker's opinion about the dining options around UC Berkeley?
-The speaker enjoys the variety of local restaurants and shops around the UC Berkeley campus, especially on Telegraph Avenue, and recommends trying out the local eateries.
What is the student population at UC Berkeley?
-UC Berkeley has thirty thousand undergraduates and ten thousand graduate students, making the total student population forty thousand.
How does the size of UC Berkeley affect class sizes and personal interaction with professors?
-The large student population leads to huge class sizes, especially for lower division classes. It can be challenging to get close to professors due to the number of students attending office hours, which can make it difficult to form genuine connections.
What are some of the cons the speaker has experienced at UC Berkeley?
-The speaker mentions the large class sizes, difficulty in getting personal attention from professors, competitive nature between students, mediocre dining hall food, expensive and limited housing options, and concerns about crime and safety in the surrounding area as some of the cons of attending UC Berkeley.
Outlines
🎓 UC Berkeley's Academic Strengths and Campus Life
The first paragraph introduces the video's focus on discussing the advantages and disadvantages of attending UC Berkeley. The speaker, a junior majoring in business administration, highlights the university's strong business program, ranking third in the nation. They also mention the wide range of classes and electives that prepare students for business careers. Other programs at Berkeley are noted for their excellence, including engineering, computer science, English, and political science. The university's global recognition and accomplished faculty, many of whom are involved in research and have held significant positions in their fields, are also praised. The speaker discusses the research opportunities available through the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) and the numerous Nobel laureates associated with the university. The campus's proximity to the Bay Area and San Francisco is mentioned as a positive aspect, along with the convenience of the BART system for transportation and the beneficial location for career opportunities and networking.
🤝 The Driven Community and Local Eats at UC Berkeley
The second paragraph delves into the vibrant student life at UC Berkeley, emphasizing the motivation and drive of the student body. The speaker admires the hustle culture and the variety of extracurricular activities available, with over 3,000 clubs catering to diverse interests. The campus's bustling environment during the school year, particularly during the flyering events at Sprout Plaza, is described. The local food scene around the campus is also a highlight, with a plethora of local restaurants offering a wide array of cuisines. However, the speaker also addresses some of the challenges of attending UC Berkeley, such as the large class sizes, especially for lower division classes, and the competitive nature of course registration and joining clubs. The difficulty of establishing close relationships with professors due to the size of the student body is also noted, along with the competitive process of declaring a major and joining certain clubs.
🏠 Challenges of Campus Life: Housing, Food, and Safety
The third paragraph discusses the less favorable aspects of life at UC Berkeley, starting with the quality of dining hall food, which is described as mediocre with instances of food safety concerns. The cost of meal plans for freshmen living in dorms is mentioned, along with the tendency of students to seek better and healthier food options off-campus. Housing is another challenge, with limited on-campus options for students beyond their first year and high costs for off-campus apartments. The speaker shares personal experiences with housing costs and suggests that diligent searching can yield more affordable options. The paragraph also addresses the issue of crime and homelessness in the area, advising new students to take precautions and utilize campus safety services like Bear Walk for nighttime escorts.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡UC Berkeley
💡Business Administration
💡Academic Rigor
💡Research Opportunities
💡Bay Area
💡Silicon Valley
💡Extracurricular Activities
💡Competitive Environment
💡Housing
💡Crime
💡Dining Hall Food
Highlights
UC Berkeley's business program is highly ranked, being number three in the nation.
The university offers a wide variety of classes and electives within the business major.
Other programs at Berkeley are also strong, with top rankings in engineering, computer science, English, and political science.
Berkeley is well known worldwide, providing a boost to future career prospects.
Professors at Berkeley are highly knowledgeable and accomplished, with many being involved in research.
The university has a significant number of Nobel laureates, with over 110 prizes awarded to faculty and alumni.
Berkeley's location near the Bay Area and San Francisco offers excellent career opportunities and a vibrant social scene.
The BART subway system provides convenient transportation around the Bay Area.
The student body at Berkeley is highly driven, creating a culture of ambition and extracurricular involvement.
There are over 3,000 clubs at UC Berkeley, catering to a wide range of interests.
Berkeley's campus is surrounded by a diverse food scene with many local and authentic restaurants.
The large student population at Berkeley can lead to big class sizes, especially for lower division classes.
Course registration can be competitive due to the high demand for popular classes.
Berkeley's size can make it challenging to establish close relationships with professors.
The competitive nature of the student body can create a stressful environment, but also fosters collaboration.
Berkeley's dining hall food is considered mediocre, with some incidents of food quality issues.
Housing near Berkeley can be expensive and cramped, with limited on-campus options for upperclassmen.
The area surrounding Berkeley has a noticeable homeless problem and has experienced an uptick in crime.
Berkeley offers a 'Bear Walk' service to ensure students' safety when walking home at night.
Transcripts
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