101 Reasons to Attend Berkeley

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Please keep your comments positive.

  1. Top notch Professors.
  2. Very close to San Fransisco.
  3. #2 ranked at The Best Schools: 100 Best Universities in the World Today — 2018.
  4. #5 ranked on the Shanghai Ranking (Academic Ranking of World Universities 2018).
  5. #6 on The top 50 universities by reputation 2018 (World Ranking).
  1. Because I went there.

7 You get to see and touch the llamas on campus during Dead week (aka Llamapalooza)

8 Networking. Some of the coolest people on earth attend Cal and may work with you at some point (start a business together, in the same company, work on projects, do research together, etc),

9 Unlike other schools, Berkeley teaches you both street smart and book smart

10 Because I went there and met my spouse there :-)

  1. Endless numbers of restaurants and cheap places to eat.
  1. 107 Nobel Prize Winners that have taught at the school
  2. 14 Field Medal winners that have taught at the school
  3. 16 elements discovered at UC-Berkeley
  1. A bit hilly, but it's a campus that isn't too big or too small.
  2. Almost no cars driven within the campus boundary - besides the safety, it is truly a UCB world of its own.
  3. Each department having its own building, at least its own floor
  4. Research in every area you can imagine
  5. Clubs in every area you can imagine
  6. No hard restrictions from taking any classes you want, or at least no one stopping you from attending
  7. Libraries, libraries everywhere and good study spaces
  8. Fantastic view of the bay at the Lawrence Hall of Science
  9. Botanical garden is a great way to spend a day
  10. Tilden park/Lake Anza or Claremont Canyon is a very decent walking course
  11. Edwards Stadium is arguably one of the best track surfaces
  12. One of the few campuses that the football stadium isn't right at the center of campus which can be too imposing, but still at the campus
  13. Football stadium seating is fully enclosed, also a rare treat
  14. Dirt cheap RSF and fantastic group fitness classes
  15. Always motivated people - all students, staff, professors, etc.
  16. Campus never feels vacant, even during breaks
  17. There is always an opportunity to play some ultimate frisbee game

^^ Great list!

  1. People from far far far away foreign land have heard of Berkeley
  1. A sweatshirt school (as in, people who don't go there or know anyone who goes there wear Cal swag).
  2. URAP (school-wide undergraduate research program) - an AWESOME way to get kids connected to research opportunities who don't necessarily have a close relationship with a professor in need.
  1. No polar vortex
  1. International House -- two of my best years were spent there.
  2. Caffe Strada -- where I did most of my study.
  3. The Graduate -- the movie.
  4. Moe's Bookstore, a landmark and a treasure still standing.
  1. Views of the Golden Gate bridge from several buildings.
  2. Swimming at Hearst pool with beautiful views and marble sculptures
  3. Noon Campanile concerts
  4. Noon concert series at Hertz Hall
  5. Hanging out at Cafe Strada on a sunny day with a cappuccino
  6. Getting to know the weather patterns of Karl the Fog
  1. Getting a Haas backpack if you get into the Business School! I heard it is designed to distribute the weight evenly so backpack does not seem to weigh a lot when it is packed with all your books, etc.

I posted simultaneously with @TiggerDad so our numbering got off and also duplicated the Cafe Strada suggestion :-). We’ve talked about I-House before… Looks like we might really be up to
46. lunch at Vik’s Chaat

  1. it's about an hour to Napa Valley
  2. it's about 3 hours to skiing, except for traffic issues
  3. it's about 4 hours to Yosemite Valley
  1. There's an actual (no longer used) mine in the mining building.
  1. Cal gives life time on campus parking to its Nobel Prize winners
  2. The 61 bell carillon in the Campanile
  3. Chez Panisse is a short walk from campus
  1. Lawrence Hall of Science - probably 10 times better now than when I was there for my work study.
  1. You can take an Astronomy course from Prof Alex Fillipenko who regularly discovers new stars and black holes in between classes.
  1. The Vista Parking lot next to Lawrence Hall of Science gives awesome views of the Bay Area. Great place to make ou..er be with your loved one at sunset.