I just wanted to write a regret post. I’ve wanted to live in SF my entire life. But due to high costs and disruption to my existing cashflow it just would not have been worth it. I maybe could have deferred but I chose my in-state school for proximity to my existing network, healthcare, and easier pivot in case I run out of tuition money. Cal was always my dream school and I would be surounded by so many like-minded people my age for the first time ever. I feel like the startup community exists at BU but not as much. And the price tag is less worth it compared to cal. It’s not the end of the world, since I kept my time and location freedom for the short-long term. My goal is to get into venture capital and angel investing. I’m lucky enough to be in a position where I can explore my interests without monetary constrant, ex. I can boostrap and test ideas without outside funding for the early stages. I hope it was the right decision because the regret is eating me. Looking into what cal offers and the startup scene… it would have been perfect for me 
its basically a university of affiliates and the “network effect” lets you run in circles around likeminded people for the rest of your life. The only other effect that’s similar is if you have money, 1m+ and you maintain it. Some background on me is that I grew up living lower-middle class. I’m self-made, I haven’t reached millionaire status yet, but I’m self-sufficient. I feel like cal could have bolstered me into a world I used to dream of. I’d be near all the startup founders i’ve ever heard about and everyone is ambitious and not back-stabbing. I also looked into the angel investing networks at berkeley exclusive to cal students and I feel like that would have been a major selling point of the uni, no to mention most programs require you to be a cal student. “Why are you crying about it you’re literally finantially free” I guess but money can only get you so far… cal would have been the perfect next step but … whatever. I just feel like I could have made money while attending a prestigious uni and created something special. I feel like an absolute idiot
Also I deferred bu. I can start my own projects though in the meantime and… I think? I’m doing well? I make 100k a month but my lifestyle has remained the same. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel it
Hindsight can suck a lot, but what’s best is to focus your attention on what’s to come. College is what you make of it, not what some school plasters on its webpage for the world to see.
I feel like cal could have bolstered me into a world I used to dream of
What’s to say that BU, whenever you do attend, won’t do the same? Each school tries to highlight every single appealing thing about it to try and draw people in, but it’s up to you to make those opportunities on campus whenever you do attend.
Comparing yourself to a future that’s still uncertain will do you no favors. Use this opportunity to make you even more determined to pursue your interest in venture capital and angel investing at BU. Don’t go into your college experience already with a lens of guilt; instead, look at it as a chance for new opportunities. You may meet incredible students, incredible professors, or discover opportunities that they don’t spend thousands to publicize.
That’s what makes college incredible, whether it be at a local CC, Berkley, or BU. No one will be there to hold your hand through it; your own actions determine its worth. Go find that startup community at BU, or start it yourself. Make those connections that Berkley could never have given you, meet incredible people, and explore your interests. You seem to have an already burning flame of passion; don’t let it get blown out by the winds of regret.
Best of luck to you in your future.
You know its funny. When I first start my journey I thought 600k/yr was a lot. I could basically do whatever I want. Then suddenly I reached my goal and my goal post has moved. It feels strange because once you reach a certain point it becomes a completely different game. I feel like I fumbled the opportunity of a lifetime, not that I can’t access but the “ideal” path. I can still make the ideal path although fuhhhhh…… gotta work harder.
If you were to have attended a university of over 33,000 undergraduates, it doesn’t seem as if you would have been entering an exclusive start-up community.
Having a little trouble following this. You have applied as an undergraduate and deferred or declined your admission, claiming you make $100,000 a month, but you can’t afford to live in California even though if you went to Berkeley, you could probably live in the dorms or student housing. Having a little trouble believing this, sorry.
illiquid, high taxes. tied up in other assets.
Are you saying it’s not actual cash flow you’re earning? No reason to have it tied up in illiquid assets if so. Even after taxes just your next month or two would pay for a year at Cal - assuming it’s actual cash flow. If your “earnings” are something like stock appreciation or payment in kind that you can’t sell, that’s different.
I’d rather have money over prestige in an economy that’s slowly collapsing. Bu isn’t too bad. It’d be nice if I went to cal but if I can do everything at bu that I can do at cal and if I really do need the network I can find someone to work with. You need to be resourceful to even get into cal so I don’t think that’s a skill I lack.
If my parents lose their job im the only person they can fall back on, I don’t think the economy is good enough for me to risk everything just for cal affiliation. I have people in my network that went there, but in terms of life outcome its different than how I would have played it. It really hurts though. My current network isn’t simliar to the cal network at all in terms of mindset and shared culture. I dont think it matters in the end though. Never needed a job and even more so now. I just wish… it’s fine prestige was always a luxury. I’m lucky enough that I don’t need to rely on it.
That’s the thing it is exclusive. To most people it may seem like that, but the system is basically saying “We’re creating a private network of some of the brightest minds, leveraging our historical value and quality of our students and alumni. We know you’re all very bright, not everyone will be rich or be able to give back finantially, but nonetheless that’s the point. We bet on those we think are the best fit for our uni and have the highest chance of success. It doesn’t necessarily have to be ALL billionaires, just a few good bets keeps our network elite.” So in the end it technically is elite, but somene who finds the next unicorn at another school or country is probably welcome in the network unofficially anyway.
See, I think this is the part people are finding hard to understand. $100k after taxes in MA (state & federal) comes out at around $59k a month (thank you ChatGPT). So you need 7 months’ income, roughly, to pay 4 years of Cal, and of course you don’t need to pay it all upfront, so it’s less than 2 months per year’s worth. Actually less of course, because it’s only the difference vs BU that matters. So that becomes more like 1 month. If this is real, sustainable income, that’s very far from risking everything.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with BU of course - it’s a great college and it’s not an easy admit. And if you’re already succeeding now you clearly don’t need a college effect. Just, some people are finding your numbers hard to reconcile.
And is there really a risk of both of your parents losing their jobs, or is that unlikely? Do they have savings? Are their skills marketable/employable? Why would this fall on you? Are you a recent HS graduate and just planning your college career? Do you plan to continue to do what is providing your income while you are in college? Is it a guaranteed income stream (vs high stakes gambling or the like). Please fill in some of the holes for us.
There is a high risk for my parents losing their jobs or getting salary cuts. Their skills are only good for working for companies and once those positions aren’t needed anymore then they lose their jobs. White collar jobs, not substantial without ownership. We have assets that are illiquid (these types of assets are unideal, and we’re working on getting rid of them). My income is garunteed.
What is this thread actually about?
Yeah but, there’s no jobs for grads. I’m primarily going for entrepreneurship. I’m in a prime position to go after my dreams without cal.
my regret abt cal and diff opp i would have encountered
And you’re looking for help to….?
Or did you just think we’d find this interesting?
Trying to understand what to do with this. If anything.
Of the applicant characteristics necessary for admission to UCB, I wouldn’t rank resourcefulness especially highly. The quality may be valuable in individual circumstances, however.
It’s unfortunately not uncommon for people to get into elite colleges they can’t afford; I assumed OP really just wanted to vent about it.
Tuition and room and board at Cal is about $4000 less expensive than Boston University.