<p>as avoidingwork pointed out, you get more than a one year guarentee at most of the UCs. As others have pointed out, Berkeley now has a two year guarantee.</p>
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<a href=“http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/fallfreshmen.html[/url]”>http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/fallfreshmen.html</a></p>
<p>If you are a Chancellor’s/Regents Scholar, four years are guaranteed.</p>
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And others schools have been, more so. I’m not sure about the meal problem you refer to, but it sounds rediculous. Something is wrong with that situation. </p>
<p>Also, the smaller, private schools tend to have less policing. When I visited my friends at Stanford, kids were doing Irish car bombs in the lounge. Other students were doing shots in their room, and I think their alcohol policy is “keep the door open, and you’re fine, RAs shouldn’t participate.” Personally, I think their policy is more reasonable, but that’s another story. This is just one example of a private school, of course, but other schools have been far more infamous for various drug problems for a long time. Perhaps the UC system is guilty of this, but it is unfair to single it out, as it doesn’t seem particularly bad. </p>
<p>Also, somebody mentioned it’s harder to get into courses required to graduate at UCB. Perhaps, but I guess it depends on what you’re talking about. Where I got into all of the classes I wanted this semester, my friend at a small, prestigious LAC got into 3/5.</p>