<p>I just wrote a long response but it got deleted for some reason : (</p>
<p>Here is some of it:</p>
<p>Vic and Sakky, I don’t mean any disrespect, but I didn’t read your entire response because I am not trying to have a debate: what I wrote was an opinion narrative based on my personal experiences at Cal, Stanford, and the educational system as a whole.</p>
<p>What I had to say was this: Your opportunities at Cal are boundless. Period. That is not negotiable. You may have to look harder and try harder at Cal than at certain private schools that spoon-feed you, but in the end, your success will be contigent on your aptitude alone. If you are dumb/lazy at Cal, you will not reach your potential. Higher education is an opportunity, not a crutch, and the UCs “understand” this better than most private institutions I know. </p>
<p>If you are a CA resident that didn’t get a scholarship to attend a private school or you are not filthy rich, going to a UC should be a no-brainer. A simple cost-benefit analysis of going to a UC versus going to a private school should enlighten you with the above claim. However, if “prestige” constitutes a huge marginal benefit to you, by all means, go to Stanford/IvyLeague/etc etc. I think you are being naive, but then again, that is my humble OPINION based on my experiences at Cal/Stanford and by talking to my friends who have studied at both UCs and at top private schools. </p>
<p>If you are not a CA resident, what I wrote does not apply, as going to a UC would be akin to paying private school tuition. In your case, if weighing the marginal benefit vs. marginal cost of going to a UC versus a private school leads you to the conclusion that you should go to a private school, I think you are being very reasonable.</p>