<p>I’m from out of state and i’m deciding between berkeley and a state school (uiuc). Is it true that Berkeley is cutthroat competitive and that the general student body is laidback and liberal? Also, is it very hard to get into Haas?</p>
<p>Two things you mention (competitive and laidback) cannot coexist that well with each other. Some students are cutthroat and competitive. I think that they make up a small percentage of the student body. Most are fairly hard working, but generally relaxed. Some students are very laid back, and I think the percentage of these far outnumber the "cuthroat competitive.) Most students are liberal, from middle liberal (as in in between super liberal and middle moderate) to moderate liberal. Some are really liberal. There are some conservatives on campus, but the ratio is pretty low. I think, according to informal reserach, 1 in 12 students is conservative. </p>
<p>Haas? Well, getting in is sort of tough, but doable. Many threads are devoted to it, including what courses need to be taken, what GPA should be attained, and what other stuff you should do. </p>
<p>Choose on fit. Visit. if you think California culture is going to disagree with you, see it firsthand. Some students (collegesenior/politeantagoni/whatever) feel this. If the culture does not agree with you, you probably won’t enjoy yourself too much. Other factors (money, for instance) might be an issue for you as well. Good luck.</p>