@scrambro: I really do have mixed feelings towards Evans Hall. It is one of the only two buildings you could see miles away either by driving or taking the BART to campus. What’s the other one? 
Oh boy, also missed the Moffitt Library a lot…especially during the finals.
…
Shall I move on to the next topic? 
Campanile? I can spot it from all over the place
Historically, UCB admission selectivity was not all that high compared to recently. That is reflected in the lower historical 4- and 6-year graduation rates.
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/ug-outcomes
Even now, while UCB and other UCs have gotten significantly more selective than before, they are not generally as selective as the most selective private universities (although some specific majors or divisions may be). Also, the most selective private universities have students from a much higher family SES profile than the UCs, so money is likely to be less of an impediment to finishing (quickly or at all) at the most selective private universities.
However, many UCB departments put high rigor and/or high content into their courses, even back in the old less selective admission days. The somewhat economy-class environment (advising, student services including academic support, etc.) may also feel more rigorous to some students.
So here comes an interesting question: does a merit-based admission policy => a “more selective” student body => a “less diversity” on campus? It’s a very complicated issue (or does it?) after AA was outlawed in 1996 due to Proposition 209. With the recent phase out decision of SAT/ACT and the UC regents’ endorsement of ACA5, I see a pathway to transformation: from merit-based to holistic + a race factor admission.
Anyway, to reiterate my acquired qualities at Cal: grit (guts, resilience, initiative, and tenacity), I had no idea how they came about. All I knew was the undergraduate education there was an unbelievable series of processes taken place in a black-box that took a collection of inputs and resources, performed some work with those inputs, and then yielded those qualities once you got out successfully from college. It’s just as simple as that.
@MohnGedachtnis : What a vivid impression in Post#33, on Stanford and Columbia architectures…><
@PurpleTitan: For Post#31, what impressed me the most is even with the decline in state funding, Cal somehow could still mange so well and continues to be one of the top schools in the world. That’s truly AMAZING!
By checking the links:
https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/student-life/diversity/
https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley/student-life/diversity/
I easily noticed a major difference in racial demographics between UCB and UMich.
^ There is a large difference in racial demographics between Cal and UMich. Due in large part to the respective states they are in. Both draw the majority of their undergrad student body from in-state and both are required to be race-blind in in-state admissions.
With the recent phase out decision of SAT/ACT and the UC regents’ endorsement of ACA5, I see a pathway to transformation: from merit-based to holistic + a race factor admission
An interesting argument from UNC by saying, “race-blind admissions would let in dumber students.”
https://www.thecollegefix.com/unc-says-race-blind-admissions-would-let-in-dumber-students/
On the other hand, the graduate school (MA, MS, JD, MBA, MD, Ph.D) admissions are still merit-based.
Standardized testing requirements still remain crucial in graduate school admissions. For example, here is a link to Stanford’s MS&E (so-called the technical MBA at Stanford) admission statistics:
https://msande.stanford.edu/admissions/graduate/mse-ms-admission-statistics
So far as my observation goes,
*With best entrepreneur spirit: S > B > C.
However, In the area of high tech startups created by undergraduate (UG) alums, B = S according to PitchBook, an industry analytics firm, in a 2016 study.
And it may have something to do with a tradition that most “C” alums aim to go to banking, consulting, Corporate America large enterprises.
Below is the link to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Top Young Entrepreneurs) 2019 list with Stanford (#1) and UC Berkeley (#5):
As quoted below, "the ten schools that produced the most members of the Forbes 30 Under 30 2019 class:
- Stanford University, 54
- Harvard University, 46
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 34
- University of Pennsylvania, 24
- University of California, Berkeley, 22 (Side note: UCB is the only public university in the top 10 list.)
T-6. New York University, 19
T-6. Yale University, 19
- Cornell University, 15
- University of Southern California, 14
- Duke University, 13"
Side note for Post#51:
According to a 2012 study, Stanford alumni create nearly $3 trillion and 5.4 million jobs in economic impact each year.
https://news.stanford.edu/news/2012/october/innovation-economic-impact-102412.html
Students at these three institutions, somehow remind me of the three men’s singles tennis greats in the “early days”:
B (UC Berkeley) <=> Jimmy Connors who was known for his grit, intensity and aggressive/competitive play.
C (Columbia Univ) <=> Stefan Edberg for his elegant/grace play and "classy demeanour"
S (Stanford Univ) <=> John McEnroe for his ingenious shot-making artistry and effortless “touch on the volley” techniques.
And how am I supposes to do the 1-1 mappings of the three greatest men’s players of all time, namely, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic?
It is coincidental that you matched some great tennis players to the schools they attended. John McEnroe attended Stanford. Jimmy Connors attended UCLA (a UC that is not UC Berkeley).
I knew McEnroe did not finish the Stanford degree and I absolutely had no idea Conners attended UCLA. Purely coincidental!
When I attended CU years ago, I immediately noticed people there dressed differently - all have a unique sense of style somehow in a graceful way, unlike Californians dress “fun and light.”
@UCBUSCalum: How about Californian kids in the south? LA way? I think people living in the southern and northern Cal are also significantly different in many ways. No wonder there were many radical movement plans to split the golden state into 2 or 3 or even up to 6 states during the last two decades.
Yes, I notice kids who grew up in No. Cal vs. So. Cal are somewhat different, politically and appearance. So. Cal kids seem to dress more fashionable. Maybe it is the Hollywood, film industry influence in So. Cal. But that is just my take. Maybe someone else sees things differently.
@UCBUSCalum : And I’ve noticed in years, without a clue, that the Trojan Family, whether domestically or internationally, has a stronger alumni connection and network in business, in my opinion, than many of UC schools, and Ivies, and possibly on a par with Stanford Cardinal if no less. But why?