Please help me decide, Cal v. MIT!

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I have about a week left to make this decision and I’m not getting anywhere! Help! A little background: I want to major in electrical engineering, work in industry for a few years, then get an MBA from a top ten grad school. I got no financial aid, my parents pretty much have the means to pay, but of course $ matter.
Here’s a pros/cons list. </p>

<p>Berkeley
PROS
instate tuition (30k)
closer to home (1hr plane ride)
better weather
apparently more practical and hands-on than MIT (?) although I doubt this after seeing MIT’s labs
such an active campus, I love how there’s always something happening
CONS
disorganized and underfunded club sailing team
living in the Units sounds awful; I would try to get in Foothill but idk how often you actually get what you ask for
very low average GPAs (I saw 2.5-2.9 avg. on one Cal thread?)
competitive dissatisfied students
budget cuts?</p>

<p>MIT
PROS
I <3 Boston
the sailing program was AMAZING
nice dorms, besides East Campus (no offense)
research sounds very available and relatively easy to get
almost everyone is some sort of engineer!
CONS
cost (55k)
far away (5hr plane ride)
im rather intimidated by how difficult people say it is</p>

<p>Wild Card: UCSB
already offered 6k/yr and possibly another 8k/yr (should know soon)
Gorgeous campus, but idk how serious they are about their engineering</p>

<p>I guess, to summarize, I like MIT the best, but idk if that preference is worth 25k/yr.</p>

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<p>if your family can afford it and you like the social climate, MIT is the clear winner here. Don’t be too concerned about grades - you can always cross-register at that grade-inflated school down the street in Cambridge. :D</p>

<p>Boston is awesome.</p>

3

<p>As they say, how can you turn down an MIT offer of enrollment?</p>

<p>UCB is $25,000/yr cheaper
UCSB could be as much as $40,000/yr cheaper</p>

<p>If these figures are small for your family, then it appears MIT is the winner - otherwise, the other two are excellent in EE.</p>

<p>USNWR Graduate EE Rankings
1… MIT
3… UCB
17. UCSB</p>

<p>NRC Graduate EE Rankings
4… UCSB
10. MIT
12. UCB</p>