The Polar Opposite Conundrum: LAC vs Berkeley

kenf1234
Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:37:21 +0000

You have to be aggressive at Berkeley to create opportunities. But there is so much going on, there are many chances to do that. My freshman year I was auditing a graduate seminar in a subject I was very interested in, which led me to an internship opportunity. Junior year I went abroad to a school that had an office devoted to UC students, providing all kinds of service and support. Senior year I did an honors thesis, working closesly with a professor. Many of my upper division courses had 15-20 students in them. I could have taken grad courses my senior year as well, if I had wanted.

There are limits to what you can study at a small LAC. My major would barely be offered at most.

Obviously they are upsides to a small LAC, but for many majors, they are very very limiting. The idea that they offer you better preparation for grad school is, I think, untrue for many many majors.