<p>To add some perspective here, I’ll pull for Berkeley, though if your parents have money to spare private>public in most cases.
I think you’re estimating the costs incorrectly UC Berkeley estimates on campus residents will spend $24,272 per year, and UChicago estimates that on campus residents will spend $47,440 per year, and first year students will spend $48,205. UChicago’s estimate doesn’t allot anything to transportation (while Berkeley allots 684 dollars to transportation), so if you come back for all three breaks, expect to add 1500-2000 per year in airfare. And then think about the whole new warddrobe that you will need to purchase for the winter.
In short, the difference approaches 25,000 dollars per year.</p>
<p>the websites:
<a href=“http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/general.asp?id=26[/url]”>http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/general.asp?id=26</a>
<a href=“http://collegeaid.uchicago.edu/cost.shtml[/url]”>http://collegeaid.uchicago.edu/cost.shtml</a></p>
<p>If you’re fortunate enough for paying nearly double to not be an issue, you definitely need to visit UChicago and make your decision based on fit. While I’ve never been there myself, it sounds vastly different from Berkeley.
Lastly, UC Berkeley’s economics program is very highly regarded, and while it may not be on the level of Chicago, MIT, Stanford, and Harvard in terms of prestige, you probably won’t be short-changing yourself.</p>
<p>And USC isn’t worth it.</p>
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<p>Now that I said all that, I think you should choose Chicago if you want a truly unique undergraduate experience–not that I know firsthand, though.</p>