171 reviews
4.07 / 5 based on 171 reviews
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Sangwon P
Student life
Describe host city:
Student life dominates the city
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Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Nightlife, Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
San Francisco, just across from Berkeley, and Lake Tahoe, to the east, and Napa Valley, where the wine shines...
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Sangwon P
Housing
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
Personal comments
Well spaces are becoming more available these days.
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Sangwon P
Academic
Course recommendations
Try to contact teachers more, even if the atmosphere may not look like it!!
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Very very tough environment: it is the best public unversity in the US, and competes with Stanford, our eternal enemy that is located only an hour's drive away to the south.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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Sangwon P
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
How much did you improve your English?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Well, it is the US, hotpot of all people...
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Sangwon P
Overall
I wish I had known...
Well, not that I know of, I am proud to have graduated from such an excellent school, and boy, being in the San Francisco bay area was like being in heaven... I still miss that place.
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Well, if you go there as an undergrad, you will feel somewhat left out, as this is a research/public institution, where the enormous number of undergrads force the faculty to provide less attention. However, as a graduate student, I believe you can get decent attention: nevertheless, the weather, the environment, and the quality of education is one of the best. I do not regret anything about the school, except that at some media like the US World and News Report always rank private schools at the top... Don't believe those crap, as even former president of Stanford lauded Berkeley as a fine institution that is so undervalued by unfair gradings. Just visit there, talk to people and you will understand.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Berkeley, tucked in the San Francisco bay area, has one of the most spectacular weather and natural environments in the US. The weather is most of the times sunny and cool, and the view of the San Francisco and the Golden Gate that can be seen from the Campanile tower, one amazing icon UC Berkeley, is an unforgetable scene that is embedded in my memories eternal.
Yes, the school life is tough, you will have to hole yourself most of the times at libraries and homes and cafes and anywhere you can find a peace of mind to complete your assignments, projects and what-have-you. I cursed the school when I attended for being so indifferent(seemingly) to its undergrads: however, upon graduation and moving abroad, I miss all of that.
That is the sign that this is one exceptional institution, and in terms of value, I believe it gives its rival Stanford a run for its money.
In any case, I can recommend that school to you in a heartbeat, as my heart always will wonder those engineering halls(was an engineering major), look back on those ego-killing tests and sigh, it really was the good old days.
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Sangwon P
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
Family
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Well, the labor costs in the US is more expensive than in my country...
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Travel, Housing:
was more expensive than at home.
Nightlife, Food, Overall, Telephone:
was the same price as at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
Try working CO-OP at school: even though you may be from abroad, there are always ways...
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