How is Life in Northern Cal or Southern Cal?

Question

I GOT ACCEPTED TO UCLA AND BERKELEY BUT CANT REALLY CHOSE...AND IM FROM THE SOUTH WHICH AREA WOULD PROB FIT A SOUTHERN GIRL

Answer 1

Go for Berkeley.Living in the bay area is easier(except for the rent prices).You won't need a car.....If you go to ucla and live around there expect to be in your car all the time.

Answer 2

First, congratulations on being accepted to those two universities. Those are really hard schools to get in to.

Both the Bay Area and the LA Area are fast paced metropolitan areas. There seems to be more traffic in LA, but it's really not too different up north, either. One thing you may want to consider is the fact that the BART has 3 stops in Berkeley while there is no mass transportation other than the bus in Westwood (UCLA). So Public transportation is more accessible at Berkeley.

I tend to lean towards UCLA as the nicer campus, but I think Cal has more history. As far as the regions, both are pretty laid back. The beaches are better in Southern California, but the Bay Area has more culture. The weather is also sunnier in SoCal, but depending on where you are in the Bay, the weather can be pretty good too.

The club scene is probably better down south, there are more pretty people because image is everything in LA. But, both regions have lots to do and see so be sure to take advantage of everything you can.

Freeways are more easier in the Bay Area, I think, and it seems less congested than LA. Also the Bay Area has two professional NFL teams, whereas LA has none, if that type of thing is important to you...

Either way, you can't lose. I'm partial to the Bay Area because that's where I'm from.

Answer 3

CONGRATULATIONS! I got into Cal and UCLA, too, and I had to make the same choice. I chose Berkeley.

As a Cal alumna, I'd encourage you to choose Berkeley. Cal is just GREAT. Of course, I am biased ... *g*

But speaking from experience, I did undergrad at Berkeley and grad school at USC (and my best friends are Bruins), so I've got both Berkeley and LA experience.

I live in Los Angeles now, and I kinda hate it. I loved being in Berkeley. I'm a small town girl (from a place in California that's culturally more like the Bible Belt). I like Berkeley because the environment was so radically different from what I had seen and lived in for so long. The local people are a strange but fascinating lot. And the students are brilliant with their fair share of eccentricities. You get all sorts of opinions ranging from middle of the road moderate, to crack pot deranged. Living in Berkeley widened my horizons and at the same time made me feel very centered and normal. I loved being able to hop on BART for a twenty minute ride to San Francisco. I love Amoeba records, and I would stop by almost everyday on my way home from class. I loved the campus culture of people on all sides having a say on the day's hot topics. Yes, the town is very liberal, but you find that the students are very different from the townsfolk. Berkeley College Republicans is the largest club on campus (I used to be a member). There's really good food and coffee in Berkeley. The place isn't keen on hosting big chain stores (though there are two Starbucks near campus), but the mom-and-pop shops are gems! A big thumbs up to the coffee at the Beanery on College Ave just north of Ashby. Public transit will take you wherever you need to go, so a car is unnecessary.

As for Westwood, it is NOTHING like Berkeley. It is wealthy, upscale, and painfully homogeneous. I stood on the corner of Weyburn and Broxton and saw multiple Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cafes in my line of sight. And I was standing in front of a Starbucks! I liked UCLA when I visited during my senior year of HS, but I absolutely hated Westwood, and that the leading reason I chose not to go to UCLA. I don't know how concerned you are about your appearance, but I didn't like the pre-occupation the UCLA students have with fashion and beauty. They're really done-up at UCLA. If you're into that, then maybe you'd make a good Bruin. UCLA is a good school, but it's just so preppy. As for public transit and getting around, parking in West LA is a pain in the butt. But there isn't an effective light rail in LA, and the buses are useless. Right now, my 8 mile work commute takes me 40 minutes.

Answer 4

Hahaha, neither really. My family was originally from Texas before we all moved out here, but even in Texas, there's all sorts of environments. I don't know what you're used to. Are you from a small town, or are you from a big city like Dallas? From down in the bayou of Louisiana or the plains of Kansas? From "the South" can mean all sorts of things. It's really best to describe both and let you decide for yourself.

Berkeley: Kind of urban. Generally, a bit run down with HIGH crime anywhere the students likely live. Berkeley and that part of Oakland generally are just the "bad part of town". Yes, there are some mansions in the city itself (berkeley or oakland hills area), but I'm talking where the students realistically would be around. Lots of bums. Very liberal (altho much less so than back in the 60s). Not too many chain restaurants. Lots of excellent mom and pop restaurants. Most students walk, bike, or take mass transit. For fun, taking the BART subway type thing to San Francisco is popular. You can have a car, but it's a huge pain to find parking or simply just driving around. Still, while it sounds pretty urban, it's still more suburban looking than say San Francisco. Think urban city life though.

UCLA: Located in Westwood, a real fancy part of Los Angeles. Like the rest of SoCal, cars rule. While it's still a pain to find parking, mass transit kinda sucks here so cars are still the preferred mode of transportation. Restaurants tend to be of the chain variety. This is just personal opinion, but the overall student population just seems more outgoing, sociable, and hip compared to the average Berkeley student population. Great SoCal weather. Fairly close to the beach. No big skyscrapers either, so it kinda looks like a cleaner, wealthier Berkeley. Hollywood and celebrities are definitely in the social conscious more because a lot of celebs live in the area.

Answer 5

Berkeley is going to be more similar to UCLA. I personally love UCLA and the area its in, but LA can be harsh place to newcomers. If you are looking for big city life, try UCLA. If you are looking for a little slower pace with friendlier faces, try Berkeley. Both are great universities, Congratulations on getting in both that's quite an accomplishment.