LSE vs Berkeley Undergraduate
I know it has been debated before, but I want to talk about a more specific comparison.
I've been admitted to LSE Economics (L101) and Berkeley (college of arts and sciences). Both of them I know have a good economics faculty, plus I'll probably major in Maths instead in Berkeley. I don't really care about the marginal difference in the education. I am instead more interested in the job prospects.
I've heard that Berkeley undergraduate is easy to get into and undergraduate econ major isn't hugely popular - things like computer science and tech related subjects tend to be more popular (people get a better job after they leave), and obviously business too - I regret not applying to the business college.
Anyway, I am an aspiring investment banker, and don't mind working in the uk, london or hong kong - I'm from HK. So can you guys please give some advice? I don't mind contributions from people without much knowledge to this specific matter and are just making an educated guess, but please do specify it because I'm quite easily convinced by forum posts
oh and one more thing, Berkeley costs more for me every year plus its four years - I pay international fees for both, its not really a huge problem, but obviously ceteris paribus the lower the fees the better
I've been admitted to LSE Economics (L101) and Berkeley (college of arts and sciences). Both of them I know have a good economics faculty, plus I'll probably major in Maths instead in Berkeley. I don't really care about the marginal difference in the education. I am instead more interested in the job prospects.
I've heard that Berkeley undergraduate is easy to get into and undergraduate econ major isn't hugely popular - things like computer science and tech related subjects tend to be more popular (people get a better job after they leave), and obviously business too - I regret not applying to the business college.
Anyway, I am an aspiring investment banker, and don't mind working in the uk, london or hong kong - I'm from HK. So can you guys please give some advice? I don't mind contributions from people without much knowledge to this specific matter and are just making an educated guess, but please do specify it because I'm quite easily convinced by forum posts
oh and one more thing, Berkeley costs more for me every year plus its four years - I pay international fees for both, its not really a huge problem, but obviously ceteris paribus the lower the fees the better
I've heard that Berkeley undergraduate is easy to get into and undergraduate econ major isn't hugely popular - things like computer science and tech related subjects tend to be more popular (people get a better job after they leave): exactly.
I regret not applying to the business college: Berkeley takes undergrad business school applications only towards the end of first year, so you haven't missed out on that chance yet.
If it's about job prospects, particularly econ/finance related: LSE>Berkeleym and London>Silicon Valley.
I regret not applying to the business college: Berkeley takes undergrad business school applications only towards the end of first year, so you haven't missed out on that chance yet.
If it's about job prospects, particularly econ/finance related: LSE>Berkeleym and London>Silicon Valley.
this is jsut from what ive heard around the place so feel free to take it with a pinch of salt but it really depends where you intend on working as from what ive been led to understand if you intend on working in america berkely will serve you a lot better than LSE, not saying LSE is a bad university because obviously its ane xcellent institution but American employers apparently preferre american degrees and are somewhat skeptical [i think thats the right word?] of British degrees. if you were to work in Britain, Australasia etc. though i think theyd both stand you in equal stead more or less but berkely probably comes out just on top. it more depends on the type of degree you get though, getting 2:2 [or equivilent] from berkley is not going to look as a 1st/2:1 from LSE or vice a versa.
There are 25,000+ undergrads studying at Berkeley vs 4000 from LSE so the degree you get isn't nearly as special.
Also there's a loophole in the Californian education system where many students do their first two years at a community college before transferring (in order to save $$$).
Of the 6000+ incoming students about 2000 of them are transferring and it is MUCH easier to get in as a transfer student than by vanilla application.
Also recently the state of California has been broke and they have retrenched costs from the higher education system as well as increasing fees for both international, and domestic students.
If I were you I wouldn't go to CAL there's just way too many students (not special degree), and recently the education that you would have received there will be of much less quality than in the past.
Also -> go to this site: They talk about bads + goods of UCB: http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/University_of_California_Berkeley.html
Hope I helped
*I am a part-time Californian :P
Also there's a loophole in the Californian education system where many students do their first two years at a community college before transferring (in order to save $$$).
Of the 6000+ incoming students about 2000 of them are transferring and it is MUCH easier to get in as a transfer student than by vanilla application.
Also recently the state of California has been broke and they have retrenched costs from the higher education system as well as increasing fees for both international, and domestic students.
If I were you I wouldn't go to CAL there's just way too many students (not special degree), and recently the education that you would have received there will be of much less quality than in the past.
Also -> go to this site: They talk about bads + goods of UCB: http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/University_of_California_Berkeley.html
Hope I helped
*I am a part-time Californian :P
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by chau14
I've heard that Berkeley undergraduate is easy to get into and undergraduate econ major isn't hugely popular - things like computer science and tech related subjects tend to be more popular (people get a better job after they leave): exactly.
I regret not applying to the business college: Berkeley takes undergrad business school applications only towards the end of first year, so you haven't missed out on that chance yet.
If it's about job prospects, particularly econ/finance related: LSE>Berkeleym and London>Silicon Valley.
I regret not applying to the business college: Berkeley takes undergrad business school applications only towards the end of first year, so you haven't missed out on that chance yet.
If it's about job prospects, particularly econ/finance related: LSE>Berkeleym and London>Silicon Valley.
So I couldn't have applied for Haas anyway? and I'm guessing if I apply after the first year, the chance of admission is very small? Many Thanks for your info btw, very useful
Original post by lordvulture
So I couldn't have applied for Haas anyway?
That's right, you couldn't have.
Not even after the first year, but only after the second year, I think. I'm not sure whether students apply after first or second year but surely they do not apply in the first (the phase in which you applied.)
Students from all majors can apply and a small percentage of them get in. For more, see this: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html I think this link itself is pretty helpful, check out the FAQs and everything else.
Also, most students (I think you fall in this category) who join UCB with the very aim of going to Haas pursue the pre-business major for the first two years in the college of arts and sciences.
But once again, LSE>UCB Haas>UCB Arts and Sciences. But since you're an international, the choice pretty much is US vs UK. Good luck!
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by chau14
That's right, you couldn't have.
Not even after the first year, but only after the second year, I think. I'm not sure whether students apply after first or second year but surely they do not apply in the first (the phase in which you applied.)
Students from all majors can apply and a small percentage of them get in. For more, see this: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html I think this link itself is pretty helpful, check out the FAQs and everything else.
Also, most students (I think you fall in this category) who join UCB with the very aim of going to Haas pursue the pre-business major for the first two years in the college of arts and sciences.
But once again, LSE>UCB Haas>UCB Arts and Sciences. But since you're an international, the choice pretty much is US vs UK. Good luck!
Not even after the first year, but only after the second year, I think. I'm not sure whether students apply after first or second year but surely they do not apply in the first (the phase in which you applied.)
Students from all majors can apply and a small percentage of them get in. For more, see this: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html I think this link itself is pretty helpful, check out the FAQs and everything else.
Also, most students (I think you fall in this category) who join UCB with the very aim of going to Haas pursue the pre-business major for the first two years in the college of arts and sciences.
But once again, LSE>UCB Haas>UCB Arts and Sciences. But since you're an international, the choice pretty much is US vs UK. Good luck!
hey do you mind if I ask for your background? I always thought that UCB Haas is one of the best business schools in the world, and in contrast some courses in LSE are quite easy to get into (things like management), do you have experience from both the uk and us? Thanks!
I'm from one of the South Asian countries. Applied to the US last year: I applied to 6 Ivies+Duke+NYU+UCB. Was rejected from 4/9 of these colleges and accepted/waitlisted at the other 5. However, I didn't get any financial aid and could not go.
I then took a gap year and chose to apply to the UK this year. And still waiting for my BSc Econ+Philo decision. Please pray for me.
And UCB Haas is pretty good, for undergraduate B-schools in the US, I think it must be in the top 5/7, after Wharton/Stern and maybe a few others.
Lastly, I'm quite well acquainted with the US system since I went through the entire grind last year, so I shall be more than willing to help you with information.
I then took a gap year and chose to apply to the UK this year. And still waiting for my BSc Econ+Philo decision. Please pray for me.
And UCB Haas is pretty good, for undergraduate B-schools in the US, I think it must be in the top 5/7, after Wharton/Stern and maybe a few others.
Lastly, I'm quite well acquainted with the US system since I went through the entire grind last year, so I shall be more than willing to help you with information.
My opinion (have worked in IB):
- Both schools are good
-If you want to work in the US, you're probably better off going to UCB; if you want to work in the UK, you're probably better off at LSE.
-Haas is indeed highly regarded. Not sure about globally, but in the US it is 3rd only to Penn/Wharton and MIT/Sloan: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-overall
-UCB in general (despite some of the stuff linked in other posts above) remains one of the top US unis - a particular achievement for being a public university. You can't really compare global rankings for UCB and LSE though, as LSE is penalised in the methodology for a narrower focus in the subject range it offers. (Incidentally, the fact that UCB offers a lot more subjects than LSE also means you can't just compare total undergrad numbers and say that one is therefore more "exclusive" than the other!)
-I'd also suggest maybe scanning the faculty of the particular departments you're interested in...
-You should also (if you haven't already) post this question on US websites, because TSR is likely to have a bias to LSE - and of course the US websites would have a bias to UCB
But again, I think you're unlikely to go wrong with either of them.
- Both schools are good
-If you want to work in the US, you're probably better off going to UCB; if you want to work in the UK, you're probably better off at LSE.
-Haas is indeed highly regarded. Not sure about globally, but in the US it is 3rd only to Penn/Wharton and MIT/Sloan: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/business-overall
-UCB in general (despite some of the stuff linked in other posts above) remains one of the top US unis - a particular achievement for being a public university. You can't really compare global rankings for UCB and LSE though, as LSE is penalised in the methodology for a narrower focus in the subject range it offers. (Incidentally, the fact that UCB offers a lot more subjects than LSE also means you can't just compare total undergrad numbers and say that one is therefore more "exclusive" than the other!)
-I'd also suggest maybe scanning the faculty of the particular departments you're interested in...
-You should also (if you haven't already) post this question on US websites, because TSR is likely to have a bias to LSE - and of course the US websites would have a bias to UCB
But again, I think you're unlikely to go wrong with either of them.
Original post by chau14
That's right, you couldn't have.
Not even after the first year, but only after the second year, I think. I'm not sure whether students apply after first or second year but surely they do not apply in the first (the phase in which you applied.)
Students from all majors can apply and a small percentage of them get in. For more, see this: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html I think this link itself is pretty helpful, check out the FAQs and everything else.
Also, most students (I think you fall in this category) who join UCB with the very aim of going to Haas pursue the pre-business major for the first two years in the college of arts and sciences.
But once again, LSE>UCB Haas>UCB Arts and Sciences. But since you're an international, the choice pretty much is US vs UK. Good luck!
Not even after the first year, but only after the second year, I think. I'm not sure whether students apply after first or second year but surely they do not apply in the first (the phase in which you applied.)
Students from all majors can apply and a small percentage of them get in. For more, see this: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/class_profile.html I think this link itself is pretty helpful, check out the FAQs and everything else.
Also, most students (I think you fall in this category) who join UCB with the very aim of going to Haas pursue the pre-business major for the first two years in the college of arts and sciences.
But once again, LSE>UCB Haas>UCB Arts and Sciences. But since you're an international, the choice pretty much is US vs UK. Good luck!
This. LSE is probably better at undergraduate. In my opinion, most British universities are superior to any others in the world when it comes to undergraduate studies. Postgraduate studies is a different matter though. But since you care more about getting into IBs, it pretty much comes down to whether you want to work in England or the States. In the USA they definetely prefer students from their own universities. I actually know someone who graduated from Cambridge; he studied Economics. And he really wanted to get into an IB in London but his girlfriend was American. So they moved to America and he just couldn't get a job in NYC at any IB. Pretty much everyone he was up against attended a US college. Of course nobody knows whether he didn't get it because he didn't go to a US school or because of other reasons. But it does lead to certain assumptions...
Conclusion: If you want to work in NYC, choose Berkely or some other US college.
If you want to study in London, go for LSE.
Original post by chau14
I'm from one of the South Asian countries. Applied to the US last year: I applied to 6 Ivies+Duke+NYU+UCB. Was rejected from 4/9 of these colleges and accepted/waitlisted at the other 5. However, I didn't get any financial aid and could not go.
I then took a gap year and chose to apply to the UK this year. And still waiting for my BSc Econ+Philo decision. Please pray for me.
And UCB Haas is pretty good, for undergraduate B-schools in the US, I think it must be in the top 5/7, after Wharton/Stern and maybe a few others.
Lastly, I'm quite well acquainted with the US system since I went through the entire grind last year, so I shall be more than willing to help you with information.
I then took a gap year and chose to apply to the UK this year. And still waiting for my BSc Econ+Philo decision. Please pray for me.
And UCB Haas is pretty good, for undergraduate B-schools in the US, I think it must be in the top 5/7, after Wharton/Stern and maybe a few others.
Lastly, I'm quite well acquainted with the US system since I went through the entire grind last year, so I shall be more than willing to help you with information.
I'm assuming LSE for philo and econ? Good luck!! Hope to see you next year!
Did you go for oxbridge? It's really nice to have your views because we're looking at it from a similar perspective
What did you get in the SAT/ACT if you don't mind me asking? I got 2250 but none of the other American unis I applied to accepted me 
... (I applied to harvard, stanford, mit, yale, upenn, chicago, ucberkeley and duke) You have done a lot better than me! I got put on waiting list for Duke and Chicago, although apparently that means a 1% chance of getting in. Having heard all that, I think I'm 99% certain that I'll go for LSE, thanks again for your help and best of luck to you! (If you haven't already heard back, since I think the deadline is today)Original post by nightmare91
This. LSE is probably better at undergraduate. In my opinion, most British universities are superior to any others in the world when it comes to undergraduate studies. Postgraduate studies is a different matter though. But since you care more about getting into IBs, it pretty much comes down to whether you want to work in England or the States. In the USA they definetely prefer students from their own universities. I actually know someone who graduated from Cambridge; he studied Economics. And he really wanted to get into an IB in London but his girlfriend was American. So they moved to America and he just couldn't get a job in NYC at any IB. Pretty much everyone he was up against attended a US college. Of course nobody knows whether he didn't get it because he didn't go to a US school or because of other reasons. But it does lead to certain assumptions...
Conclusion: If you want to work in NYC, choose Berkely or some other US college.
If you want to study in London, go for LSE.
Conclusion: If you want to work in NYC, choose Berkely or some other US college.
If you want to study in London, go for LSE.
Haha thanks, I guess its one of the most important things economics has taught us - making assumptions
Hey I saw this very interesting thread haha and coincidentally you are the OP.
Erm IMO, LSE and Berkeley are equally respected/famous in Singapore. I would love to go to either for these schools. But if I had to choose, LSE because of cheaper costs and shorter duration and I am certain I want to major in Econs.
So choose Berkeley if you still want to explore which major to go into,
LSE if you are sure Economics is for you. Neither choice is a bad one.
I have a friend at Haas School of Business Year 2 and she applied to Biz school straight and got in.
Seems like you have made up yr mind haha, cyaz at LSE in Sept!
Erm IMO, LSE and Berkeley are equally respected/famous in Singapore. I would love to go to either for these schools. But if I had to choose, LSE because of cheaper costs and shorter duration and I am certain I want to major in Econs.
So choose Berkeley if you still want to explore which major to go into,
LSE if you are sure Economics is for you. Neither choice is a bad one.
I have a friend at Haas School of Business Year 2 and she applied to Biz school straight and got in.
Seems like you have made up yr mind haha, cyaz at LSE in Sept!
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Sciences Po Paris or UC Berkeley?
- Would you rather attend...?
- Need History MA advice
- Do I have the profile for a top PhD in Finance in the US?
- what a-level options should I choose?
- MSc Public Policy UCL vs MSc Regulation LSE vs MA Public Policy KCL
- Master Economics: LSE vs Cambridge vs UCL vs CEMFI vs BGSE
- Durham vs LSE
- Mature Student admission for LLB
- UCL vs LSE - Anthropology
- Manchester vs Bayes (Cass) vs Lancaster
- LSE MSc Data Science VS. Imperial MSc Statistics
- Profile Evaluation for MSc. Economics and MSc. Development Economics
- Oxford vs LSE for Law
- Warwick vs UCL vs LSE for a career in private equity/ quant/ acturial science
- LSE PPE for 2024 entry
- Economics at Oxford: is there enough maths?
- Tranferring to UC Berkeley from UK
- Postgrad: LSE non business/finance degree or MSc Management for Investment Banking?
- Official Economics Applicants Thread for 2024 Entry
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 3 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
