Does Cal Berkeley best SMU in academics?

[OhioBrownFan]

http://www.businessinsider.com/public-c ... nts-2014-3

I just came across that Yahoo.com.

I've been to Berkley a few times, was just out there last fall when the Bucks played. Cool town, great food, cool bars, very progressive town. It's extremely disability friendly, definitely a liberal feel to the people but very nice people nonetheless. It's not for me but I couldn't ever bash the place, unbelievable academics, and a great college town not far from San Fran.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

Would Cal Berkeley be one of the few schools
we play that probably has higher academics than SMU?

Rankings and reputation:

"In the 2013 Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings Berkeley was ranked the world's 5th most prestigious university and one of six globally recognized "super brands." Among world universities, Berkeley had the 2nd highest number of academic programs rated in the Top Ten in their field by QS. In 2009 the Center for Measuring University Performance placed Berkeley 9th among national research universities. Berkeley was ranked as the number 1 public university in the world by US News and World Report in 2013, marking its 16th consecutive year as the top public university"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University ... ,_Berkeley

Their undergraduate program (IMHO) is overrated. Due to budget issues, the students don't really have access to everything.

But, their graduate programs are outstanding.

The undergraduate program specifically is actually very well regarded. US News ranked it 7th tied with Duke. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching

That said it's very sink or swim so it's not for everyone. As far as funding, while there have been budget cuts in education, their overall budget has actually increased over the last few years, not decreased. They recently concluded a 3.1 Billion dollar fundraising campaign, and will start a new fundraising campaign soon, thanks in part to their new chancellor, former dean at Columbia, and new provost, former dean at Stanford. There is reason to expect that undergraduate ranking to increase further as their combined main objective is more capital fundraising and undergraduate education.

BTW: The largest club on campus is College Republicans.

That is not UG rankings by US News as you state. It is a survey based on which schools emphasize UG teaching more. Great metric no doubt, but it is not their ranking of UG programs. this has the rankings for national universities: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandrevie ... iversities

They're tied for 20th here. They did use to be ranked higher around 20 years or so. this captures the UG programs. There are separate rankings for graduate programs. As I stated before, their graduate programs are really their strength.

[fezznsb]

Yes, one ranking is about undergraduate teaching (which is what matters for undergraduate education) and the other list which you cited is overall ranking. While they have specific graduate program rankings, the general National University Ranking covers everything. So if you want to get a sense for their undergraduate strength, the ranking for undergraduate teaching is a better indicator. The National University Rankings includes a host of other factors, including stuff like alumni giving.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

Yes, one ranking is about undergraduate teaching (which is what matters for undergraduate education) and the other list which you cited is overall ranking. While they have specific graduate program rankings, the general National University Ranking covers everything. So if you want to get a sense for their undergraduate strength, the ranking for undergraduate teaching is more accurate.

Sorry but when you see Maryland, Miami at Oxford and WF on a list that excludes Harvard, Columbia, MIT, no one is going to give it any real credence. Not that Harvard is necessarily regarded as as a great UG place of learning. Everyone knows about their grade inflation, but UG is more than just about focusing on teaching, it is about the caliber of the students that you sit with and the job opportunities that become available to you. I had never heard of this UG teaching ranking before, but I did find it interesting, and in a few cases not surprising.

[fezznsb]

Yes, one ranking is about undergraduate teaching (which is what matters for undergraduate education) and the other list which you cited is overall ranking. While they have specific graduate program rankings, the general National University Ranking covers everything. So if you want to get a sense for their undergraduate strength, the ranking for undergraduate teaching is more accurate.

Sorry but when you see Maryland, Miami at Oxford and WF on a list that excludes Harvard, Columbia, MIT, no one is going to give it any real credence. Not that Harvard is necessarily regarded as as a great UG place of learning. Everyone knows about their grade inflation, but UG is more than just about focusing on teaching, it is about the caliber of the students that you sit with and the job opportunities that become available to you. I had never heard of this UG teaching ranking before, but I did find it interesting, and in a few cases not surprising.

The more I think about it, the fact that Harvard, Columbia and MIT didn't rate so well here while Dartmouth, Brown, and Yale are on the list makes it pretty legitimate in my experience. I can't speak to Wake or Miami of OH, since I'm not familiar with those schools at all.

[ojaipony]

I've always felt Berkeley is on an Ivy League level. So a tier above SMU. Rather go to school in Dallas, though. It's damn expensive up there and too close to Oakland for me.

[PlanoStang]

Big magazine college rankings since the 60s tend to depend on the predominant views of
communism versus capitalist of the students on campus

[SoCal_Pony]

UC-Berkeley is one of the top universities in the world, maybe in the top 5. It is ridiculous to compare SMU to UCB academically.

We are more on par with UC-Irvine. And I agree with Leopold, the bottom end of our students, much like UCI's, can be pretty uninspiring.

[Harry0569]

That said it's very sink or swim so it's not for everyone. As far as funding, while there have been budget cuts in education, their overall budget has actually increased over the last few years, not decreased. They recently concluded a 3.1 Billion dollar fundraising campaign, and will start a new fundraising campaign soon, thanks in part to their new chancellor, former dean at Columbia, and new provost, former dean at Stanford. There is reason to expect that undergraduate ranking to increase further as their combined main objective is more capital fundraising and undergraduate education.

BTW: The largest club on campus is College Republicans.

I'm sure if you summed up the amount of "liberal clubs," it would far outweigh the CRs.

[Digetydog]

UC-Berkeley is one of the top universities in the world, maybe in the top 5. It is ridiculous to compare SMU to UCB academically.

We are more on par with UC-Irvine. And I agree with Leopold, the bottom end of our students, much like UCI's, can be pretty uninspiring.

While UCB is a great university, it has most of the positives/negatives that all Big State School have. If I can afford it, I would much rather send my children to similarly ranked private schools than any of the elite "Big State Schools."

[Digetydog]

UC-Berkeley is one of the top universities in the world, maybe in the top 5. It is ridiculous to compare SMU to UCB academically.

We are more on par with UC-Irvine. And I agree with Leopold, the bottom end of our students, much like UCI's, can be pretty uninspiring.

While UCB is a great university, it has most of the positives/negatives that all Big State School have. If I can afford it, I would much rather send my children to similarly ranked private schools than any of the elite "Big State Schools."

[smuaustin1971]

My daughter went to Cal and was on the swim team. it is a fantastic place for your college experience. And a terrific place to be an athlete. Lots of diversity and opportunities to be involved in whatever interests you. She had great and caring professors. Berekeley is certainly a fascinating place for sure.

[SoCal_Pony]

UC-Berkeley is one of the top universities in the world, maybe in the top 5. It is ridiculous to compare SMU to UCB academically.

We are more on par with UC-Irvine. And I agree with Leopold, the bottom end of our students, much like UCI's, can be pretty uninspiring.

While UCB is a great university, it has most of the positives/negatives that all Big State School have. If I can afford it, I would much rather send my children to similarly ranked private schools than any of the elite "Big State Schools."

I know where you are coming from with that statement, but the reality is you can count the number of 'similarly ranked private schools' to UC-Berkeley on one hand. And that's for the entire world.

[SoCal_Pony]

My daughter went to Cal and was on the swim team. it is a fantastic place for your college experience. And a terrific place to be an athlete. Lots of diversity and opportunities to be involved in whatever interests you. She had great and caring professors. Berekeley is certainly a fascinating place for sure.

Agreed, plus you are close to San Francisco, probably the 2nd most cultured city in America after NYC.

[OhioBrownFan]

My daughter went to Cal and was on the swim team. it is a fantastic place for your college experience. And a terrific place to be an athlete. Lots of diversity and opportunities to be involved in whatever interests you. She had great and caring professors. Berekeley is certainly a fascinating place for sure.

Agreed, plus you are close to San Francisco, probably the 2nd most cultured city in America after NYC.

Or San Fran. Either way, incredible school. Gotta be pretty bright to get into there, especially OOS.