socaltownie said:

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Big C said:

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Congrats! What do you think was key in him getting accepted? Does he have a general idea of what he might study?


(back in the previous century i got the "fat envelope" and my parents opened it before I got home, which kind of irked me)

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We really let him drive the train on where and his essays. We actually haven't seen his essays and I think that was wise - let him answer his Personal interset questions rom the heart and with vulnerability.

As of today he wants to do life science research. I am not sure if he applied chem, bio or biochem to cal.

I don't really have a clue why he got in. His EAs were OK but not amazing. He has a solid academic record. If I had to GUESS (cause Cal and the university ethos) it is that he is an ecclectic scholar - interested in lots of different subjects and something of a polygot....so loving cell biology AND 19th century american poetry and french philosphy with a healthy appreciation of video games and NBA. I think it also is why Reed is woeing him hard and probably why he got WL at Davis and UCSD.

As much as I have DESPISED this process it worked out in the end and I think of the "top" UCs he got into the one that fits him the best. He will make a great Bear if that is where he ends up going.

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There is only 1 top UC!
End rant.

My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

Oski87 said:

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01Bear said:

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eastcoastcal said:

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concordtom said:

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eastcoastcal said:

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Congrats!! PM if you have any questions on housing. Go bears!

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My daughter got in.
Yes, tell about housing!!!

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Clark Kerr quite social, larger rooms, and a bit more of the frat/sorority/party scene, but also further from campus. Happy to answer any specific questions!

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I was in Norton Hall in Unit 3 my freshman year. Unit 3 was just a block south of campus (Lower Sproul). IIRC, Clark Kerr is just across the street from Unit 3, so it's not all that far from campus.

I used to have friends in Haste Channing when I was a freshman. Whenever I visited, it did seem more friendly, but I never got the frat/sorority vibe. How things have changed!

In any case, I hope you enjoy your time as a student at Cal! Party often and hard, but don't forget to hit the books and graduate (then give back to the school as an alumnus/alumna).

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Clark Kerr (which was called Dwight Derby when I was at Cal) is between Dwight and Derby on Waring street - next to the frats and sororities and about 3 blocks south of the stadium.

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My bad! I was thinking Haste Channing! (I believe it's been renamed Cleary Hall.)

You're both absolutely right, Clark Kerr is farther away from Campus.

On a side note, after my freshman year, I moved into an apartment off Dwight and Piedmont. It was very close to Clark Kerr, though I never visited Clark Kerr. After I moved away, a friend's younger brother matriculated at Cal and wound up in Clark Kerr his freshman year. I believe one of his suitemates (or maybe just a floormate) was Marshawn Lynch.

CNHTH said:

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socaltownie said:

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Big C said:

---

Congrats! What do you think was key in him getting accepted? Does he have a general idea of what he might study?


(back in the previous century i got the "fat envelope" and my parents opened it before I got home, which kind of irked me)

---

We really let him drive the train on where and his essays. We actually haven't seen his essays and I think that was wise - let him answer his Personal interset questions rom the heart and with vulnerability.

As of today he wants to do life science research. I am not sure if he applied chem, bio or biochem to cal.

I don't really have a clue why he got in. His EAs were OK but not amazing. He has a solid academic record. If I had to GUESS (cause Cal and the university ethos) it is that he is an ecclectic scholar - interested in lots of different subjects and something of a polygot....so loving cell biology AND 19th century american poetry and french philosphy with a healthy appreciation of video games and NBA. I think it also is why Reed is woeing him hard and probably why he got WL at Davis and UCSD.

As much as I have DESPISED this process it worked out in the end and I think of the "top" UCs he got into the one that fits him the best. He will make a great Bear if that is where he ends up going.

---

There is only 1 top UC!
End rant.

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"There is only one University of California; it is in Berkeley..."

CarmelBear said:

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My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

---

I started at SDSU and finished at American U in DC.

I can't tell you anything about Gtown aside from its exact location. But I can tell you that I loved school in DC, a great college town.

It was great for me to get out of California and experience DC. But I wasn't ready for that as a freshman. I feel like I got the best of a couple worlds. Idiot freshman partying followed by a lack of that (because it's a waste) plus political and international classes and local field trips that are only available there.

If my kid chose Gtown over Cal, which is already known as a NorCal resident, I'd be fine with that!
So, you're in a great place in my mind.
Good luck!

FYI: my parents and grandparents, sister, aunt all went to Cal. Our family is Cal connected after all that, still.

HearstMining said:

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Congrats, Tom! I have a Cal Engineering degree (1976) and one of my sons has a Cal Poly Engineering degree (2013). I think the programs appeal to different student objectives (prep for graduate degree vs work in industry after a BS) different learning styles (theory vs application). To the limited extent that I can, I'd characterize the differences between the programs as follows:

Cal

• More instruction on theory, less on practice - not sure if/how much this has changed since the 1970s
• General focus is to prepare the student for grad school - one of my classmates went on to a PhD at that cow-college in Palo Alto and a career at HP Labs.
• Very few engineering courses your first two years - lots of Chem, Physics, Math.
• Chem and Physics used to be the real "weeder" courses that washed out prospective engineering students before they ever took an engineering class. Not sure if that's still the case.

Cal Poly

• More hands-on, NOT "vocational", just that there is a lot of emphasis on labs and application of theory. I think my son had 24 hour access to labs by his junior year - and needed it.
• Students take engineering courses right from the get-go, so find out if they're cut out for it.
• Focus is on preparing students to walk out with a BS and begin a career in tech.
• As at Cal, it's hard work. His first year, my son tried to combine the social life of his freshman roommate, a history major, with an engineering course load. It didn't go well. I recall my wife and I sitting in a taco joint in SLO, talking him out of switching majors because he thought the work was too hard.

Once again, congratulations to your daughter.

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Wow, thanks for all that! I'll pass it along.

I have to admit, I've been riding my parents and grandparents Cal coattails on this site for 15-20 years.
Now that one of my own has been accepted, I feel like maybe I can belong on my own merits - even though she's done all the work, not me. But I must have done something right in raising her, right?!?! …Silly.

Go Bears!
(Ha, I just realized I happen to be wearing one of my Berkeley shirts - and nothing to do with an acceptance letter.)

Thanks CT. My late wife's father in law is a Cal grad - both a BA and Boalt JD. Also taught at Boalt. Lots of Cal in both sides of my family. When my oldest went USC (film) over Cal, that didn't sit real well. At first. We have acclimated. Now my youngest has the same type of choice. I'm fine with Georgetown. Great school and venue.

concordtom said:

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CarmelBear said:

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My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

---

I started at SDSU and finished at American U in DC.

I can't tell you anything about Gtown aside from its exact location. But I can tell you that I loved school in DC, a great college town.

It was great for me to get out of California and experience DC. But I wasn't ready for that as a freshman. I feel like I got the best of a couple worlds. Idiot freshman partying followed by a lack of that (because it's a waste) plus political and international classes and local field trips that are only available there.

If my kid chose Gtown over Cal, which is already known as a NorCal resident, I'd be fine with that!
So, you're in a great place in my mind.
Good luck!

FYI: my parents and grandparents, sister, aunt all went to Cal. Our family is Cal connected after all that, still.

---

Nephew just got accepted at American U. Law!

CarmelBear said:

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Thanks CT. My late wife's father in law is a Cal grad - both a BA and Boalt JD. Also taught at Boalt. Lots of Cal in both sides of my family. When my oldest went USC (film) over Cal, that didn't sit real well. At first. We have acclimated. Now my youngest has the same type of choice. I'm fine with Georgetown. Great school and venue.

---

25 years ago, I was working in downtown San Francisco and decided to take a break and walk to Union Square. Something I did to ease the stress now and then.

I ran into my father and my younger sister, who was a senior in high school at the time, crossing the street at Florsheim shoes. I was like, "whoa! What are you guys doing here?"

They said they were just spending father daughter time. Later, I learned that that time was holed up in a hotel for the weekend. They bought my daughter all kinds of stuff and sat down with a very serious pros and cons list to going to Cal or University of Pennsylvania, where my sister actually wanted to go on a Crew scholarship. They let her shop in union store and buy all kinds of stuff, but back in the hotel it was a full on pressure sales job.

It turns out that my stepmother was afraid that her only daughter would meet and marry some East Coast guy and never come back to California. That's what happened to her when a job in California turned into a life in California and she ditched her Midwest loyalties for California Golden Bears family.

As a CAL Partisan, emotionally myself, I recognize it. But the pull can't be so great that you do that to a kid. it can stifle the inner drive and self determination. Do they call that executive function? Maybe if I was a cal grad I would know. Ha, ha ha ha ha.

I think for my sister, she carried some resentment for a while, and eventually did go live in New York City for a time to get that out of her system. Now she's settled right back where we all started with her 2.0 children. So, they can and do come back home.

Good luck in whatever happens. I'm not sure what my daughter will choose. I just hope the grandparents don't lay in heavy.

I'll agree with others, if you want to do film, USC > Cal. No brainer. I guess the only question there would be, "how do you know you really want to do a film?" Or "why can't you go to film school after you do Cal?". I am sure those questions were asked and answered. (Chuckle)

mbBear said:

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concordtom said:

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CarmelBear said:

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My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

---

I started at SDSU and finished at American U in DC.

I can't tell you anything about Gtown aside from its exact location. But I can tell you that I loved school in DC, a great college town.

It was great for me to get out of California and experience DC. But I wasn't ready for that as a freshman. I feel like I got the best of a couple worlds. Idiot freshman partying followed by a lack of that (because it's a waste) plus political and international classes and local field trips that are only available there.

If my kid chose Gtown over Cal, which is already known as a NorCal resident, I'd be fine with that!
So, you're in a great place in my mind.
Good luck!

FYI: my parents and grandparents, sister, aunt all went to Cal. Our family is Cal connected after all that, still.

---

Nephew just got accepted at American U. Law!

---

Wow, that's great. Go Eagles!
I've found nobody knows AU in California. But he's going to be exposed to an entirely different world in the Politics Capitol, which is fabulous for personal growth. And what an interesting time. Please tell him to go march, not riot, for me! I'll even send him a self knitted pink cap! We can't lose this election!!! Apply the Law, dammit!!!

AU's campus is green and serene in upscale NW DC, not urban like Gtown or GW, particularly GW! But the metro from Tenleytown makes it all accessible easily. I had a car and family in the DC metro area (MD and VA) so know it all very well. If he's a Californian, there's the massive BosWash corridor to get to know!
Spreading wings, it's a great big world out there!! Books are the same wherever one goes, no?

I hope your nephew gets to as many events as possible. KramerBooks at DuPont Circle. Politics and Prose. I watch author talks on YouTube now, but 30 years ago we'd see many things like this in person. So many embassy events or NGO events. Go to and get to know as many as possible!!

My kids never much considered the east coast, to my chagrin. Well, they looked, but it seemed too far and different. Same for me. Only when I was older was I brave and wanting newness.

Good luck.

concordtom said:

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mbBear said:

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concordtom said:

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CarmelBear said:

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My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

---

I started at SDSU and finished at American U in DC.

I can't tell you anything about Gtown aside from its exact location. But I can tell you that I loved school in DC, a great college town.

It was great for me to get out of California and experience DC. But I wasn't ready for that as a freshman. I feel like I got the best of a couple worlds. Idiot freshman partying followed by a lack of that (because it's a waste) plus political and international classes and local field trips that are only available there.

If my kid chose Gtown over Cal, which is already known as a NorCal resident, I'd be fine with that!
So, you're in a great place in my mind.
Good luck!

FYI: my parents and grandparents, sister, aunt all went to Cal. Our family is Cal connected after all that, still.

---

Nephew just got accepted at American U. Law!

---

Wow, that's great. Go Eagles!
I've found nobody knows AU in California. But he's going to be exposed to an entirely different world in the Politics Capitol, which is fabulous for personal growth. And what an interesting time. Please tell him to go march, not riot, for me! I'll even send him a self knitted pink cap! We can't lose this election!!! Apply the Law, dammit!!!

AU's campus is green and serene in upscale NW DC, not urban like Gtown or GW, particularly GW! But the metro from Tenleytown makes it all accessible easily. I had a car and family in the DC metro area (MD and VA) so know it all very well. If he's a Californian, there's the massive BosWash corridor to get to know!
Spreading wings, it's a great big world out there!! Books are the same wherever one goes, no?

I hope your nephew gets to as many events as possible. KramerBooks at DuPont Circle. Politics and Prose. I watch author talks on YouTube now, but 30 years ago we'd see many things like this in person. So many embassy events or NGO events. Go to and get to know as many as possible!!

My kids never much considered the east coast, to my chagrin. Well, they looked, but it seemed too far and different. Same for me. Only when I was older was I brave and wanting newness.

Good luck.

---

Thanks for the nice post. He is finishing up his Senior year at Union College in upstate NY, where is likely to be Magna Cum Laude and all league academics as a baseball pitcher(has already done that twice); so one of the few people who will have an weather upgrade being in DC! He had wished for a better LSAT score, but whatever. He grew up outside of Philly (Lower Merion/Kobe HS) so good proximity for him.
He interned a couple of Summers ago for a Congressman, so had a taste of DC, and of course loved it. He spent a 3 week program in South Africa a year ago during winter break, and definitely has that broad interest in International law and government.

Good stuff!

Hello there, socaltownie. Congratulations to your whole family. This doesn't happen by accident. You must have all invested so much of yourselves to achieve this.

Now it is time to go recruit SCT Jr to Cal! I enjoy your posts, but I don't think I could ever forgive you if he winds up a lesser school like furd or harvard.

Quick parenting question for SCT:

What sort of a bed did you provide SCT Jr? Did you pamper him, or did you give him a standard twin bed?

Despite me being an offensive lineman, my father gave me a twin bed. This was a matter of philosophy for him. He would say:

"Look, you are a smart kid. So you will probably go to university, where you will get a twin bed in your dorm. But knowing you, you will probably get expelled and end up in the army where they will also give you a twin size bed. Then you will probably go to prison at least a few times, where you will have a twin sized bed. So in my house, I am preparing you for life by giving you a twin sized bed. Get used to it buttercup."

I used this as motivation. Never went into the army or to prison. Worked hard at Cal. And now I have a king bed that goes up and down whenever I press a button!

Take that The Duke senior!

concordtom said:

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CarmelBear said:

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My youngest son (second of 2 boys) got accepted and also has acceptances to Georgetown, USC (where his brother is second year film school), Boston College and UCSB. Wait listed at Columbia and UCLA.

Right now -it's Georgetown v Cal, barring a Columbia rabbit out of the hat. And it's actually close in his mind. USC is third though they are offering a 3 + 3 undergrad//law program which is intriguing. He prefers Cal to UCLA.


Need talking points for Cal over Georgetown !

---

I started at SDSU and finished at American U in DC.

I can't tell you anything about Gtown aside from its exact location. But I can tell you that I loved school in DC, a great college town.

It was great for me to get out of California and experience DC. But I wasn't ready for that as a freshman. I feel like I got the best of a couple worlds. Idiot freshman partying followed by a lack of that (because it's a waste) plus political and international classes and local field trips that are only available there.

If my kid chose Gtown over Cal, which is already known as a NorCal resident, I'd be fine with that!
So, you're in a great place in my mind.
Good luck!

FYI: my parents and grandparents, sister, aunt all went to Cal. Our family is Cal connected after all that, still.

---

Undergrad credits in high school at Cal. UCSD bachelor's degree. Masters of Science at American Uninversity.

If do anymore school I'll need three transcripts.

TheDuke!!! said:

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Quick parenting question for SCT:

What sort of a bed did you provide SCT Jr? Did you pamper him, or did you give him a standard twin bed?

Despite me being an offensive lineman, my father gave me a twin bed. This was a matter of philosophy for him. He would say:

"Look, you are a smart kid. So you will probably go to university, where you will get a twin bed in your dorm. But knowing you, you will probably get expelled and end up in the army where they will also give you a twin size bed. Then you will probably go to prison at least a few times, where you will have a twin sized bed. So in my house, I am preparing you for life by giving you a twin sized bed. Get used to it buttercup."

I used this as motivation. Never went into the army or to prison. Worked hard at Cal. And now I have a king bed that goes up and down whenever I press a button!

Take that The Duke senior!

---

Bunk bed twin. Get him used to being in a dorm or the navy - though most racks on ships are at least a triple decker ;-)

socaltownie said:

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TheDuke!!! said:

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Quick parenting question for SCT:

What sort of a bed did you provide SCT Jr? Did you pamper him, or did you give him a standard twin bed?

Despite me being an offensive lineman, my father gave me a twin bed. This was a matter of philosophy for him. He would say:

"Look, you are a smart kid. So you will probably go to university, where you will get a twin bed in your dorm. But knowing you, you will probably get expelled and end up in the army where they will also give you a twin size bed. Then you will probably go to prison at least a few times, where you will have a twin sized bed. So in my house, I am preparing you for life by giving you a twin sized bed. Get used to it buttercup."

I used this as motivation. Never went into the army or to prison. Worked hard at Cal. And now I have a king bed that goes up and down whenever I press a button!

Take that The Duke senior!

---

Bunk bed twin. Get him used to being in a dorm or the navy - though most racks on ships are at least a triple decker ;-)

---

Smart.

eastcoastcal said:

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concordtom said:

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eastcoastcal said:

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Congrats!! PM if you have any questions on housing. Go bears!

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My daughter got in.
Yes, tell about housing!!!

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She'll get freshman housing but after that almost everyone goes off campus. For freshman housing, Blackwell is the most upscale/bougie but very difficult to get unless Regents/Chancellors scholar. Unit 1-3 all similarish except location. Foothill mostly engineering students & has slightly larger rooms but generally not as social. Clark Kerr quite social, larger rooms, and a bit more of the frat/sorority/party scene, but also further from campus. Happy to answer any specific questions!

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My two boys (in sequential years) loved Clark Kerr Campus. It is close enough to campus to walk to classes but not too close. My Kids liked the outdoor vibe. (Track, volleyball hiking trails behind the campus. Is the pool still open?) it has a totally different feel from the other dorms. Nothing like it at UC SoCal. All students were very social. My kids got to hang with some of the MBB team

CarmelBear said:

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Thanks CT. My late wife's father in law is a Cal grad - both a BA and Boalt JD. Also taught at Boalt. Lots of Cal in both sides of my family. When my oldest went USC (film) over Cal, that didn't sit real well. At first. We have acclimated. Now my youngest has the same type of choice. I'm fine with Georgetown. Great school and venue.

---

I was totally unimpressed with the Georgetown campus. A few parts were very pretty. But over all it struck me as a medium sized campus jammed into a tiny corner of a city that was already too overcrowded. Too many campus buildings jammed too close to others except for the original campus building at the entrance to the campus. And few attractive views of the nearby River. Compared to Georgetown Cal looks like an open space paradise with great views of the Berkeley Hills and San Francisco Bay

The surrounding city streets are virtually impassible for car traffic most of the days during the school year. Lots of great shops but you need to park blocks and blocks away. And forget rapid transit since Georgetown is playing catch up after years of resisting rapid transit

Yes I visited the campus and environs many times over the past 15 years since one of my sons lives in the area
Cal is a much superior choice .

GivemTheAxe said:

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CarmelBear said:

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Thanks CT. My late wife's father in law is a Cal grad - both a BA and Boalt JD. Also taught at Boalt. Lots of Cal in both sides of my family. When my oldest went USC (film) over Cal, that didn't sit real well. At first. We have acclimated. Now my youngest has the same type of choice. I'm fine with Georgetown. Great school and venue.

---

I was totally unimpressed with the Georgetown campus. A few parts were very pretty. But over all it struck me as a medium sized campus jammed into a tiny corner of a city that was already too overcrowded. Too many campus buildings jammed too close to others except for the original campus building at the entrance to the campus. And few attractive views of the nearby River. Compared to Georgetown Cal looks like an open space paradise with great views of the Berkeley Hills and San Francisco Bay

The surrounding city streets are virtually impassible for car traffic most of the days during the school year. Lots of great shops but you need to park blocks and blocks away. And forget rapid transit since Georgetown is playing catch up after years of resisting rapid transit

Yes I visited the campus and environs many times over the past 15 years since one of my sons lives in the area
Cal is a much superior choice .

---

Students at Gtown don't need to worry about parking or "impassible streets".

Tighter campus is a plus in my opinion.
I f-king hated SDSU walking from one part of campus to another. At AU, I could get back and forth quickly. Made life more sane!

I'll agree it's a bummer that neither AU nor GT have metro stations Right There.
But not too far away and a walk is not bad.

I think your comments are "views" is kinda funny.
It sounds like you're shopping for real estate.

Update: sct Jr. Having a blast at cal day. He definately is all in and seeing himself as a bear. Being the dad right now is so surreal.

We already have family day planned for big game weekend

SoCal:

Click on this gift for you, in honor of your years of dedicated to this site.
May all partake and enjoy!

https://www.captiongenerator.com/v/2299232/socaltownie-jr-goes-to-cal#google_vignette

If only I could directly embed it into your browser windows!

I am sitting in asuc right now laughing my ass off and crying tears of joy about this great community. Best college sports board in the nation.

socaltownie said:

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I am sitting in asuc right now laughing my ass off and crying tears of joy about this great community. Best college sports board in the nation.

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We deserve good things.

socaltownie said:

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Update: sct Jr. Having a blast at cal day. He definately is all in and seeing himself as a bear. Being the dad right now is so surreal.

We already have family day planned for big game weekend

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I dream about this weekly, for my daughter. You are living the dream. Drink it in like an ice cold beer through a tube in Oski's eye, and Go Bears!

socaltownie said:

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I am sitting in asuc right now laughing my ass off and crying tears of joy about this great community. Best college sports board in the nation.

---

I laughed too!!!
I'm glad I was able to bring you some joy. It was fun remembering your old basketball recruiting video. That needs to be in the BI HoF.
I trust you shared with Jr?
Or maybe you don't want to share with him you BI alter ego. - my kids vaguely know about my communications on some random "cal bear blog", but they don't know which, or who I am.

I remember you saying probably 10 years ago that you'd like it if your kid could get in, but it was an admitted pipe dream.
And yet, here you are. Here WE are.
I don't know if mine is Berkeley bound. She was in LA at a school band event yesterday. She's making a couple of her own "Cal days". But she might wanna get further from home, just for personal growth. And that's okay with me. She's got to be self-directed in life, and not live out a zigzag of 5 generations at Cal for the sake of all our nostalgic joy.
We'll see.
Anyways, everyone here is happy for your joy! Life has its moments.
Soak it up!