u/Ill-Tomatillo7428

Hoping to get some advice on whether I should actually consider Cal over UCLA. For. context, I’m a non-traditional student, and being in a position where I get to choose between UCLA and Berkeley feels like a dream. Because of my childhood, I wasn’t able to attend high school and eventually earned my GED, so this opportunity means a lot to me.

I have a 2-year-old son, so my top priorities are housing and daycare.

With UCLA, I would be able to stay in Burbank, where we currently rent a one-bedroom for $1,900 a month. Being close to family would be a huge advantage, but the commute from Burbank to Westwood sounds absolutely miserable. UCLA is offering me enough aid that I would probably need to do work study, but overall it feels manageable.

Berkeley offered me almost $50,000 in aid through grants and scholarships. However, we would need to relocate, get on waitlists for housing and daycare, and deal with the much higher cost of living in the Bay Area. Even then, I would be In a great position there.

I’m also an intellectually curious person, and I thrive in challenging environments.

I’m a philosophy major and plan to go to law school, so I know GPA, LSAT, and LORs will matter most. I’ve researched the grade distributions for philosophy, and it doesn’t seem like there is much grade deflation. Also, I’m a fall transfer with IGETC and my prerequisites already done.

In short, my heart is at Berkeley. I understand that undergrad has little bearing on law school applications, but Berkeley would mean more to me personally. It would feel like a second chance to pursue an education at my dream school.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Please tell me if I’m being stupid for seriously considering Berkeley.