What's the difference between Californian universities?

[onodera]

There's UCLA, UC Berkeley, Stanford and Caltech. I think UCLA is the generic one, but what's the difference between the other three?
Is Stanford like Harvard and Caltech like MIT? If it is so, what is Berkeley like?

[Jon Miller]

California has the UC system which are research universities and the SC system which are focused more on teaching.

The UC systems are some of the best universities in the US and in the world. UC Berkeley is the best of them, UCLA might be second best. UC Berkeley is really the only public university that matches the great private ones: Harvard, etc.

Stanford and CalTech are private universities, they are also some of the best in the world, matches the great privates ones on the east coast, and so are on the same level as Berkeley.

CalTech is more technical focused like MIT (they are both XXX Institute of Technology). Stanford is not as much, but still is very good in the sciences/engineering/etc.

JM

[Jon Miller]

All four of them are good enough that it is more important to look at what you want to do and not just at how prestigious the University is.

In physics for example, all 4 are in the top 20 (and their place would change based on what you are doing).

JM

[onodera]

I'm not interested in which one is better, I want to know their differences. If UC are public universities, does this mean they don't charge their students?

[Tuberski]

I'm not interested in which one is better, I want to know their differences. If UC are public universities, does this mean they don't charge their students?

No, it means they are funded by the state.

ACK!

[Jon Miller]

They do charge their students, but less for ones that are in state.

UCLA is in LA and Berkeley is in SF. This is a pretty big difference in where you live and what the local atmosphere is like.

Stanford is up near Berkeley and Cal Tech is down near UCLA. Berkeley doesn't need a car, UCLA probably does, UCLA is more laid back (students aren't as serious), Berkeley has more hippies.

CalTech doesn't have the social science type classes or isn't good in them. I read that it requires quantum mechanics for everyone, even economists. Not sure if that is true.

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

Berkely

[snoopy369]

In the US, 'state college' usually means 'land grant college' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land-grant_university ). They are state (not federally) funded, though they did originate from federal lands (hence land-grant). Tuition is something like 15% (varies widely) for in-state students; so if you go to UC Berkley your tuition might be 5,000/year for a California resident and 40,000/year for a non-California resident (resident typically being defined as 'where your parents live', though people use all sorts of tricks to get residency - living with a third cousin twice removed for their senior year of high school or whatnot).

Land grant colleges are often very good (but also often bad, so you have to know which is which). They include schools that are more like community colleges, and often include branches like such; but the main college is usually at least decent (if the state spends on education anyway). They tend to focus on certain areas relevant to their state (New Mexico State, for example, is a well respected Engineering school, and has a really good Ag program) and often might be ranked middling overall (say, 50th) but ranked very highly in those focus areas (top 10); on the other hand, Harvard/UChicago/etc. are highly ranked in most/all areas. So if you know what you want to do, you are often better off going to a state school rather than a top private university, as the quality of education in your area might be as good or better.

[onodera]

Also, what's the difference between "University of StateX" and "StateX State University"?

[Asher]

The name.

[Hauldren Collider]

Also, what's the difference between "University of StateX" and "StateX State University"?

Usually, University of StateX is older, more prestigious, and better. University of Virginia >>>> Virginia Commonwealth University, for instance. Sometimes they are private, like UPenn, which is an ivy league.

[Asher]

I would be surprised if that's true in general. It's just a name.

[Hauldren Collider]

Name a "x State University" that is better than its corresponding "University of x"

[Asher]

Pennsylvania State University
Ohio State University

[snoopy369]

I thought about it some, thinking to object, and decided not to, as it is true for every example I could think of (about ten). I know, thinking before posting, it's really not done is it... Certainly some 'X State U's are respectable and might be better at some things, but on the balance every example I could think of they only ones that were better in a significant way were better in football or basketball, which isn't what we're judging on

U Michigan > MSU
UNM > NMSU
U Illinois > ISU
U California > Cal State
U Florida > FSU
UVA > VCU
Missouri University > Missouri State
Arizona > ASU
Colorado (Boulder) > CSU
Texas (Austin) > Texas State

Then there are the states with only 'University of X' and no 'X State U', like Maryland. I can't think of any that are the other way around.

I would assume that it arises from a few states doing it, and the others following.