Northern CAL attracts the Gal

Choosing a college is obviously a very important decision in one's life but it's never fair when one of the colleges is in Northern California and the other is in downtown Los Angeles.

Northern California has an "aura" that cannot be duplicated in Southern California...except for small charming locations like Lake Arrowhead and a few other spots....like Malibu and the Self Realization Center.

The one thing Southern California does have to offer is........family.......which at any one time could be a negative aspect. But by and large, the family is located in Southern California and driving home for the weekend seems easier than flying home for the weekend....unless you have your own airplane.

Berkeley vs USC

Both of the schools offer a very solid and reputable education, with USC's alumni perhaps being stronger that Cal's alumni.

Graduate school might be more important than any undergraduate choice.

It is really hard to compare atmospheres between the top and bottom portions of California. One is basically desert tundra and the other is high chaparral. One stays brown for consecutive months and one stays green for most of the year. One is full of palms and the other full of pines.

One is three hours from Lake Tahoe and the other is 40 minutes from home.

One has a pretty good sports program and one is....well it's the Trojans and nothing more needs to be said.

No one goes to school to root for a team, but once you are there....rooting is a big part of your legacy....and the success ratio is rather lopsided in the direction of USC....sorry Uncle Butchie but that's just the facts.

Cal might have a better chess team and physics teachers but USC is totally dedicated to the media and to the arts....and to kicking Cal's ass in most physical activities.

Berkeley is two hours from the wine country but USC is forty minutes from home.

Berkeley is a 10 minute train ride to San Francisco.......USC is a 20 to 40 minute drive to family members.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA has more rain than Southern California and that's not a bad thing....and for sure it's nothing like Seattle.

I guess the only thing one can do when making the decision is simply FEEL what is the best choice for what one wants from a school....and then always remember that transfers are a fairly normal situation for young college students.

USC would probably let you transfer after a year at CAL. They wouldn't let you transfer if you had spent a year at UCLA.

CAL, on the other hand loves it when people transfer to their school and it doesn't matter where you transfer from.....even Stanford.

This is such a big decision that I've decided to re-address the subject next week when the time to decide gets really close.

Whatever school Laura E. Fairly decides on....they will be extremely lucky to get her.

THE GUYS IN THE TREE ARE NOBEL LAUREATES FROM CAL.......AND THEY BUILT THE TREE WITH PAPER CLIPS AND SQUIRREL HAIR.

Michael Timothy McAlevey