Originally Posted by Bostonian
Originally Posted by deacongirl
Yes, yes, yes. This is how I see it. For my dd's talents and passions, (not mathy/computery) I think she will for sure be attending college--but I do think that she could find intellectual peers at a state school even if it might require a little more effort.

I hope she does. There is wide variation in the selectivity of state schools. UC Berkeley attracts students who are as good Stanford's best but who were rejected for non-academic reasons or who wanted to save money. I don't think many of the very best students are found in a less-prestigious UC school such as
UC Davis. Nowadays admission to flagship state schools has become more competitive. I have written a lot about Ivy admissions, but getting in has such a lottery aspect that no student or parent should count on it. Not getting into the flagship state school I consider a real loss, however.

This is highly field-dependent.

And FWIW, UCLA is one of the most selective public schools in the nation right now. Average accepted student GPA's are topping 4.50-- yes, really-- and that is far higher than at either Stanford or Berkeley. The reasons aren't really clear, in all honesty-- other than simple population density.

Also-- Davis is the flagship school if your interests are in veterinary medicine, and some kinds of molecular biology. In those fields, a degree from either Berkeley or Stanford would be considered second rate. wink

Just noting that.

Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.