| Nothing to do with startups, I think spending some time visiting campus before you apply is a wise idea. Like you said, it's 4 years you'll be here. Just remember that neither Berkeley or Stanford are in San Francisco and if you attend either it is unlikely you would be living in San Francisco during your studies. I'm assuming, therefore, you meant the SF Bay Area in which case definitely come and spend time in the East Bay (for Berkeley) and Palo Alto region (for Stanford). The East Bay is known to be 'gritty' in (most) places and so if you've not lived in an inner-city area with social problems then its worth finding out if it is for you. Berkeley itself doesn't have quite those problems but many people who study there don't necessarily live in Berkeley itself. Stanford does have a great campus, but for me the wider area is incredibly boring. If you just want to study for 4 years it's ideal, but if you see university life as a rite of passage as much as an academic experience you'll find yourself spending a lot of time in SF. I should say, I'm envious (in a positive, good way) you are in a position academically and financially to be able to apply to either - I would have loved the opportunity to go but sadly never made it to university, let alone either of these fine institutions. |
(The areas a Berkeley student is likely to live are more urban/dense than many a suburban – or Australian – newcomer might be familiar with, but still far from 'inner-city' conditions. The prevalence of panhandlers/streetdwellers is likely to be the most notable 'grittiness', in SF/Berkeley/Oakland, for people who haven't seen it before.)