If you are more interested in technology and research I would say go UCLA.  While Berkeley has always been a bit of a mystery school to me (can not get a read on them based off of website) I know a handful of people who have attended UCLA and really enjoy the program.  They work in trimesters (10 weeks long), so you get more projects out in the long run.  I've also heard it's a nice balance between theory, technology, and technical skills. They are a research school and are very interested in technological integration with design. Do you have an architecture background?  Did you get advanced (2 year) placement for Berkeley?

I've heard mixed things about Berkeley, but only by word of mouth.  I know that two/three years ago their program was a little behind when it came to technology.  My current boss is an alumni and told me that he feels the school hasn't changed much over the years.  He said as long as you slap on an outdoor space with a farmers market  to your design the crits will love it.  They are very concept driven from what I've heard (which is certainly not a bad thing).  And of course everyone knows that sustainable design is their thing, though apparently sustainable design is something all schools look at now????  Berkeley has always been ranked higher for grad program, but we are always being told not to trust rankings. I've only met one recent grad from Berkeley and she said she liked the program, but I didn't get much detail... I think she was a Michigan undergrad.

I would suggest attending both open houses, that's the only way you will really know which fits you.  Everyone on here will have some sort of biased opinion (myself having a bias towards UCLA) and it really depends on what YOU want to focus on in school.

Also may want to consider cost of living.  While East bay is not as expensive as San Francisco, rent is still pretty high and competitive. If you have a pet, the housing search becomes 10x more difficult. 

@watts i have been accepted by 5 schools. I can only afford berkeley or ucla. Both programs are 1 year post-professional degrees. Both seem to be research based. Berkeley is 6th at rankings, while ucla is smth like 16th. I know rankings can mean absolutely nothing but i do not know any alumni of either school. I have 2 questions: which uni is more highly respected by hiring comittees? From which uni you may have better connectionz to find a job that will probably end with a working visa if you are international. I know, too specific questions but as I previously said I do not know any alumni

Well, I can tell you that cost of living in LA will be cheaper than east bay, especially if you have a significant other to split the rent with.  I live in SF right now and it would be impossible for my fiance and I to afford (rent) a place of our own (1 bedroom apt), but in LA it would be possible (maybe not in Westwood, but nearby neighborhoods). 

I would say that both schools are very well known within California and the U.S. as a whole. I would suggest looking at offices you would be interested in working for and creeping through their employee list and see where they attended.  You can bet that Morphosis has a lot of UCLA alumni coming through.  That's something I used to do when I was fresh out of undergrad. But as others have said, in the end it is you and your work that will get you the job, not the name of the school you attended.  

I do think that UCLA's faculty (maybe even more so with surpastudio) is more well known and reputable than Berkeley's (I don't know anything about their one year program though, so i am bias).  Regardless, if you do well, professors are going to be willing to use their own connections to help you find a job.  The people I know who went to UCLA (or are connected through UCLA alumni) went on to work for some big name offices like UN studio and Morph.  I cannot comment on the work visa thing because I have no idea, though I would assume looking for a job in a larger corporate office would be the way to go?

I know you won't be able to visit due to distance, but I assume ucla will have a FAQ/ digital tour online. I know they have one today for the March.1 kids.  Good luck with your decision making! 

Thanks for the advice. I think my best bet is just to go to the open houses and see for myself. People say that Berkeley's program is a little behind the times, and that it's focus is on sustainability but I'm not buying it. It can't possibly be so far behind or so one-dimensional.

I really do like UCLA quite a lot but I can't deny that Berkeley, at least for me, is a bigger name, so I'm going to seriously consider it.

As for the cost of living, I'll put up with it if I move to the East Bay. I've lived in SoCal my entire life and living in the Bay Area is an exciting prospect for me. You're probably shaking your head at my naiveté but it's just something I've always wanted to do. 

Meh, not really. I'm not old and bitter like half the people on these forums.  I'm originally from KY.  Wanted to live in California, so I made it out here, made it work.  Have wanted to go to UCLA for a few years now, so I get it. We want what we want.  :)   You will know which one is right for you after the open houses. 

@alduran

I saw you write on the 2016 results thread, I think, that you had a better idea of the program at UCLA over UC Berkeley. I've gotten into these two also and so I'm making a similar decision as you are (among a few other schools). I was wondering what you had heard about UCLA too.

@C. Watts

Would you say that UCLA is more akin to Michigan/Taubman in terms of a reputation for focusing on technology/digitial design?

I initially applied to Berkeley based on its reputation for sustainable design, but as it has been said, I feel like there can't be a 'top tier' school out there that's not integrating sustainability into the curriculum anymore, surely?

@MartinMI5

UCLA is a great school, no doubt about it. I live nearby so I've had a chance to visit quite frequently. I've sat in on a few reviews and have seen all the facilities.

While their focus seems to be on technolgy and theory, there really is a bit of everything there. Dana Cuff and Roger Sherman are two huge urbanists, so if that's your game you can engage them. At the same time they have a lot of big name faculty in other areas too.

I've spoken to a few current students, they all seem to love the program. One mentioned that it's a good environment since the program is small, so you really become close with all of your classmates and professors.

As far as getting hired goes it seems that their grads get good opportunities coming out of school. If you do well in your first two years you have a chance to do your third year with the M. Arch II students in Suprastudio which is UCLA's big name draw. They have a star-studded faculty for that (Thom Mayne, Greg Lynn, etc.).

I guess my only real complaint about it is their building, Perloff Hall. It's a little small and older compared to other schools, and it doesn't seem like the facilities there are super new or anything. I think this is kind of a trivial point though.

I think you really can't go wrong at UCLA, I was dead set on going there until I got into UC Berkeley and waitlisted at Yale.

Berkeley...I have no idea. I found an online publication with some of their student work in it from 2014

http://ced.berkeley.edu/downloads/thesis/arch/Berkeley_Architecture_M.Arch_Student_Work_2014_Spreads.pdf

From what I can tell it looks strong, varied and not at all focused on sustainability only. But I really am waiting for the open house to make any judgement calls. Will you be attending?

@alduran

That sounds great actually, and I definitely have interest in urban issues. Do you know roughly how many people are in the school, and in the M Arch I path?

I've actually also been waitlisted at Yale, haha. And I'm also considering WashU and University of Virginia (which I think has an extremely small program). Unfortunately I go to school in New York and getting to California for the open houses is a bit tricky, not to mention the Berkeley one is on Monday if I remember correctly, and that's really inconvenient.

It's hard to get a sense of programs/schools from their websites so I'm trying to ask around to see what practising architects have to say, as well as looking on here I guess.

I know the class size is very small, I can't say how many. From the prospective student open house I got the sense that the whole school probably numbers in the low hundreds, probably not more than 200 I'd guess. If I'm not mistaken they are having an online presentation and Q&A session with Neil Denari soon. I think it may be today actually.

Asked my friend who is in second year at UCLA and he says there are around 50 people in his year and 12-13 in each studio.

Well. I just got notified that Berkeley is offering me s full ride. UCLA is making me take it all out in loans. I guess my decision's been made for me!

@alduran what program did you apply for? Are you international? Was the financial offer included in the dean's letter of acceptance?

Berkley is kinad out of the conversation these days and only have andrew atwood there, Manferdini is the graduate chair at sci-arc. I heard they dont really know what they are doing there, kinda old school and trying to be sustainable and theoritcal at the same time but not so good at either one. The name seems be the main attractor to applicants. I would pick UCLA because of the faculty history of being a conceptual/theoritical program and well rounded program ever since Sylvia lavin took charge in the 90s. They have young emerging faculty, jimenez lai, erin besler, andrew kovacs that are showcasing there work everywhere. And of course they have Sylvia lavin, Greg lynn, Neil denari, Mark Mack, Thom mayne, etc, etc.  The only down draw to ucla is the building

Well, I was originally more interested in UCLA but Berkeley is giving me a full ride. UCLA is making me take all loans. What's the best route to take? And for the record I am an M Arch I.