Remember that at Berkeley, you get a very well rounded university. If your idea is to do studio most of the time, then it is simply a subjective choice. However, if you want to take classes with famous philosophers, or music classes and even psychology, or anything outside the department, then I highly recommend Berkeley.

how about things that happening inside the department? UVa is stronger?

I don't know much about UVa. My underlying philosophy for a school is that it is as good as I make it out to be. Given that, I think both schools are well known for architecture and perhaps UVa a tad more famous in their M.Arch department.

Nevertheless, if you are offered a position at Berkeley, I can tell you that your portfolio belongs to the top percentile of the applicants.

Go to Berkeley. That place is about to rock. The young faculty are plotting a coup and all the potential is there. They have great resources and facilities, diverse faculty with a broad range of interests, and you get acess to the best critical theory people in the country. Besides the Bay Area is a great place to live.

just my opinion.

mmm, chowder in a bread bowl.

newstreamlinedmodel: I agree UC could indeed be about to rock -- the new teaching fellowships to start at Berkeley reportedly drew huge numbers of very well qualified candidates, a good sign things are moving in the right direction for a school that's always been pretty good but a bit stagnant for a while...

I'm considering Berkeley, too, but my other option is UT Austin. Any thoughts? I was impressed by UT's school of architecture when I visited recently. Berkeley seems to have a good rep, but based on what? I haven't come across any valuable comments on the place.

CCC: I just started a new thread on Berkeley vs. UT Austin. Texas impressed me too.

"Remember that at Berkeley, you get a very well rounded university."

wow. people obviously don't know much about UVa, if this is why one is supposed to choose Berkeley. I'm not sure 'well-rounded' universities get much better than UVa, even if Berkeley is also at the top...