Some of you might be familiar with my post about my daughter visiting for Cal day and her decision making process between Cal & UVA.

I desperately need some student voices about their current experiences @ cal. My daughter is completely conflicted and wants more perspective on what the current cal undergrad experience is.

She is a student filmmaker and is thinking of film/media as a path but isn't certain yet, so those that know first or second years that haven't decided yet

Here is a link to one of her best films



We went to the admitted students day in NYC but there were precious few kids at that event (only about 200 students were admitted from the NY/NJ/CT area) and she is having difficulty connecting with peers that are considering Cal.




Help!

Thanks

In reply to AUOso

AUOso said:

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Some of you might be familiar with my post about my daughter visiting for Cal day and her decision making process between Cal & UVA.

I desperately need some student voices about their current experiences @ cal. My daughter is completely conflicted and wants more perspective on what the current cal undergrad experience is.

She is a student filmmaker and is thinking of film/media as a path but isn't certain yet, so those that know first or second years that haven't decided yet

Here is a link to one of her best films



We went to the admitted students day in NYC but there were precious few kids at that event (only about 200 students were admitted from the NY/NJ/CT area) and she is having difficulty connecting with peers that are considering Cal.




Help!

Thanks

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I was an early Film major at Cal and am a current studio exec. I taught grad school at SC for 21 years and an happy to discuss all with her. DM me if you want to reach out.

Am a current student at Cal. PM me.

In reply to AUOso

AUOso said:

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SBGold said:

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calumnus said:

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If her interest is (documentary) filmmaking, isn't Cal far and away the best choice? Does Virginia even have a program?

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I went to UVA law and I don't ever recall UVA highlighting their film program

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They do have a media studies program although she isn't sure she wants to pursue it. She understands what she would be giving up if she went to UVA. She is freaked out about switching majors or getting into the major of her choice at cal as some are competitive.

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Perspective. My daughter was horse crazy starting at 6. By 10, she spent more time in the stables than at home. We bought her the best horse we could afford and she won everything in sight. We visited UVA to see if there was a suitable horse operation nearby where she could have her horse, compete and study too. Lovely place, dripping with history. She decided to go full time horse, rather than college. She rode other peoples' horses in competition and was successful. After 6 years of that, she called one night and said she was done with it and wanted to be a teacher. So, BA, MA and 20 years later, she is state teacher of the year and very happy.

Kids find their way sooner or later. It doesn't have to work out perfectly the first time out, but if they allow themselves to learn from it, they'll be fine. Maybe it's just time to hold her hand and say, "It's time for you to decide."

In reply to Rushinbear > BA, MA and 20 years later, she is state teacher of the year and very happy.

major congrats to your daughter and her parents.

In reply to smh

smh said:

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> BA, MA and 20 years later, she is state teacher of the year and very happy.

major congrats to your daughter and her parents.

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Thank you. She made an agonizing time for her parents into a relief that she had made her way.

Its been an eventful couple of days.

Many thanks to:

Juarez Bear & eastcoastbear for speaking with her.

Much hemming and hawing, tears shed, ruminations on the path not taken.


In the end:



Its a great day to be a golden bear!

Cal Class of 2028

Go Bears!

In reply to Rushinbear

Rushinbear said:

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AUOso said:

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SBGold said:

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calumnus said:

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If her interest is (documentary) filmmaking, isn't Cal far and away the best choice? Does Virginia even have a program?

---

I went to UVA law and I don't ever recall UVA highlighting their film program

---

They do have a media studies program although she isn't sure she wants to pursue it. She understands what she would be giving up if she went to UVA. She is freaked out about switching majors or getting into the major of her choice at cal as some are competitive.

---

Perspective. My daughter was horse crazy starting at 6. By 10, she spent more time in the stables than at home. We bought her the best horse we could afford and she won everything in sight. We visited UVA to see if there was a suitable horse operation nearby where she could have her horse, compete and study too. Lovely place, dripping with history. She decided to go full time horse, rather than college. She rode other peoples' horses in competition and was successful. After 6 years of that, she called one night and said she was done with it and wanted to be a teacher. So, BA, MA and 20 years later, she is state teacher of the year and very happy.

Kids find their way sooner or later. It doesn't have to work out perfectly the first time out, but if they allow themselves to learn from it, they'll be fine. Maybe it's just time to hold her hand and say, "It's time for you to decide."

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Couldn't agree more. I always have to bite my tongue talking to parents that are trying hard to mold their children. I took one computer science class at Cal: Intro to Fortran. Absolutely hated it, thought it was the dumbest, most useless skill in the world...standing in lines to punch cards, run cards through a card reader, wait for a printout that then told you one of the errors in your card deck and repeat the process just to get your printout to finally say, "Hello world". Never gave computer science another thought.

Signed, 30 year computer analyst/automation programmer who absolutely loved everything about it.

BTW, 1982 BA in Philosophy :-)