College Choices

In response The Times’ California College Guide, May 19:

Am I the only one aware of the quiet but major revolution occurring in this country regarding university selection among high school seniors? Fifteen years ago, all my finest seniors would have been devastated by a rejection from an Ivy or Stanford/Duke. Now most don’t care to apply to these “select” schools, assuming the education offered at UC Berkeley, UCLA or UCSD is not only cheaper but superior.

Over the past few years I’ve had students reject wonderful scholarships from Stanford and Harvard to attend Berkeley and UCLA. I’ve had several students admitted to Yale (with full scholarships) but rejected by UC Berkeley. Of the many National Merit finalists in my classes, only two bothered applying to private schools. If this is a nationwide trend, employers--and graduate schools--need to be aware that “America’s finest” are now at state universities.

RICHARD HEROLD

Hemet High School