Forum:

I read from another forum some days ago that someone is interested in doing Industrial Engineering, and has been accepted by both Berkeley and Stanford. Neither school is offering any aid, and his parents can afford both schools.

He likes both schools, and believes he would be happy at either institution. US News ranks both schools at 2 for overall undergrad engineering, and that Berkeley is one slot higher in terms of industrial (though that one slot doesn't make any difference in my mind). The main things he is concerned about here are that Stanford's reputation/prestige are better than Berkeley's, the employment opportunities at the two places, and the supposed "grade deflation" present at Berkeley vs the grade inflation at Stanford.

So what do you think? Do employers take into account the fact that Berkeley's grade deflation makes it harder to do well there? Does the fact Berkeley's student body is weaker in general give a better chance?