hearst was born in san francisco california the third of five daughters of randolph apperson hearst and catherine wood campbell she grew up primarily in hillsborough she attended crystal springs school for girls in hillsborough and the santa catalina school in monterey patty attended menlo college in atherton california prior to transferring as a junior to the university of california berkeley despite her wealthy grandfather patty hearsts father was only one of a number of heirs and did not have control of the hearst interests her parents did not consider it necessary to take any measures for her personal security at the time of her abduction she was a sophomore at the university of california berkeley studying art history and living with her fiancé steven weed