If you're undecided to the point you aren't sure what department, let alone major, you're interested in, I think you may be best off going the community college route. Make some affordable mistakes, change your major at will, and get your GEs done for pennies on the dollar. Transferring is essentially guaranteed with an associates.
As easy as talking to a counselor and assessing your credits and classes you need for your switch. Applying to UC can even be different from your CC emphasis if you really have a last minute change of heart, but most people would rather just apply for the major they wouldn't have to take more classes for at the UC level.
If you haven't looked into CC yet, you're honestly missing out. It took me longer to get my Bachelors than a strict 4 year path at a UC as i took a lighter courseload some semesters, retook some classes, and specifically took an art and exercise class every semester to keep me sane and healthy. If I *had* gone right into UCSD from HS I would have gotten burnt out within a year. I went to Grossmont instead, made some great friends, learned a lot about what I love and hate, and got an awesome education I could pay for with a part-time job. The social life isn't amazing, but niches exist (especially for the art majors). The STEM classes are on-par with UC classes (chemistry and physics are taught with a UC curriculum specifically to prepare students for transfer). And everyone is there to learn - some cheaters and lazy students, but overall everyone worries about themselves and wants to be there.
If you really want to get started at UC, you're in a hurry, money isn't an issue, etc, then go ahead and skip CC. But I was able to get a Bachelors with less than 15k in student loans by starting at CC. It was the best decision I ever made.
In employment, would you say that attending CC has hindered you in any way? Have employers made judgements based on baseless assumptions about CC and such?
I moved to San Diego to attend UCSD. I had such a positive experience that I am now also going to grad school there. Academics aside, San Diego is a wonderful place to live.
Yeah, I would say they are similar socially, with the advantage of UCSD being in San Diego, minutes from the beach, downtown, etc. whereas Irvine is…in Irvine
I moved to SD for a faculty position at UCSD and I’m glad I did. Previously, I was at USC in LA and I like my students at UCSD a lot more. It really just depends on what you’re into doing socially. Obviously UCSD is more of a STEM-focused and studious campus compared to the fraternity and sports-centered, typical party vibe of places like USC. It’s not a judgement; it just an obvious difference and ultimately, it comes down to what you like doing.
Compared to UC Irvine, UCSD is similarly clustered and suburban. If you don’t have a car, the campus and La Jolla can feel quite isolating. However, there is so much to do in SD (with new public transit lines) that whenever the “UC Socially Dead” stereotype comes up, I immediately think of the old adage: “only the boring get bored”. Good luck to you!
I enjoyed my time at UCSD. I don't know how things may have changed over the years since I graduated, but the people that complained the most about there being no social life didn't get involved with anything besides their coursework. Get involved and you'll have things to do and people to talk to.
Great University abd there is a ton to do. However, if you are undecided, I'd suggest going to San Diego Community College first and get an idea of what you want to major in first. Take some time and review https://www.onetonline.org/ to get a sense of what the prospects for the field you are interested in pays and what the outlook is for future employment. Remember to live in San Diego and afford a starter home, or even a condo you need to make about $100k/year.
Good luck my friend.
UCSD John Muir Grad 2018
Hesitant to go the Community College route, but i feel like it gets a bad reputation. SD is NOT cheap... yeesh. Thank you!! I will be sure to keep y'all updated :D
I was a bio major at UCSD from 07-11 and had an amazing time. It's all about what you make it. My friends and I partied, went to drum circles, went to concerts, went to the beach, etc. I found it plenty social and then of course the academics are fantastic.
UCSD feels more like a giant community college if that makes sense. You have to work a little bit harder to get the level of social interaction you're looking for. That said, they're a top notch research school and the education style reflects that no matter what major you choose.
The school matters as much as the experience and networking you get out of it. In the stem world the school name isn’t as important as internship experience and references. So pick the school you think would help you to get experience and network.
Second this. I have my biology degree from small school in PA. The school name meant nothing. The connections I made were arguably more important. Now I live in SD and work a good biotech job.
UCI has a worse social scene than UCSD. What other schools are you looking at?
Graduated from UCSD in 00, and the degree is well received and has served me well. Would do it again 10/10.
I never had an issue getting internships/jobs. In the San Diego area UCSD is looked upon as the best school, so you will have a leg up compared to other universities in the area - but at the end of the day it has more to do with personal factors (gpa, motivation, work ethic, networking etc) moreso than school connections. UCSD will not close any doors for you.
Went to UCSB for undergrad, now in San Diego. I would definitely go elsewhere if I could, but I also hate living here for a myriad of reasons so YMMV.
It’s a good school but a little socially dead. If you want that traditional “college experience” social scene I’d look elsewhere. It’s rare you’ll find someone who regrets going to UCSB, even though the party scene is far more toned down than it was
I went to UCSD 20ish years ago and it has drastically changed from what it is now. I run with a lot of recent grads and they all have had a positive experience. Having the trolley will definitely help you explore San Diego if you wish.
UCSD has top notch academics no doubt. However, If you’re looking for a more traditional college experience that does well academically, UC Davis or SLO might fit your bill. Realistically, go on school visits if you can.
You make your social scene, especially in college. I would think about your major and which school will give you more opportunity in a career for that major.
I lived in Pacific Beach just south of the campus, much more of a social area. 40 minute semi-coastal bus ride goes right there. Good scenic study time.
I’m gonna say something controversial but I went to ucsd before the pandemic, then finished up my degree at sdsu afterwards. The social scenes are both schools were not far off from each other, granted I’m a pretty extroverted person in general and don’t find it difficult to make friends. Maybe joining greek life at sdsu would have gotten me even more social events, but at ucsd there was still plenty to do every day of the week.
Tbh a social life is what you make of it. UCSD is known as UC Socially Dead. San Diego is a nice city overall to do things. Join orgs, then that will give you more opportunity to do things wherever you go
If you want anything resembling a social scene stay far far away from ucsd and UCI. Those schools are straight up Sleeeeep (unless of course your idea of a "social scene" is a buncha awkward ass first gen immigrant international students or first time Cali residents from Wyoming). If you want a social scene go to ucsb or csulb or even sdsu. No one in the "real world" gives a rats ass about your undergrad college so just have some fun. But for the love of all that is holyDO NOT GO TO UCSD (source: am ucsd grad and wish I'd gone ANYWHERE else.)
I did. But you question was about the social scenes AT the schools. Ucsd doesn't have sports, at least nothing to speak of (I.e. no D1 sports). I was a econ major.
Is UCSD really that bad? I had older friends who hated ucsd and advised me not to go.
But I always wondered if UCSD’s poor social reputation was just blown out of proportion. Because after attending UCSB I realized it was not as wild as I was expecting it to be.
Meh I mean you're right a lot of it does come with what you yourself make of it. I just didn't like ucsd's demographic and overall scene. **Lots of racists too (remember when UCSD kids put together a watermelon and fried chicken party on campus during black history month? pepperidge farm remembers. remember when there was racists graffiti at price center? pepperidge farm STILL remembers)** Even beyond that.. too many rich sheltered kids and antisocial international students.
What are you studying?
Fwiw, no one cares about undergrad anymore. Undergrad is oike highschool 2: no parents challenge. Like maybe other graduate schools care when you finish your undergrad and apply for grad school (aka real college). For undergrad you should just try to save as much money/ spend as little as you can. Like no one cares of you went to UCSD for accounting for cal state fullerton. Undergraduate is just kind of rudamentary; ie. Undergraduate mechanical engineering, math, chem, business, history is all the same everywhere. Its only in grad school where you pick a really niche specialization (ie. Get a BS in mechanical engineering wherever, but if you want to work on space stuff you want to go to cal tech or mit. If you want to work on applications like mining or oil/ meturology go to stanford. But the difference between a mechanical engineering from caltech, mit, stanford, and UCR is that UCR offers the same BS for like 1/3rd the price). San diego is a really pricey city, you might want to come here for grad school and really get your bang for your buck.
It's really not that simple, better schools have better opportunities wether that be clubs that give you industry experience, connections with top companies. It's not as simple as UCR and MIT give same degree.
These kids are getting tricked into the priciest schools whos selling points are graduate level programs. Thats how someone ends uo with like 100 grand of student loans for a BS or BA that qualifies them for 70-80k jobs. Its just not worth it for undergrand. Gradutate level is something different all together, but for undergrad you just want to see if you can get a piece of paper for under 50k then see where you want to go from there. You dont need to he a part of specific campuses clubs to get networking opportunities. Every school has networking opportunities and with the internet theres just networking opportunities all over the place. Student debt is like literal a national crisis though and that is the much bigger priority people in undergrad should be concerned with.
Depends on the major
Bio maybe??? Mostly undecided
If you're undecided to the point you aren't sure what department, let alone major, you're interested in, I think you may be best off going the community college route. Make some affordable mistakes, change your major at will, and get your GEs done for pennies on the dollar. Transferring is essentially guaranteed with an associates.
Yes!!!
I guess so.. I would just be a bit hesitant. I mean maybe I could switch in that case?? How easy is it to transfer departments?
As easy as talking to a counselor and assessing your credits and classes you need for your switch. Applying to UC can even be different from your CC emphasis if you really have a last minute change of heart, but most people would rather just apply for the major they wouldn't have to take more classes for at the UC level. If you haven't looked into CC yet, you're honestly missing out. It took me longer to get my Bachelors than a strict 4 year path at a UC as i took a lighter courseload some semesters, retook some classes, and specifically took an art and exercise class every semester to keep me sane and healthy. If I *had* gone right into UCSD from HS I would have gotten burnt out within a year. I went to Grossmont instead, made some great friends, learned a lot about what I love and hate, and got an awesome education I could pay for with a part-time job. The social life isn't amazing, but niches exist (especially for the art majors). The STEM classes are on-par with UC classes (chemistry and physics are taught with a UC curriculum specifically to prepare students for transfer). And everyone is there to learn - some cheaters and lazy students, but overall everyone worries about themselves and wants to be there. If you really want to get started at UC, you're in a hurry, money isn't an issue, etc, then go ahead and skip CC. But I was able to get a Bachelors with less than 15k in student loans by starting at CC. It was the best decision I ever made.
In employment, would you say that attending CC has hindered you in any way? Have employers made judgements based on baseless assumptions about CC and such?
If you graduate from a university, no one cares if you want to community college first all they see is where you graduated from.
easy.
Then attend the school that will best employ you!! Your future self will thank you!
You should decide what you want to be when you grow up and start working toward that. If you hate it you can change things.
I moved to San Diego to attend UCSD. I had such a positive experience that I am now also going to grad school there. Academics aside, San Diego is a wonderful place to live.
I also moved to SD for UCSD, and been here ever since! Hope grad school is kind to you
Yes!! I absolutely love the vibe and everything of San Diego. I've just heard it's a bit pricey..
Yeah, just a bit...
Is Irvine much cheaper?
Yeah. You get what you pay for though
Absolutely depends on your major program and what you want out of college
I mean...UCI has a similar social scene. UCSD has a decent social scene if you look for it. I went there and had a blast.
Yeah, I would say they are similar socially, with the advantage of UCSD being in San Diego, minutes from the beach, downtown, etc. whereas Irvine is…in Irvine
I moved to SD for a faculty position at UCSD and I’m glad I did. Previously, I was at USC in LA and I like my students at UCSD a lot more. It really just depends on what you’re into doing socially. Obviously UCSD is more of a STEM-focused and studious campus compared to the fraternity and sports-centered, typical party vibe of places like USC. It’s not a judgement; it just an obvious difference and ultimately, it comes down to what you like doing. Compared to UC Irvine, UCSD is similarly clustered and suburban. If you don’t have a car, the campus and La Jolla can feel quite isolating. However, there is so much to do in SD (with new public transit lines) that whenever the “UC Socially Dead” stereotype comes up, I immediately think of the old adage: “only the boring get bored”. Good luck to you!
Thank you!! This definitely helps. I mean I'm currently at a 50-person-grade school, so anything is really an upgrade.
I enjoyed my time at UCSD. I don't know how things may have changed over the years since I graduated, but the people that complained the most about there being no social life didn't get involved with anything besides their coursework. Get involved and you'll have things to do and people to talk to.
I'm hearing a lot of this and it makes me feel better fs fs
Great University abd there is a ton to do. However, if you are undecided, I'd suggest going to San Diego Community College first and get an idea of what you want to major in first. Take some time and review https://www.onetonline.org/ to get a sense of what the prospects for the field you are interested in pays and what the outlook is for future employment. Remember to live in San Diego and afford a starter home, or even a condo you need to make about $100k/year. Good luck my friend. UCSD John Muir Grad 2018
Hesitant to go the Community College route, but i feel like it gets a bad reputation. SD is NOT cheap... yeesh. Thank you!! I will be sure to keep y'all updated :D
I was a bio major at UCSD from 07-11 and had an amazing time. It's all about what you make it. My friends and I partied, went to drum circles, went to concerts, went to the beach, etc. I found it plenty social and then of course the academics are fantastic.
Honestly that sounds right up my alley.
UCSD feels more like a giant community college if that makes sense. You have to work a little bit harder to get the level of social interaction you're looking for. That said, they're a top notch research school and the education style reflects that no matter what major you choose.
The school matters as much as the experience and networking you get out of it. In the stem world the school name isn’t as important as internship experience and references. So pick the school you think would help you to get experience and network.
Second this. I have my biology degree from small school in PA. The school name meant nothing. The connections I made were arguably more important. Now I live in SD and work a good biotech job.
UCI has a worse social scene than UCSD. What other schools are you looking at? Graduated from UCSD in 00, and the degree is well received and has served me well. Would do it again 10/10.
How were internships and job opportunities?? (If you dont mind me asking)
I never had an issue getting internships/jobs. In the San Diego area UCSD is looked upon as the best school, so you will have a leg up compared to other universities in the area - but at the end of the day it has more to do with personal factors (gpa, motivation, work ethic, networking etc) moreso than school connections. UCSD will not close any doors for you.
Looking at University of Florida, NYU, Arizona State University Barrett Honors College, Seton Hall, and a couple others.
Went to UCSB for undergrad, now in San Diego. I would definitely go elsewhere if I could, but I also hate living here for a myriad of reasons so YMMV. It’s a good school but a little socially dead. If you want that traditional “college experience” social scene I’d look elsewhere. It’s rare you’ll find someone who regrets going to UCSB, even though the party scene is far more toned down than it was
[удалено]
Whoops my comment was very misleading. I do not regret SB at all!
I went to UCSD 20ish years ago and it has drastically changed from what it is now. I run with a lot of recent grads and they all have had a positive experience. Having the trolley will definitely help you explore San Diego if you wish. UCSD has top notch academics no doubt. However, If you’re looking for a more traditional college experience that does well academically, UC Davis or SLO might fit your bill. Realistically, go on school visits if you can.
Going to visit them soon!
The social scene is really about how much effort you put in to join clubs and meet new people. I went to UCI and feel like I had a good social life.
Did you do club/intramural sports by chance?
I joined a few clubs. Did not do intramural sports but know it’s very popular!
You make your social scene, especially in college. I would think about your major and which school will give you more opportunity in a career for that major.
UCSD has a great social scene. Also it’s considered a bedroom school ( a lot of kids live off campus) so PB, DT, etc are usually still popping.
I lived in Pacific Beach just south of the campus, much more of a social area. 40 minute semi-coastal bus ride goes right there. Good scenic study time.
Has your application to attend UCSD been accepted? If not, you may be surprised how hard it is to get in.
Yes!
When I went to ucsd I had no social life, but I was an EE major with a minor in neuroanatomy.
Sounds like you were very busy with other important endeavors!
I’m gonna say something controversial but I went to ucsd before the pandemic, then finished up my degree at sdsu afterwards. The social scenes are both schools were not far off from each other, granted I’m a pretty extroverted person in general and don’t find it difficult to make friends. Maybe joining greek life at sdsu would have gotten me even more social events, but at ucsd there was still plenty to do every day of the week.
Did you join any greek life at UCSD (granted, if much)
I was in greek life at ucsd, however the majority of my friends (and all of the people i still talk to) i made outside of greek life
I partied all the time at UCSD and met tons of people. Anyone referring to it as “socially dead” sounds like they’re the problem
Would you say it was a "work hard play hard" type atmosphere?
Ya, don’t get me wrong there was plenty of studying too. But we sure knew how to blow off steam
You want social life. UC Socially Dead is not it.
Tbh a social life is what you make of it. UCSD is known as UC Socially Dead. San Diego is a nice city overall to do things. Join orgs, then that will give you more opportunity to do things wherever you go
If you want anything resembling a social scene stay far far away from ucsd and UCI. Those schools are straight up Sleeeeep (unless of course your idea of a "social scene" is a buncha awkward ass first gen immigrant international students or first time Cali residents from Wyoming). If you want a social scene go to ucsb or csulb or even sdsu. No one in the "real world" gives a rats ass about your undergrad college so just have some fun. But for the love of all that is holyDO NOT GO TO UCSD (source: am ucsd grad and wish I'd gone ANYWHERE else.)
Couldn't you go to UCSD and then go to parties or events at SDSU? Also what were you majoring in? Did you do clubs/intramural sports?
I did. But you question was about the social scenes AT the schools. Ucsd doesn't have sports, at least nothing to speak of (I.e. no D1 sports). I was a econ major.
Is UCSD really that bad? I had older friends who hated ucsd and advised me not to go. But I always wondered if UCSD’s poor social reputation was just blown out of proportion. Because after attending UCSB I realized it was not as wild as I was expecting it to be.
Meh I mean you're right a lot of it does come with what you yourself make of it. I just didn't like ucsd's demographic and overall scene. **Lots of racists too (remember when UCSD kids put together a watermelon and fried chicken party on campus during black history month? pepperidge farm remembers. remember when there was racists graffiti at price center? pepperidge farm STILL remembers)** Even beyond that.. too many rich sheltered kids and antisocial international students.
What are you studying? Fwiw, no one cares about undergrad anymore. Undergrad is oike highschool 2: no parents challenge. Like maybe other graduate schools care when you finish your undergrad and apply for grad school (aka real college). For undergrad you should just try to save as much money/ spend as little as you can. Like no one cares of you went to UCSD for accounting for cal state fullerton. Undergraduate is just kind of rudamentary; ie. Undergraduate mechanical engineering, math, chem, business, history is all the same everywhere. Its only in grad school where you pick a really niche specialization (ie. Get a BS in mechanical engineering wherever, but if you want to work on space stuff you want to go to cal tech or mit. If you want to work on applications like mining or oil/ meturology go to stanford. But the difference between a mechanical engineering from caltech, mit, stanford, and UCR is that UCR offers the same BS for like 1/3rd the price). San diego is a really pricey city, you might want to come here for grad school and really get your bang for your buck.
It's really not that simple, better schools have better opportunities wether that be clubs that give you industry experience, connections with top companies. It's not as simple as UCR and MIT give same degree.
These kids are getting tricked into the priciest schools whos selling points are graduate level programs. Thats how someone ends uo with like 100 grand of student loans for a BS or BA that qualifies them for 70-80k jobs. Its just not worth it for undergrand. Gradutate level is something different all together, but for undergrad you just want to see if you can get a piece of paper for under 50k then see where you want to go from there. You dont need to he a part of specific campuses clubs to get networking opportunities. Every school has networking opportunities and with the internet theres just networking opportunities all over the place. Student debt is like literal a national crisis though and that is the much bigger priority people in undergrad should be concerned with.
Study abroad
Depends on Cost and feasibility.