<p>Hey guys! Ok, so I was accepted to both UCLA and UCM. The reason UCM is in my top two choices is because I live only a few miles away from it. I am really confused about where to go in the fall. I would like to go to law school, preferably NYU or Georgetown, and become a corporate lawyer in the future. My major at UCLA is Econ, my major at UCM is business management(they dont have econ yet). I will probably do another minor or double major. I would also like to do the UCDC program, and in my 3rd year I am able to intern in the law department of a company based in SF. I personally think it would be easier to get a higher GPA at UCM, and because there wont be as many distractions as in LA i could concentrate more on my LSAT. Where should I go based on which school will be better if I want to get into a top law school?</p>
<p>UCLA
-more prestigious
-honors program
UCM
-more opportunities
-live at home, save money
-will be able to begin the first clubs/student government/etc because i will be in the first graduating class.</p>
<p>I say UCLA, name recognition is just so much better. UCM is brand new, you are the first kids to go through it, I can't imagine that the faculty is very good. I'd go UCLA.</p>
<p>I would go for UCLA. UCM is still new. Yes, you can start a lot of new clubs but, because it just started, I don't think they will have everything straight - like not as many connections in internships. UCLA has business economics. The caliber of students in UCLA and in UCM is different too. In my opinion, one of the things thats so good about college is you can be surrounded by people at your own level. Just because UCLA has been around for a while does not mean that you can't start anything new at the school. Also, a degree from UCLA is more prestigious that a degree from UCM. You can get into a top law school easier from UCLA.</p>
<p>I think it's obvious where you should go. Even though you'll save money on housing/transportation by going to UCM, in the long run the tuition is the same, and your UCLA Econ (or BizEcon) degree will probably recoup those expenditures. If I were hiring UC grads I would still choose a UCLA grad over a UCM grad who started his/her own organizations. Besides, you shouldn't live at home with your parents during your college years.</p>
<p>I agree with flopsy only because her last point is so important. Experience college as it was meant to be experienced. Otherwise, it would be a pretty tough choice (I've thrown around the idea of UCM > UCLA because of the opportunities of going to a new school but since I didn't get any aid money I just didn't really see the point.)</p>
<p>Haha...Jonkt35, the reason I am leaning towards UCM is because I don't want to be pulled into a school just because of the name. I saw this from firsthand experience when my brother and a lot of his friends from around the USA chose to go to UCB because it was more prestigious. They were premed students. Now they all wish they had stayed close to home, and lived at home, because they would've all done much better. My brother got a 3.5 at UCB and a reasonably high MCAT and was rejected at every med school except one. A bunch of his friends also didnt get into any med schools with good grades and mcat scores and are doing their med school overseas. My bro tells me to go to UCM. Also, some people from CSU's got into UCLA med school, while the people from UCB were rejected. Because the caliber of students is great, there is more competition. I am still soooo confused though...</p>
<p>well med school is different because its more about GPA. Plus u need great recs and stuff outside school u do that shows u r interested in becoming a doctor or whatnot. if u r absolutely sure about doing premed, then i think UCM might suit u. but otherwise if u are unsure, i would just go to UCLA. there are simply too many factors to consider at this point and u r prolly undecided on what u r gonna do. =)</p>
<p>Starry, you make a good point not being drawn into prestige (I'm trying to get away from UCLA's prestige and attend USC, but its hard.) But you stated Honors program in your pro's for UCLA so I'm assuming that you were admitted into Honors? If you got into Honors at LA I'm assuming that you are very qualified and determined.</p>
<p>Sure your brother and his friends may have had a bad experience at UCB, and there is something to be said about being a lower end student at a school, but just think it over, if you are confident in your ability to do the best you can, I think you will be fine at UCLA (they must have enough faith in your ability to not only accept you but give you Honors.) So many kids I hear can't adjust to college or let the social scene get the best of them, just rise above it and you will succeed. </p>
<p>But if you want to play it safe go to UCM, it's definetely got an appeal to it, as you will succeed. But keep in mind it is a brand new school, if this were between UCLA and perhaps a lower end UC that has been around for a few years things would be very different. I would choose UCLA and risk not being the smartest kid then put my fate into the hands of how good a brand new school will do in its first few years. But I am sure you will succeed wherever you go, goodluck!</p>
<p>My brother got a 3.5 at UCB and a reasonably high MCAT and was rejected at every med school except one.</p>
<p>He should be thankful for that one - thats more than 50+% of med school applicants get. Even so, you didn't mention how many schools or which ones he applied to. If he only applied to Harvard, Yale, UCSF, and SUNY, its no wonder he only got into one. For the most part, med schools couldn't care less which school you went to.</p>
<p>i haven't read the entire thread, but i'm just analyzing your pros for ucla and ucm:</p>
<p>UCLA
-more prestigious: somewhat crucial factor... a 4.0 at UCM isnt worth the same as a 4.0 at UCLA. i dont know, perhaps even a 3.9 at UCM is not worth a 3.5 at UCLA. law schools have a tendency to accept students from more prestgious schools, but thats not to say you'll be excluded if you don't attend a prestigious school. you'll just have to be the super standout of that lesser prestigious school.
-honors program: good way to challenge yourself and get priority so you get the classes that you want (make the most of out the best at ucla)</p>
<p>UCM
-more opportunities: perhaps quantitatively, but QUALITATIVELY?
-live at home, save money: can't argue with that, especially how you'll be shelling out $150,000 for nyu/gtown.
-will be able to begin the first clubs/student government/etc because i will be in the first graduating class: can be a boost on law school apps, but generally, your LSAT and GPA will probably make up the only determining factors in law school admisssions. club leadership usually just is a tipping factor, although being the first student govt prez would be quite an achievement.</p>
<p>i would think that most people take a prep course for the LSAT, and i'm unfamiliar with the merced area, but do any prep companies even offer LSAT there (assuming there is a prep company in the area), since there's no other major university located there? or unless you take it over the summer...</p>
<p>if you're looking into corporate law, i think you'll have a better chance finding an internship at a business in los angeles rather than merced, and this can introduce yourself to the corporate environment. you can always intern at san francisco, but the UCLA name will still carry more respect than the UCM name when it comes to applying for internships. i know you said you want to apply for a law internship too, but perhaps why not apply for a business related internship (or even just a non-career related job) while you're in school as well... something thats more likely going to happen at LA than M.</p>
<p>the money thing is part of the factor because i dont want to take out loans to go to a private law school. actually, i will def. be interning in pg&e in sf. i also thought it would be easier to get into the ucdc program from ucm. hopefully they will bring a prep course here...which they probably will!</p>
<p>1000 the first year...plus some grad students. Each year after that there will be 1000 more added. So basically the class of '10 will have 2000 students, class of '11 3000, etc...</p>
<p>it's nice that theres a new university. hopefully it will become prestigious. but either way it is advantageous because more ppl will be able to go to one instead of like going to CC or something.</p>
<p>hey starry, there are several concrete reasons to go to UCM or UCLA, but I'd suggest visiting both comapus and the dorms, just take an open view at both places and hopefully it will hit you "hey this is where i want to spend the next four years of my life." I would suggest UCLA, but keep and open mind, the right school will hit you ( and if it doesn't u can pick out of a hat! jk) good luck</p>