Another UCR VS UCSC

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Riverside
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<p>so I posted this in the UCSC forum but i want to get some information from UCR people as well so I reposted here.</p>

<p>Since these are the only schools i probably will get accepted into i guess i should start deciding which one i would rather go to. I am going to major in electrical engineering. Which one of these offers a better program? Also which one is better for focus in robotics? Also which one of these schools has better research option for freshmen/sophomores and what about internship? </p>

<p>Also how do minors work in each of the college?</p>

<p>Which college has better labs, equipment, and other stuff like that?</p>

<p>How are the class sizes in each college?
How's the food?</p>

<p>What are some perks about going to each college?
What are the cons of going to each college</p>

<p>I was also wondering if you can help me decide which one i would better fit in.</p>

<p>I am Asian and majority of my friends are Asian but at the same time i still would like a diverse school but maybe with a pretty good amount of Asian people. I'm pretty good with people but not much of a party person. I actually am pretty smart and would like to be with people that can help me improve. I already know about UCR's housing and how Pentland is the most "private" one how about in UCSC? Are there rooms that are like Pentland, or better as in you don't have to share a bathroom with a HUGE amount of people so there is privacy (i like my space :D). For housing at UCSC I'm thinking of doing Crown but what do you guys think? I want to be somewhere that has lots "smart" people but not with same major. It would be nice to have people that have different majors, though there should be engineer majors :D. Also a place that looks nice and has a nice room (you nice as it can get), come on you don't want to be stuck in an ugly place. Which one would have more access to different places in the campus? How are each dorm designed? </p>

<p>Also any other information that you can give about each college that i forgot to ask :D</p>

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<p>Forgot to add how are the libraries in each school as in are there lots of books and resources and places to just hang out, study, campus looks</p>

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<p>i can’t edit what i post any idea why?</p>

<p>also wanted to add
this with housing which one has the least to no drug usage because i am agaisnt drugs and what not. I mean if you want to do drugs go do it in corner somewhere that doesn’t bother me is pretty much how i see it</p>

<p>Edit1: strange it let me edit this post…</p>

<p>I forgot to mention i have an interest not only in robotics but also nano-technological</p>

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<p>FutureEEmajor, it is highly unlikely that you will get research opportunities at any university as a freshman or sophomore unless you put forth a lot of effort in networking with professors and TAs on day 1.</p>

<p>As for minors, you merely have to complete and submit a form for the department you wish to minor in. Furthermore, you must fulfill all the requirements listed in the discipline you wish to minor in upon graduation. The requirements for each discipline is different, please refer to the general catalog for specific information. In sum, a minor is similar to a major but with less requirements.</p>

<p>I have not attended UCSC thus I cannot comment on their facilities. If you wish to acquire information pertaining to UCSC, then you should try browsing through the threads in the UCSC section, you would have a better chance at having your questions regarding UCSC addressed and will probably have more accurate information.</p>

<p>The class size is relatively small at UC Riverside, compared to the other UCs (with the exception of UCM). For the most part, the lower division courses offer 300+ seatings, but only 100 or so students attend on a regular basis. While the upper division courses only have <60 seatings.</p>

<p>As for the food… Food preference and taste is subjective, what I like, you may not, and vice versa. But in my opinion the food is not too bad. If you do not like the campus food you can always dine out at one of the nearby restaurants. </p>

<p>Ultimately it is your decision where you wish to attend. No one can make that decision for you.</p>

<p>Edit:
UC Riverside has 2 libraries, the Science library and the Rivera library. Both are fairly big and spacious (several stories). Do not worry about books because the UCs utilizes an interlibrary loan system, if UC Riverside does not have that book, you can borrow it from another university through this system.</p>

<p>UC Riverside has a strict no substance abuse policy, whether it be alcohol or drugs. However, I am not too sure about UCSC.</p>

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<p>I go to UCR and my brother goes to UCSC, so i think im fairly well qualified to answer some of these questions</p>

<p>minors should work the same at either college. theyre both UCs. this shouldn’t effect your decision though.</p>

<p>theyre both UCs, they both have good equiptment. you can look at college rating sites and both their electrical engineering departments should have ratings somewhere. i wouldnt know cause im a business major.</p>

<p>class sizes are comparable. theyre both UCs and they both have the same budget problems.</p>

<p>My parents have tried both UCR and UCSC food and they say UCRs is better, but both still suck.</p>

<p>theyre different schools with different environments. ucr is a lot more asian (race shouldn’t matter…but you mentioned it in your original post so yeah lol) and the campus has a park like atmosphere. ucsc is a forest. it’s a lot more spread out and hilly. at UCR you can walk everywhere, or bike. at UCSC you have to take the bus from class to class and to your dorm. i personally prefer the park like setting, but that’s a personal preference. students at both schools complain that there is NOTHING to do on the weekends, but if you have a car, ucr is a lot closer to LA and where the action is, whereas UCSC just has the beach and the boardwalk, and the beach there is colddd.</p>

<p>as for housing, UCSC has a lot of housing like pentland-- in terms of the layout, but a lot older. kresge is like pentland, but it has a kitchen. i believe crown (or whichever one is the oldest, not sure about the name) is a traditional res hall.</p>

<p>some advice-- i think you’re thinking too much into this. where you go to college is a big big decision, but in the end our opinion doesn’t matter. it’s which college is best for YOU. you should go visit both of these schools and get a feel of which campus is best for you. talk to students, have lunch, get to know the atmosphere. UCR was best for me, and UCSC was best for my brother. we both had other options, but we visited, and these schools just felt best for us.</p>

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<p>electrical engineering is pretty good for both UCR and UCSC. But in terms of engineering overall, i would say UCR is more developed. However, I wouldn’t really look at the programs they have. Try visiting both schools and see what kind of environments you prefer because that’s what really matters in the end.</p>

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<p>oh and btw, check out ucrfml.com and ucscfml.com.</p>

<p>on ucrfml, when people post negative comments about ucr it usually gets way more thumbs downs then thumbs ups. on ucscfml’s front page, nobody pressed thumbs up or thumbs down on any ■■■ cept a negative comment about ucsc, which got 8 thumbs ups and 1 thumbs down. i think that says a lot. hahaha.</p>

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<p>Thanks on your replies everyone </p>

<p>I’m planning on touring both campuses as soon as possible. I’ve seen pictures of UCSC and its really nice but UCR also looks good. Maybe it was the pictures that were a bit biased but the campus at UCR doesn’t seem as bad as many people say.</p>

<p>x8equalsDtilde, Some questions, maybe a bit personal, if you are willing whats your major? Have you found that at UCR the Professors/TA allow for you to achieve the goals you have set as in are the classes taught well? Have you found the general student body to challenge your abilities, thus allowing for you to improve?
Also if possible same questions for UCSC.</p>

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<p>im prebusiness and im a first year so the classes ive been taking are mostly general ed so far, because im getting all that stuff out of the way before applying to SoBA, UCR’s school of business administration. It will be different for an electrical engineering major. the classes ive been taking have been mostly easy stuff that i feel i dont really need but have to take in order to fulfill all my requirements. it should be better when i get to upper division classes. the classes are taught well, but the ones ive taken so far i feel are beneath me. i don’t think the general student body challenges me honestly, but i came into UCR as an honors student with a 2080 SAT, so im a bit more qualified than the average UCR student. (that sounded really snotty, but I don’t know how else to say it lol) But I’m still happy at UCR. when i get to upper divs i know i will be more challenged, and i like the campus and the social climate.</p>

<p>I don’t think im qualified to answer your question though, because it’s really different for different majors.</p>

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<p>So does anyone know how UCR is with nana-tech? Aren’t they supposed to be getting/have this? new building for it?</p>

<p>Also what type of internship options are available for EE majors at UCR</p>

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<p>Im a first year student majoring in mechanical engineering. UCR just opened a new materials science building, which is focusing on nano technology. As to which school you should attend, you seem like a rather ambitious student so Im sure you will find opportunities and success no matter where you go. Check how much money each school is giving you, thats what made my decision for me.</p>

<p>For internships, you really have to be watching for them as a first year student. Most internships are looking for sophomore level students, so if you have AP credit along with your first two quarters as a freshman, you could reach 45 units and have sophomore standing by the end of winter quarter. At the same time numerous summer internships have accepted my application and resume because I’ll have over 60 units by summer. Will I actually get an internship? Maybe? Competition is doubled for first year students since there are sophomore and juniors with more experience also applying.</p>

<p>I found this on the career center so you could see what an internship posting looks like.</p>

<p>DESCRIPTION
Burns & McDonnell has been moving life forward for more than 100 years by providing better roads, reliable power and clean water. We are an engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting services firm with offices in Kansas City, Missouri and nationwide. </p>

<p>If you are looking for a place to gain exciting and challenging real-world experience, you have come to the right place. The Burns & McDonnell Internship program is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and see what Burns & Mac is all about.</p>

<p>We currently have internship opportunities in our Southern California office for Environmental Science majors. Our Environmental Scientist Interns assist department managers and/or project managers with various tasks. Performs elementary assignments and works under close supervision; receives specific and detailed instruction as to required tasks and results expected. Responsibilities may include air pollution permitting, analysis, and compliance; air dispersion modeling; environmental compliance audits; environmental site assessments; and report and permit writing. Work may include a mix of field assessments, report/permit preparation and travel. The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of 3.0 GPA, strong communication skills, a good work ethic and be involved in campus activities. </p>

<p>If you are interested in applying for our internship program, please email your resume to <a href="mailto:collegerecruiter@burnsmcd.com">collegerecruiter@burnsmcd.com</a>. EOE.
JOB FUNCTION
Sciences - Environmental
LOCATION
City
San Diego
State/Province
California
Country
United States
AREA(S) OF STUDY
Environmental and Life Sciences/Environmental Sciences
DESIRED CLASS LEVEL(S)
Sophomore, Junior, Senior</p>

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<p>^Thanks
I don’t expect to get internships first year of college but I will strive for them, if its there I’ll apply :D. Since you’re in ME how is the engineering department? Is it what you wanted it to be? more? less? The new material science building holds classes? Is it only for material science majors? I was thinking of changing my major to material science only because of nano-engineering but at the same time EE still will allow for me to go into Nano-engineering but also, from what i have read/heard, it has more potential than material science. Is the new building accessible by all students?
Thanks again for the info :smiley:
I’m leaning towards UCR because it seems better for nano-engineering but then UCSC is so close to Silicon Valley that there is more potential internship options. Deciding college is so confusing :(</p>

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<p>If i want to try for a transfer to dream colleges (WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY up there :smiley: and some not as high) which of these will allow for me to build a stronger application.</p>

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<p>Actually, Im still a materials science and engineering major, but im in the process of switching to mechanical. I realized I wanted something with less chemistry lol. I took intro to materials science and its definitely interesting, nano technology/engineering is the next big thing apparently. From the class I took, you choose what you want to focus on and nano technology was an option. Im not sure about EE exactly. You can always switch if you dont like it. Yah, its accessible to all students and for engineering students’ classes i believe. The MSE building has lecture halls and smaller classrooms from what I’ve seen. Im assuming it has labs for professors and graduate students too. Its the first day of spring quarter today and I actually have a mechanical engineering lecture there at 2.</p>

<p>The engineering department is better than I ever expected. The advisors are really cool and helpful. The professors(so far) and TA’s have been amazing and fair for my math and engineering classes. I think at orientation they told us that the engineering school is ranked first for its size. Im not sure how credible that is at all but it sounds good lol. Im going through my lower division pre reqs still, but I should be able to take upper division classes next year. Overall, I like it. Its small, but not too small ya know? You can really get to know your TA’s and professors. </p>

<p>Your grades, activities, and experience are the most important thing in transferring. Its really depends on you, not the school. The vibe I get from professors and TA’s is just do good no matter where you’re doing your undergraduate studies and then go to a top ranked school for graduate school.</p>