Aren’t UC’s the best

College Search & Selection
41

<p>suze, </p>

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The huge classes,

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<p>UCLA and Cal both compare favorably to many top privates as far as class size goes. </p>

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ucsdchris is on a campaign to convince the world that there are 3 top UC schools, placing ucsd up there with cal and ucla. He might be just about the only person in the state who believes it, but that doesn't stop him from posting as if it was true and going ballistic when anyone calls him on it.

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<p>I think a lot of people see UCSD as a third top UC. Many of its graduate programs rank up there with UCLA and Cal, and its shown that it offers many things the other two don't.</p>

42

<p>Huge classes are generally for the intro classes that are big anyway at all schools (intro chem, physics, business classes). The bureaucracy is quite a hassle though, but not stifling.</p>

43

<p>This is a real story from one of the teachers at my school who went to Cal...he had 4D's and an F on his transcript and NOBODY, I mean NOBODY, did anything about it....when someone smart enough to get into a school like Cal get's a 0.8, then shouldn't that ring bells and raise flags?</p>

<p>Seriously, I want to go to a school where someone's there to catch me if I fall.</p>

44

<p>I fail to see your point.</p>

<p>He's ONE student.</p>

45

<p>


Care Bears Community College FTW. :rolleyes:</p>

46

<p>A student who fails that badly has only him/herself to blame and should consider transfering to an easier school. It is not the university's responsibility to coddle such a student through college. The only mistake on the university's part was admitting such an incompetent student in the first place.</p>

47

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Sorry to bring up the Cal vs. UVa debate again, but the graduation rate at the University of Virginia is 86%. This is a school with 15000 undergrads. So yes, personalized attention, EVEN WITHIN A LARGE PUBLIC SCHOOL, is feasible.

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<p>Wait? Graduation rate = personal attention? Additionally, Berkeley’s 6 year graduation rate is about 86% (that or a bit over), and I think that tons of students could graduate in 4 years or fewer from here (instead of the 56% or so of students that do), but they choose not to do so. Certainly some are unable to graduate in four years or fewer for whatever reason, be it they failed and have to retake multiple classes, didn’t plan their schedule well, took light loads, switched majors late, want two or three majors and didn’t take appropriate preparations, had personal issues, or whatever, but from what I’ve seen and heard the majority of those that take longer than fours years choose to take longer. You imply that Berkeley has no personalized attention whatsoever. That is quite false, as many courses of study have a lot of personal attention.</p>

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Basically, among Asians, if you don't get into UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, or UCSD, then go to a junior college first, then transfer to one of the "real" UC schools. Of course, this tactic often backfires as well and many of those same Asians who turned down Irvine and Davis in favor of junior colleges end up going to those very same schools!

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<p>“Among Asians?” This is way over generalized, and I think mighty false, looking at freshment enrollment at the various schools.</p>

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Let's face it: ucsdchris is on a campaign to convince the world that there are 3 top UC schools, placing ucsd up there with cal and ucla. He might be just about the only person in the state who believes it, but that doesn't stop him from posting as if it was true and going ballistic when anyone calls him on it..

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<p>There are three top UC’s, as there are 3 or more and the top 3 are not quite equal. The gap in quality might be substantial between them, but there are certainly three better ones out of those that exist. To state that he is the only one to believe it is unfair, as others believe it as well (if he does in fact believe it, anyway). People believe all sorts of things.</p>

48

<p>DRab, can you explain why so many more UC kids want to stay in college longer than kids at other colleges? Are you kidding?</p>

49

<p>I think that a lot of people have lower opportunity costs at UCs... which may or may not be a good thing.</p>

50

<p>"catch me if i fall"</p>

<p>haha</p>

51

<p>Whoa, bobby100, I'm not claiming it's true of all UC's, although it might be. I think it's certainly true of Berkeley. I know of and know many kids who choose to stick around for an extra semester or year, sometimes longer, in order to take more classes. Many people like it here, or figure this is better than any alternative. I think part of the reason that it happens is that it does cost less to attend Cal than many other schools, so people can afford it more easily. The university is making more and more changes to increase gradution rates, and many changes have been made more recently (and won't be visible in data for a few years).</p>

52

<p>Cal has the highest 4 and 6 year of any UC except maybe LA, they're close. I think UCLAri hit in on the head.</p>

<p>DRab, all of your arguements are weak, but that it's cheap is beyond ridiculous.</p>

53

<p>bobby100,</p>

<p>My arguments aren't necessarily mutally exclusive to DRab's, either. Many UC kids are likely to not have the same opportunties lined up right after graduation like many top private kids are. Furthermore, due to the relatively lower cost in many cases, there's no reason to rush forth to the "real world."</p>

<p>Many people I knew at privates had no choice but to graduate in 4 years. After that, the funding dried up. And who can actually afford Stanford tuition?</p>

<p>Staying an extra year at UCLA or Cal to go abroad, on the other hand, is not terribly expensive.</p>

54

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but they choose not to do so

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<p>How do you know that? :( Did you take a survey? How do I know the credibility of the said survey?</p>

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That is quite false, as many courses of study have a lot of personal attention.

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<p>No. Look at Williams College. Look at Amherst College. Look at many of the small top LACs. Now THAT'S personal attention.</p>

55

<p>bobby100, as uclari mentioned, cost is a relative thing. Anyway, your thinking that some people's arguments for staying are weak and your thinking my telling you that people actually do it for various reasons is wrong are two different things. You think both things, I'm guessing, but regardless, but I would guess that if you knew more students here, you would find the latter is quite true.</p>

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How do you know that?

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<p>It's pretty obvious from talking to students and looking at requirements, what courses people take, what credit enters with them, and what they do.</p>

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No. Look at Williams College. Look at Amherst College. Look at many of the small top LACs. Now THAT'S personal attention.

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<p>So Berkeley doesn't have personal attention because these schools do? What kind of argument is that? You said no Berkeley programs have any personal attention. Take a look at the German department. My one counterexample shows that your claim is false.</p>

56

<p>Oooh...let's put UC Berkeley on a pedestal as a "model" public institution (if UCB was the model public institution international students would RUN the other way) and worship it....we are not worthy we are not worthy....</p>

<p>NOT.</p>

57

<p>Are you even trying to contribute? It's pretty hard to take you seriously when you don't really bother making good posts.</p>

<p>We're not saying that Cal is perfect. We're discussing why we think something occurs. Stop.</p>

58

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Did anyone else look at UCs in additition to top Us and LACs? To be honest, I couldn't believe the difference. The huge classes, the red tape to even get admissions questions answered, the lack of enthusiasm I saw on the UC campuses I visited. Not to mention that I couldn't meet any of the professors I wanted to much less get them to answer emails! Lucky to have parents willing to pay for privates, they came off my list pretty quickly.

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<p>THANK YOU!!!! Exactly my point. And given my east coast geographical preference, they never even made it to my list, let alone come off of it.</p>

59

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The huge classes

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<p>How many times must people show that Cal and UCLA have similarly-sized classes to many privates until you get it?</p>

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given my east coast geographical preference

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<p>Have you ever lived on the East Coast, BTW?</p>

60

<p>Um...yes I have actually. Specifically, Scarsdale, New York, zip 10583, and I have travelled up and down the entire east coast, and LOVED IT.</p>

<p>And I feel that California is the outpost of civilization compared to the east coast.</p>

<p>I don't know about you, you have a better chance of winning the lottery than having a class of 720 at some liberal arts schools as their ENTIRE FRESHMAN CLASS is less than 720.</p>