Going to school in this state and all, I’ve always set my sights on attending a UC after high school. I’m confident that my academic and extracurricular background can get me to at least UCSB (and my counselor says I’ve got a strong shot at SD and maybe Davis as well). However, I’ve recently been introduced to the maritime academy and the prospect of pursuing a life in that specialty greatly appeals to me. My academic record is significantly higher than the Cal Maritime averages so my parents and counselor are advising me to aim for ‘higher-tier’ schools, but I don’t hold as much value for school rankings and numbers. I still have some time to decide what I would want to do as I’m still a junior in hs, but advice would be appreciated.
Cal Maritime is a great place, and given how specialized it is I don’t think you can really compare it to other public universities in that way. Keep in mind that different majors at Cal Maritime are more competitive than others. I encourage you to check out all seven maritime schools in the US, including the US Merchant Marine Academy. Take a look at the Coast Guard Academy as well.
I will definitely look into the other maritime schools and will especially look into the USMMA and USCGA. Do you happen to know what majors are more competitive than others?
Here is a link that details the four majors that were impacted for this admission cycle, and the additional admission criteria that were required.
Hey guys, I am a junior in High school! I was really interested in Cal maritime, because the majors look
Very appealing to me. I am looking in to major in Marine Transportation. Who else is interested in this major? Please tell me so we can talk more! 
Cal Maritime has a pretty unique mission and curriculum, If you want to major Maritime Transportation, they are probably the best choice in the Western US.