Hello,
I am going to be transferring for the Fall 2015 semester and I have 3.85 GPA and done with all the pre-reqs. My issue is that I want to do Speech-Language Pathology and this is only offered at CSUs. If I would go to UCLA it would be for psychology, however I would have to take an extra year at a CSU to try to get into graduate school at CSULB and I’m wondering if the reputation and prestige of a school is really worth it. I live in Long Beach so CSULB is close by and I applied under their SLP program. Im also not so great at statistics and I know if I go to UCLA I will have to take a year of Stats. I just want to transfer and get my job however I have done so much at my community college in order to get into UCLA. I am so confused and my family is not helping me. Thank you!
From you post, I’ve split your list into pros and cons of going to CSULB:
pros: close to home, offers you major, no extra classes or years needed, money saving
con: not prestigious.
Personally, I’d go with CSULB. If the CSUs are known for speech pathology, then any ‘prestige’ that UCLA might have won’t make a big difference.
I know it sucks to feel like you worked hard in CC, but the school you transfer to does not negate any hard work that you’ve done so far! If anything, it just shows you how hard you can work
How is the reputation and prestige of UCLA going to help you? These things matter to a student who wants to impress a future employer or grad school. In your case it is actually just the opposite! A diploma from UCLA will mean you are not prepared to enter the grad program.
The real issue here seems captured by something else. We see posts all the time from kids that say “why did I work so hard just to go to state?” They worked hard for their trophy and they want it. So much, in fact, that it sounds like you’re willing to give up 50K or more in lost career earnings just so you can say you went to UCLA. This is nuts.
You have picked a career goal. Hopefully you already had some volunteer experience or other exposure to the field so that you know it’s what you really want to do. If so then the only decision left to be made is the quickest and most reliable way to enter the field.