<p>I have a dilemma here. I live in anaheim which is 20 miles away from UCI so I can easily commute and I live about 40 miles away from UCLA which will force me to dorm. I am not sure but which to do because I can live with my parents and not have to pay money for college if I attend UCI. I am not sure what is the case with UCLA and how much I would have to pay each year if I dorm? One of my friends says I will own $10,000 a year while others who are going and want me to do says that it will be like $2,000 a year. I am not sure about that because I see that the minimum is $8,000 to dorm with two other people. By the way, my major is bio-chemistry for UCLA and Chemistry for UCI. I can easily change my major to Bio-Chemistry in UCI if I decide to attend there. My problem is the money really, as all I have in the Cal Grant and the Pell grant. So what do you guys think I should attend because my problem would be the money. I don't really know how much dorming would cost per year so if anyone from UCLA could inform me that will be great because I don't know anyone that could tell me that information.</p>
<p>[2012-2013</a> Contract Housing Rates and Payment Plans (1005183)](<a href=“http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1005183]2012-2013”>http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1005183)
Housing rates for dorms in UCLA. It would indeed be cheaper just commuting you’re saving around $10k+ a year (cheaper if rented with others off campus). Ask yourself if you’re willing to shell out around $10k a year just for housing.</p>
<p>In general living with parents is cheaper. But don’t forget the cost of commuting by car.</p>
<p>[The</a> commuter culture of California ? The cost of commuting and buying real estate far from your place of employment. » Dr. Housing Bubble Blog](<a href=“http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/commuting-costs-california-car-costs-real-estate-and-commuter-culture-california/]The”>The commuter culture of California – The cost of commuting and buying real estate far from your place of employment. » Dr. Housing Bubble Blog)</p>
<p>This cost does not include time. Commuting 20 miles could take 1 hour in California when there is bad traffic. You can save at least 1 hour to study or sleep per day. You will badly need time to sleep especially during the cold seasons.</p>
<p>And you will need to go college at least 1 day for lab work or group work during the weekend.</p>
<p>Yea that is my problem. I guess it is cheaper to go to UCI than since I can live with my parents and easily commute because UCLA traffic is really bad and it is 40 miles away. Hakeux, do you think both UCLA and UCI are equally good when it comes to a Bio-Chemistry major or is it worth it to take out $10,000 a year just for UCLA? This is my dilemma right here I really don’t know if it is worth it. I seen the campus this Saturday on Bruin Day and just through one day, I figured out that the traffic is really bad. So yea, is the Bio Chemistry at both colleges equally great or is UCLA better and worth the $10k a year.</p>
<p>UCLA would top UCI in rankings for biochemistry major as UCLA excels overall in the sciences. I’m assuming you’re not just going to stop with a biochemistry major as your job prospects are quite limited with just an undergrad major. So I would believe at some point you may wish to enroll in graduate school which should be your main concern. So I would say if an undergrad school is going to put a dent in your wallet, don’t go, it’s not worth it, graduate school is where your money should be going. You can possibly go to UCI undergrad and UCLA graduate school if you really wish to attend UCLA. Doesn’t matter where you go for undergrad when applying for graduate school by the way as long as you got the GPA, extracurricular, and research. *Note, extra fact: Most assume its easier to get into same school for graduate when you attended it for undergrad is completely false. Every applicant is treated equally.</p>
<p>I am actually aiming to get into Dentistry school. Yea, I don’t want to owe that much money. Also, my dad says that it costs about $20 going to UCI and coming back, and I probably wont be going to college every single day but thanks for the Information Coolweather. Thank you for your help hakuex, if it doesn’t really mater where you went for undergrad, than probably I would go to UCI to save some money. If anyone else has any opinions, please tell me, as I probably would make my decision in approximately a week.</p>
<p>Thank you hakuex and coolweather for your opinions and if anyone wants to tell me any more facts, please do, it will only help me toward deciding.</p>
<p>Since you say the cost is important, it seems like your decision is pretty clear. Irvine.</p>
<p>It’s difficult to find parking space in UCLA. I don’t know whether UCLA let you park your car if you live on campus.</p>
<p>I am not sure on how difficult it would be to find parking space in Irvine either but I know it costs around $180 per quarter for parking at Irvine. I saw the parking lots at UCLA and it seems pretty impacted.</p>
<p>A quick thing, it doesn’t matter where you go for undergrad when it comes to Dentistry school right, as long as you have the grades, the schools aren’t going to care where you went right. Basically, is there more opportunities by going to UCLA to succeed than going to UCI, is it special to go to UCLA, will it give me more chances for research opportunities or all they the same?</p>
<p>Academics are going to be about the same at both schools for life science majors. If you want to go to Dental School, it won’t matter much where you attend, but your GPA will matter and your DAT. So in that sense, go where you will feel happy will perform well. UCI will probably be easier than UCLA though, easier but not easy.</p>
<p>UCI is a pretty quiet campus in suburbia. While I like the school, some may find it boring. It’s a decent school and you’ll have fun as long as you make/find a group of friends to hang out with. There’s not much school spirit though and there are no sports.</p>
<p>UCLA is a good school too, but is more urban and you will be in the city. If you are into football, school spirit, and the typical American college experience, then UCLA would be the best choice in that regard between the two.</p>
<p>Why don’t you get on the phone to admissions at somewhere like UOP or whatever dental schools you can think of and ask them? More reliable than us! Good luck!</p>
<p>I would only add, can you handle living with your parents? If so, that is great - certainly benefits to that, but at 18, ours is ready to move on and I think the growth will be great for him. It is like another man living in the house at this point. It is time.</p>
<p>Ok thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>Are you seriously deciding about UCI or UCLA? Over 100,000 people applied at UCLA, and since you got accepted you are in elite company. Plus UCLA’s science department is world-class.</p>
<p>Education is an investment, take it. Go to UCLA and dorm. Dorm life is the best experience you will ever have in college.</p>
<p>By the way, what is your EFC on your FAFSA?</p>
<p>UCI is a more relaxed place. You will get a higher GPA at Irvine no doubt.</p>
<p>My EFC is 0. Overall, I already submitted my SIR to UCI. It is a peaceful campus and could easily commute to home.</p>
<p>Oh man, is it too late to retract your SIR?</p>
<p>Why would you ever want to commute as a freshman? With all the driving and the horrible traffic (if you think you’re getting out of it just cause you are 20 miles away…oh boy)…and reckless OC drivers…GAS…not to mention everything you’ll be missing out on as a freshman…wow. Do the dorm thing at least for your first year. It’s worth the debt you will incur (probably a very SMALL debt with your EFC of 0). And who the hell is telling you that you will owe $10,000 a year??? With an EFC of 0? Um I think not. I have a way higher EFC and only take like $4000 a year max in loans. Living on campus is indeed expensive but that’s the whole point of financial aid and calculating the EFC. They want to help you pay for all that in one way or another so you can attend. BTW, you cannot “easily change your major” to Bio-chem at UCI. The major is COMPETITIVE to get into and your success depends on your grades during your first two years. They take very few people a year. You might want to consider this issue carefully…also it’s true dentistry schools don’t care where you go for undegrad. but in terms of opportunities, UCLA has a dentistry school on campus and I know people who are doing research there as undergrads. Sounds pretty great to me.</p>
<p>Not that UCI is a bad choice or anything…I just would’ve thought this through a bit more…</p>
<p>I can’t do that and you make me feel like I did the most horrible thing ever and that it is the end of the world for doing that. I just know friends that commute and they say it is fine and all. Either way, you are focusing your time on the work. Well, I hope UCI has research opportunities and that I didn’t do a mistake and it seems that it is easier, as their criteria for applicants isn’t as harsh as UCI. Also, I have an unweighted GPA of 3.6 and weighted GPA of 4.04, SAT score of 1630 and luckily made it in, so it seems that it would be hard for me to compete with all the geniuses that got in compared to competition in UCI. I am not saying it is easy but I think it is easier than UCLA. Well, hopefully I didn’t make the wrong choice.</p>
<p>You didn’t make the wrong choice. I know a few of my relatives who commuted to UCI and got into UCLA dental. Graduate top 1% UCLA. The other relative who went to UCLA undergraduate has been unemployed for 10+ years. Another student graduated from UCLA with 3.9+ GPA was not accepted to UCLA medical school. When he complained to his professors, they said UCLA prefers its own students to go somewhere for graduate school. So it buys you no advantage.</p>