<p>I posted elsewhere, but maybe will get input here. My son has narrowed down to these choices. He is not interested in the party aspects of college(at least, yet!), but has been admitted into the honors program at CU and is on the waitlist for Arnett Hall. He is bio-sci/pre-med at present. He has a little merit money at CU, which would bring the tuition into the ballpark of either UC. Davis is very close to home, and Irvine is ?? I don't get a great feeling for its personality. Anything to push CU to the front?</p>
<p>Well, if the money is around the same, I would probably vote for CU. My son will be attending CU this fall as an aerospace engineering major. He is turning down UCLA to attend…Why? Well, because first of all we live in Los Angeles and UCLA is too close to home. Second, we feel that the aerospace engineering major is way better at CU than at UCLA…Third, he wants to experience living in a different environment than the one he has lived in all these years. Have you visited the CU Boulder campus? It is beautiful, quite spectacular. I have not seen Irvine or Davis, but have heard Irvine is not much to look at… My son also was admitted to Davis and is going to be turning that down as well. I think CU can compete favorably with any UC, and that includes UCLA. Of course, if your child is going to be pre-med, perhaps Davis or Irvine would be a better fit since they have medical schools. Still, what matters when getting into med school is a high GPA, not which school you come from. I have heard the biology department is strong at CU. For us the decision has been easy, since the aerospace engineering department at CU is like the best major on campus. It gets tons of support and tons of money from NASA. If your son wants to get away from home, Davis might be too close… Irvine is further away, but does he want to live in Orange County? Boulder is a lot more interesting a place than either of those locations. Just one person’t viewpoint, though.</p>
<p>Biological sciences are very strong at CU (I am in the field). All three are comparable with respect to NIH dollars if you don’t count grants to the med schools (and vet school!) Many opportunities for undergrad research. Campus is beautiful, Boulder is fun. If cost is not an issue, and he wants to get out of town, he will enjoy CU.</p>
<p>CU does have a medical school, although it is in Denver, not Boulder. I agree with what Rousse54 and drb have written. My son is finishing up his sophomore year as a Biology major and he has been VERY challenged and has learned a lot (to the point where he will be very glad this semester is over because his head is ready to explode from overwork!! 
). My daughter’s boyfriend (both are CU seniors graduating in two weeks) is also a Biology major and he has had many great opportunities in that department. I don’t know anything about Irvine, but if the costs are comparable, I think CU is the better choice. </p>
<p>Campus is beautiful, and you don’t have to be a “partier” to fit in here at CU. Although I did have to cringe when they showed the Norlin Quad (center green area that is surrounded by a lot of the Main Campus dorms) filled with toking kids on 4-20 on the national news. From what my son said (he didn’t attend), many were “imports” from elsewhere - they don’t go to CU.</p>
<p>Good luck in your decision!!!</p>
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sure he didn’t…</p>
<p>Well, drb, that’s what he said . . . :)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, my sentiments too. He has one more day to decide! I know my choice:)</p>
<p>geosacto: Please let us know what he decides! Good luck with your decision!</p>