Dilema: UCSC vs. UCD

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

<p>Seems odd I know to compare UCSC and UCD, as it is obvious that UCD is far superior, however there is more to it.</p>

<p>At UCSC, I was accepted under the Dual-Degree Engineering program.</p>

<p>This means that I would go to UCSC for 3 years, earn a Bachelors degree in (Economics as my choice) and then I would be transfered to Berkeley for 2 more years to earn a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering(I am still unsure of doing Civil Engineering at this point).</p>

<p>At UCD I was accepted under my alternative major choice: Computer Science and Engineering. Which I am also unsure of being my major…</p>

<p>I do plan on going to graduate school at Berkeley as well, regardless of major, just fyi.</p>

<p>Now, disregarding all of my personal opinions of each campus, which of these options looks most appealing, both academically, and socially?</p>

<p>Please, I need help! This is a tough decision for me right now!</p>

2

<p>What was your primary major choice at UCD?</p>

3

<p>My primary major at UCD was Civil Engineering</p>

4

<p>I never heard of such a deal. So basically its:</p>

<p>UCSC + UCB degrees in 5 years in something you want to do
or
UCD in 4 years in something you're not sure you want to do?</p>

<p>I'd go with the first I guess.</p>

5

<p>Is the dual degree deal guaranteed? Also, are you 100% sure you're going to want to be an engineer in 2, 3, or 4 years from now?</p>

6

<p>That sounds like a good idea. UCSC is a fine school, and then you get to end up at one of the top schools in the country.</p>

7

<p>UCSC is a good engineering school. I would take that route and end up with the UCB degree.</p>

8

<p>Well, I don't have experience in any field right now, so i'm not sure if Civil Engineering is what I want to do. The main reason that I've been applying for civil engineering is because my great-uncle owns a civil engineering company, and will be retiring soon...</p>

<p>It seems as of right now, based on the fact that I really DONT know what I want to do yet(I just know it's going to be some kind of Engineering), Davis is more appealing for a few reasons.</p>

<p>1) If I jump out of the Comp Sci/Eng i can go into any other eng. program, UCSC has a very limited engineering program(Mostly computer sci. related)</p>

<p>2) If I'm going to graduate school, then my undergrad degree doesn't count for an awful lot... And UCD is still a good engineering school, so I don't think I'd get marked down for that.</p>

<p>3) The city of Davis seems like so much more fun, and when I was there everyone there was so helpful and generally in a good mood. Plus, they have wayyyy more activities going on campus, like intramural sports.</p>

<p>4) I believe Davis will offer me a slightly better Financial Aid package than UCSC...</p>

<p>However, my arguments for the dual degree are as follows:</p>

<p>1) The campus is of course beautiful</p>

<p>2) I will get 2 degrees instead of one.</p>

<p>3) I'm sure it'd be easier to get into berkeley's graduate program if I eanred an undergraduate degree there.</p>

<p>Right now, I feel like i'd just be happier at Davis, but the chance of being guaranteed(If I maintain a 3.2 GPA in pre-requisites @ UCSC) to go to Berkeley is also very appealing...</p>

9

<p>You might be surprised to find that UC's tend to discourage graduate school at the same institution where an undergraduate degree was earned. Good luck in your decision.</p>

10

<p>I just got an e-mail from UCSC about the 3/2 degree program, and this is what they have stated:</p>

<p>Congratulations! You are admitted to the 3/2 Dual Degree Engineering Program at UC Santa Cruz for fall 2008. The 3/2 Dual Degree Engineering program etc...</p>

<p>While acceptance into the 3/2 Dual Degree Engineering program does not guarantee admission into the UC Berkeley College of Engineering, it does provide advising and support for the cohort of students selected for this program. Academic advising for students in the 3/2 Dual Degree Engineering Program is offered through the Baskin School of Engineering Undergraduate Advising Office etc...</p>

<p>Hmm... I'm sure that just means that I need maintain a good record/grades and such, but UCSC has been sending a mass amount of e-mails to me to try and get me to go lately...</p>

11

<p>I would advise against going to UCSC. In the case that your GPA slips and you can't maintain it, you're stuck with a UCSC degree, and a UCD degree > UCSC degree.</p>

12

<p>I would not count on the 3/2 Dual Degree Engineering program as anything close to a guarantee, or even a substantial likelihood, of getting your BS from Berkeley. After 3 years at UCSC, you'll apply as a transfer student to Berkeley, which has an acceptance rate of about 20% and an average accepted GPA of 3.7. The only thing the program gives you is the <em>option</em> of getting two degrees, which is pretty much useless for graduate admissions. If you don't get into Berkeley, not only are you stuck with a UCSC degree (instead of UCD), but you're also a year behind in taking Engineering classes!</p>

<p>In any case, you're not even certain which Engineering major you want to study. I would choose UCD, because you can change to any other major in Engineering by satisfying these simple requirements:</p>

<p>1) Pass 5 freshman classes (3 calculus, intro to physics, and intro to chemistry) with a C- or better in each.
2) At least a 2.0 GPA in these 5 classes.</p>

<p><a href="http://engineering.ucdavis.edu/pages/current_students/pdf_forms/chmajor.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://engineering.ucdavis.edu/pages/current_students/pdf_forms/chmajor.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>One last note, if you plan to apply to Berkeley grad school from UCD, you would need a 4.0 or close to it, based on my experience as an EE grad student at Stanford. The top graduate programs more or less take 3.8+ GPAs from the top undergrad programs, but you'd need to be <em>the top student</em> from a school like UCD to have a shot. It's kind of like saying "I'm starting at UCD but I'm planning on going to Harvard Med School." It's certainly possible, but not realistic for the vast majority of entering freshmen.</p>

13

<p>how abou this: get in UCD, apply for a transfer to UCB if you really to don't like it? Seems about the same chance of getting a transfer to UCB from UCSC. I mean generally, I don't really see the advatanges of getting an engineering degree in civil from UCD or UCB since you get to apply to anywhere in the country for grad school anyways....</p>

14

<p>u gotta be kidding me.. -_- UCD</p>

15

<p>Hey, so I'm pretty much in the same boat as you except that for me it's UCSC/UCB and Cal Poly (both for Bioengineering). I'm still trying to compile the pros and cons for the Dual Degree Program but here's my reasoning. Although we do have to apply as a transfer to Berkeley for 4th and 5th year it should be (at least a tad) easier to get in since UCSC and UCB supposedly work in conjunction with this program. They wouldn't offer it if there was a huge failure rate, would they? Or perhaps it's just a ploy to get more people to go to UCSC. haha, I have no idea.</p>

<p>In any case, if you opt to go the Davis route, it will by no means be a loss. UCD is a great school. However, my sister who went to Davis said that all her friends that did Comp Sci Engineering there were always studying and had no social life. But that's just her opinion. Well, see you next year perhaps for the Dual Degree Program? haha</p>

16

<p>30 people entered, 4 made it to berkeley, we had a new advisor every 2 quarters, very vacant position, you have what 9 quarters at ucsc, you do the math, and most of the time the advisor "doesn't know what to say" because they're still learning what the program is about. Not a answer you want to be paying $20,000 dollars a year to hear. you might look up their contacts "gail black waters" "lynn bonnell" "alicia marquez" . . . only one of them is the advisor right now, but ucsc doesn't update that information. . . the current advisor admitted that the program isn't supported by the professors at UCSC, they think its insulting that people go here to leave. Also admitted was that the advisor should only spend 20% of their time on Dual Degree students, outside of the advisor, a handout you get at the beginning, and the 30 students that most likely won't continue with engineering with this experience, you're basically looking to become disenfranchised and surrounded by a lot of free loving hippies that will challenge you day and night. . . . real talk and I hear it won't be available after this year and that's information from UCSC admissions.</p>

17

<p>You make it sound like you go to a hell hole. "surrounded by a lot of free loving hippies that will challenge you day and night." </p>

<p>I can tell you first hand that there are as many free loving hippies at UCSC as there are at Cal. </p>

<p>I agree the program is a little sketchy. It is not meant to be an instant entry into CAL. I am not even really sure why anyone makes a big deal of it. It is similar to transferring from one UC to another. So of course you need decent grades.</p>