<p>Can anyone reinforce my pros/cons list? (it'll be helpful to know that I live 20 minutes from UCI)</p>
<p>UCSD -</p>
<p>Pros: 1) higher ranked
2) college experience because I will live independently
3) will prepare me well for graduate school (Revelle promotes a well-rounded student)
4) renowned in many areas
5) people say more research opportunities (I don't know if i care about/ or need this)</p>
<p>Cons: 1) I'm scared of failing because of the rigorous GE requirements (Revelle)
2) scared of getting a low GPA
3) expensive, but loans and working can cover it
4) I won't be able to drive my car that my parents got me
5) nothing really amazing about the campus
6) plenty of horror stories (students study a lot, stress, bad dorms/food at Revelle)
7) confused on how to take the amtrak down (I'm from orange county)</p>
<p>UCI-</p>
<p>Pros: 1) close proximity to home, convenient
2) can also gain college experience if I choose to dorm for a year or so and go back home afterwards
3) cheaper because I don't have to dorm all four years
4) i'll have my own car to drive
5) be able to mooch off of family still
6) easy to get into majors because they are not impacted as UCSD
7) possible more comfortable since friends going
8) generally positive reviews, no horror stories
9) a lot less rigorous than UCSD so I can achieve a higher GPA
10) I won't be in debt or be obliged to work</p>
<p>Cons: 1) lower rank by a bit
2) will still be depending on my parents/friends without relying on myself
3) not renowned in any academics but overall a good university (Well-rounded)
4) parking at UCI sucks LOL</p>
<p>Yes, money is a big factor for me and I have visited UCSD on Admit day. However, all I did was walk around the campus and just gazed at the buildings. I don't think I can accurately judge the school's atmosphere based on that.</p>
<p>So in general, for me, UCSD is like taking the hard road which I have no idea if I will be successful or not and UCI is like taking the easy road where I can rely on my parents if anything goes wrong. Do you guys have any comments/suggestions about my pros-and cons list? I'm still deciding and this is really hard. I'm guessing many of you are going through the same dilemma as me so hopefully you guys can relate.</p>
<p>nvm I got it, thanks</p>
<p>Hold up. What did you get? Have you already chosen?
I’m in between UCI & UCSD as well, & it’s been quite stressful trying to decide. It was actually really nice reading your list of pros/cons for each school, but I’m still not sure where I should go.
The thing with me is I live in SD, and UCSD is more known and higher ranked (everyone. tells. me. this). And since I’ve been accepted there, I feel I’d be an idiot not to go. But at the same time, UCI is where my twin sister is going for sure. And at least with UCI, I feel some excitement, whereas with UCSD, all I can feel is stress and anxiety.</p>
<p>So yeah, have you already decided? And if you did, what made you choose what?</p>
<p>BTW, money is also big for me too. Not only is it my twin sister and me, but I also have an older brother attending college. And even though we don’t have to worry about tuition (my dad’s like, CalVet or something), costs are still high. And UCI is offering me loads more than UCSD, though I just realized (with this very post) that that may only be because I said I’d be dorming if I went to UCI, but not if I went to UCSD.</p>
<p>^Don’t worry about the arbitrary rankings. They’re closely ranked anyway. Go you where you really see yourself being for 4 years (which sound like Irvine, so do it if that’s what you really feel!)</p>
<p>i haven’t decided yet, but i’m visiting UCSD for the second time tomorrow (Tuesday) and visiting UCI for the third time (Wednesday) and then I will make my decision based on how I feel at the campus lol…if you know me personally it takes a while for me to make a decision, that’s why I’m visiting so much…</p>
<p>yeah, it seems like we are in the same situation. I know, everyone I know says that I’d be stupid to give up an opportunity to go to UCSD because of its good academics, but at the same time I don’t want to go because of the stress ('specially since I’m a Revelle student). </p>
<p>Finances are a factor for me too but people tell me that loans and work study can cover most of the dorming (since my tuition should be free unless you’re really rich)…</p>
<p>KingsElite is right though, your decision should be based on which school you can imagine yourself for the next four years so you must visit. I visited UCSD on a saturday (Admit Day) and I didn’t really get a feel of it so I’m going again on a school day. In any case, I should be deciding soon. Time is ticking…</p>
<p>^You should sit through a class!</p>
<p>am i allowed tho? just walk in? lol >.<</p>
<p>Yeah. Assuming the class is big and doesn’t take attendance (which most don’t) nobody would notice.</p>
<p>@HonestJoseph
I love your enthusiasm for UCSD but it’s best if we try to not be biased in helping them out.</p>
<p>@chismoso
Try to calculate the money difference in 4 years if you go to UCI over UCSD. If UCI is cheaper, i would suggest you go there since you’re more excited about it in comparison to UCSD. The only downside i can see is that UCSD is likely higher ranked in your major, but if the rankings are that big of a gap, it does not really matter. College is what you make of it, not what some expert feels about each one.</p>
<p>^You should watch the video.</p>
<p>HAHAHA I love the video, its posted on the UCSD class 2015 wall on facebook as well</p>
<p>Okay. I’ve decided and it was the hardest decision that I’ve ever had to make.
It probably seems (or it just is) weird that I’ve come back just to share that I’ve decided, but since you guys pretty much helped me in that decision (whether or not you guys directed a response to me)… yeah.
Many thanks for all the help.</p>
<p>so where are you going?</p>
<p>i kinda wish i have chosen to go to UCI than UCSD… just because i get homesick all the time!!! … i think you should consider what major you would want to pursue because i realized that i kinda want to do nursing but there is no nursing program here at SD… :(…</p>
<p>msllavore, what did you end up deciding :)</p>
<p>chismoso, I too just visited UCSD on a Saturday and it was a ghost town. and of course I’ve heard plenty of rumors about the complete lack of social life. obviously college is academically driven but I’m really looking for that balance of academic and social. on paper UCSD looks great but is the social scene really as bare as is rumored? I’m also considering UC Santa Barbara which doesn’t look as good on paper but I love the campus and of course it has a rep for great social life. does anyone have a better sense of UCSD than I’m picturing?</p>
<p>UCI 
Like I said before, I’m actually excited for UCI. & the fact that I don’t feel that way for UCSD was a big con for UCSD.</p>
<p>I feel like you and I have a lot in common… I’m from Revelle, I live in the OC , and my two choices were UCSD and UCI.
I chose UCSD and i do not regret it. my first year here has been awesome, ive been involved in campus activities and the student government program. the beach is right next door, and I LOVE the independence i have away from home. (But its close enough that i can go back when i feel like it, i usually go back once or twice a month</p>
<p>As for the revelle GEs they are not hard, but the thing is, it feels like they are restraining me from the classes i want to take. I had a solid idea of what i wanted to do in college so these GEs are just obstacles for me. If your kind of a student that has no clue what you want to pursue academically, you just might enjoy Revelle… this is not the case for me.</p>
<p>anyway, even with the GEs from Revelle i absolutely love it here. theres my input. i hope you make a decision you wont regret.</p>
<p>to add to the “UC of the Socially Dead”, i think there might be some truth to that. I spent my 1st year trying to balance out academics and campus involvement such as leadership programs and the student governing body. While I did meet tons of ppl through campus involvement, i didnt really get into the party scene so i cant really say much about it. so next year im planning on rushing for a fraternity. There are always events going on in UCSD, always something going on in campus, but i feel being a part of the greek system would make it a bit easier :P</p>
<p>^Now here’s where I take a step back and wonder. How are we defining the word “social”? Does “social” mean interacting with other people such as being apart of an organization that goes out and does things together, or does it mean getting **** faced at a location playing loud music? Something for all to think about.</p>