<p>I’m from New York, and from an outsider’s perspective, the UC system looks so awesome. Each campus is ranked so high - with Berkeley being the best <em>public school</em> period. Whereas New York’s highest rated college is in the mid-80s. What do you think CA did that NY and other states didn’t to create such a robust public school system?</p>
<p>$$$$$$$$$$ </p>
<p>jk; not sure how spending compares, really.But I think the three “tiers” (CCC’s, CSU’s, UC’s) help make the system work.</p>
<p>Well it used to be because the UC’s provided good education for a low price…so good question. I guess all it means now is a name…</p>
<p>I meant how much money “we” were willing to spend on post K-12 education.</p>
<p>Brought my daughter to visit SUNY-Binghampton (Best of SUNY?) last March. The facilities in only comparable to CSU, yet the quality of students are as good as mid-tier UC.
Money definitely plays an important role.<br>
Amazingly how most of the UCs are better than Flagship State U of almost every states.</p>
<p>I actually attend SUNY Binghamton, so that’s funny. So it seems the consensus is that California just funds their schools more. Very interesting…! Note that in-state tuition at binghamton is 5k whereas ucs are like 10k?</p>
<p>Education is taken very seriously in californai (or it was.) If you look at most of the top universities ~90-~150 years old years (UCLA [1919], berkeley [1868], stanford [1891], caltech [1891], USC [1880] [apparently S and C were founded on the same year O_o] the best universities in the world (e.g. harvard) generally have at least 200 years on our universities, yet our universities stand toe to toe with them. why? several reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>california is an amazing place to live in general, whether we’re talking socal, norcal, wine country, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Both socal and norcal have huge businesses powering them: the film industry and silicon valley respectively</p></li>
<li><p>i was reading an article, that california as a state, is seen in itself as the state of opportunity, and i agree with it. If the american dream could be said to be embodied in any one state, it would probably be california.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>because of all of the aforementioned points, california’s universities flourished. We know education is important so we throw a bunch of money into it so that the people who run our state will be of the highest calibur. The budget cuts for the UCs will only be temporary. Once they are finished, they’ll come back to their normal prestige of being some of the best universities in the world (and easily the best public system)</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_schools_in_California[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_schools_in_California</a></p>
<p>^ Do you have any actually numbers comparing how money is spent on public higher ed here, vs other states? Also, “socal and norcal have huge businesses powering them” is counter to what i hear about the effects of taxes on businesses in California, although both could be true. I think I’ve seen it posted elswhere on College con, relative rates of State taxation, and money somehow at disproportinate rates from states TO the federal government, but it was not clear to me that we are actully “throwing a lot of money” at education, at least not K-12. Does anybody have links to numbers?</p>
<p>Here’s something from 2007</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/10/11/spending[/url]”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/10/11/spending</a></p>
<p>California is the most populus state in the country
More residents means greater number of applicants
With more applicants universities become more selective
Which is one of USNEWS criteria
More residents means more tax dollars which equals better funding
Professors are more inclined to teach at the UC system for many reason, very hospitable weather, good salary etcetcetc
I would take rankings with a grain of salt, have you actually looked at what usnews criteria is? Roflcopter</p>
<p>All and all California is the state with the most to offer in the country, It may be overpopulated in certain areas but this state has a diversity like none other. People flock from all over the country to live in the great state of CALIFORNIA</p>
<p>“More residents means more tax dollars…”</p>
<p>Is this neccesarily true?</p>
<p>^^^ In California’s case, yes.
California also happens to be one of the largest economies in the world, and in addition to funding our own awesome state projects, we also send large amounts of tax dollars to states that can’t pull their own weight (i.e. most “red” states other than Texas). Plus, geographically we are about the size of France, and have the most biodiversity of any state.</p>