Can your parents easily afford UIUC? Or do they have to borrow large sums? If they have to borrow, they should read William Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair”. There’s a couple that goes into ruinous debt to keep up social appearances. Other literary classics about vanity & ruinous debt: “Madame Bovary” and “Of Human Bondage”.
@GMTplus7 well they tell me to not worry about money and that they can pay for it … but idk. they paid my sisters USC tutition and she just graduated last year. my mom started working 3 years ago, and I think it was to pay for my sister tuition. my dad is like 50 and my mom is 45. if i go to UIUC, that will be another 200k for them, and honestly idk how they are going to retire… they tell me not to worry about finances though. i recall that my dad makes 150k a year when he filled out the fafsa, and my mother probably makes around 50k.
Not sure what going out of State accomplishes. I also do not even understand the CC suggestion since she got into 2 perfectly good 4 year schools but I am not from California. Sounds like the parents can afford it if they choose, just not sure what it accomplishes and it is cold there. Plus if she is planning to stay in state after, then there would be name recognition in going in state and forming in state connections
The CCC system has a good route to the UCs so I think that was suggested as a route to give another shot at UCLA. However it is not guaranteed and I agree that she already has good options so it would be unnecessary to do that.
I am suggesting community college as an alternative option, not as a “plan B.” The OP can potentially graduate in 3 years if all of his/her credits are useable towards a degree. It may be that they will end up being a pool of excess ‘elective’ units, while still requiring additional courses be passed at a UC in order to get “breadth” credit for them to satisfy the degree. By getting credit for them at the lower “bar” of the community college, and then transferring them to the UC, s/he may be able to be further along than with direct matriculation to UC. Coupled to this, consider the excellent education available at California CC’s. Many of the professors are MUCH more passionate about their subjects than UC professors in these lower-division courses, the class sizes are small and intimate, and a good portion of the student body is NOT the motivated high-achiever-type, so that the overall educational experience at a top CC is possibly better than could be had for cattle-call lower-division required classes at a UC.
By using this path to take credit for more requirements than would be allowed by direct matriculation, OP opens up more time to pursue desired courses. S/he could either take 2 or 3 additional years to graduate from the UC, while having whittled away all of the breadth, non-“specialized” courses at a lower cost, lower pressure school. Acceptance rates from Community Colleges to UCs are on a par, if not higher than, acceptance from High School- especially for a motivated and high-achieving student.
More than “giving another shot to UCLA,” going to community college (a good one) may give a better overall educational experience than an alternate path. As a bonus, it gives a better value. California Community Colleges are not the same as community colleges in other states, from what I can gather.
There is a lot of detail to be investigated here, and the OP would want to dissect the college catalog for a UC as well as dissecting ASSIST. For example, even though fulfilling IGETC is NOT recommended for an engineering major, with these 46 units, the OP may easily be able to not only complete IGETC (or all breadth required for the EE degree), but also take all necessary pre-reqs in the space of 8-10 classes (1 year), allowing him/her a REAL advantage coming in as a Junior. It is worth investigating, as it could be a much better option and set the OP up for a better educational experience and possible better positioning for graduate school, since in the ensuing 3 years the OP could delve deeper into upper division and graduate-level classes. Or the OP could graduate in 2 years (I would recommend taking the full 3 + summer courses before fall entry to acculturate and really fit in to the UC).
I am of Indian origin.
It is not your problem that your parents told someone you got into UCSD. They just need to tell whoever, I was mistaken, I thought he got accepted, but he meant UCSB, and I misunderstood it over the phone. End of story.
You should make your choice between SLO and UCSB, both are excellent choices, each with their strengths. I would favor SLO for Engineering.
UIUC sounds just plain dumb.
I would favor UCSB graduate engineering. As an alum, I love UCSB period. Picking a school is so much more than the ‘reputation’ it’s where you feel you can flourish. You’ll know where you belong once your arrive. You have confidence in your choice and as a parent, I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t be proud of you.
I believe that California had a great community college system. As a native Californian, I no longer feel the same. I don’t feel the same way is because the system is bursting with too many people as are the state colleges.
Just my opinion. I would go with UCSB or Merced-- but I guess I’m a bit partial.
@rgosula do you think you can give me a reason for saying UIUC sounds dumb? is it just the price argument? or is there something else? i am also leaning to SLO now.
^ I have recent experience. The CC system is excellent, with variation by campus and by class/course. The excellent professors are exploited (underpaid), and if they have an industry job (so they can afford to teach), they are often very knowledgable and very engaging with the student. Class size is not a problem (if you clear the waitlist), and usually a motivated student, especially in harder classes, can find a space, even if it takes until the last day of add/drop. Succeeding effectively in CC takes a lot of initiative and proactivity.
I too love UCSB and think they produce excellent EEs. I think CCS produces excellent grad students (if the student can handle the freedoms given).
@finallyfree - Let your parents read this link:
I visited UCSB with my son. He got into Berkeley EECS and UCLA regents but is having hard time letting go of
UCSB. Visit Santa Barbara with your parents. I am sure they will change their opinion.
OK, let me correct myself. I was dumb for saying UIUC is dumb, nothing is dumb, it depends on the priorities.
UIUC EE is ranked 4th in Electrical Engineering, if you did get accepted, it would be something to consider.
Based on your parents income bracket, it would not be an unreasonable choice, assuming they have some money already put away for your college, and are they willing to sacrifice to put you through college as almost full pay. It would not be impossible for them, but would be hard. But I know we Indians can pretty much live on nothing. You probably would be expected to take out loans also, and graduate with debt (not unreasonable debt).
Tough choice because it is apples to oranges, so it depends on what your priorities are in life. Don’t think your parents want this only for show, it will also provide you more challenge, and also somewhat better opportunities upon graduation.
For my priorities, I would tell my kids to go to SLO, but that is me, I value independence in them, and prefer for them to not depend on me for money. I also think that how much effort they put in is more important than the college they go to.
So when I helped my kids choose their college, I basically told them that I would support them going to the best college that they could afford, based on me giving X dollars. X was about $80K total each.
So this turned out to be a CSU, a UC or anything they got major merit in as far as privates/OOS.
Both got into SLO/UCSD but chose to go to privates with merit scholarships, which made cost similar to UC’s.
But I would have been happy with either SLO/UCSD
It’s your decision. Not your parent’s decision.
Go to the college that fits you and the college you feel comfortable with.
It is not a student’s decision alone, unless he can afford it alone.
Are you accepting it? Irvine accepts most people from their waitlist.
Not true ~1/3 waitlist were accepted last year.
http://■■■■■■■■■■■■/home/fall-2014-last-year-frosh-waitlist-appeal-cancellation-numbers
@rgosula Out of those that chose to opt in, almost 80% were accepted… so yes, it is true.
@funnylovesz, excellent point.
Although it is not guaranteed to be like this every year.