<p>If I don't get into Cal Berkeley (Which seems more and more unlikely as I get closer to realizing what I got on my Math IIC re-take), which of the following do you recommend that I look into instead (the other UC's I applied to):</p>
<p>UC San Diego
UC Los Angeles
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
Cal Poly - SLO</p>
<p>I'm also considering applying to UOP, but I'm not sure if I should bother with the effort and the costs of a private college.</p>
<p>I was thinking UCSD, but it's rather far away (Almost a 7 hour drive away).</p>
<p>I was talking it over with my industrial engineering teacher and he told me that generally its all about where you get your graduate degree and how you apply what you learn. He told me he knows a lot of people that went to "lower" UC's or Cal Poly for undergrad, and then were able to get into schools like MIT, Caltech, and Stanford for their graduate degrees. He also told me that I should aim HIGHER than my undergrad school for grad; he told me that it's harder to get into grad Cal as an undergrad Cal student, than if I were an undergrad from a different university. Is any of this true?</p>
<p>What are you looking for in a college? What do you plan to do with your degree? Are you absolutely sure that you want to go to grad school in engineering? At the underdergraduate level, the experience is much more important than the strength of the individual program. What kind of place would make you happy...help you mature? For jobs and grad schools, grades are more important. But if you want to go into certain fields such as i-banking, recruiters will only visit the more "prestigious" universities...</p>
<p><strong><em>What are you looking for in a college?</em></strong>
Prestigious (Don't want to make it seem like I worked my ass off in high school for nothing, or that I'm shooting too low for my abilities), well help me succeed in life, excellent/top-notch engineering program, hands-on experience, will help me get into a good graduate school/get a job and start my actual career. I dig a refreshing, nature-oriented environment (I don't like hot, sunny days, but prefer cool, windy days under trees and just enjoying nature). I like a relaxed, social environment where people are friendly and not hell-bent on making sure they are #1 and will beat you on the final. I'm really liberal and out-spoken (which matches Berkeley), but I love nature as well (UCSD's Muir College sounds very appealing).</p>
<p><strong><em>What do you plan to do with your degree?</em></strong>
Either use it to get a job with some sort of company, or eventually teach when older if interested.</p>
<p><strong><em>Are you absolutely sure that you want to go to grad school in engineering?</em></strong>
If I end up hating engineering or something at the undergrad level, then no. But if it goes as planned and I like it, then I DEFINETLY want to continue my education and get at least my Master's.</p>
<p>UCLA would be a second choice if it were not for your description of what you would like in a college because it hardly matches anything in armosphere that you mention under what are you looking for in a college. I would actually put Cal Poly and UCSD higher on the list than the remaining others.</p>
<p>Your description fits UCD perfectly. It is known as being "chill," yet academically quite challenging. The climate for the majority of the school year is as you described. They have an amazing internship program, and sports booster club (both are the largest in the nation) one of the largest intramural programs in the nation, and football with a brand new stadium.</p>
<p>I had a choice between Cal Poly slo or UCLA and my professor told me that if I was thinking about graduate school, then I should really go to UCLA</p>
<p>IMO your professor was wrong. All of the op's listed programs are quite respectable for undergrad. Grad school is another story. Go to an undergrad school where you feel comfortable and earn the best possible grades. Get involved by doing research, internships, community service and activities. Join a frat/sorority and/or clubs. Play a sport. Make lifelong friends. Build a great relationship with enough professors to get recommendations and you are on your way to a great grad school. (after entrance exams and applications that is) ;)</p>
<p>I got into all the schools on that list that I applied to and chose Cal Poly - SLO over UCLA because I felt it had a better mechanical engineering program. Now that I've gone here, I highly doubt UCLA could have been better at all.</p>
<p>FYI, I liked virtually every other aspect of UCLA over Cal Poly SLO.</p>