<p>OP- Try logging on to the various school websites. They usually have a link to each major and where their graduates got jobs last year and how much they are making. If you can get this information from either the department websites or the career centers, you may be able to make a convincing argument to your parents that the CSU graduates end up having the same types of jobs at the same rate of pay as the UC graduates. Also, keep in mind that the UC system was originally designed to educate those who intended to pursue graduate degrees. The CSU’s were designed to educate those who intended on entering the workplace with their four year degree. That is why the UC’s have a slant towards research and academia and why many CSU’s tend to offer practical programs that prepare one for the work place. For example, when I took Communications at a CSU (in the dark ages), I was preparing tri-fold brochures and working with non-profits on press releases and other practical skills. When a friend of mine (recently) was studying Communications at a UC, I asked her what types of practical skills she was learning to facilitate her career in Communications. The answer: None. That’s right, she was studying communications from an academic perspective and the impact that communications have on society as a whole. She had never prepared, or even seen, a brochure or press release or anything that a corporate communications employee would be doing during a normal work day. That’s not necessarily bad, but it explains how the school systems approach education a bit differently. You will get a great education at any UC or CSU you choose. Check out UC Davis… it’s harder to get into that most CSU’s, but it does have a unique personality and the students are very involved in a positive way with social issues. Apply at both: opinions/preferences tend to change between application time in the fall of your senior year and acceptance time in the spring. Good luck.</p>