Hi, My daughter got ucla and ucsd(regents). But she is interested in ucla. Is UCLA a better choice in terms of grading, getting research, registering courses? The Regents at SD is really worth it? how bad is registering courses at UCLA? please let me know if you or any of your friends know the answer. We are unable to decide
for pre med
No one on CC can know the true right answer for you and your daughter, but it’s great that you want to be sure that she is making the right choice! 
UCLA and UCSD are both excellent schools, although UCLA is more highly regarded. Both schools are great for premed. Perhaps, if you can, pay both campuses a visit. That may help her make a solid decision, because it is important that she is in an environment where she will thrive and be happy. Also, is cost an issue? That may be very important if the cost of attendance for the two schools are very different.
Sadly, I can’t offer much knowledge on Regents at UCSD and how much that would be giving up, but if she ends up choosing LA, she definitely can find many opportunities to succeed! Good luck!
Thanks for the reply. There is not much difference in cost for both these schools. Making a visit to both schools won’t tell you much in 1 day. How difficult is it in registering the classes and getting research?
My daughter is currently a freshman at UCLA in the pre med track, and is having a hard time registering for classes that she wants. UCLA has also eliminated priority registration based on AP credits, and so being a Regents scholar does have its perks as it provides priority registration in most UC campuses which may make it easier to graduate in 4 years.
Agree with @adhocmom, that priority registration alone is worth attending UCSD with regents. Also regent scholars will have easier access to research opportunities than the average Freshman/Sophomore. With all costs being the same, I think UCSD is a better choice as a Pre-Med student.
Where would your daughter rather go? Personally I prefer UCLA over UCSD for it’s school spirit, Division I sports, etc… Pre-med at both schools will be rigorous. Getting classes without Regents preference will be more difficult, but if she is willing to take classes at 8am and on Fridays, she should be able to get the classes she needs.
@tx5athome, she prefers ucla rather ucsd. We are worried about registering classes. How about getting research? Is it easy to get? Thanks for your reply. What you said is an excellent idea:). At her HS, she has classes at 7:15am. Taking classes at 8am wouldn’t be a problem for her I guess.
UCLA is wonderful and better regarded generally, but you have to be aggressive to get research and getting classes is difficult in order to try and graduate in four years. Private colleges make it much easier to get research. The UC’s are huge, of course, and UCLA one of the largest, so I have heard many times, including this winter, that getting research (or any special thing) is very competitive (and these were two very bright, accomplished, responsible, scientific students we spoke to), as well as parents and other information over the years. I think UCSD would be much easier.
My son graduated UCLA last year (he majored in History) he had many friends with a variety of majors including engineering, economics, Biology, etc… And all graduated on time, if not early. Go to the admitted student days and ask around but my guess is that getting a research position is hard but not impossible at both schools.
My son turned down UCLA and chose UCSD Regents in a major other than premed. He was given a research project the first quarter and has continued to do research under the guidance of the same professor as a sophomore. I believe he will continue until he graduates. He meets weekly with the professor and a group of grad students. He has also benefited from having priority registration. For him UCSD Regents was the right choice because he feels he would not have gained as much from his education without the special treatment and special connections. It may not be the same experience for everybody or for students in other majors, but for some it turns out to be a good choice.
-Apologies for necroing a year old thread-
@skonda Where did your daughter eventually go, and how is doing there? I’m in the exact same position this year, and was wondering whether it was way more competitive to get research as a UCLA student vs a UCSD regents student.
Thanks!
Hi, sorry for the delay in replying. My daughter chose UCLA. She is doing fine there. Research is not hard to get. She got in 2nd quarter as freshman and some people got in first quarter too. It was a very tough decision for us last year. Hope this helps:)
It does, thank you!