Is UC Merced really THAT bad? Why do people rag on it so much?

I was thinking, why does everyone hate UCM so much? It seems like it has a nice campus + a bunch of really smart professors from went there no? (Berkeley, IIRC) Why does everyone rag on it so much? Is it really that bad? And finally, should I go if they throw me an acceptance?

Probably because people are into prestige, which in the college works is generally tied to selectivity. UCM is the least selective of the UC, so it is at the bottom of the prestige ranking.

However, if its academic programs are good for you, the net price is affordable for you, and you otherwise like it (location, etc.), then it is a perfectly fine school for you.

Do you think I’ll have trouble finding a job after college if I go to UC Merced? Do they have good internships/opportunities for my major (computer science) on campus, given they’re so young?

The out of the way location may mean that it is less convenient for employers to recruit there, so you may have to do more searching and applying to employers on your own. You may want to ask the career center if they will tell you what employers came the past year, and if there is any information on post-graduation destinations.

I’d think you’d be in good shape with a CS degree from any of the UCs.

Thanks guys!