Is undergrad important?

Does undergrad really matter that much? Many of my friends who have been through college and are in college say that I should choose a cheaper school to go to and wait to go to a prestigious school during grad. Will that help me more in the long run?

Help you do what in the long run?

If your career/degree pathway requires a graduate level schooling, then Yes your graduate school is more important than your Undergrad. You still need to do well when obtaining your BA/BS and take advantage of the opportunities they are given during this time.

As in if i want to get into programs or grad school after undergrad is done, would they care about how good the school you went to is, or do they care more about how well you did. @katliamom

Thank you! @Gumbymom

it depends a lot on your major and post grad plans … in general, if you are talking Stanford or CalTech vs CSU San Bernardino - yes. but, for most grad schools, a 4.0 at CSUSB beats a 3.0 from UCLA.

What schools and programs are you evaluating?

Schools I am planning to apply to would be UCR, UCSD, San Diego State, Humboldt University, and UCLA. Programs would mainly be in the geosciences, specifically Oceanography or Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. @NCalRent

All those schools good and will provide a firm foundation for your career. Not sure of of your stats but, I imagine at least one of them will take you… attend the college where you are confident you will fit in and excel. Most people that would be comfortable at UCLA would stick out like a sore thumb at Humboldt. Be sure to visit the campuses before deciding.
good luck