<p>So it seems like I've finally heard back from all my colleges and I have narrowed my choices down to UCSC and SDSU. I wish to major in Psychology with the plan of possibly doing the Pre-med program to work towards a career in Psychiatry. I live in Southern CA (Torrance) and I'm looking for a school with the right balance of fun while also preparing me for a successful future in either Psychology or Psychiatry. Given my situation, what would you guys say is the better option for me?</p>
<p>(I was also considering UC Riverside but I truly don't like the area so I ruled it out but if you think it might be a better option please do say so!)</p>
<p>id say ucsc. sdsu is awesome but i think the campus is trashy… and you cant beat the beauty of ucsc. </p>
<p>many more reasons but im not gonna type all day. ucsc is fun as hell too, but you should prob be tolerant of weed… not that you have to smoke it, more like just dont be affraid to be around it if you want to party at ucsc</p>
<p>soo i live in san diego and the reputation here is that its a lame school. I mean dont get me wrong they have some awesome majors but its a HUGE party school and I’ve been to the campus and the area several times and I dont like either. My dad went there and he said that its so easy to get lost in what courses your taking and that its really hard to get any help. I think academically its lower than UCSC too and correct me if im wrong but doesnt UCSC have an awesome psych program? I think its their most popular.</p>
<p>haha anywayyy hope that helped :] good luck choosing and honestly SDSU or UCSC will probably give you a successful future it just depends on how you want to spend your time</p>
<p>I live in SD as well, and yeah, it is known to be a trashy/party school. It is funny though, because a lot of students out of my high school want to go there. I suppose it is because they can stay in San Diego (since UCSD is hard to get into). </p>
<p>I definitely think UCSC will give you more opportunities and it is a respectable school.</p>
<p>I’m currently a freshman at ucsc. I’m a psych major, and yes the psych program is very good here. However, be prepared to be VERY frustrated about getting into the psych classes! With all the budget cuts, there are barely enough profs and classrooms to fit all the psych majors (there’s so many here). Also, if your considering being premed AND psych, be prepared to have a ****LOAD of work. All my premed friends have to take loads of chemistry classes (REALLY HARD CHEM CLASSES) before they even think about getting into a bio class. It’s a ton of prereqs.</p>
<p>1 the weather. ive lived in nor cal my whole life, i want to get the hell away from rain.
2 ucsd has transfer housing, ucsc i would have to live off campus
3 i have some friends at ucsd
4 i play lacrosse and i dont want to play in DII MCLA…(aka its not very good at ucsc). not that ucsd’s team is good… but its better.
5 i have a full ride to ucsd.</p>
<p>haha wow! all wayyyy good reasons :] well i can assure you there wont be much rain in san diego and when there is rains it last like an hour or two tops.</p>
<p>Not only does UCSC have on campus housing for transfers, but it has guaranteed on campus housing for two years. UCSD has no guaranteed housing for transfers (according to the UC website, at least).</p>
<p>answered my own question, its now at porter? haha cool i guess. i looked through the prices and i am astounded that ucsc transfer housing is MORE expensive than ucsd. wowza</p>
<p>well im going to look into that, and how much aid ill get from it. im still pretty set on ucsd though</p>
<p>There’s transfer housing at all ten of the residential colleges, not just Porter. There is also the Village, University Town Center, and University Inn (the latter two are technically “off campus,” but are considered to be UCSC housing; the Village is at the base of campus).</p>
<p>I’m not trying to dissuade you at all :). You should go to whichever campus feels right to you. I just wanted to clear up UCSD’s and UCSC’s transfer housing details. I hope you are able to get the housing you want at UCSD, but be prepared to potentially be told there’s no room and/or you’ve been placed on a waiting list.</p>
<p>In contrast, UCSC seems to be so desperate for more students to live on campus that continuing students are being offered to pay 2009-2010 rates for residence halls (dorms) instead of the 2010-2011 rates. I was pretty sure I wanted to be in the on campus apartments until that little tidbit was announced. Now I’m weighing whether the savings staying in the dorms versus switching to the apartments is worth it to me.</p>
<p>UCSC was listed in some article I read awhile ago as being among the most expensive on campus university housing in the United States. It falls behind UCB (not much difference, though) and a few others. The article I saw was from a couple years ago, though, so the list could have changed some. I have a single room and I pay through the nose for it. But I love the privacy and feeling like I’m at camp disguised as school.</p>
<p>Also remember the rates you’re looking at include UCSC’s awesome meal plans (except for the Village’s rates which residents of are not required to have a meal plan). I happily abuse my 7-day, all you care to eat, meal plan by swiping in during random times of the day just to run and fill my mug with soda on my way to classes. Sadly, they reduced the late night service to only 11pm instead of midnight, though. Not that I made much use of it, but it was still great to have the option.</p>
<p>But I digress XD…</p>
<p>Seriously, though, go to whichever campus makes you feel the most “at home,” so to speak, and which campus is the most financially sound. Hopefully these will be the same campus And I hope you don’t have any problems getting housing at UCSD. Just make sure you meet all deadlines so you have the best chance of getting what you want. Be open to all types of housing they offer and you’ll have an even better chance (ie, be willing to take a triple).</p>
<p>I got into both schools as well. I went to SDSU and idk why it just didn’t impress maybe it was also kinda cuz I wasn’t feel that great. But yeah I most likely will be attending UCSC in the fall. :)</p>
<p>actually, ive been told directly that they offer guaranteed housing for 2 years by their transfer officer and admissions officers… not sure why its not on that chart you posted. plus there was plenty of left over spots in the village (UCSD ) last year, and plenty of people will be leaving the village… not too worried. i just want to get into the tower so i can have some oceanic views ;)</p>
<p>seriously tho im going to spring spotlight just for ****s and giggles and ill check out the transfer housing and such. i really do love ucsc</p>
<p>That’s cool if they’re starting to offer two year guarantees for transfers. I always thought that all UCs at minimum should offer at least one year guarantees since finding housing off campus can be difficult especially if you have to travel any distance to get to the area. Are you a regents scholar or EOP at all? I think there may be special exceptions in those cases, but I’m not positive.</p>
<p>Also, I’m a bit paranoid so I’d be inclined to make sure I had that guarantee in writing XD. I wonder, though… maybe UCSD is experiencing the same thing UCSC is with lack of people living on campus? I know UCSD is cheaper housing wise than UCSC, but it’s still cheaper to live off campus and with year round housing rather than on campus with only a 9 month contract and more regulations on when you can be there during breaks. Either way, I’m glad to hear you’re being told you will have housing available :)</p>
<p>I’m curious now, though… Are you meaning “transfer only” housing? As in, no continuing students, only those who transferred in? There are themes for such, but you can end up with anybody. I’m in a hall with mostly frosh myself since the dorms were where I ended up being placed (I didn’t care where as long as I was on campus and in a single room). All housing pretty much looks the same depending which type you choose (dorms, apartments, etc). If I was positive I’d get a single room and didn’t have 8am classes 90% of the time, I’d go for University Inn simply because I’d get my own private bathroom.</p>
<p>Have fun at Spring Spotlight! Even though you’re not planning on UCSC, nothing wrong with a visit to such a beautiful forest And I’ll shut up before I further derail this thread XD</p>
<p>do we have a verdict, OP? i see all these X1 vs. X2 threads but i want to know verdicts!</p>
<p>derail
ucsd has transfer only housing. i think you can put a bid in if you are not a transfer but if so its mostly transfers only. its cool because everyone is older and in the same position as you. idk if i would care to live with a frosh…</p>
<p>off campus is always going to be cheaper, anywhere.
/derail</p>
And I hope you don’t have any problems getting housing at UCSD. Just make sure you meet all deadlines so you have the best chance of getting what you want. Be open to all types of housing they offer and you’ll have an even better chance (ie, be willing to take a triple).</p>