Need Help: Fall 2017 TAG transfer to UC Davis or UC Irvine?

Transfer Students
1

I’m a current community college student looking to transfer very soon. My major is “Computer Engineering”, but I’m also considering “Computer Science and Engineering” as software emphasis seems like the way to go. My GPA is a 3.5 and I know I have a decent shot at a plethora of schools. In California, there’s a TAG program that guarantees entry into one of the many UC Campuses, and I’m having an extremely tough time deciding between UC Davis and UC Irvine.

I live in the Bay Area and have a close connection to my family and the area. However, my father works for United Airlines and I fly standby for free so returning home for holidays shouldn’t be an issue. Additionally, I’ve been to both campuses and have friends at both. I’d say I enjoy both campuses equally, even though they are seemingly opposites of each other, making the whole social aspect a non-issue for me. I could easily see myself enjoying both schools.

The real issue I have here is the academic outlook. I’m under the impression that they are both very similar in ranking, especially in engineering and computer science where UCI may have a slight advantage in regards to the latter. The mysterious, hazy part seems to be employer recognition and internship/job opportunities. It appears that my family, and the general public see UC Davis as the “better” ranking school, when in reality, UCI’s computer science program is ranked higher than Davis. These conflicting reports are further adding to my confusion.

I know many will say, “If they’re both so equal and you’ll be happy at both, just choose one and be done with it.” I do see the logic in that, but something tells me that a decision as big as this shouldn’t be taken so lightly. This could potentially have implications for the rest of my life, so I want to try my best to be as thorough and thought-out as possible. Also, just because I don’t choose a certain school for my guarantee, it doesn’t mean I can’t be accepted through the normal route. It’s not the complete end of the world if I make the wrong choice. With that said, I have heard that engineering in particular has gotten much more competitive over the recent years so I’m not so hopeful about my “normal” transfer chances.

So my question is, for those with knowledge of both schools, which would you choose in my case and why? Keep in mind I have two potential majors I’m considering and that my main priority is my future.

Thanks all!

2

I know that today’s grads are very mobile, but would you like to stay in Southern California or Northern California after you graduate? Getting internships/jobs should not make a difference on which UC you attend. It will ultimately come down to what kind of job skill set can bring to your prospective employer and which campus is the best fit. TAG to one and apply as a regular transfer to another. You have a solid GPA and have a good chance of getting into both schools.

3

You do bring up a good point about where I’d prefer to live afterwards. My mom and I have discussed living with her after graduation to help save money and pay off debt. This is something that would be much easier to do with UC Davis. Additionally, with the whole tech boom up north here, I think it’d be a better choice. Thanks!

4

I may be wrong about this. I know Downtown LA and The Howard Hughes area near Santa Monica is a big place for computer/software engineers, as is certain parts in the North like Palo Alto. Being closer to one or the other will probably affect your chances of getting an internship/job in the area. If I were you I would also consider which part of CA you’d like to work in based on the location of companies you’d like to work for. I think its more software up north, and more things like SpaceX and other a bit more industrial things down south. It might also be worth looking into the professors you’d have, some have certain affiliations that may benefit you, if you are network with the faculty a bit.