<p>I am a UC Davis student looking to apply to UCB as a junior transfer. By that time I would have completed all of my GE reqs and both polisci and econ major prereqs hopefully with a 3.8 GPA.</p>
<p>It might just be a "grass is greener on the other side" type of thing, but my main reason for transferring is that I feel like I am missing out on a really great academic experience. I want to eventually go into international development and the Bay Area is buzzing with NGOs and the like. I also know that Berkeley's faculty is top notch and that the students might be more intellectually charged. It is important to me that students can have a conversation about science or politics just for the heck of it. This is something that I feel like I'm missing at UCD.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I am happy with Davis for the most part and more importantly I have priority registration for all four years. I want to eventually earn a double in polisci/econ with a minor in sociology, but since I only have two years if I transfer and since UCB econ is impacted, I'm not even sure if I can graduate with just one major. With that kind of restriction I might not also get a chance at programs like UCDC or study abroad.</p>
<p>Tis' a tough choice that has been bugging me for a while. Is this a valid reason for doing a UC transfer?</p>
<p>I think you should probably stay at UC Davis. First, even though you have an excellent GPA, UCB is required to give priority to CCC transfers which will make admission competitive. Second, I believe that UCB is really serious about wanting transfer students out the door within two years of enrolling at Berkeley and it sounds like you want to do more than can reasonably be done in two years with a double major and a minor. Study abroad is a very valuable experience for any student wishing to go into an internaltional relations related career and that would be impossible as a transfer at UCB given the time contraints you would be under.</p>
<p>While there probably more students interested in international affairs at UC Berkeley than at UCD, I am sure there are students who share your interests at UCD but it may take a little more effort to seek them out.</p>
<p>A career in International Relations usually requires a graduate degree so you might want to consider finishing your BA at UCD and then doing your graduate studies at UCB.</p>
<p>If you really don’t feel challenged in your major and find the student body isn’t as intellectually engaging then your reasons for transferring are very much valid. Maybe you haven’t met the right people as I know some brilliant people that go to Davis. You definitely have your work cut out for you for UCB Econ.</p>
<p>Thanks for the insight, it really helped me out. I also posted on the UCB sticky on this board and he said that he was able to take up a double major with econ. I AM planning to go to grad school and I realize that undergraduate education won’t really matter in the long run but I feel I should do as much as I can to enhance my experience. I decided to apply next year, but my decision to attend would ultimately be determined by how well I do in my classes here, my housing situation, and whether or not a significant portion of my units will transfer.</p>