Out of State: UC or Private?

<p>So let me start off by saying I've fallen in love with UC Santa Barbara and am about to visit. I love that it's on the beach, that it has good academics, and the reputation that the students are usually very happy and sociable. The only problem is that I'm out of state, so I will be paying out of state tuition. Now I've already decided that I really want to go to school in California, so its either a UC or a private school. I've heard that UC schools are very good compared to private schools, and that getting into medical school afterwards isn't a major problem. </p>

<p>Now the question I have is that I've heard about budget cuts and what not, and its gotten me worried about possible issues that I might run into going to a public university out of state. I haven't really found a private university that I like. Maybe USC, but it just doesn't seem like my school. UC Santa Barbara seems perfect for me(SuperMatch agrees. Haha). </p>

<p>So are UC schools an acceptable option for out of state kids? I know it's a lot of money, but like i said, it seems my dream college. Thanks for any opinions.</p>

<p>The budget cuts have been halted temporarily since Prop 30 passed. There are still some lingering effects into this year because it passed so recently, but there are no plans for a tuition hike for 2013-2014 to my knowledge(maybe someone can correct me). Applications are still at a record high(check out UCLA…most apps in the country) and the schools are getting even more selective each year. Doesn’t seem to be stopping anyone.</p>

<p>Plus, you really have one shot at your dream undergrad, take it.</p>

<p>I don’t know your financial situation, but you state your goal is medical school. I would not go into large debt for an undergrad degree, especially when goal is med school. </p>

<p>If you can easily afford it with limited borrowing, by all means go for it. Keep in mind there are a lot of distractions at UCSB for a young college student with new freedoms. You want to be able to buckle down and get top grades for medical school.</p>

<p>Out of state privates will likely be more generous with financial aid offers. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>@UCBChemEGrad I think the financial plan for my college tuition is pretty solid. And I know, but the whole “work hard play hard” thing usually keeps me pretty motivated. Much more so than a school that is all studying and no free time</p>

<p>However, if you go to a lower net cost school, you may be able to save the money to apply to expensive medical school costs.</p>

<p>In California, there are also CSUs, with lower list prices than UCs. However, most of them are commuter-heavy schools mainly catering to local students. Cal Poly SLO is the one most likely to be of interest to out of state students.</p>

<p>Well as comparison my brother goes to Dartmouth which is pretty expensive so if I go to a.school like ucsb ill have more money left over. But that’s not the issue, the issue is if UC schools are quality compared private schools</p>

<p>UCSB’s website says the cost of attendance for a non-California resident next year will be $55,221 so it isn’t THAT much cheaper than Dartmouth. But as you say, the real issue for YOU is one of relative quality. In that regard I think UCSB can get you into the same good medical schools that USC can provided you can graduate with an excellent GPA and get killer scores on the MCAT. I doubt the name or type of school you attend will have much influence on medical school admissions at all in the end.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It depends on which UC, which private school, and what characteristics you consider important.</p>

<p>First of all its crazy hard to get into any UC’s out of State and also UCSB is ridiculously expensive for out of state. If you want to goto medical school, then completely cross UCSB off the list…that is assuming you can’t afford them and have to take out loans…if you can then attend it</p>

<p>Budget cuts should not be a problem…I would suggest some other private schools</p>

<p>why cross off UCSB for medical schools? as you just said it’s hard to get into. are you just making a guess based on its reputation or do you have any reasoning behind that</p>

<p>and i plan to go to dentistry school first…if that makes any difference</p>

<p>because its expensive…if you have a lot of debt in undergraduate, how will you go to graduate school and beyond that especially for medical school ? you won’t finish paying all your debt even in 10 years…
“are you just making a guess based on its reputation”
NO it is hard to get into out of state…its a known fact</p>

<p>oh no that was regarding the medical school thing. i know it’s hard to get into. but i mean i have a college fund that my parents have been saving up for and then i pay for grad school</p>

<p>how are you going to pay for grad school? like others said, you should plan ahead and spend as little as possible on UG since there will be many years of school ahead of you.</p>

<p>UCSB out-of-state will be about the same as a private, and if OP is considering privates then it sounds like expense isn’t a huge problem. </p>

<p>UCSB is a great school. Is it “worth” 55,000+/year? Totally relative. Maybe in some fields the answer would be no, in others yes. (It has one of the top physics department in the country, for example.) Its College of Creative Studies is superb. If you love the school, and affording it is not an issue, go for it. There are plenty of schools that cost as much that aren’t anywhere close to UCSB’s league.</p>

<p>@katliamom this seems like the best answer, it’s what i’ve been thinking. How’s the biology program? It seems that a lot of people major in that there</p>

<p>IMHO you can get the same large classes and lack of personal attention from advisors (because you aren’t assigned one) and faculty that you’ll get at a UC campus at a public in your state. Take the extra $23K a year and you can have a blast on the beach all summer every year with plenty left over. </p>

<p>If your parents are dying to help out us folks in CA with an annual non-deductible $20,000+ donation, which is why the UC system is admitting more OOS students, I guess that’s their privilege and I thank them for it. Personally I would try to find better uses for my money.</p>