Questions? Ask a 4th Year Warren Student

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - San Diego
1

<p>Hello all! I've been running a Q&A thread each spring since my 1st year at UCSD, and I'm back again. </p>

<p>I see the clarkfobes has already started a lovely Q&A thread, so if you have any more specific questions, send them over! Also, I haven't read that thread at all (I just finished finals, so I'm exhausted!), so if you want a different perspective or get a second opinion, you may also ask re-ask your questions. Perhaps I will shimmy on over after I finish posting this.</p>

<p>Anyway, a little introduction...</p>

<p>I am a Biochem/Bio major.
I am pre-pharmacy...yay drugs!
As seen in the title, I am in my 4th year.
I lived in the residential halls my 1st year, the apartments my 2nd year, and have lived off campus since.
After one more quarter, I will be graduating!!!</p>

<p>Based on past experience, I will keep this thread running for about a month or so, but I will leave you access to my FB near the send so that you may still contact me.</p>

<p>Lastly, congratulations to all admits!</p>

2

<p>Hello Cali45! I’ve already asked this question, but I’m getting really varied answers I’d like to know you’re opinion on it.
I applied as bioengineering, and got in as undeclared (obviously because it’s impacted).<br>
I really want to major in bioengineering though. Tough courses don’t scare me. I’m worried if I go there they’ll tell me I can’t do it because it’s impacted, and I’ll have to major in art or something. D: That won’t happen, right?</p>

3

<p>figuresk8ting – </p>

<p>I have several options for you to check out:</p>

<ol>
<li>This is the webpage of Jacob’s School of Engineering in the UCSD General Catalog: [Engineering</a>, Jacobs School of](<a href=“http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/curric/SOE.html]Engineering”>http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/curric/SOE.html)</li>
</ol>

<p>In there, it states…</p>

<p>"Continuing UCSD Students</p>

<p>Continuing UCSD undergraduate students who wish to change into impacted majors must submit an application to the department on or before the target dates and must meet minimum requirements. Interested students should make an appointment to speak with the departmental undergraduate advisor for more details."</p>

<p>I’m not sure if you have decided on coming to UCSD, but if you have, follow the directions in the last line. Once you have moved in, enjoyed Welcome Week, and all that wonderfulness, call or e-mail the SoE department. This is the number and e-mail they have listed on their website </p>

<p>(858) 534-6105
<a href=“mailto:ess@soe.ucsd.edu”>ess@soe.ucsd.edu</a></p>

<ol>
<li><p>I know that you really want to major in bioengineering, but perhaps some alternatives may surprise you. You may decide that you end up loving biology. While biology courses are also impacted, you can apply to become admitted in the major after 1 year of study. The information and application to admittance are here: [enrollment</a> management](<a href=“http://biology.ucsd.edu/undergrad/enrollmentmanagement.html]enrollment”>http://biology.ucsd.edu/undergrad/enrollmentmanagement.html)</p></li>
<li><p>Another option is something my friend decided to pursue at UCLA. I’m not sure if they have bioeng. major there now, but when she went there, she decided to double major in biology and electrical engineering. This could work for you as a back plan. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>But seeing how you have not yet started classes here, check up on the lower division classes for bioeng. [UCSD</a> Jacobs School of Engineering](<a href=“http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/academic/academic_undergrad/undergrad_majors/BEBS.shtml]UCSD”>http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/academic/academic_undergrad/undergrad_majors/BEBS.shtml)
Continuing to fulfill the classes required for that major may help prove your interest in it. In addition, if you get accepted into the program later on, which I hope you do :), you won’t be behind.</p>

<p>Also, I found out these information from my own research, but it always best to ask this kind of question to someone who knows it well. So, check out the Virtual Advising Center (VAC). You sign in with your PID and PAC and submit your question. I have used this multiple times; the advisors are prompt, friendly, and very helpful. Here’s the link:
[url=<a href=“http://www.ucsd.edu/current-students/academics/index.html]Academics[/url”>TritonLink: Academics]Academics[/url</a>]</p>

<p>I suspect they let you apply for it again later on since students might drop out of the biology major and open a few spaces up. Realistically, it’ll be difficult and there is no guarantee of success, but just try anyway. :slight_smile: Good luck!</p>

4

<p>figuresk8ting – </p>

<p>I forgot to add, for the VAC link, the actual link to login is within the right hand sidebar called “Tools.”</p>

5

<p>I got into Warren for computer science. But it seems that everyone tells me that the major is extremely difficult, which makes me quite nervous because I do not have much of a computer science background yet. Is computer science really that difficult? If I plan to switch majors within the first year, will I be behind in any way?</p>

6

<p>got into warren for general bio!
but i’m confused about the dorms
someone told me its hard to get a double.
since theres so many people they put three people into the space of a double?
is that the only choice we have? a triple or a single?</p>

7

<p>101921 –</p>

<p>Don’t get freaked out this early. If computer science is something you’re interested in, you should give it a shot. When I was in my first year, I was hearing stories about how hard Ochem was and it definitely freaked me out. But in the end, it became one of my favorite classes and was definitely not as bad as other people made it out to seem. This type of story occurred for a couple of my classes. What I’m saying is, while classes can be difficult, particularly once you start your upper-division classes, if you enjoy what you are learning and put effort into it, it’s definitely manageable. And, you can still have a life :stuck_out_tongue: . And who knows? Maybe CS will come easily to you :)</p>

<p>Also, if you want to check out alternative majors and if they in and around the same department as CS, it’s highly likely they have overlapping lower-division classes so that you won’t fall behind. Do plan carefully. You should also check course listings for each quarter in the 2010-2011 school year.
[UCSD</a> General Catalog 2009-2010](<a href=“http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/]UCSD”>General Catalog 2023–24 Catalog of Record)
I’m not sure about CS, but in the biology department, they cut a lot of courses that used to be offered 3x a year but is now 1x a year. However, I don’t think this will be as big as a problem for lower-division courses, but something like that might set you back if you’re not careful.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, give computer science a shot first. If you end up deciding you want to switch out, I don’t think you’ll be behind. I have a friend who switched majors and departments in his second year, but he is still graduating on time. There’s always the summer to take classes, and there’s nothing wrong with staying an extra quarter or 2 or 3.</p>

8

<p>hyunmi –</p>

<p>Haha, yes it is very hard to get a double. I don’t think there are any doubles in the residential halls. The UCSD HDS website says there are, so if there are any, maybe only a few? 5? But, if you get a double, you’ll most likely be in the apartments. Most people I knew had triples and only 2 or 3 had doubles. I had also signed up for a double and ending up getting a triple. Sign up for a double unless you really do not want to take the risk of getting a triple, and sign up EARLY. Even if you sign up for a single, you may get a triple.</p>

<p>I have had my own room since I moved off campus (and in my second year, if you want to count the fact that my roommate was never in the room), and I certainly value it. However, if I were to do it again, I’d still get that triple. It was a fun, unique experience that has made for some fun stories about college. Also, I value the space I have right now so much more! :P</p>

9

<p>Hello! I got in as a general bio major, but now I’m wondering if I should have picked a different bio major since I want to go premed. Which bio major do you think would prepare me the best for med school? And if med school doesn’t work out, which major would allow me to find another job (research, vet, dentistry, optometry, etc) more easily?</p>

10

<p>im in for cog sci…
hows the party life//social atmosphere?</p>

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<p>(in at warren)</p>

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<p>Sorry to invade in your thread, cali45!
@hyunmi:
I just wanted to say in response to hyunmi that there is a possibility of getting a double. I live in a double right now and I can say that there are 4 doubles in each of res hall, but they are located on the highest floor on each res hall. So there are 12 doubles in the 3 res halls overall. 6 female doubles and 6 male doubles. Just sign up for housing early, I signed up right when I got accepted and I got my first choice. </p>

<p>@thesounds: I’m a cog sci major too! UCSD is at the forefront of Cognitive Science and highly ranked. Social life is what you make of it, and will be more active if you join a frat/sorority, but there are also options like joining clubs.</p>

13

<p>@clark
can you please tell me more about the cogsci major?
where are you thinking career wise of going with it, etc?
also, do people regularly choose sd over la/cal for cogsci specifically?</p>

<p>Thanks so much.</p>

14

<p>@thesounds – Here are the rankings for UCSD’s Cognitive Science program:
The top 10 programs in Cognitive Science according to the latest
Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index are:</p>

<ol>
<li>MIT (Brain and Cognitive Sciences)</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon U. (Neural Basis of Cognition)</li>
<li>Washington U. St Louis (Cognitive Science)</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins U. (Cognitive Science)</li>
<li>Brown U. (Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences)</li>
<li>U. Rochester (Brain & Cognitive Sciences)</li>
<li>Indiana U. - Bloomington (Cognitive Psychology)</li>
<li>Dartmouth Coll. (Cognitive Neuroscience)</li>
<li>UC - San Diego (Cognitive Science)

<ol>
<li>U. Pittsburgh (Intelligent Systems Studies)</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

<p>The top 10 programs in Linguistics according to the same index are:</p>

<ol>
<li>Stanford U. (Linguistics)</li>
<li>U. Arizona (Linguistics)</li>
<li>UNC - Chapel Hill (Linguistics)</li>
<li>U. Chicago (Linguistics)</li>
<li>Ohio State U. (Linguistics)</li>
<li>U. Pennsylvania (Linguistics)</li>
<li>Georgetown U. (Linguistics)</li>
<li>Penn State U. (Applied Linguistics)</li>
<li>U. Maryland - College Park (Linguistics)

<ol>
<li>Yale U. (Linguistics)</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

<p>Finally, the top 10 list for neuroscience is:</p>

<ol>
<li>Harvard U. (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>Rockefeller U. (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>UC - San Diego (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>Yale U. (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>UC - Los Angeles (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>Stanford U. (Neurosciences)</li>
<li>Columbia U. (Neurobiology and Behavior)</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins U. (Neuroscience)</li>
<li>UC - San Francisco (Neuroscience)

<ol>
<li>Weill Cornell Med. School (Neuroscience)
As you can see, people would choose UCSD over Cal/UCLA because they aren’t even on the rankings. </li>
</ol></li>
</ol>

<p>At UCSD, you can choose between a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. The B.S. requires a more intense math background and let’s you do a specialization which gives you a concentration that interests you. You can specialize in:<br>
* Clinical Aspects of Cognition
* Computation
* Human Cognition
* Human Computer Interaction
* Neuroscience
[UCSD</a> Cognitive Science](<a href=“http://www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/undergraduate-study/major/major-ug_specialization.php]UCSD”>http://www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/undergraduate-study/major/major-ug_specialization.php)</p>

<p>There is also a Cognitive Science Association that helps you with your major/networking and they also hold Cognitive Science conference yearly. </p>

<p>Careerwise, I’m not sure yet. But here are some career options: <a href=“http://career.ucsd.edu/L3/sa/PDFs/CDPCogSci.pdf[/url]”>http://career.ucsd.edu/L3/sa/PDFs/CDPCogSci.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you have any other questions, please go to my thread “Any UCSD questions.”</p>

15

<p>What’s easier? PHIL27/28 or POLI27/28?</p>

16

<p>@xpenguin: They are the same class…</p>

17

<p>@clarkfobes So it makes no difference if you sign up for poli 27 vs phil 27?</p>

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<p>@xpenguin: When you sign up for it on WebReg, all the lectures/discussions/room #'s are the same.</p>

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<p>Midnight Roses –</p>

<p>General biology is fine for medical school. In fact, some of the bio majors are very similar. For example, General bio and Biochem/bio essentially only differ by one required class. The classes that are required for your major makes the foundation of your biological studies so that when you choose your major’s elective courses, you will be well prepared for them. </p>

<p>I am not sure how other professions such as dentistry and optometry work. For pharmacy schools, each school can differ in their prerequisite courses, so I would advise you to seek out 1 or 2 schools in dentistry or optometry that you may be interested in applying to and read about the prerequisites. I’m sure these would include most of the required major courses, but the prerequisites for professional schools may also require or recommend classes such as microbiology or immunology, which you can take at UCSD to satisfy the “elective” portion of your major. So, once you know the prereq’s, match them up to the classes you would have to take at UCSD. Gen bio, biochem/bio, human bio …all good for pre-health studies :)</p>

<p>Also, many pre-health students do research, especially the UC’s are very research based and the La Jolla, San Diego area is extremely concentrated in pharmtech and biotech companies. So, if you want to go into research, you will already have gained experience by doing research for med school or any other health school.</p>

20

<p>clarkfobes – </p>

<p>Thanks for providing the info on the cognitive science!! That saved me a lot of time and research :)</p>