I got into UCR, and UCSC. Denied from UCSD and UCSB. I’m just waiting on UCI and UCLA, but won’t probably get into UCLA. UCI is really my last chance. Should I go to community college for two years then transfer if UCI rejects me?
My stats:
UW GPA: 3.67
UC GPA: 3.91
ACT: 28
Major: Psychology
Extracurriculars: 200+ hours of community service, Red Cross club President (2 years), Red Cross club Historian (1 year), Latin Club, Mentoring program at school for freshman (2 years), Volleyball (2 years JV, 1 year Varsity), Volunteering at childrens museum for 60 hours, Research Internship program for psychology with a university.
Essays: I’d say strong.
What do you think?
I also took 2 AP tests (APUSH and Psychology). Got a 4 on both of them
Oh, and peer tutoring for 2 years.
“I got into UCR, and UCSC.” What is wrong with going to either of these schools? Those are both good schools. You could always try at UCI or another UC after 2 years. If $ is a problem then maybe a CC, but otherwise I’d jump all over the chance to attend either UCSC or UCR. But that is just my 2 cents. 
Money isn’t a problem at all. I’m just torn because UCR and UCSC have bad reps. I’m just waiting on UCI
I agree with @FutureHerper: You got into 2 very good schools where you will get an excellent education. It really does not matter where you go for Undergrad, it is what you do with your opportunities that will matter. If you want to go to a higher ranked UC, then consider applying to UCI/UCSB/UCLA for Grad school. Good Luck.
Go to UCI if you are accepted, if not go to UCSC. You can always transfer to a ‘better’ UC after a year or two.
I cannot imagine opting for a CC over UCSC, or even UCR, if finances aren’t a concern. I see no comparison. You are admitted to respected four-year colleges, and you cannot be certain that you would earn a high enough GPA for any of the more elite campuses in two years. I know that UCSC takes something of a beating among Californians here, but it is an excellent university, in a splendid location, with access to a lot of opportunities in Silicon Valley.
my dream school has always been UCI
If you don’t get into UCI, either UCSC or UCR are prefectly good universities (and, with the budget issue, MANY, MANY students have been wait listed, so count yourself lucky.) Do you prefer the environment and fields of strength at UCSC or UCR?
I definitely agree with myos1634. ALOT of very well qualified students have been waitlisted (including myself to UCSC) and people are thanking God that they were accepted to their “safeties” since the average admitted GPA for UCSC was almost a 3.9 (3.88 exactly) and UCR’s is predicted from being 3.76-3.81. It’s getting so hard to get into even the safety colleges now besides Merced that I actually know a lot of people who were denied to UCR and UCSC with stats that would have easily gotten them in 4 years ago (They had around a 3.6-3.75 weighted GPA and around a 1650 on the SAT) so I would count your blessings as I am with my acceptance to UCR even with a UC GPA of around 3.81 but my SAT was abysmal so I guess thats why I got waitlisted to UCSC. I know California has all of these amazing top-tier universities like UCSD,UCLA,UCB, and Stanford but too much of us Californians give too much slack to UCSC and UCR even though they’re top 100 schools in the nation. Your decision is based on what your major is, how much do you want to pay for tuition, if you’re close enough to one of them that you can drive, and just the overall environment of the school. Dont go to CC. If anything do your best the first 2 years at whichever UC you choose and apply again to UCI or just go to graduate school there.
But I want to major in psychology. Does UCR or UCSC even have good psychology programs. Last time I checked, they weren’t even ranked.
