<p>Hi, I'm having a tough time deciding between UCLA and UCSD. I have yet to visit the colleges, but I want to get a general idea of what the colleges have to offer before I visit. I'm going into both as a biochemistry major. I know I'm posting this in the UCLA forum but eh I had to choose one.</p>
<p>Stuff I'm considering/have heard:</p>
<p>UCSD:
1. UCSD offered me 30,000 dollars worth of scholarships and grants (So I have to pay $3,800 a year for four years if I go there)
2. I got the Chancellor's Scholarship at UCSD, which I know gives me guaranteed housing and priority enrollment, etc. (can anyone tell me what else this scholarship entails? I have only a vague idea about it)
3. Is UCSD really "socially dead"?
4. Is their biology program really better than UCLA's?
5. How does their dining program even work? I heard people lose like 15 pounds because they run out of dining dollars or something.</p>
<p>UCLA:
1. The prestige...
2. I have to pay $8500 a year if I go there
3. Better social life
4. LA is such an awesome city
5. Good food
6. Is it really competitive though?</p>
<p>Can any of you guys clarify any of the details above and any questions I have, and hopefully help me decide? D:</p>
<p>I would definitely choose UCLA over SD. When I visited the vibe at UCSD felt weird to me, and I didn’t like the campus whereas UCLA’s campus and vibe was so much more fitting to me. Just wait until you visit for yourself, I guarantee you’ll favor one over the other after being on campus. </p>
<p>A lot of it depends on you rather than the money. Your major does have fairly good job prospects so the debt shouldn’t be the main factor in deciding.</p>
<p>UCSD is a great school for academic minded people. But despite whatever other people say, it lacks a complete college experience. You can find parties and a social life for sure, but the students themselves voted not to be part of PAC-10 which shows how sport (and social life) adverse that are. </p>
<p>You aren’t gonna get back 4 years of your life, but whatever you choose, make the choice without regrets.</p>
<p>san diego is the best city in the country and La sucks. With that said, UCSD is dead as a duck and UCLA is located in the only good part of Los Angeles. Social life at UCSD is horrible despite being located in La Jolla which i actually consider to be my single favorite spot in the country. Much more to do with UCLA’s location in terms of social life/sports/etc.</p>
<p>I would lean towards UCLA if you like more things to do. UCLA has a film school. You can see movies and TV shows filmed on campus, major Hollywood movie premieres happen a few feet away from the dorm, LAX is an International Airport that can take you anywhere in the world. Pauly Pavillion next to the dorms will host world class speakers, and amazing Basketball. San Diego is going to be much quieter. If you like it quiet with more of a “retirement” feel than San Diego is the place. If you want Hollywood and Disneyland you go to UCLA. Academics are going to be about equal in my opinion.</p>
<p>I think UCLA tends to get shorted because it offers its students a great social life and it has top-tier sports teams. UCLA, from last I saw, still is top-10 in bac-recipient to STEM PHD production and has produced seven Nobel Laureates from its undergrad schools. It is similarly for “academic minded people.”</p>
<p>And I don’t think that UCSD ever had an option of joining the Pac-10 or Pac-12 or whatever form it would become. All teams in the Pac need football and basketball teams to compete. </p>