<p>I idn't get into UCLA this cycle which was my number one choice, but i did get into UCSD (my second choice).</p>
<p>My question to you is:</p>
<p>If you had 3 years of undergraduate work left to do, (it will take me another year to finish prereqs) would you go off to a UC anyways or would you stay at community college for one more year?</p>
<p>Note: My dad makes too much money for me to receive any significant financial aid (apart from grants), and i have to pay for my college education without any help.</p>
<p>So, with that said, what would you do if you were in my position?</p>
<p>I was actually in the exact some situation as you last year. I was accepted into UCSD last year (somehow miraculously considering I was working on my first transferable math course the spring before transfer) but didn’t have my prereqs done for UCLA. I opted to stay in CC for another year since I had at least a year for prereqs to do anyway. I didn’t really see a point in paying UC tuition to do lower-division work. Come around this year though, I pretty much have all my prereqs slated to be finished and got accepted to UCLA and I’m glad I stuck through it.</p>
<p>It’s up to you honestly, but the way I see it, if you’re just gonne be doing prereq/lower division classwork for the next year anyway, why not take another shot at UCLA? Worst case, you get accepted next year to UCSD anyway.</p>
<p>It somewhat depends on your financial situation… But personally I would want to save money and if you can get in this year, you would surely get into UCSD again next year (and you can try again for UCLA). But I also think it depends on how many pre-reqs you still can take since you obviously don’t want to get stuck wasting time at your CC with only a few classes. An extra year will give you time to work on your GPA as well. I don’t know your stats but make sure UCLA is a realistic choice for your major also.</p>
<p>@Belkster - I’m so glad someone on here understands my situation! How did you manage at CC that last year, did you ever regret not going to UCSD? I figured doing lower-division coursework at a UC would prepare me and help me adapt to the higher level of difficulty and the quarter system, what do you think about that?</p>
<p>@Anacondrea - You know, at first i thought i knew what you meant by that very clearly, but now i’m debating on which side you were taking haha.</p>
<p>@killmyentourage - Well i am finished with TAP and igetc. but i still have 2 semesters worth of prereqs (due to courses having prereqs like Organic Chem 1 and 2). Financially, i have some money saved for college, but it will be quickly swallowed by a fraction of the UC annual cost. </p>
<p>Another consideration for me is, I’m planning on going to pharmacy school, so i guess it would be a safe option to eliminate debt. I was considering this option earlier in the year even if i would have gotten into UCLA (though i probably would have gone to UCLA if i was accepted this year haha)</p>
<p>Thanks for taking time to reply guys, it really helps and takes away some uneasiness i still have. Especially because i feel somewhat like a failure for considering CC for a 3rd year.</p>
<p>Don’t feel like a failure. I finished ONLY the required pre-reqs and IGETC in my first 2 years of school and then realized I didn’t have really any of the recommended classes for bio so I stayed this year to take Ochem, Physics seq, Calc 3 & Linear Algebra. I also wound up taking 2 semesters of Spanish (Online so it was easy) and the equivalent of BILD 3 for UCSD. FYI last semester I had 25 credits and this semester I have 22 which I would have NEVEERRR been able to do at a UC to get all of these classes done.</p>
<p>Like someone said above, if you’re already questioning whether you should stay, it seems like maybe you should. Besides, you’re probably going to be taking half of the same classes anyway and I would definitely want to save money for pharm school Plus you want to keep your grades up!</p>
<p>Talking to you, is very very encouraging, thank you for that. You raised up another great point. It is a given that my grades at CC will be superior to grades at a UC for when i apply to pharm school so that is a big plus. </p>
<p>When comparing the total progress towards my degree between a CC and a UC, going to UC will only put me ONE class ahead, so that is not a concern.</p>
<p>Really, the only negative i have is losing a feeling of accomplishment, as well as losing a year of college experiences.</p>
<p>I must say that i am desperate for a college experience away from home, there is nothing i want more. It upsets me to think about only having 2 years at a UC instead of 3. </p>
<p>What do you think about that?</p>
<p>I have to take Calc3 + DiffEQ as well, which i heard are tough courses, so i can only imagine how they would be at a UC</p>
<p>If you stay, you better be sure you’re going to still do well in your classes next year. It would be unfortunate if you ended up lowering your chances by staying.</p>
<p>That said, I wouldn’t stay just for the sake of getting better grades, those math classes are not easy no matter where you take them. If you went to a university those would probably even be your best shots at getting As, since they’re lower division classes, and you’d be taking all upper division by then.</p>
<p>But, the money is the greatest factor because i’m paying for it all myself, and will not get anything for financial aid due to my Dad’s high income.</p>
<p>If I were you, I’d go to UCSD. It’s still a fantastic school and not really worth spending another year at CC when there is no guarantee you will get into UCLA next year either.</p>
<p>If money is your number 1 concern then I definately agree you should stay another yeat at cc. However, if one of your primary reasons for staying another year is solely on ucla being your number 1 choice, I really think you should reconsider. I know for some, ucla is their dream school but I really think some people should understand ucla isn’t the ONLY great school. If your major is chemistry believe me when I say you are far better off at ucsd because their science departments are more superior. I honestly just think its silly to throw another year from attaining a uc education just because of a dream school, but that’s just me. But again, if money is the ultimate concern then another year at cc is for sure the better choice</p>
<p>I would stay an extra year and change majors to chem engineering.</p>
<p>Also I think you need to get over with being obsessed about going to UCLA. Honestly would have really went to UCLA if you had to major in anthropology or philosophy? I would rather go to a different UC and major in chem engineering. You would be way better off.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure the OP was saying that money was the first concern and on the plus side, they’d still have a chance to apply in general next year again (:</p>
<p>@Uclahopee I am kind in a similar situation. But mine is that I only get accepted to UCSD so I am not sure I should stay and finish my prerequisites (3 more classes) or just goes to UCSD and finish it there. The only reason I got in UCSD is because I TAGGED. UCSD is also my 1st choice. With my low GPA and the GPA TAG requirement is going up next year, I don’t think I’ll be able to have a chance to get in UCSD again. Money is not an issue for me though I still have to put in about $10,000 of my own pocket. </p>
<p>If you have high GPA and you’re certain you still able to maintain or raise your GPA by next year, I think you could stay another year since money is an issue for you. But just remember that, UCs are getting harder to get in every year now like I said about the TAG requirement for UCSD is going to raise next year. UCLA is definitely harder to get in as well. </p>
<p>And just a off topic question here, it seems that you are from OC. Which college are you attending? I go to Cypress College right now.</p>
<p>heh, i guess i shouldn’t have put that ucla was my first choice, because the monetary issue far outweighs the former. If i would have gotten accepted to UCLA, this was still a decision i knew i would have to face. I think i’ve made up my mind that CC is where i will stay.</p>
<p>UCSD is a great school! especially for what i want. I got into UCSD for pharmaceutical chemistry. Plus, UCSD has a pharmacy school :)</p>
<p>I figure, if i stay another year at CC, i will save money, raise my gpa (i can retake 2 early F’s as well) and hopefully ill at least get into UCSD next year!!</p>
<p>The huge turnoff i have to UCSD however, is the social scene. I have heard from even my most social friends, that UCSD is a dead school when it comes to social college experiences. </p>
Plus you want to keep your grades up!</p>