<p>I would not overlook UC’s yet, especially the top ones in your field. They are justly recognized with reason.</p>
<p>However, my daughter applied for PhD out of undergrad school, got accepted to UCLA with no funding. This is in computer science, so not normal. Needless to say, she enrolled in one of the comparable schools where she did get funding. This was much to family disappointment, but not hers (we are from CA), she wasn’t sold on them because of her interests but it was very suitable to her past research. I think the school she is going to has State issues as well but not so bad, let’s hope the guaranteed funding letter holds.</p>
<p>She did report that many students got accepted to where she is now with no funding, but if they come, they are usually able to find it, at least in terms of applying to be a TA. She was not willing to go into a PhD without funding. She could have instead done a one year Masters Program at her own school, and then been very well placed for Phd or work.</p>