<p>i'm in my spring quarter at ucla (frosh) and am not sure if i'm going to finish out the year here...i just really don't like it here, and i'm pretty sure i want to transfer out. i've visited ucsc a few times and really like the environment/people there, but it seems like everyone is telling me i'd make a huge mistake to give up ucla for ucsc. so i thought i'd get some CC opinions on the matter. :) any advice?</p>
<p>also, if i decide to not finish spring quarter, i'd only have 28 units completed at ucla (and 6 are p/np), so would i be able to transfer earlier by any chance to any uc school? or would i have to go to a CCC next year and transfer as a junior like usual?</p>
<p>You would be making a huge mistake. No offense to UCSC but… well there’s a reason out of the 5 colleges I chose it was the lowest, on a lot of things it’s one of the lower-tier UCs. </p>
<p>To wit: I wouldn’t go to UCSC if you paid me AND covered my tuition there. There is no comparison between them. UCLA is, in nearly every category, the #2nd best UC, behind Berekley, which is the Ivy of the UCs.</p>
<p>In all honesty, if you’re extremely unhappy where you are, it wouldn’t be a mistake. No amount of prestige can make up for misery, especially when you ought to be enjoying your college years. I’ve known people who have transferred from Ivies to go to other schools because they were miserable, and they don’t regret it one bit.</p>
<p>In the end, no one is really going to care what university you went to as long as you know how to make opportunities for yourself. Life is more about success than about the school you go to, but happiness is your foremost priority.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if transferring can be avoided, you ought to avoid it. Why are you miserable? Is there anything you can do to make it… “un-miserable”? If you feel that hopeless, then transfer out.</p>
<p>well, i’m pretty darn certain i don’t want to go back to ucla next year…there’s nothing about it that i like and i can’t picture myself going there for 4 years, not even for the rest of this year, so. :-/ the academics are poor, to be honest…i’ve been really disappointed by my classes and professors…i guess this might be the same at any uc, but i dunno, maybe i can get regents at ucsc so i’m not wasting as much of my parents’ money as i feel i am at ucla. </p>
<p>but the main thing is the environment and people at ucla. i’ve joined at least 5 clubs/orgs there, am friendly and outgoing, etc, and i still haven’t connected with more than maybe a couple people. i rushed this quarter and got to know a lot of ppl in the frats, but pretty much all of the guys seemed superficial, apathetic, and unintellectual. so i didnt accept my bid…i guess if i do stay at ucla, i might do rush again and try, but i don’t really see the point, tbh. i feel like i’ve tried really hard already to meet people like me, but it’s not working…i’m really liberal, i guess kind of a hippie/hipster mix, love talking about art/philosophy/the finer things…it seems like from what i’ve heard about ucsc, i’d fit in there better.</p>
<p>but yeah, everyone is saying i’d regret it later because of ucla’s prestige. -sigh- i don’t know what to do. thanks for the advice, guys, even if it isn’t what i want to hear (sans planet2o :))</p>
<p>It is a mistake to base a decision on prestige alone.</p>
<p>Why stay with some place that makes you unhappy? You will not perform your best unless you are happy with where you are. Only you can make this decision of what is best for you. Please ignore what everyone else says.</p>
<p>For me personally, UCSC was the right choice and I did not even bother with any other college (why waste the money on applying to a school that I knew I would not like?). I know others who have turned down UCLA for UCSC and never regretted the decision. I know someone else who turned down UCB for SF State. Again, no regrets.</p>
<p>For you, UCLA seems to be the wrong choice. But you need to decide that. If you think UCSC is the right choice, then go for it. If you think it’s not, then find another option. The people telling you it would be a mistake are those who think prestige is all that matters. They don’t know you. They know what someone else says about a school’s ranking and are formulating their opinion based on the opinion of others.</p>
<p>Do what makes you happy. You will only be making a mistake if you let the beliefs of others taint your decision.</p>
<p>Wow, I totally agree with you, Sumattra. That is -exactly- how I’m feeling right now about UCLA too. I’ve been sick for the past two months, so I didn’t even stay for my spring quarter, and I’m glad I didn’t. The academics are extremely overrated there, and moreover, the people and atmosphere are disheartening to me. I’ve tried all the things you’ve tried (except I didn’t actually get to go through all of rush because of my illness), and none have panned out for me either.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m almost 100% sure I want to transfer out of UCLA too; I haven’t given any thought to Santa Cruz yet, but now that you mention it, it -is- rumored to have the liberal/artsy environment that I too am seeking and have not found at UCLA. I’d definitely be worried about the difference in prestige, but I’m starting to think that that doesn’t really matter as much as people say. I think it’s more important to be happy and have the best college years one can have than to graduate with a more prestigious undergrad degree.</p>
<p>I agree completely with planet2o. If you are miserable, you need to figure out a way to not be-- and if transferring schools will do it, don’t be dissuaded just because some people are panicking about ‘losing prestige.’</p>
<p>I think it’d help prior to meeting with a counselor to be sure with yourself what is making you unhappy at your school-- ask yourself, is it something academic related like the choices of classes you have with your major? Are you more stressed academically or personally? Is something only personal distracting you from your studies? </p>
<p>haha, I spent such a long time editing my reply I didn’t see your response. Ok. If it’s the artsy environment you’re looking for, I don’t think frats are the place to go. I went to a private art college before going back home to CC (in los angeles), and that stimulating kind of environment is really important to me too.</p>
<p>I know how important it is to meet people in your circumstance (students) who are interested in what you’re interested in, but there are so much more to the arts in la outside of ucla! Have you been around the galleries/ exhibition openings in Chinatown or Culver City? Art walk around pershing square? Does the school of art at UCLA have open studios? Go to those things, and I guarantee you’ll meet some likeminded people.</p>
<p>I have several friends that attend UCSC and are graduating this year; all of them are moving on to graduate programs. Furthermore, everytime I visit (about once a month or so) it’s an awesome time; Santa Cruz is a really cool college town, and nothing like L.A.</p>
<p>With that said, however, make absolutely sure that you are making a wise decision. You may end up not liking UCSC either, and there would probably be no going back at that point. Furthermore, as vein as it may be, you cannot discount UCLA’s academic prestige, connections and future opportunities (especially with respect to UCSC) when making a decision.</p>
I don’t know if this is clear in you head as probably everyone has told you this but let me say it as well…
you’d make a huge mistake to give up ucla for ucsc</p>
<p>I doubt you’re going to find a bunch of “enlightened” people at ucsc, the people there may act like it but IMO they’re just a bunch of stoners. UCLA has way more people, so my guess is that you’d have better luck finding people you click with there, especially if you’re looking for the “intellectual” type. To me, it looks like since you’re unhappy at UCLA you’re making yourself think that Santa Cruz will give you everything la is lacking. Remember the grass is always greener. If you do decide to leave UCLA however do it within the next couple days so I can get your spot =p jk. Good luck</p>
<p>Way to generalize about 16,000+ people, windedbison. Saying everyone at UCSC is a stoner is the same as when people said everyone was blocking campus entrances last year when it was only about 200 people.</p>
<p>Hate to burst your bubble, but many do not partake of any illegal substance. Some of us are even highly allergic to marijuana.</p>
<p>I’ve come across more marijuana usage at UCB than I have UCSC. It exists everywhere, but not everyone is involved with it.</p>
<p>Ucsc is widely known as a stoner school, and if you deny that then you dont have a solid grasp of reality or you don’t go outside on 4/20. Obviously not everyone there is a stoner, just like not everyone at UCLA is an unitellectual frat******. All I was saying is that op might be romanticizing ucsc too much. I mean, its college, people like to get F’ed up. I doubt that he is going to have any better luck finding intellectual minded people at a school that is considerably easier to get into than UCLA.</p>
<p>You’re contradicting yourself. First you say that “UCSC is widely known as a stoner school,” but then you say “[o]bviously not everyone there is a stoner, just like not everyone at UCLA is an unintellectual…”</p>
<p>I have never said anything negative about UCLA. It’s a good school for some people. I personally can’t stand SoCal, let alone UCLA’s campus. My asthma goes nuts whenever I visit the southern half of the state and I dislike the smaller size of the campus with the larger student population. I quite like having classes with less than 20 students.</p>
<p>Why don’t you stick to the correct part of your statement that stereotypes don’t always fit ;)? You’re the one in need of a reality check if you honestly believe a stereotype. Try looking past what others say and look at the facts: UCSC has contracts with NASA. UCSC is responsible for the Human Genome Project. UCSC is a very isolated campus in the middle of a forest. These are facts, not opinions.</p>
<p>I do agree, the OP may not find what they’re looking for at UCSC. My initial post only told the OP that they needed to follow what was right for them and that listening to people who base their opinions on campuses based on the opinions of others would be the only true mistake that could be made. I certainly don’t want anyone here who wouldn’t enjoy it.</p>
<p>If the OP is unhappy with UCLA, they need to step away from it and figure out what they want. If that really is UCSC, awesome for them for figuring out what they really want. If it’s something else, just as awesome. Staying with UCLA because a bunch of people say the prestige of an undergraduate education will actually mean something in the long run? Incredibly short-sighted and obviously from people who have not spent much time out in the real world or talk to many hiring managers.</p>
<p>Learn to think for yourself instead of what others say about a school.</p>
<p>Well if liberal hippie hipsters are what you crave, Santa Cruz is your town! We have an Urban Outfitters for your skinny jean buying pleasure, not to mention a number of vintage clothing stores for that witty, ironic look. Good vegetarian food if you are a PETA member, and delicious hamburger joints if you aren’t. Awesome waves if you are a surfer; otherwise, injured sea lion rescue and Save Our Shores for the environmentally- conscious. A cool coffee house that also serves beer, a hot music scene with all kinds of sonic flavors (you like jazz? Check out the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Daddy-o), and plenty of disc golf, Ultimate Frisbee, and other flying-disc-related sports to go around. Bike shops? Oh, we’ve got a number of them, even one downtown that works on some kind of sliding scale, perfect for getting your classic Italian fixie up and running again while saving money for microbrew (or PBR, as is the hipster way). Is it drugs you want? Well, we’ve got them all! From LSD and mushrooms up at UCSC, to world-class marjuana in the medical clubs, to heroin, cocaine, and crystal meth in the illegal-immigrant controlled forest behind and below the school, you’re sure to find whatever tickles your fancy. And really, thats what we’re about here in Santa Cruz, making this little slice of paradise fit everyone’s niche.</p>
<p>Santa Cruz: The Hipster Haven. Come see what you’ve been missing!</p>
<p>Seconding Kender here. There are plenty of people who suck at life after UCLA. Going to a prestigious school doesn’t automatically make you brilliant. It’s like buying a brand name over another… Sometimes, there’s a difference, but most of the time, it doesn’t make a difference unless you’re that superficial (which ARE the people you’ve met so far at UCLA apparently). Once again, life is what you make out of it. UCSC is not a bad school-- just use all the resources available to you as one would do at UCLA.</p>
<p>What also needs to be noted is college is a time to make connections with others. Some of your peers will soon become your colleagues. Perhaps you’ll know a few for the rest of your life. That’s how it often is. College is a time to connect with other like-minded peers. Here’s a rule of thumb: do whatever you can to be happy.</p>
so i didnt accept my bid…i guess if i do stay at ucla, i might do rush again and try, but i don’t really see the point, tbh. i feel like i’ve tried really hard already to meet people like me, but it’s not working…i’m really liberal, i guess kind of a hippie/hipster mix, love talking about art/philosophy/the finer things…it seems like from what i’ve heard about ucsc, i’d fit in there better.</p>