Trying for SLO + UCs or trying and Committing?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I have a 4.04 CSU GPA, 3.75 unweighted, and a 4.17 UC GPA.
My SAT is 1940/2400 and 1290/1600.</p>

<p>The main two schools I'm looking at are UCLA and SLO, both for EE. I'm retaking the SAT and taking the ACT in December. </p>

<p>Here's the situation: I applied ED to SLO and then began having second-thoughts (I was informed by the admissions office that I can resend my application as RD, with no penalties, by November 15th). </p>

<p>My fear is that, because SLO emphasizes hands-on education, some depth of field is lost. Another fear is that committing to SLO will be a major mistake if it turns out my December ACT/SATs show any drastic sign of improvement. </p>

<p>I prefer SLO to all the UCs except Berkeley and UCLA; and only then because UCLA and UCB are, in my mind, the only two UCs with a clearly superior Electrical Engineering program then SLO (and even then, UCLA and SLO seem fairly even).
Is my concern that because SLO is "hands-on" and UCLA is a "research school" I'll get less depth/learn less about discovery at SLO warranted? Or does the whole "research school" thing with UCLA simply mean that they offer PhDs and run off of research papers, which really means that their Graduate education is top notch, but not necessarily their undergraduate?
I like both the SLO and the UCLA campus, they both have different feels but they're both really nice. I just need to know if I'm making a mistake committing to SLO, or if I'll be making a mistake applying RD. </p>

<p>(ucbalumnus and OsakaDad I swear this is the last time I'll ever make one of these threads, I remember what both of you said I just feel the need for additional feedback...I just need to make sure I make the decision that's right for me, 4-6 years of my life depend on this.)</p>

2

<p>This is not about the relative merits of the schools (they are all fine schools), but since you are not sure, you should not apply ED. You obviously need more time than the next few days to decide which school is really your first choice.</p>

<p>If you change from ED to regular, you will have five more months to figure out your personal rank order of schools. Of course, your rank order may change when you see which schools admit you and how much financial aid they offer you, but you should at least have a better handle on the other aspects that could influence your preference order.</p>