<p>I'm deciding between UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz. If I were to go to Santa Cruz I would try to transfer to UC Berkeley which was my #1 choice but I got rejected. If I went to Santa Cruz I would need to take pre-requisite classes for the Cognitive Science major at Berkeley, but I have heard from UCSC students that you can't take classes that you aren't majoring in..does that mean as a freshman/sophomore I can't take a CogSci class, a Computer Science class, and an Engineering class? Also what is the maximum amount of classes you can take per quarter? I'm leaning towards Santa Cruz and then transferring because I feel very comfortable on the campus, everyone is very friendly and laid back. Since the academics are less rigorous the first two years than other UC's I feel like I'd have extra time to devote to organizations or research, creating a competitive transfer application for UC Berkeley. Another plus of attending Santa Cruz is my boyfriend of two years is going there. Stupid reason, but I can't deny it. Has anyone else been in a situation where they think they may be leaning more towards a school because of their significant other? Where did you choose?
UC Davis is known to be a much better school, and strong in the biological sciences. I'm thinking of doing a Neurobiology major there. Is anyone doing it- How hard are the classes (I have a 3.96 weighted GPA). If I went to Davis I would stay, not transfer, because it isn't that far down the list behind Berkeley. I don't like the campus very much though, and when I went to visit everyone seemed miserable and there was no energy. Did I go on a bad day (Thursday)? I want to get a good education, which Davis can definitely offer, but I also want to have fun and enjoy being young which I haven't been doing in high school. I do smoke weed, and I know Davis has a strict policy on alcohol and drugs. Do people get away with smoking weed? Do you have to join a fraternity to go to parties? Do the police officers in Davis/ Campus security perform a lot of arrests/write-ups for underage drinkers?</p>
<p>Basically I don't know where the **** to go. And I feel like it may be a gamble to go to UCSC because it is very hard to get into Berkeley as a transfer student for the Cognitive Science major (33% acceptance rate).</p>
<p>If you want to be competitive to transfer to UCB, then go the CCC route. Only UCLA considers UC transfers on the same level as CCC transfers. The only hiccup could be if you are not aggressive enough in getting your classes needed to transfer. Things are getting tough with all the budget cuts.</p>
<p>You can take up to 19 units your first quarter at UCSC. If you hold a 3.0 or greater, then you may register in up to 22 units without permission from your advisor after your first quarter. However, no more than 19 units can be registered in until after the quarter has begun. Most UCSC classes are worth 5 units. The ones I have experienced cover the same material you would in a semester length class.</p>
<p>There are some classes limited to majors, but these are mostly upper-division classes. It will say in the course catalog if they have such limitations on enrollment.</p>
<p>Something interesting I recently learned about UCD is that many of their courses are 4 units. I am doing a program through UCD that at UCD would count as two courses (8 units), but only counts as one at UCSC. I had to have units (and the work that goes with them) added so that I can get credit for two courses at UCSC. I love UCD, but thought you might be interested in that fact since you seem to believe UCSC’s courses are “less rigorous” ;). I would also like to add that I have had professors at UCSC who split their time between here and UCB.</p>
<p>Please understand something about prestige and rankings: they are the opinions of someone else. The details behind rankings are not transparent and, if you look closely, you will notice that schools that are placed 20 places apart in rankings can be as little as only one point apart in score. You do not currently attend UCSC nor any other UC so you are unable to make any sort of assertion that the classes are less rigorous.</p>
<p>If UCB is where you will be happy, then aim for it. Ignore prestige. Ignore your significant other. CCC transfer is still a valid option if you’re smart about your coursework and your local CCC is not as heavily impacted as many are. If you like UCD, go to UCD. If you like UCSC, come here. As long as you take advantage of all resources at your disposal, then you will succeed.</p>
<p>Thank you for the reply Kender :] I just hear such mixed things about UCSC but this was helpful =]
CCC is not an option though, my parents wouldn’t let me do that.
What are some similarities and differences between SC and Davis since your there right now?</p>
<p>I also had to make the decision between Davis and Santa Cruz, and in the end I went with Santa Cruz. Davis is very much a college town. You will see more bikes there in one day than you have seen in the rest of your life. It’s a bit hectic. Driving through UCSC is similar to drives I have taken through Yosemite; trees everywhere and serene. Academically, Davis and SC seemed to both have great science programs. SC’s astronomy graduate school is ranked somewhere in the top 20 in the nation I think, if that’s what floats your boat. Ultimately, going to visit both schools helped me tremendously and I highly recommend you do so if you have the time.</p>
<p>My initial first choice was also Berkeley. I don’t really care about that anymore; the only pro it had was the prestige. Frankly, prestige should not be the deciding factor in choosing a school. What should be are the quality of the education as well as the quality of life you will have there.</p>
<p>I can’t tell you specific differences between the two aside from that little issue with the unit credits. I’m not actually at Davis, I am only going to be doing a program through them this summer because it was the most convenient to my current needs.</p>
<p>Definitely don’t listen to all you hear outside of facts ;). A lot of people have preconceived notions of what to expect and anything they see that supports those ideas are often automatically assumed to be proving a fact. This goes for quite a number of places and not just UCSC.</p>
<p>I only considered UCD at one point in my life, but that was one long point. From the time I understood about colleges (around 1st grade) to my junior year of high school I wanted to go to UCD. My choice to go to UCD was based on a specific career path that one class junior year changed. It was not until I had to wait several more years until I was considered independent for financial aid purposes that I finally came to decide on UCSC as the right school for me. UCSC was the only UC I applied to and I have never regretted my decision. I have flourished here and I am currently looking into an alternative path similar to my original career goal.</p>
<p>That is very sad your parents do not consider CCC an option. Most of the professors I had had graduated from well-known privates and from the UCs. Several taught concurrently at close by UCs and CSUs. The rigor of most of my classes was deliberately tailored to be on par with the level of the UCs to prepare us for the level of work we would find in our upper-division work. When people tell you the rigor they experienced is below another institution’s level, take it with a grain of salt. Many people seek out those so called “easy professors” so that they can coast through the class. I sought out those who would challenge me. CCC is a great option for saving money.</p>
<p>UCD, UCSC, and UCB are all incredibly different schools. UCD and UCSC are absolutely huge in terms of land compared to UCB. Something that seems to get people about UCSC is the high isolation of the campus. For me, I love this. It can be annoying to get around since I refuse to have my car here, but I love that I can take a stroll through the woods and not see a single person until I reach the other side of campus on some days. Spring Spotlight this past week has been a bit unnerving to me as I’m not used to so many people around.</p>
<p>I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about UCD from friends who have gone there and from research I did myself many years ago. While I have not had the opportunity lately to speak to many on staff there, the few connected with the program I will be doing that I have spoken with are wonderful. They took such incredible care of this banana slug and her need for extra units to meet her school’s requirements. I was quite happy with the friendly emails and calls I shared with them. I was also quite happy with my instructor for the program being willing to grade additional work for me.</p>
<p>I do go to UCD and people are generally pretty happy, except when it’s raining! When the sun’s out you definitely see people hanging out on the grass in the quad soaking up the rays or playing frisbee or whatever. I think you must have gone on a bad day. </p>
<p>Hells yeah people get away with smoking weed. It might be more difficult your first year when you live at the dorms because of RAs, but if you go outside you’re unlikely to get caught.</p>
<p>Nope, you don’t have to join a frat to go to parties. A majority of parties that first years go to are frats unless you know older people who have houses/apartments and have parties there. I wasn’t into the frat scene at all so I definitely enjoy house parties a lot more. </p>
<p>Again, depending on your RA, they will most likely write you up if you’re being loud in your room on a weekend night and they smell alcohol. But if you go to parties you’re not going to get written up.</p>
<p>Anyway, hope that helps give you a taste of what Davis is like.</p>
<p>Yeah i was going to say go the CC route, but i guess that’s out. The thing is CC transfers get first priority in transfering, probably since those students are not yet in a 4 year college. I hear that UCs don’t exactly like people transferring from UC to UC. But if you do want to go to SC, make your grades awesome! Because transferring is harder, but definitely possible!</p>
<p>I’m also deciding between UCSC and UCD. I’m trying to find out more about SC’s bio major, but i am also considering neuroscience/neurobiology (i hear SC is good for Neurosci, but idk). I am leaning towards UCD because i am sure they have a great bio program (plus i am leaning towards med school). It would probably be better for me to graduate from UCD if i want to go to med school, is what i’m thinking. Overall i liked UCD more. I think i went on a good day (few days before picnic day~). It had a more suburban feel, which reminds me of home. :] UCSC is really nice. It seems really relaxing.</p>