<p>
[quote]
ManOfFaith just because you believe that doesn't make it so.</p>
<p>A look at the top 25 (1st tier) USNWR rankings of national universities shows</p>
<ol>
<li>UCB</li>
<li>UCLA</li>
</ol>
<p>UCSD does not appear until 35 which places it solidly in the middle (2nd tier) of 26-50.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's true that it's a upper-midle tier within the UC system.</p>
<p>Here's the entire picture according to USNWR: (acceptance rates in parentheses for emphasis)</p>
<ol>
<li> Cal (23.3%)</li>
<li> UCLA (23.6%)</li>
<li> UCSD (42.5%)</li>
<li> UCD, UCSB, UCI (58.6%, 55.6%, 54.6% respectively)</li>
<li> UCR (82.4%)</li>
<li> UCSC (82%)</li>
</ol>
<p>As most logical people can see, there are natural breaks between the schools. Cal and UCLA are naturally close together in a clump; UCD, UCSB, and UCI in another, then UCR and UCSC in another. UCSD, however, doesn't quite fit into any of these clumps. It's around 10 rankings away from Cal and UCLA, but it is also 10 rankings away from UCD, UCSB, and UCI. It makes no sense to group it with either clumps. If anything, it is in a upper-middle-tier, a class of its own.</p>
<p>But wait, someone's going to cry foul: "ACCEPTANCE RATE DOESN'T TRANSLATE TO QUALITY OF ADMITS!1!" Well, then you're absolutely correct, let's move on to the actual stats of the students with data from here:</p>
<p>University</a> of California - Admissions</p>
<p>Cal: 4.18
UCLA: 4.15
UCSD: 4.07
UCI: 3.95
UCD: 3.94
UCSB: 3.94
UCR: 3.58
UCSC: 3.7</p>
<p>See a trend here? UCSD's average admit GPA is 0.1 above those of UCI, UCD, and UCSB, but also 0.1 below those of UCLA and Cal. The SAT follows roughly the same trend with UCSD being a class of its own. Grouping UCSD with UCD, UCI, and UCSB would give it too little credit and the other way too much.</p>
<p>Again, please post the bigger picture and not the partial truth, which puts things out of context and is misleading.</p>