<p>Braincramp - Nobody would ever say UCI is in Laguna Beach. UCI is adjacent to Newport Beach. La Jolla is nice but so is Newport.</p>
<p>Reposting something I put up last year. In the thread there was a discussion about commuter campuses which is still relevant.</p>
<p>The UCI/UCSD commuter campus issues don't pertain to the percentage of kids living on the campus. Those living in campus dorms at UC's are mostly freshman. UCI and UCSD have higher percentages of freshman who live at home and drive to the campus. At both schools many students living on campus go home on the weekends which makes for a quiet campus. The commuter issues involve the rest of the students. Neither school is located in a college town (the cities of Irvine and La Jolla). There is no centralized area around the campus where the majority of students both live and congregate. Large numbers of students drive in to school and park each day, thus the often lamented parking problems. </p>
<p>After freshman year many students live in diverse areas away from the campus and are unable to walk or bike. At UCSD most students (not freshman) end up living about 20 minutes away (though there are shuttles). At UCB, UCLA, UCD, UCSC, and UCSB the vast majority of students all live in the immediate area surrounding their campus and there is plenty of walking/biking distance entertainment and housing (the costs vary dramatically from campus to campus). These schools also provide intricate public and university transit to serve the students. UCI has increased the on campus housing in recent years and more than doubled the size of it's on campus student center which has improved the environment. UCI's long range plan is to provide housing for 50% of the enrolled student population. It's good to have a car (or a friend who has a car) if you plan to attend UCI or UCSD. Both schools are located near a lot of really cool places if you have a car.</p>
<p>UCI and UCSD are both great schools, but if you want to major in a science then I think the amount of funding for research at each school is important. The fact is that UCSD receives far more funding for research. In NIH funds alone they recieve more than twice what UCI does (319 million to only 135 million). This leads to more research opportunities for undergrads.</p>
<p>UCSD is 3rd in NIH funding among all UC schools. UCI is 5th. The difference between the first 3 (UCSF, UCLA, UCSD) isn't a lot. However, their is a big diference between #3 and the rest (it drops about 1/2).</p>
<p>The amount of funding given out by NIH is an arbitrary statistic to compare research opportunities for undergraduates. All those funds go to professors and faculty who will likely choose graduate students over the undergrads especially if their research involves a complex thesis that is beyond the scope of undergraduate education. Just because there's more money for research doesn't mean undergraduate students will have a higher chance to be part of the research. </p>
<p>At UCI, the primary program for undergraduate research is the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program in which a single applicant can receive up to $1,000 and a group can receive up to $2,500. Similar to how professors and researchers court the NIH for funding, in this program you're not part of the research, you're doing or leading the research with help given by one of the faculty members.</p>
<p>I'm not saying that UCI isn't a good school, however the amount of funding that a school recieves reflects the strength of faculty research (and amount of publication). UCSD has mult. programs that allow undergrads to do research. It is one of UCSD's main selling points to prospective students. The faculty mentorship program is a great opportunity. It is a two quarter project with a faculty member that in addition to actually doing lab work also includes formal training in writing research proposals and papers. Every FMP student then presents their work at a symposium. </p>
<p>"Just because there's more money for research doesn't mean undergraduate students will have a higher chance to be part of the research." </p>
<p>It does mean that there is more research going on at the university and that the quality of research is higher.</p>
<p>Rank-wise UCSD is better because of their research and international recognition
UCI however is a lot better for Pre-medical and biological sciences relating to humans.</p>
<p>It all depends too, on academics, UCSD may be slightly higher on ranks, but there's also the social factor, I feel personally UCI is more friendly, more outgoing, there's an IN-N-OUT, and if you're asian there's tons os social opportunities.</p>
<p>That said, UCI is kinda limited on social aspects too, they have clubs and sports and frats, but other than that, you can't find much else.</p>
<p>But if you're asian (or like asians)
they you're in town
UCI is also known as University of Chinese Immigrants</p>
<p>
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I'm not saying that UCI isn't a good school
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<p>In no way did I read your comments as the quoted above. I just wanted to clarify that statement, although you provided much better detail than I could in your last post, specifically about FMP which UROP is similar to.</p>
<p>Um....^..... UCI is not better for Pre-medical nor Bio sciences.</p>
<p>^^^^^ Says who</p>
<p>well I mean maybe not compared UC Berkeley, but its defintely better than UCSB and UCD for premed and biology. I think its even ranked higher than UCLA for biology.</p>
<p>who in gods name ranks "pre med", whatever the hell that even means...</p>
<p>... I just want to hear a synopsis first on why UCI is "better" for premed than UCSD when in reality it clearly isn't. Unless there is a magical source that adds 5 points onto your MCAT score... none of the above posts about premed are true.</p>
<p>I mean you do know that most of the "pre-meds" you know won't even end up in med school right?</p>
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I just want to hear a synopsis first on why UCI is "better" for premed than UCSD..
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<p>Easier to earn A's!</p>
<p>Academically, what would be the wisest choice for a bio major (not pre-med): CHP at Irvine, Regents/Honors at UCSB, or no honors at UCSD?</p>
<p>dude, you are comparing uci to ucsd, why would you say its easier to earn high grades at uci?</p>
<p>^
Porque ?</p>
<p>Please don't be delusional here people... It is not easier to earn better grades at UCI... UC's are typically difficult schools no matter what rumors you will hear.</p>
<p>LMFAO @ babyblu "easier to earn A"</p>
<p>The UC's aren't the same when comparing difficulty. But UCSD is not at all harder than UCI in the Bio Sci department.</p>
<p>^ It actually depends on the curves which may depend on the quality of the students... so yes, in essence there may be some variation of difficulty from UCB/UCLA>UCSD>UCI/UCD/UCSB>UCSC/UCR/UCM.</p>