UC Merced?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi all!
I'm a junior in highschool and will be applying to colleges this fall; my stats are here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1622682-chances-for-all-uc-s-georgia-tech-george-washington-university.html#latest"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1622682-chances-for-all-uc-s-georgia-tech-george-washington-university.html#latest&lt;/a> if you're interested.
Seeing as colleges are getting tougher to get into, the UC's included, I've started to be realistic with my expectations for acceptances later/next year, and I am hoping to get into UCR and UCM (if you have any comments to make with my chances for acceptance into those two schools for a Computer Science major, please do so in that thread) for Computer Science; but hopefully I will be accepted into Merced as they're a fairly new school with a higher acceptance rate than the other UC's and schools I will be applying to. Anyways, I've heard mixed reviews about UCM so can anyone help me out? How is the campus like, students, social life, chances of transferring out onto UCB/LA or an Ivy, general location, professors, etc.?</p>

<p>I'm unsure if this is the right place in the forum to post this, so my apologies if it is.</p>

2

<p>It’s good you’re being realistic but I think you need to realize the chances of transferring out from UC Merced to the Ivies or even UCB/UCLA are extremely low. They are in completely different leagues in terms of academics and selectivity. Not that snythings wrong with UCM, just you need to set your goals a little lower.</p>

3

<p>People transfer all the time from low selectivity colleges to UCB and UCLA, and some do so to Stanford every year. Those low selectivity colleges are open admission community colleges.</p>

4

<p>The student’s I’ve talked to that attend Merced really like it. It is the smallest UC, everything is new, it is probably the cheapest place to live in CA. There’s no denying that it wasn’t their first choice (for most) but, it is good school and none I’ve talked to regret going there. tour the campus yourself and see what you think.</p>

<p>If you go there, don’t do it with the intent to trade up. It is very unlikely. Frankly, transferring into a top school is very competitive no matter where you are. The odds are similar as a freshman applicant. </p>

<p>You’ve got a killer SAT but lowish GPA. That makes UCs very hard to predict. You could get into UCSC, UCSB, UCI or UCD. But, I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. I would counsel you to apply to a bunch of schools - some UCs and even some CSUs. SDSU, SLO, Chico, CPP and SJSU all have sought after CS degree and should not be overlooked. Of those, you’d sail into all but SLO. Your unbalanced stats make you tough to predict there.</p>

<p>Lots of great options.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

5

<p>@kkanii: Check out this link <a href=“Opinion | How to Get a Job at Google - The New York Times”>Opinion | How to Get a Job at Google - The New York Times;
It is not that important in where you go, but what you do when you get there. My younger S had a lower GPA and good ACT. Got into UCR for CS but none of the other UC’s. He opted to go to SDSU which he feels is a good choice with a smaller program but more hands-on experience. Good Luck</p>

6

<p>

Not great, but possible. Preference is given to CC students. And I’d echo the advice you were already given; the name on the diploma isn’t going to matter near as much to your future as what YOU do in college. Get good grades, take part in student groups working on CS projects, get internships.</p>

7

<p>Hey all! Thanks for your feedback, I haven’t had time this week to respond but I will be looking at SJSU and some other non-UC state schools. Based on your responses I guess UCM isn’t how people make it seem to be. If all goes wrong, Merced does seem like a great school and from the people I’ve talked to, the name/prestige of the university isn’t as important as what you do there (like you did say).</p>

<p>If I do go to Merced I’ll try to transfer out, regardless of the low chances of acceptance at higher ranked/more selective schools, but that’s just my thought process now but I have a few years until I’m ready to do that.</p>

8

<p>Based on your great SAT scores, why not apply to some of the top CSU schools that go by numbers only? Cal Poly SLO and San Jose State are both on this list: </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2014/best-schools-by-major/computer-science”>http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report-2014/best-schools-by-major/computer-science&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Be careful with SJSU; CS is SJSU’s most selective major for 2014 frosh admissions:
<a href=“http://info.sjsu.edu/static/admission/impaction.html”>http://info.sjsu.edu/static/admission/impaction.html&lt;/a&gt;
Note: the CSU eligibility index referenced there is calculated as described here:
<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;

<p>SJSU does have an excellent location for recruiting and interviewing for jobs looking for CS majors.</p>

10

<p><<<
I want to apply to the colleges I previously listed, and if you guys have any suggestions. I want to major in either Computer Science or Biology (and hopefully to well on my MCAT’s in college for a good medical school).
<<<<<</p>

<p>You’re premed. If so, choose ONE SCHOOL and do NOT transfer…unless you want to take a Glide Year…and even doing that wont be that great.</p>