<p>Another way to look at the UCs is the strength of the enrolled student bodies. From Fall 2008, data from UC Statfinder (primary rank is enrolled GPA, then enrolled SAT):</p>
<p>I was accepted to UCI for the upcoming fall quarter, then I was accepted to UCSD for the winter quarter, and believe me I have no problem not going to school for a few months in order to UCSD over UCI. It’s a great school but going there instead of UCSD is just silliness… at least for a philosophy major.</p>
<p>UCSD better than UCI? Okay then why does UCI send more graduate students (engineering/bio majors) to grad school than UCSD? Also, UCI just openend up its masters program and LAW program. Where is UCSD’s? UCI accepts less % of students plain and simple. I think you people are bias. It’s like people usually say Berkeley is the flagship school of California, which it is, but they forget that some majors at UCLA are actually much much harder to get into than Berkeley.</p>
<p>Last point, name one nobel Laureate, one ground breaking research professor, one world renown lecturer at UCSD. I can name several at UCI.</p>
<p>Hey vintij heres our list of Nobel Laureates. Lets see yours.</p>
<p>1995 Paul Crutzen, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
1975 Renato Dulbecco, School of Medicine
2003 Robert Engle, Economics
2003 Clive Granger, Economics
1990 Harry Markowitz, Economics
1995 Mario Molina, Chemistry & Biochemistry
2008 Roger Tsien, Chemistry & Biochemistry</p>
<p>vintij, sorry but no matter how hard you argue, you can’t change the fact that UCSD is considered more prestigious locally and nationally. It’s just the fact. Just like the way Cal is considered the flagship school of California. It doesn’t matter if UCLA’s Theatre Art program is ranked #1 in the nation, it doesn’t matter whether UCLA’s Education and Psychology programs are in top 5 in the nation; Cal will still come out as the top. Prestige is something that cannot be measured through number. Prestige is a name value, meaning the name itself holds certain power that took years of building up for the recognition it boasts nowadays.</p>
<p>Prestige has more to do with the accomplishment of the faculty and the students (grad) associated with the institute (Nobel Laureates, Significant Research, etc.) rather than what the entering freshman got for their SAT or what kind of programs it offers. It’s Quality over Quantity. That’s one reason why despite the fact that Harvard has extremely weak science programs, it still maintains its prestige to be the World’s Premiere Educational Institute.</p>
<p>I would say the only UC with true prestige is Berkeley because it is the first UC and has a lot of historical background to it. The others are all relatively equal and you guys are arguing over something so small. The UC’s are just a subgroup of all the colleges. There are the Ivy’s, Privates, and Liberal Arts that trump the UC’s (maybe not Berk). </p>
<p>Lastly, people should be choosing their college on personal preferences not stupid rankings. I got into UCB, UCLA, and UCSD (top 3 to most of you guys) and guess where I am going? UCI based on personal preferences. </p>
<p>And aren’t the rankings based on graduate levels? Do the graduate rankings really trickle down to undergrad? I would be happy to be going to UCB for grad school but for undergrad it is so-so. Maybe if my bachelor’s was my terminal degree I would consider it but I plan to go to grad school so I don’t mind.</p>
<p>lol. Really whats the point of ranking it? If that is what is needed give a person a sense of superiority then go ahead. Just don’t be going around saying hey, I went to a UC that is supposedly ranked higher than you so that means I am smarter than you.</p>
<p>Sorry to disappoint, but I stand by my initial post. From what I read, the OP was asking for the school with the most competitive students (as in, “I will study incessantly to beat Johnny as well as the curve!”) and I think UCSD’s student body’s mentality revolves around this type of thinking-- college is their time to prove to everyone that they’re genii even after getting rejected from UCLA and Berkeley.</p>
coming from a history major this is hilarious. The stats needed to get you into any cal state would have gotten you into Cal with that major so don’t try to act superior to anyone.</p>
<p>That’s quite the paper tiger you have there. Let’s have some backup statistics? </p>
<p>Can’t seem to find the similar stats for Cal, but for UCLA, the average GPA for history majors admitted was 3.72, a healthy amount above the curve.</p>
<p>The acceptance rate is also lower than many other majors because it’s impacted. I wouldn’t be surprised if these numbers are similar for Cal. As for a CSU, I would guess a 3.0 (possibly lower) can get you into most any major.</p>
based on personal preferences. </p>