UC San Diego or UC Davis?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a transfer student who has been admitted to UCSD and UCD. My dilemma is which one to attend to with the least amount of regret.</p>

<p>I am a Psychology major, and I would prefer a B.A.</p>

<p>B.A</a>. Degree</p>

<p>Even though I have completed the 60 semester units for transfer I have not fulfilled all the Lower-Division Requirements for the B.A. I still need 1 more Natural Science course, 1 Calculus course, 1 more quantitative reasoning, and 1 computer science course. It seems like a lot and I don't know if taking these classes may interfere with focusing on my upper-division courses. Also if you check the link for the B.A 4 year plan it looks as if I might have to stay an extra year.</p>

<p>UC Davis does not have these upper division requirements.</p>

<p>However I have already taken some courses I would rather not have taken like Pre-calc to help me get into UCSD so it feels like a waste if I go to Davis? Also the calculus requirement is quite intimidating to me because I struggled to get a B in my pre-calc in community college.</p>

<p>Then there's the issue of Gen eds.</p>

<p>UC Davis GE requirements
UC</a> Davis General Catalog | General Education Requirement</p>

<p>UC San Diego GE requirements for Sixth College(I got admitted to that)
GE</a> & Graduation Requirements</p>

<p>It seems UC Davis has more gen ed requirements than UCSD. So either way would I get stuck with all these additional requirements? According to that page I might have to take another math class anyway?</p>

<p>Just to let you know, I already have 2 transferable math courses, Statistics and Pre-calc. I also have already done 8 semester units of art, 12 units of humanities(Philosophy and Ethics, Cross-cultural art, English writing and composition, and English literature and compositor), I have probably 13 units of science(Biology survey, Anatomy, and Into to Chemistry), and have taken Into to Psychology, intro to Sociology, into to Cultural Anthropology, Abnormal Psychology, Logic, Non-Western Cultures Anthropology, and maybe a few more classes that don't come to mind right now. I have completed my IGETC too. I have a 3.75 GPA.</p>

<p>I also got admitted to UC Berkeley. Sadly, because I had to withdraw from my Intro to Logic and Programming class which I took for UCSD and because I was failing it. UCSD and UCD are forgiving about it. UC Berkeley isn't and wants a written explanation for it that will be evaluated. I'm not sure if I should bother. I'm guessing they want a sad story about how I broke my leg and therefore couldn't attend class. Instead the truth is I couldn't grasp what the professor wanted exactly even though I tried hard doing the homework that wasn't graded anyway and got an F for a working program, and when I asked him about how to do things design-wise he told me to figure it out by myself. Then later after the matter told me I should ask him, when I did.</p>

<p>I really wanted to go to UCSD but maybe I didn't think hard enough about it and scoffed off Davis too early until now. Ugh.</p>

<p>Something also bugging me is the cost of rent. Berkeley is really expensive. Davis not so much. San Diego kinda.</p>

<p>I would also like to know who I can talk to about these things. The phone numbers and emails seems for general advice, but I would like to know someone more specific. I would also like to talk to Psychology students in both campuses before making my final decision.</p>

2

<ol>
<li> Forget the feeling you lost time with Precalc. It is a good thinking class to take. It doesn’t sound like you are cut out to take Calc so that makes UCSD less attractive. </li>
<li>You need to make some type of chart/table for UCSD and UCD to determine exactly the number of classes you need to graduate besides the class in your major. Also, which of those classes have to be taken at the school itself. You may be able to take something at a cc in summer or even online to help.</li>
<li> Berkeley sounds too expensive and will be more demanding than UCSD or UCD. You need to also be thinking of what you will do after you get your BA because with Psych you usually would need grad school so save your money.</li>
<li>Can you actually go visit both schools and then sit in on a Psych class to hear how it is done and then talk to students after?</li>
<li>If you cannot visit, then call each Psych dept and ask how you could speak to current students.<br>
UCSD Undergraduate Advising: Dina Amodeo
<a href=“mailto:damodeo@ucsd.edu”>damodeo@ucsd.edu</a>
858.534.8499</li>
</ol>

<p>UCD
The Psychology Department provides 2 full-time staff advisors:</p>

<p>Carol Harris: (530) 752-1882
Caitlyn McCarthy: (530) 752-8877</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the links.</p>

<p>I looked more into the site and it seems that IGETC clears all gen ed requirements. Still not sure about upper division things. I don’t know, I guess I’m reluctant because I kinda “fell in love” for UCSD, probably too early and also foolishly.</p>

4

<p>you can also fulfill some courses over the summer.</p>

<p>But SD is more quant-focused than Davis, so you have to be wiling to commit. And note that Calc at both colleges will be full of premeds, who are gunning for A’s. It will be a LOT more competitive than your juco.</p>

<p>Also recognize that different schools may have different focus on psych…to see if one is a better academic fit than the other.</p>

<p>Might as well send an appeal to Cal; grovel appropriately. The worse that will happen is that they say no.</p>

<p>Lakemom is correct:</p>

<p>layout the degree and college/Uni graduation requirements to compare side-by-side.</p>

5

<p>Hmmm know some students from both campuses I can talk to?</p>