<p>I have narrowed down my decision to two schools: UCLA and Cal State Fullerton. I live in the Orange County and I plan on majoring in Biochemistry. Honestly, I would rather do something in journalism or communications and I'm not too interested in going to grad school except everyone tells me that I need to so that I can make good money in my future. UCLA is the best school I was accepted to whereas Cal State Fullerton is offering me a Presidential Scholarship which includes tuition, fees for books, free parking, priority classes, acceptance in the Honors program, and a laptop for four years. Which should I choose???</p>
<p>Congrats! What is UCLA offering in terms of financial aid? You don’t need to go to grad school to be successful…however I think communications is a dead end since there are so many communications majors. You’re obviously very bright though and will likely be successful with whatever you choose.</p>
<p>Don’t go in huge debt for UCLA. However, UCLA will provide the more traditional college experience if that is worth something to you.</p>
<p>I still haven’t heard back from the Alumni Scholarships but as of right now, UCLA is not offering me any financial aid.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Biochemistry is not a major with good job and career prospects at the bachelor’s degree level. At the bachelor’s degree level, you will be competing against a flood of pre-meds who did not get into medical school for low paid lab technician jobs. If you intend to be a pre-med, realize that you can take the pre-med courses alongside any major. Indeed, the Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cell Biology graduates at UC Berkeley did even worse than the Media Studies graduates for 2010, according to the [career</a> survey](<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm]career”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/MCB.stm).</p>
<p>If you really like chemistry, consider chemical engineering instead. Other sciences that offer better job and career prospects include math (applied), statistics, computer science, and physics. Economics is somewhat better in job and career prospects than other social studies.</p>
<p>That is something to chew on. Don’t make a decision until you hear about scholarships from UCLA. I take it you don’t qualify for need based aid.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>The UCs are bad at giving need-based aid to students who DO have need, but don’t meet Pell/Cal Grant/Blue and Gold thresholds.</p>
<p>I’m not getting any aid from UCLA but my parents insist that money is not an issue. So CSUF or UCLA???</p>
<p>If money is not an issue, UCLA</p>
<p>If money is not an issue, then why does it matter that CSUF is waiving tuition and books?</p>
<p>I realize this is an old post but for the benefit of those with a similar decision. Please know this, I’m a UCLA graduate but NEVER choose UCLA or any large university over a presidential scholarship. The reason isn’t the money. As an undergraduate at UCLA, for most majors, you are just one of thousands, class size is in the hundreds and you won’t really be taught by the professors in the lecture hall but by TAs. I think my chemistry class had over 225 students in the lecture and then you would break into labs,taught by someone a few years older then me. Not great. Professors won’t know you and its not just UCLA but most large universities. They are research and set up to serve the graduate students and the under grads are well just the bottom of the ladder and a lot of it has to do with $s. At all UCs they now take significantly more out of state students because they pay 3x more than in state. As a presidential scholar at CSUF or any other college that offers it you are one of only dozens. It will give you mentoring you wont’ get at the big schools and a small school experience within the resources of a large university. I can add as someone who has done a lot of hiring and interviewing of college students, presidential scholars are a cut above and going to a name school doesn’t get you anything anymore because there as thousands just like you-unless it a professional degree. e.g. M.D.</p>
<p>^^^Bayboi, is that you?</p>
<p>Even though they gave you full ride, go with UCLA> It is much better for your program. CSU are suffering from budget cuts.</p>
<p>Old thread, XtremePower, dredged up by this TopCatTEC ■■■■■.</p>