Okay, so I had chosen UC Davis, but I was recently approved for a late SIR to UCLA. I realized UCLA was the right choice for me (I think), but there was one thing that was holding me back, and I wanted to get some clarity on the issue.
From what I’ve heard the vibe at ucla is sometimes a little cutthroat/students are constantly stressed, and I’m not usually like that. If that is the case, I’m okay with pushing out of my comfort zone, but I don’t want it to be overbearing. Whereas, at Davis, I’ve heard the vibe is a little more chill, but I’m afraid that might get boring after a while or I’d feel like I’m not pushing myself enough.
I would love it if someone kind of clarified on the statements that I’ve made or anything like that. I know the decision is ultimately up to me, but I appreciate help.
@delayo - What’s your major? My oldest is a rising senior at UCLA in engineering. She has told me many times “UCLA has a knack for selecting the nicest people. Everyone I’ve met is so nice.”
That being said, the classes are challenging and highly competitive. I don’t think she would say it’s cutthroat by any means. It’s competitive because everything is graded on a curve and her peers are all smart, motivated students. Her lower division courses seem less collaborative (probably due to large class sizes) but her upper division courses are very collaborative. Even this past quarter while working online, she connects with other kids in her major and they work together to solve problems and help each other.
I’ve heard great things abt Davis and the vibe on campus. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice. I would compare the courses within your major at both schools and go with the school that matches your academic and social interests the most.
Good luck and congratulations on two great acceptances!
Based on your other discussion thread, you stated you were being pressured about your decision between UCD and UCLA.
Your quote:
So it sounds like you prefer UCD while your parents prefer UCLA. There is no bad choice here, but your parents need to understand that YOU are the one that will be attending college and you need to pick a school where you can thrive. That said, I understand you need your parents cooperation when it comes to financing your education but you should sit down with your parents and discuss your reasoning on selecting either school.
As a parent I would want my kid to be happy and I am sure your parents feel the same, just give them a reason or reasons why you think one of these campuses are a better fit and stick with your decision.
I agree with @gratefulmama that both campuses are good options and the cutthroat mentality is not something I have seen stated about UCLA.
Best of luck.
Haha ok so it’s kind of the other way around. They have always been more pro- Davis, although they haven’t said anything explicitly. The email was because I wouldn’t stop talking about UCLA, so my mom decided to shoot them an email and see what would happen. Sorry about the mix up. Either way thank you for the insight, it was very helpful.
Thank you very much! It’s nice to know that my previous ideas weren’t exactly right lol
oh and my major at ucla would be public affairs while my major at UCD would be environment policy
@delayo - Have you joined both campuses freshman fb pages? Maybe that will help.
No, I don’t even have fb. I’ll give it a try
@delayo: Sorry for making the assumption that UCLA was your parents choice. Best of luck wherever you end up and what is your career plan with each major?
My S doesn’t find the classes at UCLA to be at all cutthroat and he is really enjoying the public affairs major, because of the range of issues covered and the practical approach to the subjects being taught.
Where UCLA can be more of a challenge is in how difficult it is to get positions in certain competitive jobs and clubs, which took him some time to adjust to. For example if you want to be a tour guide, they pick about 5 people from 500 applicants with multiple rounds of applications, interviews, demo tours etc. Everyone is very much a self-starter with high ambitions and lots of ECs, so the competition is fierce and you have to put yourself out there and be prepared to cope with disappointment, especially in your freshman year.
But it’s a wonderful place with great opportunities and school spirit. The weather alone makes everyone really happy, which is not something I’d say about the Central Valley.
hey sorry for the late response. So, for Davis, my major would be in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning- so I’d be looking for a path in that field maybe a consultant. For UCLA I’d be going into public affairs- so I’d be heading into the public sector and work in urban planning or something like that.
wow that’s really good to know! I’ve had a difficult time finding info from people who are in my major, but the idea of having a range of issues to look at is exactly why I selected the major. Thanks a lot ?