Sorry if you guys saw this post on the other section but I wasn’t sure where to post this. So her goes: I got admitted to both UCLA and UCR for political science and I can’t decide where to go. I want to go to law school eventually (the dream is Stanford) and I know GPA (+LSAT) is a huge factor in law school admissions. Knowing that, should I go to UCLA where I’ve heard the poli sci program is pretty competitive or UCR where it might be easier to get a good GPA? Is UCLA Poli Sci THAT hard to maintain a high gpa? And are the amazing opportunities that I’m assuming UCLA would have that significant for law school? Or might UCR be a hidden gem?
Sorry for all the questions and Please hellpp my desperate and confused self
they are both excellent and you have spelled out many of the pros/cons above. Yes, UCLA is competitive but sme people thrive in those kinds of environments and UCR won’t be easy either. You really are the only one who can make the call.
That’s very true. Thank you so much for your advice!
If you chose UCR (which is essentially a regional safety school with no name recognition) over UCLA (which is largely considered one of the top 20 universities in the world) you will have made the biggest mistake of your adult life. This isn’t even a question.
Man I got into both and am trying to decide the same exact thing. If we go to law school, how much does it matter that our undergrad was at ucr vs ucla?
Folks: to assume that you will get a higher GPA at an “easier” school is a completely false assumption. There is absolutely no way to predict this. Many people under perform in high school (lower GPA, etc) and become super stars in college, and many do the opposite. To figure you will graduate college with a higher GPA by going to a lower ranked school is ridiculous. Always go to the school where you are most likely to get the best education and the most opportunities.
Thank you for the advice!! I thought about it long and hard and realized you were right: the opportunities and the education I will find at UCLA will challenge me and help me grow more then perhaps any other school would. And growth is the long-term goal.
So here’s to four years of challenges and opportunities at UCLA:)
Thank you again!!