<p>Hi,
I’m an international student and I would appreciate if you can help me to choose one of these UC’s.I really really wanted Cal but unfortunately I didn’t get in.Btw,if you can share your thoughts and experiences about these schools both in academics and student life it would be great.
I don’t want to choose a school only by looking at a ranking list,I want to choose the best fit.Dorms,food and student profile is very important for me.I don’t think I can visit them since I’m on the other side of the world 
Another thing is research opportunities.Since I want to major in physics I need a school I can both participate in research projects and be able to get in to a top grad school.
I’m really nervous about choosing a school please help me!! :)</p>
<p>First, drop Davis from the list. It is not as strong in physics as SB or UCLA.</p>
<p>If you are sure about physics as a major, you should take a close look at this program at UCSB, which allows undergrads to begin taking graduate level courses in physics through the College of Creative Studies. And SB has a very good, top 10 in the country, graduate program in physics.</p>
<p>See [College</a> of Creative Studies, UC Santa Barbara](<a href=“http://www.ccs.ucsb.edu/]College”>http://www.ccs.ucsb.edu/) and then [College</a> of Creative Studies, UC Santa Barbara - Physics - Home](<a href=“http://www.ccs.ucsb.edu/physics]College”>http://www.ccs.ucsb.edu/physics)</p>
<p>If studying physics is your top priority, I think CCS is the way to go. Santa Barbara is a lovely, but smallish city, right on the ocean. UCSB has a “party hard” reputation but if you can resist that temptation, the physics program is stellar. (I think there are four Nobel laureates on the faculty.) The campus is one of the smaller UCs, about 18,000 students, so it’s very manageable and easy to live there. Student body is described as very easy-going and laid-back. </p>
<p>If you think you might change majors, though, then UCLA would be the better choice. More prestige and a broader range of top-ranked academic programs. Los Angeles is a more interesting and stimulating location to spend four years than SB, but as a much larger city, it’s also got more headaches such as traffic, competition to find housing, and just the logistics of living in a big city. It does have the big-time sports scene, football and basketball, which SB does not, if that matters to you.</p>
<p>Davis is actually just as strong in physics as SB. UCLA however, is better than both. The above poster is talking mainly about graduate, whereas you a picking an undergraduate school to attend, when ranking is far less important. I would vote for UCLA, then Davis, then SB. However, you should visit and see where you can see yourself for the next 4 years. Try to be a bit more open-minded than the above poster, and visit the campuses a bit. You’ll find that each has strengths and weaknesses. For pure physics, the best would be UCLA, imo.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Well, of course, it’s all “imo.” </p>
<p>If there’s a program at Davis or UCLA that allows UG immediate access to graduate level classes and research, with the small numbers intimacy available at CCS, then for the OP’s sake, post it.</p>
<p>Strength of graduate programs arguably has a “trickle down” effect for talented and ambitious UGs in the program. SB’s grad program has a PR rating in USNWR of 4.4, putting it in the top 10 nationally, in the neighborhood of Columbia and UChicago. UCLA is close at 4.0, which puts it in the top 20 of these rankings, in the neighborhood of UPenn, Col-Boulder, Wisconsin-Madison, and UCSD for physics. </p>
<p>UCDavis is ranked around 40 with a Peer Assessment rating of 3.4, which puts it in the neighborhood of Boston University, GIT, Purdue and UF, among others for the graduate physics program. An excellent ranking nationally, in the top 50, but still, I’d pick Davis for biology and SB, CCS specifically, for physics. </p>
<p>If somehow, undergrads get a more respected, more research-rich, more distinguished-faculty laden program in physics than the graduate students get at either Davis or UCLA than they would get at SB, then I’d like to see the evidence so I can pass it along.</p>
<p>All the UCs are very research-oriented, though. Someone can just as easily participate in undergraduate physics research at UCD or UCLA as at UCSB. </p>
<p>I agree that the strength of a graduate program can have a trickle down-effect into undergraduate years. However, do you think the TAs will really be teaching such advanced concepts in undergrad years anyway? My guess is that they will all be teaching for intro physics classes, and thus talking about similar material anyway.</p>
<p>Again, 4.0 and 3.4 aren’t substantially lower, I wouldn’t base my decision just off of those factors alone. I doubt they really even make a difference anyway. Also, keep in mind that this is all for only one source. As for research, they are essentially equal at all UCs, for undergrad at least. My point is simply to not solely base your decision off one one graduate ranking, when you’re an undergrad student.</p>
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<p>The OP can’t visit and is asking for opinions to help him choose based on strength of program and other aspects of college life. I offer my opinion that SB, followed by UCLA, and way ahead of Davis, is the best choice for someone interested in physics. He will have to figure out the “fit” aspect of lifestyle (food and such) himself. </p>
<p>And btw, I did make a point to emphasize the unique opportunity available at SB for physics majors who pursue their degree through the CCS. </p>
<p>Did you look at the link? Is there anything similar at Davis or UCLA? I looked and couldn’t find it so if you can link to something similar, please do. This SB program lets selected UGs take graduate level courses, work on research with top SB professors, and follow their own research goals while still in UG — this sounds like what the OP was looking for irt gaining the resume needed to enter top grad programs. </p>
<p>“This is all from one source” is not quite accurate. There is the source of the grad school rankings from USNWR, with all the trickle down benefits implied, and also the source of the universities’ websites describing their programs at the UG level. What UCSB offers to its top physics students through CCS does not seem to be duplicated at either UCLA or Davis. </p>
<p>If someone has the academic chops and the passion for physics to get into CCS, I’d advise that is the way to go. If not, then UCLA might be the better choice than just the physics program at SB. But I stand by my suggestion that someone who is definite about the physics major should choose between SB and UCLA and drop Davis from consideration.</p>
<p>Yes I did, and I responded to that. I think they could get the same amount of research at any UC, especially Davis, from personal experience. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to enter top-programs as long as you have high GPA and some research experience. Also, you continue to make the point about dropping Davis, yet have provide no real reasoning other than its 0.6 lower ranking according to one frequently-criticized source (USNWR). I hope the OP does some research on his/her own, because I feel you are leaving a lot of info. out and frankly jumping to conclusions. He should definitely consider both UCLA and UCD, UCLA probably more than both, imo.</p>
<p>UCLA >= UCSB > UCD</p>
<p>UCSB > UCD because UCSB’s physics department seems to be better in rankings (national and worldwide) and has 4 Nobel winners awarded in physics and chemistry, Davis having none in those two fields.</p>
<p>Not to be little the point, but sources? In addition, does # of laureates in anyway affect undergrad? (Probably don’t even teach the undergrad classes.)</p>
<p>I do agree that LA is first, though.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses.I think I have a general opinion now and I elected ucd from my list.Since studying physics is my passion and I’m pretty sure I won’t change my major CCS in UCSB looks pretty good.On the other hand,living in a big city and being part of a huge family makes UCLA very considerable.I think what I’ll be choosing now is a lifestyle more than a campus.I’m trying to get in my family’s mind and convince them for a little trip.Do you have any idea about dorms?I have read that in UCLA %90 I will be in a triple room.Can I have a single or double room as a freshman in SB? And is it easier to have a higher GPA in SB compared to UCLA?Again,thank you very much your posts are all very valuable for me.</p>
<p>Sources:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.ucsb.edu/nobel/index.shtml]UCSB”>http://www.ucsb.edu/nobel/index.shtml]UCSB</a> Nobel Laureates<a href=“5”>/url</a>
[url=<a href=“http://facts.ucdavis.edu/profile.lasso]UC”>http://facts.ucdavis.edu/profile.lasso]UC</a> Davis News & Information :: UC Davis Facts: Campus Profile<a href=“none”>/url</a></p>
<p>The # of laureates is a factor to the profile of the faculty at the campus. Often these people attract talented professors and researchers into the laureate’s university, especially if their research interests coincide. I know at UC Irvine, one of its Nobel laureates was indeed a professor for undergraduates and has been a research adviser for undergraduate research.</p>
<p>As long as you are comfortable with the UCSB campus you have made a great choice. UCSB is known to have an excellent Physics department.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure there are no triples at UCSB, and I think it’s possible that you can elect for a single as well. At UCLA you’re almost guaranteed a triple. UCLA is experiencing some moderate grade inflation, so I think achievement-wise GPAs at UCSB and UCLA are very similar (a 3.3 at UCLA=about a 3.3 at UCSB).</p>
<p>There are triples in UCSB… but they try to do their best to get everybody in doubles. During the first weeks, you MAY get a triple, but as space starts to clear up, they will automatically start moving triples back to doubles. There are singles at UCSB, but they are limited and of course cost more.</p>