<p>Hey guys, I've been lurking the UC boards for a while but never felt a need to post anything. However, I'm now in a time of need. </p>
<p>In the last 2 days, I was rejected from UCLA and waitlisted for UCSD (which is probably the same as rejected this year) for EE.</p>
<p>I have a 4.0 UC GPA, 2370 SAT I's, 780/800 SAT II's, decent EC's, and pretty decent essays. I guess my courses weren't hard enough or I unknowingly offended someone through my essays or something.</p>
<p>Seeing as I was turned down from UCLA and UCSD, I really don't feel I have much hope at Cal, and I've been thinking about the other UC's. </p>
<p>Apparently UCSB is the 4th best of the UC's for engineering, and I was wondering how it stacked up to the other UC's, UCI's CHP program, and Cal Poly SLO's engineering programs.</p>
<p>Basically, could you guys give me some general advice and information on the "lower" UC's and their engineering programs? Does going to a "lower" UC look bad when applying to graduate schools?</p>
<p>EDIT: Also, please chance me using stats from above. :D</p>
<p>Have you been admitted to Cal Poly SLO’s EE dept.? If so, I would seriously consider attending there. I have heard good things about UCD as well as UCSB. I have heard that industry really values Cal Poly grads.</p>
<p>CalMom, would you seriously consider “SLO” over UCLA and UCSD for engineering? S was accepted to all three but waiting to hear from a few other schools before amking a definitive decision.</p>
<p>Infected I am amazed you were wait listed, my S has good stats but his SAT I & IIs were not as high as yours but we are OOS (so we are looked at like a cash cow). If it makes you feel any better I JUST got off the phone with a friend in San Diego, her son was rejected from UCSD but accepted to Cornell–go figure! Good lucK</p>
<p>@greenlash: Sorry about my words, I didn’t mean to offend anybody. I’m a mix of upset and depressed right now because of the admissions decisions, and I might have come off a bit brash. (Partying last night helped a bit though ;D) </p>
<p>@crunch: I looked at the stats of other people who got waitlisted, rejected, and accepted for SD, and I saw no real pattern; the admission decisions were all over the place, some people with stats near mine were also waitlisted or rejected, and others with lower stats got in.</p>
<p>My son has also been admitted to Cal Poly SLO as well as UCI for EE. He is not even considereing UCI. He is trying to decide between Cal Poly SLO and University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is highly regarded nationally. Do your research and ask around. Cal Poly SLo is very respected in the engineering community. Although my son applied to UCSB and UC Davis, and loves the UC Davis campus, he would chose Cal Poly SLO over those schools. But, you probably can not go wrong with any of them. I would just really do my research. Perhaps pose this question on the engineering forum.</p>
<p>Well, I can actually give some good news. Apparently a lot of qualified applicants who are turned down by UCLA get into Cal. There’re definitely numerous cases like this every year.</p>
<p>But attending a “lower” UC does not mean that you’re not capable of handling graduate school. It’s all about personal competence, regardless of what school you go to. And actually a lot of people I know at UCSB turned down Cal and UCLA, because they know that they would have such a bomb social life here. Besides, the engineering program at UCSB is very intense. You have to take at least 17 units per quarter to graduate in your years (average students take around 12-17 units, about 3-4 classes).</p>
<p>i have heard good things about UCSB engineering, so if you get in you really shouldnt approach it as a “lower” UC. in fact, i would only describe 2 of the UC’s as “lower” and even then they will kick the pants off of plenty of state schools. they are UC’s for god’s sake!</p>
<p>HOWEVER, if you got into SLO for EE, i would HIGHLY recommend pursuing that offer. SLO graduates are sought after for jobs because of their “learn by doing” methods. go visit campuses and make a smart decision. also if you wanted to go to ucsd, im pretty sure they have appeals. you would DEF be a good candidate for an appeal</p>