<p>which one is a better school for psychology?</p>
<p>Who cares? Which one is better for YOU?</p>
<p>This is because you'll probably change your major anyway.</p>
<p>i am not gonna change my major. i am going for psychology and i am going to go to grad school.</p>
<p>both of them are good for me but which has a better program?</p>
<p>SIGH. Are you a freshman?</p>
<p>no transfer</p>
<p>Hoo boy. I was you 3 years ago. Anyway, if there's anything I can impart unto you, it's that your career goals will likely change. Maybe your major won't, but your career goals will.</p>
<p>Don't choose one or the other based on the USNews ranking. If you're really really concerned about this, then look at their respective graduate placements. If one has been consistently placing their grads in great ladder-track programs, then it's probably a good bet.</p>
<p>You will change career goals though, I can almost predict it. You sound waaaay too much like me 3 years ago.</p>
<p>UCLAri.. you are not very helpful and assume many things. I've read your posts in other threads that I've looked at, and you seem to belittle people instead of helping them. </p>
<p>Aebeys, I was looking at the USNEWs top grad schools online and they have UCSD tied at rank 2 in behavioral neurosciences as a psych specialty. Unfortunately, they don't have the complete list of rankings online and in the rankings for undergrad, UCSD and UCI aren't mentioned (the lists only have the top 3 on there). In my opinion, UCSD has a better psych program. But if anyone else has more knowledge of this, it'd be nice to know because if I don't get into LA, I am planning on choosing my college based on the best psych department.</p>
<p>thanks rdtg for the info. and hope you get in to UCLA</p>
<p>UCLAri</p>
<p>if you changed your career plans it doesn't mean i am gonna change it too.</p>
<p>rdtg, I'm telling people that they should do what they want to do, how is that belittling? This whole damn rankings crap is absurd, and half the time, inaccurate. I was at the same spot so many of these poor stressed out frosh are at now, and I'd like to save them from it.</p>
<p>I hope you get into LA too aebeys, if it stays your priority. Good luck to us!</p>
<p>aebys, most people do...however...</p>
<p>USNews rankings do not help you get a job. Look at graduate placement! You want to mingle with people getting good tenure track or research jobs! Do not accept anything USNews offers at face value. </p>
<p>For example, USNews ranks many programs much higher than their placement history suggests. That's what you should be concerned about.</p>
<p>Let me make this a bit clearer:</p>
<p>Transfers, for the most part, tend to look at their two years at a university as the next step towards grad school. Instead, they should look at it as an end unto itself. Unfortunately, when you look at it just as a stepping stone, you miss out on a lot of the great opportunities that can be had at these great schools.</p>
<p>There is a large large chance that you will change career goals. Americans change careers like they change cars. It's not bad, it's exploring your options. You should go to a university that is going to offer YOU the best options for YOU. Not what USNews says it is, not what I say it is, but what YOU feel is right.</p>
<p>If that is belittling you, c'est la vie. I just think you should enjoy college for what college has to offer, not what grad school may offer you in the future.</p>
<p>I think it's great that you are taking your time to help people UCLAri, but you should remember how you felt 3 years ago in this situation. Telling people to chill out and SIGH at them isn't very comforting. The majority of the people (ie. Me!) in this forum are paranoid and having anxiety attacks; that's why they are expressing their doubts here. It's an outlet. I don't know, maybe it's just me, I've been very irritable lately, sorry. </p>
<p>p.s. This is the transfer forum, so you're not talking to any freshmen-to-be.</p>
<p>Okay, so let me repeat it: CHILL OUT. It's okay to be worried, but the stress will hurt you. The kids I see on this forum are beyond stressed, they're mental! I mean, I worried, but jeez, I picked my school based on feel not rankings. The only person that has to live at this place for 2-3 years is YOU, so make the best of it. The only mistake I made as a transfer was not taking more time to explore what UCLA offered outside of my classes and getting into law school (then it was PhD programs, now it's MPP...who knows what's next?)</p>
<p>I guarantee you that once you get to your future school, many of your TAs can show you the ins and outs of getting into a good grad program, but until then, rest easy and enjoy your last semester. It's all uphill from here! (in a good way!) It's just so not important to worry about two rankings or even five rankings as an undergrad. The quality of your work will shine through regardless of your institution's rankings. Besides, once you get to a real research university, I bet you might find out that either A: You love psych to death and could spend the rest of your life doing it at this level B: You like it enough to graduate C: You hate it, will graduate, but will never ever go to grad school for it.</p>
<p>Grad school is a huge committment, remember that. Your 19/20 year-old self is not ready. Enjoy undergrad, then when you're 24ish, apply. Or so my TAs all told me.</p>
<p>Again, however, placement is everything in department quality. It's the hidden rankings...</p>
<p>you do have some good points in there but i am committed to what i want to do. i know grad school is huge and i just need to have fun getting my BA in psych.....but my undergrad studies are the first steps to grad school. so yes i am nervous and i am committed to what i want to do. i already changed my major twice and psychology is something that i want to do for my whole life.</p>
<p>Good. If you have a goal, stick to it. I'm only trying to make sure that people are sure of their plans. I hate to see people come on these boards at 17 and say, "I'm pre-this!" It's a waste of their time. People need to focus on being "pre-graduate." It's a lot more satisfying.</p>
<p>Another thing to do with "rankings" is just email a professor or two or three in each dept. They're usually pretty honest.</p>
<p>i know what you mean, couple of years ago i used to change my major every other second and would get so excited for each of them. No this psych stuff is final for me. </p>
<p>thanks UCLAri</p>
<p>I agree with aebeys. I think you have good advice UCLAri, but I think it would be better for freshmen. I want to go to UCLA the most because of the "feel" of the college, and it just so happens that they have a great psych program with everything I want. I'm also dedicated to this field. I would just like to know whether UCSD or UCI is better ranked because if I don't get into LA, I'm basing my decision on which school has a better program, because the atmosphere of the school does not make a big difference to me (it's only two years) and I want to go to a school that will better prepare me, because heck, I want the best education I can get in psych to be prepared for grad school and so on. Grad school is a must for me because I want to be as knowledgeable as I can in this field. Blah, I need to stop. There's no reason for me to try to defend my decisions to a stranger (no offense at all UCLari). I'm just going to end up spilling my life story if I don't stop.</p>
<p>aebeys, do you plan on applying to the honors program for whatever college you go to?</p>