Hello all. I was hoping to get some help on deciding between UCSD and UCD. Thank you for your time.
Intended Major: Mechanical engineering, and then probably double majoring in aerospace. I am strongly considering switching to Computer Science and Engineering, CS, or CE, OR double majoring/minoring in any of the previously mentioned fields.
Money is not a deciding factor, but it could be nice to be able to save some for hobbies and other things.
UC Davis:
Pros:
- Pretty chill, I think less stressful?
- Close to home ( < 30-minute drive) - more freedom
- Know a few people who are currently attending
Cons:
- Seems like there are fewer opportunities for research/internships in fields I’m interested in (namely robotics and CS)
UC San Diego
Pros:
- It seems like there are more opportunities for research in fields I’m interested in
- Potentially a stronger culture for makers? Nether really seem to have this, however.
- You can specialize in controls & robotics (although UCD does have a fair amount of classes similar to ones you’d take for this)
Cons:
- Seems like the social life isn’t very strong
- Far away from home (about 7 hours)
The main thing I’m looking for is advice based on the opportunities for research/internships available. I am very interested in robotics (and to a lesser extent CS and CSE). While I did research them, I’m having a hard time understanding what they’d mean for me (for example, when I was researching MIT or CalTech I was able to tell that there is a LOT of robotics research and ways to get involved. I can’t really say the same for UCSD or UCD).
So generally, which do you think would be easier to get involved in robotics research/labs with (or research in general).
Lastly, any general advice is also welcome. Thank you for your time!