This is my first time making a discussion but I really need help. I got into UCSD for Molecular and Cell Biology in Marshall College and into UCI for Biological Science but once I’m there I’m going to declare my major for Biochemistry. To be completely honest I’m terrified for what to choose. I want to go to graduate school but I’m not sure if I want to do med school or pharm school or anything really, and I heard having a high GPA is really important. UCSD is more competitive and cutthroat fro what I’ve heard and the social life isn’t great there. I have friends at UCI who love it there and I have friend who say UCSD can be kinda boring. I don’t remember the campus of either school since I went to visit when my sister applied like a decade ago but she went to UCI and she loved it so much there.
Another factor is that my parents want me to go to UCSD and one of the hardest classes I’m taking in my spring quarter rn (the final class in the ochem series) isn’t required there so if I chose UCSD I would just drop it which would honestly relieve me of so much stress but UCI still needs that class.
Research opportunities are plentiful at both places and they’re both beautiful someone pls help me.
This is coming from an undergraduate like you as well, so don’t take my advice as a be all end all to your decision;
I’ve heard great things about the Biology program at UCSD (but then again I’m not from Cali so I don’t know the full picture) and I think it’ll prepare you well for whatever science-related field you want to step into post-graduation. I don’t believe in “cut-throat” communities as well, I just believe that everyone wants to do the best they can, and this doesn’t prevent you from making great friends in your classes. Competition, if taken the right way, is definitely something that will improve you as an applicant regardless of the path you take in the future.
Hopefully you can get more advice from friends and family who have more exposure to BOTH schools, as you can probably tell I have a slight bias toward SD as a non-Californian (? idk if that’s even a thing), whereas your friends are most likely biased towards UCI, which also necessarily isn’t a bad thing if they enjoyed it, but you may be getting a comparison that’s blown out of proportion.
Uh…
UCSD is ranked 9th for biology and bio chemistry, globally. UCI is ranked 136th for biology and biochemstry, globally.
If that doesn’t convince you to chose UCSD I do not know what will.
Why don’t you visit both campuses again?
UCSD has some transfer events coming up. Both schools have general tours. You can get a feel for what each campus is like/where you can picture yourself for the next couple years.
I don’t see how this matters to an undergrad. Any college is the country is capable of providing good undergrad instruction in these fields. And since there are something like 2,500 4-year colleges in the USA (I have no idea how many globally) it seems a stretch to argue that you’re losing something by going to a college ranked in the top 5% of US colleges even if the 136th place only applied to US colleges. Lastly you have no idea where these numbers came from or the methodology used, so take it with more than a few grains of salt.
What really matters for undergrad education is a combination of the opportunities available and what you do to take advantage of them. If you want to go on to a PhD then a key factor is participating in research, both for the experience and to get good letters of recs from your profs to their pals at the grad schools you apply to. But no matter what school you go to, even if it is Harvard or Stanford, nobody is going to stand in your doorway until you agree to do research. It’s all on your shoulders to find it and then excel once there. I find it hard pressed to believe, BTW, that you would lack for research opportunities in science at any UC campus.
Another comment since this is an opinion forum. You are kinda behind the ball if you are considering med or pharmacy school. You will be a college junior in a few weeks. By this time many students have been exploring careers thru volunteer work. When you say " I’m not sure if I want to do med school or pharm school or anything really" then it tells me you haven’t done this. Exposure to the field is an unwritten requirement to get into med school and is actually an explicit requirement for many other programs (physical therapy, physician assistant, some nursing programs, etc). You wouldn’t buy a car without taking it for a test drive, why would you decide how to spend the rest of your adult life without trying it out for a few weeks? If I was in your shoes I’d find a place to volunteer this summer, there is nothing to be gained by waiting.
As to where to go, UCI. Your sister loved it. Your friends feel the same way. You’ve heard bad things about UCSD. I’m not going to argue whether these are right or not, but its the best information you have available to you.
I agree with mikemac, it sounds like you’re already swaying towards UCI so go there. Plus you’re already almost done with ochem so you’ll be just fine to stick it out until the end.