<p>Where would you go? Why?</p>
<p>Depends. What are you going to school for? What kind of environments do you like to live in? </p>
<p>I say UCLA, but I go there, so that doesn't really count. </p>
<p>Both are good schools but different. Just depends on whats best suited for you. I suggest campus tours. It'll help.</p>
<p>Can anyone describe their experience at either one of theses schools?</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure UCSD doesn't offer my major. So, UCLA.</p>
<p>I have one D that's going to UCSD and one that will start at UCLA in the fall. They're both CS majors and the programs at the two schools seem very similar to each other and I believe ranked right next to each other.</p>
<p>My older D always wanted to go to UCSD and turned down UCB and others for it. She likes the proximity to home (although she's lived on campus and now close to campus in an apt rather than living at home), the location of UCSD by the beach, and the fact that there are many companies in the immediate area in the biotech field and she's interested in the combo of CS and chemistry/bio so there are lots of local opportunities in that area.</p>
<p>My younger D chose UCLA over UCSD (and also over UCB). I think for her, she was too familiar with UCSD due to her sister and just wanted to go somewhere different. UCLA is still close enough that it can be somehwat driven to from home (albeit through LA traffic) but is far enough away that she can experience a new place. </p>
<p>For their chosen major, both schools are excellent. If they had chosen different majors, it may have more strongly dictated one school over the other depending on the relative strength of the program.</p>
<p>UCSD, because I am. But LA is more well-regarded.</p>
<p>Personally I would choose UCLA. Nicer-looking campus, better academics, stronger student body, better athletics, rivalry with USC (that's always fun), really good food. UCSD's campus seems a little dead to me.</p>
<p>But of course Berkeley > other UCs. :)</p>
<p>I can't compare academics well, but i would think that they are rather similar. US News ranks UCLA higher than UCSD. However, when I looked over the factors they use, I realized that few of those directly tie into your personal learning, i.e. how much you'll get out of college in academic terms for the money that you paid for it. For example it does not matter if you have 50 people or 350 people in class in terms of your own learning. If the professor sucks at teaching, assigns wrong reading material, delivers confusing lectures, speaks very quietly, has horrible handwriting, and overall doesn't care to teach very much, you will not learn very much while working very hard irregardless of if there are 49 or 349 people sitting all around you. Neither does high graduation rate say anything about how a good an academic experience the school can provide you with.</p>
<p>Therefore, factors outside academics should play a big role when comparing UCSD and UCLA. I think for many students the immediate atmosphere surrounding a campus is very important. People usually appreciate UCLA's surrounding being much more urban than UCSD's. UCSD is located in mostly residential area, which is kinda boring for students looking to have a good time on the weekends. UCLA campus is said to be more lively. There is more involvement with university sport events. There is also much more greek life. On the other hand, UCSD is within 20 minutes walking to the nearest beach. It is also within a couple of hours driving to Mexico where students go to party and drink freely. There are numerous clubs in the downtown for those who like to go clubbing on weekends (UCSD campus itself is quite dry).</p>
<p>There is also much biotech around UCSD campus, as well as at least 3 hospitals, The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, and Oceanography Institute. All of this is within 1/2 hour walking distance. Biology majors and pre-meds find these surroundings very stimulating in terms of work and internship experiences outside of school. There is also a great number of pharmaceutical companies in the vicinity for chemistry majors to improve their own resumes and skills. TSRI graduate program ranks 3rd in the country in organic chemistry. Engineering majors also like it here because UCSD has strong engineering programs and school (Jacobs), which is ranked about same or a bit higher than UCLA engineering school by US News (both are among top 20 schools in the country).</p>
<p>I think that in terms of comparing two universities a lot attention has to be given to one's prospective major. One school might have a stronger department and better surroundings pertaining to that major than another. One can compare graduate schools of both universities because strength of graduate school usually reflects strength of undergraduate department as well, since some professors teach both graduate and undergraduate courses. It is also easier to get into graduate school from a university with a strong department in that same field. The assumption is that you, as a candidate, went through better preparation at school with stronger department.</p>
<p>As a chemistry major, I really liked being at UCSD. I'm ok with going to a campus in a somewhere less urbanized area and I like having the beach near by. I also care very little about sport or greek life. I did want to go to a very good graduate school after earning my BS. Thus I wanted to be in environment that can help me do that. One thing I did miss quite a lot that LA has and SD does not: skiing. But oh well, i can always go home to visit parents over the winter holidays and ski at their place.</p>
<p>Henry Samueli > Jacobs. At least I hope so since I chose UCLA.</p>
<p>US News ranking 2007:</p>
<h1>11 Jacobs</h1>
<h1>15 Samueli</h1>
<p>Since i treat their ranking only relatively, I make distinctions only if school is one of top 5, top 10, or top 20. Jacobs and Samueli are both in top 20 group in my perception, hence I do not think there is much difference between them.</p>
<p>^You're right. It's also the same for 2006. I wonder why I thought otherwise. Do you have access to 2007 rankings for for EE undergrad programs at UCSD and UCLA?</p>
<p>no i don't, but rumors go that ucla's undergrad for ee is stronger, and this is on ucsd campus - gotta be true</p>
<p>UCLA > UCSD. No question.</p>
<p>This is coming from a guy who lives 2 miles from the UCSD campus.</p>
<p>ucla. well, i'm going there too.</p>
<p>it just felt right. like you know when you walk onto a campus and you know it's the one? ha, sounds like i'm talking about love or something. but the campus was great, and the surrounding village (westwood) was real cute. i like the architecture as well...very...ivy-leaguish.</p>
<p>that ranking is for the grad program....undergraduate EE in UCLA is stronger. UCSD is known more for its biomed so if you are that go there. the campus is dead socially and even though Im not the most extroverted person I would rather have something where people seem to be alive.</p>
<p>I don't understand what you mean by "dead socially" compared to UCLA. On a regular day that is not like middle of winter holidays or something the campus is very much active. Can you give some specific examples of what is happening at UCLA on daily basis that is much more social than at UCSD?</p>
<p>Can any of you guys' describe what life is like at these schools. How's the atmosphere. I would think UCSD is more laid-back and UCLA is more spirited, but how would everything else compare?</p>