D needs help to decide between choosing UC San Diego (Biology with specialization in Bioinformatics - capped major) or CALS at UW Madison (Global Health or Genetics as potential majors with a minor in Computer Science). Not very sure about staying on Premed track. Wants a solid plan-B. Fee is not a deciding factor. Need your input on: academic opportunities/learning environment/ accessibility to professors/work life balance/ student life/ research and internship opportunities/ flexibility to switch majors. Thank you!
I would suggest your daughter look at things other than academic rigor as both of these universities are very good.
-
Does she want a LARGE flagship university, or a smaller university experience?
-
Climate…definitely the weather in San Diego is very different from Madison WI.
-
Ease of getting into town. Wisconsin…easy to do things in Madison. USD, up on a hill. They do run a shuttle, but it’s not really walking distance.
-
Ease of travel. Not sure where your daughter will be traveling from…but check to see ease of air travel to both of these colleges.
2 Likes
UCSD is in this transformation program, and it is changing now. They are expanding with more buildings and more dorms called theatric district living and learning neighborhood that accommodates 2000 more beds supposed to complete next year. They just opened the blue line trolley station in the campus connecting vicinity including downtown and airport. Airport is next to the downtown, and you need to take a shuttle bus to the station to the airport. UCSD became Division I conference without a football team.
1 Like
Oh I did not realized that you were talking about USD, not UCSD. Yes, USD is up on the hill, but UCSD is next to the beach.
1 Like
USD is a beautiful campus, but my kid felt it was way too separated from San Diego…unless you had a car…which she wasn’t going to have.
Madison…tons to walk to.
But international travel is likely easier to San Diego than to Madison. But that depends on where the OP is traveling from.
1 Like
They are both excellent schools. I would recommend that your daughter attends the school with the direct admission to the department that offers the major. If your daughter decided to change to the uncapped major, it is easy, but to get into the capped major from non capped major is much tougher. I don’t know how UW Madison system works. Depending on the major, but the academic for CS at UCSD is very rigorous. I think your daughter will have to actively initiate with professors or TAs. UCSD is top a few research institutions in the country based on the find.
1 Like
Did she get into the Capped major at UCSD? (is it UCSD or USD)?
Is she okay with snow? (UCSD’s weather is clearly excellent. Wisconsin is sunny and very cold in the winter).
What kind of a campus environment does she like/expect?
If she’s an international student, the premed track isn’t a good idea since most US med schools don’ admit (even accept applications from) internationals.
A minor in CS from UW Madison would be very valuable.
1 Like