UCSD's overall campus environment (Something to think about)

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - San Diego
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<p>I was browsing through facebook when I ran into a person's opinion about UCSD, this is a sample of what he said:</p>

<p>UCSD does have a lot of potential, partly because it has so much room for improvement. They have some rule saying that they will not have a football team. This is big mistake. I think the original idea was that by taking away sports teams, more focus will be put into education this was such a bad idea. Look at schools like Cal and UCLA, or even Harvard, they all have football teams. If UCSD realized that competitive football teams => more money and greater alumni support=> better school and higher ranking, then they would try to lobby to start a football team. Hopefully, after 10 years of a decent Division I sports program, the atmosphere around campus will change for the better, but don't expect this to happen any time soon. A Division 1 football team also brings a better sense of community to the campus and gives students a reason to be on campus when they are not in classes. UCSD has a really strong "commuter school" feeling. College should not just be about getting in and out with a degree. There is a lot of growing up to do while in college, which I think UCSD does very little to nurture this aspect. Consequently, graduates could be academically prepared, but will not be able to function outside in the real world. So much of the academic coursework is strictly theory based and students are not given any sense of how to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to the outside world. For people that are destined to be successful in their careers, it does not matter what or what not UCSD does for them. But, if you think that UCSD in any way, whether it be their prestige, career center, alumnus, are going to help you get into graduate/medical school/career, think again.</p>

<p>the full text is on this webpage: Search</a> Names: uc davis football | Facebook</p>

<p>The reason I post this is because I believe this is something we should all think about. Are we really "just" a university that is mostly focused on "pure" academics which lacks school spirit? This makes me believe that perhaps if we get more school spirit, more people can take pride of being a Triton and this increase in school spirit can change the universities' image(throughout California and the US), which will bring benefits to the university.</p>

<p>What do you think? Not just about what I said but also on the 1st paragraph above? What do you think should be done to increase school spirit throughout UCSD?</p>

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<p>I would really love to come to UCSD next year, so take no offense to this. But most people consider UCSD, the school for Cal rejects; this could be one reason for lack of spirit.</p>

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<p>Below two nationally reputable universities and above the rest of the UC’s… it’s a tough spot to be in.</p>

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<p>I’ve heard that too (the Cal rejects thing). But quite a few people I’ve met at my orientation turned down UCLA for UCSD</p>

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<p>Frankly I think UCSD’s rejects reputation (as someone was saying above) is undeserved. I have friends who turned down MIT, CalTech, UCLA, Cal, etc etc for UCSD. And also I personally love this school. It is all about what you make of it. There ARE spirited fun people here, you just have to find them!
<3 tritons</p>

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<p>I don’t think UCSD lacks spirit, it’s more of there isn’t anything to cheer for right now. It’s true that if they bring in a football team, the spirit will increase dramatically, but with the current economic crisis, that isn’t an option at the moment.</p>

<p>It’s true what StanEda and The Legend said.</p>

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<p>UCSD is below two of the best public schools. Thus people who are rejected from UCLA and UCB will come to think of UCSD as “the reject” school. It doesn’t really matter what you say, if UCB was third, it would be consider the reject school too. That’s just a scenario. </p>

<p>Your right about the sports though. If UCSD did have one, it would bring in a lot of other benefits, a tighter alumni network, and a sense of dignity and the awesomeness to be a Triton. I really do hope UCSD gets a football (even if I do hate the sport) it will draw more people from different spectrum of the applicant pool to this school, making it a bit more diverse. </p>

<p>As for the person who wrote that article. It’s understandable for people to feel that way. If the person whose dream school was UCLA or UCB, and being rejected from both (as I was) UCSD does seem like the dreaded “***, I screwed myself over school.” But that’s because they have that train of thought. They are not allowing themselves to immerse themselves in the La Jolla atmosphere. UCSD party life is not on campus, more it seems to be centered around La Jolla to Downtown to SDSU. </p>

<p>I have no more to say cause I am tired… But will edit tomorrow. If your deciding on UCSD as your college choice, please do not be dissuaded by that article, experience the life of UCSD by yourself.</p>

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<p>Look every school cannot be ranked number 1. Sure Berkeley and LA have justifiable built top public school reputations over a century and some decades. But there are not enough room in them for all the students who are deserving. </p>

<p>Instead of focusing on what is not possible, we should celebrate what UCSD is. In 49 short years, it has developed an enviable reputation as one of the world’s premier institution in one of the world’s great ritzy (yet university-friendly) town. In engineering and biomedical studies, they may be ahead of UCLA and mentioned in the same breath as MIT, Caltech and Berkeley. In the social sciences (remember UCSD was originally supposed to be a “public” Caltech, a science and technology focused school), UCSD has developed a reputation second to none in California. Specifically, the Political Science Department is highly rated (7th or 8th in the country) and the Economics Department is among the top 10 or 12 (with several Nobel Prize winners to boot). UCSD’s International Studies major (or minor), which is very popular, is the envy of many well-known eastern universities who hang their liberal arts reputation on the international studies.</p>

<p>So all those who continue to labor at the image of UCSD as a school they “settled for”, have only themselves to blame. </p>

<p>I for one am coming to UCSD for affirmative reasons after having turned down several highly ranked universities. I do so because, after having studied what UCSD has to offer, this is the school that is best for me. I love the location. I like the total package.</p>

<p>One area where UCSD is arguably weak (along with the UCs generally) is that the university/system does not seem to command the same loyalty among its alumni that the well-established eastern universities do (or even the small LACs with loyal alumnis). Every great university needs to draw on the loyalty of its graduates – for jobs, referrals, for annual giving and capital raising campaigns). The fact that the UCSD has a great reputation will allow it to develop and cement these ties – but it has to put effort into the task. Alumni relations are not built in just a few years – it takes a decade or more.</p>

<p>Finally, the one area where people criticize UCSD is that the six college system does not allow for an all-compass student life. Here there is clearly a trade-off. Each of us will get the benefit of living in a “close” social environment WITHIN our college. Without colleges, each of us would have to rely on other methods (clubs, sororities etc) to forge some kind of campus life. The house system at Harvard is designed to provide a similar social setting for undergraduates after their freshman year. But remember, Harvard admits 1600 students (few transfers), while UCSD after significant cutbacks is at 4000 frosh this year (plus 700 transfers).</p>

<p>Ultimately, it is upto us to make the most of our experience at UCSD. I am looking forward to it.</p>

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<p>People don’t come to UCSD expecting a strong tightly-knit community around a sports team. It has many other benefits and achievements in other areas, but it’s up to the individual to figure out what works best for him/her.</p>

<p>I currently attend grad school at Columbia, another school with a dismal sports program. But the lack of spirit around here could just be that there are too many other things to do in NYC than to sit and get drunk in a stadium every weekend.</p>

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<p>^^^ Not everyone who goes to games goes to get drunk… most actually go to watch them duhhh ahhah</p>

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<p>EVERY university except those at the very top of the rankings can be seen as a reject school. How may students are accepted to their first choice?</p>

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<p>I turned down UCLA for SD. Mainly this is because, reiterating what others have said, YOU make the school what it is and a school does NOT make you. SD also has an AWESOME biomedical research system (Third in the country). Sure, spirit is not as high as LA or CAL possibly due to a lack of sports teams but honestly…SD provides a world class education and that is whats important, ladies and gentleman.</p>

<p>GO TRITONS!</p>

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<p>I agree with ^. I turned down Cal to go here, not just because Cal scared the crap out of me (I actually did see naked tree people when I roamed the campus last summer), but because of what ^ said</p>

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<p>Agreed! 10char</p>

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<p>Maybe this lack of “spirit” is why the College Guides cite student opinion as not being thrilled with the UCSD, especially the professors.</p>

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<p>Great post by torreypines.</p>

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<p>UCSD is a good college (especially in Bio) regardless of having a football team or not
Lots of schools don’t have football teams ( my school UCSB 2013) but we are still pumped up about the school.
Having a football team is a great asset but a school can be just as exciting even if it doesn’t have a football team and congrats on UCSD, like i previously said, its a great school. :)</p>

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<p>ambyroy… you will never cease to confuse me! Making snide remarks on one thread and then saying nice things about UCSD here! :frowning: make up your mind</p>

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<p>^ seriously</p>

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<p>When I went to Admit Day for UCSD this year, every current student that I talked to (except for 1) mentioned that they really wanted to go to UCLA or UCB, but didn’t get in. I’m not saying that everyone at UCSD is a “Top-tier UC reject” but for students hired to hype up the school as much as possible on a day that is meant to glorify the campus, I definitely did see that there is a lot truth to the “reject” stereotype. </p>

<p>…but hey, Berkeley is often called the “Stanford Rejects” school. </p>

<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.stanfordrejects.com%5Dwww.stanfordrejects.com%5B/url”>http://www.stanfordrejects.com]www.stanfordrejects.com[/url</a>]</p>

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<p>LOL ucsandiego915 and BluePinkCloud </p>

<p>I have respect for UCSD and the only reason i make “snide remarks” is because i am bitter about the “You have been accepted email” following up with “just kidding you’re not good enough for us email”
I am sure it was a honest mistake (heck conell did this accidentally also)
i am just mad because i got the “You have been accepted email” on march 31 and “just kidding you’re not good enough for us email” on april 1st ( April fools day) </p>

<p>think about it , wouldn’t this make you mad as well.
i mean i have nothing against UCSD students/location/etc
but its the staff that really ****es me off you know ? like sending that email, now proposing to close down Merced, Riverside, Santa Cruz, etc — what’s next ?</p>