What's college life like in California?

<p>I'm seriously thinking about applying to colleges/universities in California. I live in New England, Mass., and i'm skeptical about applying, getting accepted and going, and then hating it there. I'm at that point where I think that just experiencing new things would be worth it, but I hate thinking about being completely different from the Californian life and then i'm screwed... On top of that, my parents keep telling me that I can't go that far (but I can change their minds). It just seems that if I don't apply or go to a school in California (b/c it's somewhere I'd love to go) then I'm cheating myself out of something. So, please, I need your input on how the people (as a whole, and maybe any warnings of them, lol), how schools are there (I'm pretty average or what not, 3.0 gpa, 1040 sat, wicked involved, any good schools out there for me that you know of?!), and last, can a New Englander survive over there in California!? haha, Thanks for any advice... I'm glad I can come here and get it! </p>

<p>-Bryan</p>

<p>California people are generally very friendly and relaxed. There are also tons of imports from all the other states, especially in SF and LA</p>

<p>Wacki -</p>

<p>Look at it this way. If you don't go to California for college you will always regret it and wonder what you missed out on. College is the ideal time to give California a shot. If you do go and don't like it (rare, but it's theoretically possible), the longest you'll have to stay is four years. Then you can head right back to New England. I know four years seems like a long time up front, but it's really not. Think back on how fast high school has zipped by. You can put up with almost ANYTHING for that amount of time. And if for some reason it is truly intolerable for you, you can always transfer.</p>

<p>California has plenty of schools at every level of selectivity:</p>

<p>Caltech and Stanford for those in the stratosphere. Pomona and the other Claremonts for those who want an LAC. 10 UCs to serve the needs of the excellent students. Private schools such as USC, Pepperdine, and Univ. of San Diego. ~ 20 Cal States for the bright regular kids. CCs for those who need to save money or who need to catch up academically. It's all good.</p>

<p>I live in the San Diego area now, and I've also lived in Orange County, The Bay Area, and the Sacramento area at various times in my life, so I can probably answer most any specific question you might have.</p>

<p>California = Friendly people, great education, plenty of fun, warm weather year round, and 800 miles of beaches. What more could you want?</p>

<p>Bettina, Coureur, thank you so much for the replies!!! Coureur, your right, and I thank you for that response! From the both of you, I can now make an assumption that California wont be horrible. I'm going to seriously look into the schools there. Coureur, I would KILL to be in San Diego! lol... I'll keep you in mind if I have any other questions! Thanks for giving me some strength. :) I CAN'T WAIT! </p>

<p>-Bryan</p>

<p>that California is very friendly in only some places. If your out in Los Angeles, your not going to find people who are going to smile at you or say hi to you right off the bat, if your the type of person that does that, they'll most likely thing your coming on to them. But California is a really big state so it just depends where you want to be.</p>

<p>What would you like to study or where in Cali would you like to be in?</p>

<p>Loyola and University of San Diego are both in Southern Cali.</p>

<p>i lived in NorCal for 14 years before moving out to the DC area...and that was a bigger culture shock than i think going to the west from the east is. so less than 2 years for me and then it's college (and hopefully back to california)</p>

<p>and if you like san diego...san diego state (if you like a party school atmosphere) and university of the pacific up north too. </p>

<p>and i'll have to agree with the other people. if you don't even apply you're denying yourself the possibility of going out west. :)</p>

<p>Hey techiedork! When you lived in NorCal were you in or around Stockton, or did you just know about UOP? I've lived in Stockton all my life (well, ignoring when I'm away at college). Just wondering, because a lot of people haven't heard of UOP.</p>

<p>Wacki- if you're curious about California, you should definitely try it out. There are many different types of schools you can shoot for, in various types of regions.</p>

<p>bryan, there is no better place to spend your young yrs. than in south cali. you only have this chance once, do it right.</p>

<p>i actually lived more by the coast and within commuting distance from SF. but i actually just came across it researching schools in NorCal (because i miss it desperately) and my parents also mentioned it in various conversations. and from being on this board i've heard that it has a good pre-dental program (if the OP is possibly interested in that...). :p</p>

<p>Nothing really special about California, though I haven't ever lived anywhere else. The weather is usually very good, and the people seem pretty relaxed. Just the fact that Arnie is our governor and we like him says a lot about us. It's a great place to be.</p>

<p>Apply to a couple of schools. Visit around. That way you won't feel bad if you don't end up in California. College will be great no matter where you go. Stay positive and choose a school that fits you best. Lots of diversity here if you're into that. Everyone fits in.</p>

<p>-saving.the.day</p>

<p>Thanks guys! Sorry for the late reply... I've been WICKED busy. I'm applying to 3 schools in Cali... U of San Fransisco... Loyola Marymount... and the 3rd im still unsure about... From the folks who know those schools, from the stats I listed above, are they both reaches? Or could I stand a fairly decent chance against the rest of the applicants? Thanks again for the replies... I'M GUNNA DO IT! </p>

<p>-Bryan</p>

<p>I really don't know about chances, but if your stats are comparable to the medians that they publish then you have a shot. Are you aware of how very different the environments are for the schools you've mentioned? USF is very urban. It is smack in the middle of urban San Francisco. Golden Gate park is right near there, though--a massive urban park, largest in the country. Also you can walk over to the very funky Haight/Ashbury. SF has great public transportation, so you can get all around town and over to Berkeley very easily. However, I just read in the Parents forum that they only guarantee 2 years of housing, so you will have to get an apartment with some other students after that.</p>

<p>I don't know much about Loyola, but it is in LA, which is always handy to have a car. The weather will be much warmer than SF and more beach oriented.</p>

<p>so cal = heaven</p>

<p>Californians tend to smile more... if youz not get scared by that... (I do... but I'm paranoid)</p>

<p>I've moved fifteen times, and I can say that California is the best!!! I moved to Atlanta, GA, and it was HORRIBLE... I missed California so much, and that's why I'm back in California now! Good luck!</p>

<p>I have several friends at Loyola who agree that it's incredibly boring and is in a boring part of town (just north of LAX with little access to the cool parts of West LA and too removed from LA proper). I have no friends at USF but can vouch firsthand that San Francisco is one of the most amazing/beautiful/metropolitan/cosmopolitan/eclectic/(insert relevant gushing adjective here) cities I've been to, which includes many outside the US too. I guess you could liken it to attending NYU without ever doing a campus visit - if things are lame schoolwise, then hey, the city's always there to beckon.</p>

<p>Carolyn posted a great report on USF on the Parents Forum a few weeks ago.</p>

<p>yep. as you can see from my info, i grew up in Boston and my family lives in New York. i was in California for the first time this summer and i LOVED it. i am 90% positive that i want to be in California next year for college... i'm applying to 3 UC's, San Diego State, USF & University of San Diego and also some NY schools if i change my mind at the last minute. my cousin from NY goes to grad school in Cali, at San Diego State (hence the reason i'm applying there) and he loves it so much that he's going to live there after he graduates and never returnn to NY--- can't say i blame him.</p>

<p>Caifornia is a HUGE change from Massachusetts/New England/New York.
the first thing i noticed is- the landscape is so brown. southern Cali hardly ever gets rain so it's very dry. you'll feel a difference in the air; it won't be as humid. 80 degrees won't feel as hot cuz the humidity will be low. the weather in southern Cali is like a dream. it's warm all the time and you don't have to worry about Nor'Easters.</p>

<p>haha another thing... here in the Northeast we have very intricate road and interstate systems, just look at Boston with the Big Dig. Albany, NY has complicated interstates, and New York City is in a class by itself. while driving with my friends in Cali, i noticed that the interstate systems were simple to get on & off. here in the Northeast, if you get off at a wrong interstate exit, you have to drive miles out of your way in order to get back on. in Cali, you don't--- it's very easy getting on & off interstates (in southern California where i was at least).</p>

<p>and- for one last thing- people in the Northeast are SO rude, especially in Boston, (ugh no offense cuz i grew up there)! it's annoying how rude & ignorant they can be. i didn't see that in Cali; people there are very nice.</p>

<p>i know you'll like Cali if you go. you'll probably be overwhelmed at the changes at first, but you'll love it.</p>