So I recently got into UCSD and turned it down because it would have been too much OOS for four years </3. Loved the campus, loved that it is well ranked, had a pretty low acceptance rate, and a lot of other aspects off the surface that deemed it as a pretty great school. I’m now going to a JC for two years with the hopes to transfer to a UC again. I’m just curious, in your guys’s opinion does San Diego come closer to the likes of Berkeley and UCLA, or is it more accurately stacked with the moderate UC’s (Irvine, Santa Barbara, Davis) I know they are all great schools and I’m looking to attempt UCLA while doing to TAG program to UCI as a backup, but if I go to UCI, will I have really downgraded a significant deal by turning down San Diego? If so, at least I’m saving a lot with the JC route 
I’ve always thought UCSD existing in its own “inbetween” tier that was slightly “lower” from the upper tier with UCB and UCLA but also higher than the middle tier with UCI, UC Davis, UCSB.
That said it seems that this year UCSD took a beating in the arbitrary but still interesting to look at US News rankings. UCSB is ranked higher now and UCSD is tied with UCI. That said, imo UCSD is still significantly “higher” than the UCSB or UCI.
UCSD is usually considered the top tier:
** Top Tier **
Berkeley
UCLA
UCSD
**Middle Tier/b
Davis
Irvine
Santa Barbara
Lower Tier
Santa Cruz
Riverside
Merced
UCSD seems to be in its own tier, ahead of Davis, Irvine, and Santa Barbara(Despite the most recent rankings by US News and World Report, most other ranking systems have UCSD ahead of these three schools by a comfortable margin), but below the tier of UCLA and Berkeley. Most people would probably pick UCSD over UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UCSC, UC Riverside, and UC Merced, but would likely choose UCLA or Berkeley over UCSD, if given the opportunity.
With regard to your mention of UCI, I don’t think there’s that much of a difference in educational quality despite the tiers that I mentioned. UCI is still an incredibly good school. UCSD is definitely better in the sciences and engineering, though, so if you’re studying in either of those areas, you should probably pick that school. It’s even better than UCLA in some science and engineering areas.
@lindyk8
I don’t think people would lump UCSD in the top tier with UCLA and Berkeley now, but they probably will in 20-30 years, if UCSD continues to improve. It already has had more Nobel laureates than UCLA does. The problem is that it’s not as well-balanced, academically, as UCLA is. Though it’s generally better in the sciences and engineering, it lags significantly behind UCLA in most social sciences, humanities, law, education, business, and some other areas. They can and probably will significantly improve in those areas over time, hopefully. It’s already considered the 18th best university in the world according to USNWR(For comparison, UCLA is #8 and Berkeley is #3). Its medical school is #17 in America, while UCLA’s #13.
UCSD is an amazing school, really. It’s only ~55 years old and has exceeded in reputation most public and private schools in America that are so much older. It may actually be as accomplished, if not more, at this point than UCLA was when it was ~55 years old. I don’t think it will surpass UCLA in prestige because UCLA continuously improves, too, but there’s less room for it to grow(And for Berkeley, too). Perhaps in a couple of decades, people who get accepted to both UCSD and UCLA may find it very difficult to choose between the two, as many who get accepted to UCLA and Berkeley find it difficult to choose between the two now.
In short, OP, UCSD is a great school.
well put, its hard to turn down the rankings from San Diego, but I usually convince myself that it’s not a big deal considering their humanities program (I’m a history major) lack significantly when compared to their outstanding premed/engineering. Heck they don’t even HAVE a law school. But it is relatively new. I’ll bet money on their humanities program coming to serious competition in the next 15ish years, I imagine they’ll eventually get a large enough donation in efforts to start a law school similar to Irvine which is new and already considered top 30
Let’s put it this way, most people wouldn’t consider UCSD over Berkeley, but they might over UCLA. If I get into only LA and SD, I’d have to think it over for a good while.
It has very good political science and economics besides science and engineering.
@Cayton
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” – Bill Clinton
I think it boils down to a debate on semantics. Everyone seems to agree to relegate UCSD to third place, but want to assign it its own baby (read isolated) tier. Fair enough.
I have it in the same position but feel a three tier system (3 each level) reaches the same end point. And for me, it’s more logical. So, right or wrong, I stick with my 3-tier system, with UCSD in third position, top tier. ~O)
@lindyk8
Fair enough.
OP, what’s your major? Within a tier, I think it depends a bit on the field you are looking at.
UCSB has some programs where it competes well with UCSD. Freshman students in the fields covered by the College of Creative Studies at UCSB (physics in particular) have been known to choose UCSB over Berkeley.
UCSD is top tier for STEM. It’s not quite up to par with Cal and UCLA for the arts. Campus feel is important. UCSD has a contemporary feel, is sunny and hot year-round, and there is a lot of DoD recruiting going on over there.
Also the food situation is dumb and is one reason why I didn’t pick it.
Would you say for non stem subjects, Irvine and San Diego are pretty close? As I read now, when it comes to medicine and engineering, UCSD is kinda apart of the top Tier with UCLA and cal. When it comes to everything else it kinda seems lumped together with the mid range UC’s. I need to do the TAG program to one school, it seems logical as a backup. I’m just so consumed with the idea of going to Irvine when I could have gone to San Diego when in reality it’s not much different at all. ESPECIALLY for a humanities/liberal arts major like myself
I think most people would classify UCSD as a “top-tier” UC by this point if you’re a science/engineering/social sciences major. Not as prestigious (yet) as Cal or UCLA, but definitely getting there. Basically, everything @Cayton said.
The difference in prestige between UCLA to Cal is similar to that between UCSD and UCLA. It’s definitely up there.
UCSD does not offer TAG.
It depends on the subject at UCI. UCI is pretty good at creative writing. So tell us the subject.
I am currently doing the same thing as you. I decided to attend a JC instead of going to UCSD due to my financial & family situation. All UCs are great schools. I remember in high school I was totally devastated when I got rejected from Berkeley. Now I totally don’t care if I get rejected from Berkeley, I just want to transfer out to any mid/top tier UC lol. Point is after going to a JC for two years you’re just going to be happy to attend any four-year university.
I’m TAGed to UCI currently, and applying to all the top UC schools for Comp Sci. UCSD being my first choice now haaaaaaaa. Pay attention to major (alot of people on this thread have posted in regards to that). Different majors have different ranks at each school. My main advice is do not attend a school just for prestige, pick a school that is right for you.
Any advice for an starting CC student looking to transfer as a Comp Sci major?
Many of the schools require up to Linear Algebra/Differential equations. Unless you have AP credits, you will have to take Calc 1,2,3, and linear algebra/differential equations. If you’re aiming to transfer within 2 yrs and school is your main priority I would take atleast 15+ units a semester with a math class every semester. Then there’s some science courses/coding courses/GE courses that you’ll have to add which can be found on www.assist.org. Remember the MOST important thing to do is finish your major classes. A lot of the schools have similar requirements, some have more, some have less, but you should be eligible to apply to a majority of UC schools with completed major requirements.
If you’re trying to transfer into UCLA/Berkeley/SD I would try to keep your GPA at least 3.8+ to be competitive as all there CS majors are extremely impacted. I remember looking at the UCLA stats and it was like a 5% acceptance rate for CS with an average GPA of 3.94 for people who got accepted. I also remember reading somewhere that UCSD has a cut off GPA for CS majors, where they will not even look at your application if its below a 3.7? 3.8? not sure.
TLDR;
Finish major reqs
Have high GPA
Some extracurriculars (probably important for UCLA/Cal/SD)
Stay focused & get into a school you like 