University of California Alums: Help me in making a huge decision!!

In My Humble Opinion
21

UCB undergrad here, who visited friends in UCSC & UCD fairly regularly.

I am a city person who likes to stay up late and go out to do things–not bar scenes or parties, but movies, live music, museums, theater, dance, meetings, etc. There was never, ever a lack of things to do in and around Berkeley (including SF)–none of which you needed a car to get to.

Davis drove me nuts. I found it boring–less interesting in the diversity of people and fewer things to do. YMMV so if outdoorsy stuff is OK with you (and you’re OK with few other alternatives if you get tired of the outdoorsy thing), than Davis would be fine.

As for the geniuses, sure there are a few, but they aren’t the ones you worry about. Most people going in are in the same boat as you–confident in their abilities but maybe a little insecure knowing they’re competing with a lot more people equal to you. It all comes down to studying and applying yourself. I can’t attest that Davis is less stressful, especially for Biology; it seems everyone who wants to go into Ag goes to Davis, so the competition in Bio will still be pretty fierce.

Transferring to Davis from Berkeley wouldn’t be a problem if you found you didn’t like UCB (but the reverse would not be as easy). The semester vs. quarter thing is also pretty big. All my friends at the other UCs never seemed to have long enough breaks or weeks that didn’t involve a paper or midterm. Semesters allow you more time to settle into a groove–less stressful, it would seem (though everything does count for a little more, I guess).

I wouldn’t worry too much about the rep.

Worse. Unquestionably. You want to situate yourself in an environment where you can excel. I found this meant having lots of options if I needed to relax or unwind, and knowing that I was getting a lot out of my life personally (socially, politically, professionally, whatever) outside of academics. Berkeley certainly fit the bill for me (much more than Davis ever possibly could have), but I’m the first to admit that Cal and the surrounding city is an acquired taste and most definitely not for everyone.

Good luck in your decision, whatever it is.

22

I don’t think there are any bad or mediocre UC campuses. Go where you’ll be happy.

S.of.P. B.A. UCSD ‘80, M.L.S. UCLA’84’

23

Nightsky!! Yes. That is the only word that came to mind as I read your post. I have those exact same thoughts. Could you tell me a little more about the Integrated Studies program? I talked to the head of IS and he spoke wonderfully (as he should, being the boss of it) of how you get to meet/live with people like you, and learn enriching topics as well. What’s your opinion?

Wow…just looking at the posts here…wow. StraightDope is certainly a very smart bunch. And the statement of intent to register to May 1, and of course the first people I tell besides my friends/family is SD! You all have truly been so helpful in this pretty gut-wrenching decision. I still got a week more of waffling…

24

Hear, hear!

If you’re planning on going to grad school out of state, all that really matters is that you went to a UC. (Most non-CA folk don’t keep track of which UC, they just notice that you went to a UC.)

If you’re going to go to grad school in state, it’s still a UC and not a Cal State. (Nuthin’ wrong with a degree from a State – my BS is from SJSU – they just have different requirements.)

If you’re not planning on going to grad school, just go where you feel like you’ll get the best education and where you’ll fit.

As I mentioned above, my BS is from SJSU. But my BA (in anthropology, Kyla, and years after the BS) is from UCSC. Graduate degrees from UofChicago and UWisc-Madison.

Go where ever it makes your heart sing!

25

I forgot to mention this earlier, so I’ll re-emphasize it now. This is wholly your decision. You do not have to justify it to anyone except yourself. Should I, for example, materialize in front of you and demand to know why you have chosen Berkeley over Davis, I hope you’d tell me to go pound sand.

I think that the quality of one’s IS experience is pretty much a crapshoot. It is very much a gestalt situation. My year was great: all of us were friendly, meshed well, and bonded wonderfully. A high school friend of mine, in IS the following year, had a much different experience–the people weren’t as nice, the dorm was uncohesive, etc. Group dynamics are hard to predict in ANY dorm.

Most of the IS classes are interesting (I recall a great one on the history of math), and some you must take anyway, so your level of interest is not terribly relevant. :slight_smile: (Welcome to college.) As a rule, they will NOT count towards general education. Whether this matters or not will depend on your major.

I think that an extended discussion of IS is getting rather off-topic even for the narrow subject under discussion. But please do feel free to e-mail me for a more involved response.

26

Well after much talking with adults, teachers, and peers, I have decided to take the path to Davis. All the stuff was mailed in the other day. Many of my friends (the causal ones I say a few words to each day) are pretty amazed that I would choose Davis over Cal. I live in a small town suburb of San Jose that is VERY academically inclined, and schools like Stanford and Cal are revered by many as THE school to go to.

However, as most of you wiser-than-I people pointed out, I should go where I felt comfortable, where my heart said to go. And my gut feeling is that Davis is better suited for me, and would also treat me better (w/ scholarship benefits) and give me a better education; as least for now, city life (like at Berkeley) is just not for me. It’s too busy.

Thanks for all your help, and I hope to see you all on other threads!

27

here here for another aggie.

Maybe we can have aggiedope someday.

28

Hey, I was all set to write a big ol’ honking thread and then see you’ve already made up your mind. I was accepted to Berkeley and decided on Davis instead.

Obviously, since I started in 1979 and finished in 1985 things have changed. UCD used to hold the reputation has the most competitive of the UC schools. It’s a good thing because that level of competition is unhealthy, including the sabotage of lab work, taking books out of reserve so others couldn’t use them.

Davis is probably a better place to find your niche. I was involved with KDVS and became the general manager my final year. I also worked on the paper. There is more than a big enough cool crowd, whatever that means for you, at Davis.