missj

hm i heard UCSD is better for bio. but like everyone said... both UCI and UCSD have a lot of research opportunities...and go visit both to get a feel of them if you haven't already =)

i hope you don't mind me adding my own questions related to UCI vs UCSD in your thread. if you do mind, just tell me and i'll delete my message =)

how is the psych program @ UCI compared to the one @ UCSD? also, how popular are they @ these schools (basically, how hard is it to change into a psych major @ UCI and UCSD? i'm undeclared for both schools right now)? thank you!!

TheMadBotanist

I got my first B.S. (biochemistry) at uci my second (biochemistry) at ucsd. Let me tell you there is a reason I have returned to ucsd for my M.S. (microbiology). I would not reccomend uci to you for any reason. ucsd is a better school in a better area with MUCH better research oppertunities, little known fact: ucsd has 2 times as many students involved in their research programs and 3 times as many undergrads in research positions. Plus come on would anyone rather live in irvine than san diego? Not me thats for sure, no more orange county drivers, expensive EVERYTHING, or half-assed uci facilities. You made the right choice, GO TRITONS!!!!!

yackityack

I believe psych is pretty good at UCI. I know that Irvine has Elizabeth Loftus as a professor (she was voted most influential female psychologist of the 20 century I believe, or something like that). I remember reading about her in psychology class in high school and then realized shes a prof at UCI. UCI has 2 psych majors, one is in the school of social ecology and ones in social sciences I believe, they each have a little bit different focus. I don't know anything about ucsd psychology but I'm sure it's pretty good.

CAchild3

la jolla isnt all that kind to students wallets either

TheMadBotanist

Ah it may be true taht UCI is a good school, certainly top 15 for California, I was comparing it to UCSD as a biology school specifically and overall student research specifically. This is not to say that UCI does not have any redeeming qualities, for example; the uci computer engineering program is considered top notch in the U.S. Also UCI's athletics are certainly better. However these, and other unmentioned, points did not seem valid to this particular discussion. Oh by the way, La Jolla is only expensive if you live off campus or don't know where to look. In La Jolla gas, food, clothes, entertainment, and even books tend to be considerably cheaper, if sometimes a little lower qulity, if you do know where to look. Irvine however is under some massive conspiracy to remain uniformly expensive along with surrounding areas. This excludes Santa Anna however I don't suggest you spend a considerable amount of time their.

yackityack

I think we can agree that Irvine and La Jolla are not the greatest college towns but have good schools despite that.

TheMadBotanist

A fair statement, however I would like to hear you reasoning and perhaps some superior alternatives as I think La Jolla is an excellent location for a university and despite my personal feelings regarding Irvine and its neighbors it has all the elements for a great college town as well.

yackityack

Both are farely suburban upper-middle class. They don't go out of their way to make things easy for college students. For instance the city of La Jolla would not allow there to be a frat row on campus and to get good cheap food you have to often times go out of La Jolla to Coti's etc. I'm not saying it's a bad town, just not the most conducive to the college environment. Now, It is right by the beach and you can always go into the real San Diego and there's lots to do. So although it isn't a great "college town" there is still a lot to do in the area and a great place to go to college. Irvine is pretty much the same way IMO, although it is a little farther from the beach and not quite as upper-class as La Jolla. You can always drive to LA or other parts of OC or of course make your own fun in Irvine, which is what I tend to do. I enjoy going to UCI as most people do, but not particularly because of the town of Irvine.

TheMadBotanist

I belive you are rather mistaken on what makes a good college town. 1. yes upper middle class is a good thing. While CSULB is a good school, I must ask does it have to be in an area where I'm afraid to walk around at night. 2. Although cheap food and frat houses are an INCREDIBLY essential part of the college experience perhaps accessible, affordable, public transportation, quality medical services, safety, and quality of local law enforcement should be a little more important than proximity to a frat house. Plus lets not downplay UCSD or UCI's proximity to their local downtown areas. If you can't have a fun night in downtown San Diego, I'm sorry, you're not trying very hard. The same goes for Irvine. There are to many Theatres, pool hauls, bowling alleys, night clubs, skate parks, amusment parks, beaches, boardwalks, harbors, resturants, arcades, cofee houses, casinos, bike trails, rock climbing, hiking, ect. Please name the activity you enjoy that you can't find within a 15 minuet drive from UCI and I'll tell you where it is.

yackityack

True college towns have more of an identity with the university like Davis or something and have more things to do for students without having to drive and stuff. So neither La Jolla nor Irvine are TRUE traditional college towns but that doesn't mean they are bad. And for the most part of your last post you just agreed with me cause I said there is a lot to do not that far away anyway. I'm not hating on the towns, just saying that they aren't traditional college towns, not that they are bad places to go to college.

bluetoday

Personally, I think Irvine is a very beautiful area with the perfect climate. The place is clean and very fitting for a school of higher learning.

Two words that comes to my mind about Irvine? It's clean and classy.

TheMadBotanist

I think the problem we're having is that we are using the same terminology to describe two different things. I also believe you are mistaking an east coast college town for a "traditional" college town. A traditional east coast University, we can use the example of Harvard, is typically settled in an area that does not require driving to access the surrounding town. Now this is also true of many east coast cities that do not have universities, it is not a feature particular to a "college town." So what we are actually seeing in our argument is a difference in geographic cultures, rather than actual tendencies of college towns. Here in California however, with the exception of possibly San Francisco, we don't have cities that do not require private transportation to get around easily. This is due, in part, to the tendency of our cities to be more spread out and not offer near the level of public transportation access or completness (no I dont think that's a real word.) So I think this is where our disagreement lies.

yackityack

Possibly. Also it's not just the driving/transportation, it's that the universities are relatively new and haven't built up the same tradition I guess. Presents a different feel. Not that they are bad but I'm just saying. I'd rather go to one of those schools without a hundred+ years of tradition than most of the schools that are old anyway.

chowdy

Okay, to argue about something so totally subjective as "location" or "environment" is stupid. The original poster will decide that on his own.

The only tie-breaker here is academics, which UCSD wins by a mile. UCSD is well known for its bio, engineering, economics, poli sci, and others. Bio is most definitely what UCSD is most famous for.

Don't even get started about research and UCSD.

yackityack

Meh...for undergrad I doubt it matters that much...I know plenty of people at uci who came here over ucsd...but whatev. Boy do we love prestige debates on CC tho.