I got accepted into all three schools under a chemistry major. I feel unsure about pursuing chemistry and will probably switch to some other physical science or engineering. I’ve heard Cal Poly is more “hands-on” while the UC’s are more research oriented. I don’t think costs matter in the long run.
Can anyone clarify for me?
For Cal poly SLO, going from a science major to a engineering major will be very difficult . It is much easier to change to another engineering major if you already been accepted into the Engineering college, so you need to take that into consideration. UCSD will also be a difficult major change if you plan to pursue Engineering. UCD will probably be the easiest school for a major change and all are excellent for science/engineering.
All of these schools are highly regarded for science and engineering, if ranking matters to you. The Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD is generally the highest ranked, but you can’t go wrong with the other two options either. Also, majors at Jacobs are impacted so transferring in will be difficult. If you’re certain you’d rather pursue engineering you may want to follow Gumbymom’s suggestion and look closely at Davis.
If you’re not sure about transferring majors, UCSD is the only one of these schools with a highly ranked graduate chemistry program (ARWU, USNWR). There aren’t a lot of undergraduate rankings on the matter. It’s up there for most of the other rankings in science as well, with Davis close behind in some biology rankings.
Generally, UC classes are considered more theory-based and prepare you for grad school. I can’t confirm or deny this popular belief. However, if you’re looking for industry preparation you’re actually more likely to find that in a research lab than a classroom. UCSD spends the fifth most research dollars in the nation, followed closely by Davis at twenty-first, so there won’t be any shortage of opportunities for undergraduates.
The best thing to do would be to visit all three campuses, on Triton Day and Open House, and see which one you like best. Good luck with your decision!
It is very difficult to switch to an engineering major at Cal Poly. (I don’t know about the two UC’s, but my husband teaches at Cal Poly).
What are your plans after getting your bachelors degree? If you plan on working or getting a Master of Engineering,
Cal Poly will be great. If you plan on a Master of Science or PhD, Cal Poly would be a poor choice - research institutions such as the UC’s don’t generally accept students from non research schools.
They are all great schools and I agree with the poster who said to attend the open houses. The locations and school atmospheres may help your decision.