California Public Universities

UCBChemEGrad
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:16:16 +0000

UC System:

Berkeley
UCLA
UC San Diego
UC Davis/UC Santa Barbara/UC Irvine
UC Santa Cruz
UC Riverside
UC Merced

Berkeley - most prestigious academically - all academic departments are stellar, selectivity on par with UCLA, San Francisco/Bay Area, beautiful wooded campus, easy accessible public transportation (BART and bus), Pac-10 sports, intellectual environment, Gothic/classical/eclectic architecture, city of Berkeley is a true college town…the city caters to students (OK…I’m biased… )

UCLA - Socal weather, Pac-10 sports, considered “more social” (whatever that means), very nice campus, Italian Renaissance architecture, not as strong department academic reputation-wise, LA glamour

UC San Diego - world renowned for biology, residential colleges, slightly less selective than UCLA and Berkeley. La Jolla…wealthy suburb of San Diego, beach, modern '60s architecture, campus life is kinda boring.

UC Davis - strong veterinary and integrative/agricultural biology departments. Similar selectivity to UCI and UCSB…inland small college town near Sacramento…bikes prominent…only UC to have a football team besides Berkeley and UCLA.

UC Santa Barbara - strong physics and engineering departments, located on the beach in Santa Barbara, UC with a party school reputation

UC Irvine - up and coming UC…more of a commuter campus feel, strong academically, located in Orange County master planned community of Irvine…campus life is lacking.

UC Santa Cruz - beautiful wooded campus, very liberal, northern coast of California south of San Francisco. Less selective than UCI, UCSB and UCD

UC Riverside - located in inland Los Angeles (Riverside), commuter campus feel, recently added a medical school.

UC Merced - Newest UC founded in 2005. Inland central valley location. Too new to really have a reputation…but students can be part of shaping that reputation/atmosphere…first research university founded in the 21st century.

UC San Francisco - Berkeley’s de facto medical school…graduate only.