Campus visit: redeeming qualities to emphasize?

Colleges & Universities University of California - San Diego
1

<p>Okay, so we’re down in SoCal looking at USC and UCSD. My family and I have just been taken through USC Preview Day…the school is very impressive. And that’s what I’m afraid of. I really REALLY want to go to UCSD, and I need to sell the school to them somehow.</p>

<p>We’re going to tour it tomorrow by ourselves (it’s Easter weekend, so apparently this means UCSD’s tour guides get the days off…)</p>

<p>Price tag isn’t an issue, so I can’t really use that as an argument. My parents want me to go to USC. I need to find qualities that UCSD has over USC.</p>

<p>What should I emphasize on the tour tomorrow to impress them? Help me out!</p>

2

<p>We don’t live in the ghetto! That’s about the only thing I can think of… but then again I would have given pretty much anything to go to USC. You are very lucky!</p>

3

<p>the neighborhood is muchh nicer
we have the beach
anddd u dont need to worry about your safety outside of the ucsd campus</p>

<p>one of the top schools for sciences, econ, engineering, polisci, international relations
save the money to go to a better graduate school :smiley:
mm…graduate with less debts</p>

<p>i don’t know about ppl’s attitude at usc, but ucsd is pretty laid back :]</p>

4

<p>Lovely weather, lovely beaches, nice city…oh, and the shopping center with the ice rink close by is pretty cool. BUT, as much WIN as they provide for me, those are the kinds of things my parents could care less about.</p>

<p>:(</p>

<p>Are there any specific places ON CAMPUS I should point out or take them to? Like is one building super impressive? How are the libraries? And the “supercomputer” center? Price center?</p>

5

<p>nah. go to usc. You have a great football team. biggest regret of coming here…</p>

<p>also geisel looks nice from the outside but is not too great inside. The supercomputer building’s kinda cool but is nothing special. price center is great, but is pretty standard compared to other schools’ food courts. You may want to show them the warren buildings as they look the most impressive.</p>

6

<p>dude go to usc if money aint a problem
ur crazy if you dont go there</p>

7

<p>You are the one giving four years of your life to a place you either love or don’t. Maybe the strongest argument is that one school makes you happier and therefore more motivated than the other. I also looked at USC. It’s a great school and lovely as their campus is, it feels like an island of priviledge in the midst of squalor. UCSD seemed more eclectic and diverse on campus and more connected to the world off-campus. And honestly, I worry about what can happen when your car breaks down late at night in the USC area. I just didn’t want to live four years in a place that feels like you can’t safely leave the campus.</p>

8

<p>AX3K</p>

<p>You should read posts 15 and 7 in this thread:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-san-diego/689349-why-should-i-choose-ucsd.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-san-diego/689349-why-should-i-choose-ucsd.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>my question is, why are you letting your parents decide for you?</p>

<p>they [presumably] already got their bout of college, and it’s time you enjoy yours. you’re supposed to choose the school that fits YOU best. not them. it’s that simple.</p>

10

<p>Well, in an ideal world, everybody would be able to choose for themselves with no pressure. Obviously I can still choose where I want to go, but where I choose depends on whether I land myself in my parents’ good graces or not. I would prefer to be able to go to the place I want to AND still be on good terms with my parents.</p>

<p>In the end, even if my parents feel UCSD is subpar, I’m still headed there. Call me crazy. :)))</p>

<p>We’re touring today after breakfast. Wish me good luck!</p>

11

<p>You could show your parents QS World University Rankings, where USC does not appear in the top 100, and UCSD ranks #58 in the world – perhaps such rankings matter to them:</p>

<p>[QS</a> Top Universities: Top 100 universities in the THE - QS World University Rankings 2008](<a href=“http://www.topuniversities.com/university_rankings/results/2008/overall_rankings/top_100_universities/]QS”>http://www.topuniversities.com/university_rankings/results/2008/overall_rankings/top_100_universities/)</p>

12

<p>I lived in South Central LA/Compton my entire life. This week I was robbed at knifepoint- ipod, cash stolen. My sister’s car has been hit three times by careless drivers, two drunk. My brother has been stabbed and robbed. Even if you don’t look for trouble (brother is at harvard med, sister at ucla), trouble will find you. If you go to USC, stay on campus if you don’t have a car. If you go out in your car, do not use a steering wheel lock. It’s better to be able to drive off immediately if you are being chased. </p>

<p>The school itself? Wonderful. It carries a lot of prestige- top ranked school where you get a great education. And if it were anywhere else, I would take them up on their admission offer like no problem.</p>

13

<p>To the OP… let us know how it goes!</p>

14

<p>Didn’t go so well. :(</p>

<p>I’m still going to 'SD though. Just…going to have to face months of awkwardness, tension, and disappointment beforehand.</p>

15

<p>^ohhh no :frowning: yeah UCSD on weekends is quite empty, I’m sure it didn’t make that great of an impression. That’s a bummer.</p>

16

<p>you should have gone to the muir musical! we closed last night</p>

17

<p>the weather right now kinda sucks too. it’s usually hotter than this</p>

18

<p>OP - maybe the threads from students with great stats that didn’t get accepted into UCSD will help them accept that public isn’t always a second choice to private in the university market.</p>

19

<p>tell your parents that school is about you and not them</p>