emergency!! can't decide which UC...HELP!

[lovealley]

<p>I got accepted to UC Santa Cruz and UC San diego and I seriously cannot decide and the deadline is may 1st! i live in monterey, 45 minutes away from santa cruz and 8 hours away from san diego. i don’t know if im ready for that huge change to san diego and i figure i can transfer in two years there if i end up wanting to. i want to major in some type of biology, but i’m also interested in Santa Cruz’s astronomy prgoram. so, if anyone has any opinions about either or both…the environment, dorms, classes, majors, programs, and anything that would help!</p>

[almostmidnight]

<p>I’d say San Diego. It’s a much better school, with great departments. Unless, of course, you really are very uncomfortable with being that far from home.</p>

[UcMichigan]

<p>UCSD if you like academics and UCSC if you like a social life. I heard UCSD has a somewaht poor social life qualilty. Dont bash me but that what I heard from ppl</p>

[Mr_von_Schnauzer]

<p>There’s nothing wrong with UCSC, and it isn’t as if you’d be turning down Princeton for it. If you feel more comfortable at Santa Cruz, then by all means go there, and you will succeed accordingly.</p>

[APOL]

<p>Boy-great choices—I think you are on the money for the simularities/differences. My D tried this exercise-and found it helpt:
she quieted her mind, closed her eyes, and then envisioned walking across the campus…it became clear which she preferred…Good luck!</p>

[ADad]

<p>You sound like you are leaning toward Santa Cruz. Someone with the screen name “thesettlingsounds” posted a similar question last year:</p>

<p>

Until tonight, I was looking forward to this coming school year and attending UC Santa Cruz. However, this website’s threads reminded me of the attitudes held by many in not only the academic world but mainstream society concerning the school’s academic integrity. I don’t say this to sound arrogant, only to put this in perspective, but I was a high performing student and a National Merit Scholar, so I chose this school over quite a few very well-regarded schools like UC Davis and Santa Clara. I did so because of the extraordinary campus, laid-back atmosphere, and appealing classes. However I’ve become discouraged reading all the comments about slacker, stoner students and poor departments. How have alumni dealt with these attitudes? Is the education truly so lacking? I need reminders about why I chose this school. Any confidence boosting would be very much appreciated.

</p>

<p>Here is his/her thinking about the decision in January 2007:</p>

<p>

Hey, halfway through my first year, I’d like to thank everybody who responded. UC Santa Cruz is great, and I’m glad I chose a college based on the factors most important to me (nature, access to UC facilities and resources, laid-back attitude) rather than those which figure so predominantly in CC (prestige, lucrative post-graduation positions, blah blah). I’m very happy here now, satisfied with my education and absolutely in love with the town, and hopefully I’ll be hired as a tour guide soon so I can show off the school to others and get them to look beyond the unfounded or overexaggerated stereotypes. Thanks again, everybody.

</p>

<p>From the thread “Have i made a mistake?”,
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=212431[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=212431&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I suggest that you look at “thesettlingsounds’” other posts, as well as the comments of others (not all favorable) on the various threads on which he/she posted.</p>