How hard is UCD?

<p>How hard is it to get good grades at UCD if you are a psychology major compared to other ucs.</p>

<p>if you put in the time and effort, you’ll do fine. College is a lot different than high school; you get out of it however much you put in. No more, no less.</p>

<p>Don’t just focus on your grades. Get involved in your campus. Join clubs, get in a study group, go to dorm events, play an intramural sport, go to games, concerts, movies, outings. Have fun and make contacts. Your college experience will be greatly enhanced by the amazing environment at UCD.</p>

<p>You can get a 4.0 the first year for sure. Classes, overall, are incredibly easy. A lot of people slack off the first year and get below a 3.0, but that helps you (if there’s a curve, and with future jobs). First year classes are a joke. You better also go out and have fun, because the person with the 2.0 and many friends is just as screwed as the person with a 4.0 and is socially awkward. Get above a 3.5 by the end of your sophomore year, and you will likely have a good job lined up for you.</p>

<p>^ sounds like an ivy league grading scheme. Can’t be that easy at a public UC right?</p>

<p>It depends on the classes you take, but really it’s not bad at all. It’s true that the first year everyone slacks off. I think it’s because most first-years (me included) live in the dorms, so after we’re done with class, we have the convenience to bike back and go nap before the next class starts. After you live off campus, you’ll probably feel like it’s not worth going all the way back before your next class, so you stay on campus and catch up on homework/studying.</p>

<p>The weeder classes are hard. Don’t screw around, and study for those classes. They determine whether you get into your major choice in many instances. My d just texted me that she got a 99% on her accounting final! I know that it was a hard class and she spent a lot of time studying and went to see her TA.</p>

<p>congrats to your daughter!
During your first year, study a lot during the weekdays, don’t feel pressured to hang out. Party like insane on Friday/Saturday. You can party hard, only if you study hard.</p>

<p>It varies per major, but generally not very hard. A lot of people slack off here and just have a 2.0 and go philosophy.</p>

<p>For a psychology major, it would definitely depend if you want to get a BA or a BS. It’ll be tough your first year if you want a BS because you’ll have to take all those math/chem preparatory classes. I’m taking some of the psych BA preparatory classes right now (Psych 1, Stats 13, Anthro 1/2, BIS10) and I can say from personal experience that they are all very easy.</p>

<p>Stats 13 depends greatly on which professor you have…</p>

<p>Take Prof. Liu Wang, he is one of the best professors I have ever had. I was in casts for two weeks after an accident and he let me postpone the 1st and 2nd midterms (which I took later) and was still able to get an A. Very understanding guy that is very helpful during office hours.</p>

<p>Oh yea, and his TAs go over all the answers before the HW is due, so your homework (I think 10% of the grade when I took it) is a guaranteed 10/10 for those who are willing to spend 1 hour (not mandatory) for the section to turn in homework.</p>

<p>Stats 13 is pretty darn easy any way you slice it. You can even take the course on the internet.</p>

<p>For my stats class, the mean grade for the exams (and the exams were 90% of your grade) was around an 82. The professor even left class early…</p>

<p>Yup. Basically in order to get an A, you have to work harder than everyone else. In some classes that really isn’t that hard, in others it might be. Basically every professor must give some A’s (except for that one math professor who got fired). The freshman classes are all a joke, take the easy ones as they’ll be useful later to cushion your GPA since people actually start trying in their junior year (which is too late for them, but not too late for you if you already have a high GPA). It’s much easier to maintain a 3.8 than it is to raise a 2.7 to a 3.5. Get study habits early, I’d advise against taking classes that are “fun” but will definitely be very hard (take it Pass/No Pass). Don’t forget to party hard.</p>

<p>any good advice for premeds?</p>

<p>i want to emphasize on starting ur college career strong. don’t listen to the advisors on taking it easy for ur first quarter. i regret doing that. You want go in strong than you will have an easier college career instead of playing catch up every quarter. You also definitely want to find a group to be part of. Pick your friends carefully. go find a club, frat, sports. I am a premed student myself and part of the Sigma Mu Delta fraternity, a premed fraternity. They have helped me alot by providing me with old practice midterm and study materials from previous students. Also, most of the upperclassmen in the frat already took the class that I am taking so they gladly help me if i have any problems.</p>