I've made up my mind, going to UCSD unless someone can talk me out of it...

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>1st I have to get accepted into UCSD, but I think I’ll make the cut (3.4 GPA, all but 1 2 unit physics course are done in terms of pre-requisites). I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but I am trying to plan out my summer (I will try and transfer early and go to summer school down there).</p>

<p>My major is Mechanical Engineering. I’ve already been accepted by Cal Poly Pomona, UC Irvine and UC Davis. I have yet to hear from UCSD and UC Berkeley. I am not in awe of the prestige of Berkeley, and I am more interested about getting a quality PRACTICAL education. I want to be involved in as many engineering activities that I can get involved with. Formula SAE, Baja SAE, human powered vehicle, etc etc. If there is a wrench to be turned, or a frame to be designed/welded/etc, I want to be involved. </p>

<p>I decided that UC Irvine is probably not the place for me. Their engineering department looked decent, but nothing stood out. No notible faculty for mech./aero. engineering, no routinely high finishes in any competition, not a particularly large engineering department, and it’s a commuter school. While I am sure their educational program there is good, as I said, I don’t think it’s the place for me.</p>

<p>UC Davis looks like a great place. Lots of ABET certified programs, they already admitted me, and they have the largest engineering department of all the UCs. It looks like they are involved in a lot of competitions (with regard to engineering stuff), and the TAs don’t do any of the undergrad teaching. </p>

<p>UC San Diego appears to have a program where if you perform well while pursuing your undergrad for mech. engineering, you can go straight on through and get a masters ( [MAE</a> Undergraduate Education - Degree Programs](<a href=“http://maeweb.ucsd.edu/undergrad/degree/degree_prog.php#mecheng]MAE”>http://maeweb.ucsd.edu/undergrad/degree/degree_prog.php#mecheng) ). Their engineering department is huge (although not as big as Davis), they don’t seem to be the commuter campus that Irvine is, and they seem to be involved in a lot of engineering competitions. Some friends that do go there (but not for mech. engineering) have all loved the school.</p>

<p>So given all that, can you guys talk me out of UCSD, or do you think that that school is the best fit for me (provided I get accepted of course).</p>

<p>Thanks for any/all of your input. </p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>Ogi,</p>

<p>I don’t think I would talk anyone out of UCSD. The weather/people/scenery/departments make it a very pleasant place to be. If you are looking for just a practical education, Berkeley is known for being quite intense. UCSD might be the fit for you.</p>

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<p>A friend of mine in the engineering department at UCI says theres a lack of “wrench turning and frame welding.” Good call on not going to UCI.</p>

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<p>But UCI has a really nice campus. It’s almost like some weird utopia.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the replies! It’s hard to judge these schools that are so far away (I reside in the SF Bay Area).</p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>yes, I can change your mind…</p>

<p>UCD has cows. Cows are awesome. UCD is awesome.</p>

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<p>How can you argue with logic like that?! That’s it, I’m submitting my intent to register at UCD right now!</p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>Forreals! DO IT. </p>

<p>I see you are from the Bay. REP IT.</p>

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<p>I’m scared that you bay area people will ghost ride my whip.</p>

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<p>LOL what the hell!</p>

<p>Ogi, I’ve been to La Jolla many times, and it is just beautiful. Especially in comparison to the Bay Area (no offense, I love the Bay Area).</p>

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<p>Oh and also, I’ve heard that Cal Poly Pomona has a good engineering program, but I heard that budget cuts are making classes impossible to register for, which in turn makes graduating on an orderly time more difficult to do as well. That and the construction on Grand is the worst thing ever.</p>

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<p>I checked out Cal Poly Pomona and their engineering program looked pretty good, no shortage of hands on. I think I would prefer to go to UCD over Pomona though. </p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>State schools are not the place to be at the moment.</p>

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<p>Ogi,
I love your name btw. </p>

<p>Anyways, I would go to UCSD over UCD for the obvious reasons as I was trying to point out:

  • Unless you love smelling cow dungy every morning, UCSD is the choice. However, do note (and im sure you’ve been to UCD before since you hail from the bay) that UCD has a “college-town” feeling to it since it is the largest UC campus with a buttload of bike-riders. Asians on bikes is just as bad as Asian drivers. This is coming from an Asian who almost got ran over 4 times in 1 hour at UCD. I WAS ON THE SIDEWALK TOO. </p>

<p>As for program-wise, if you feel that UCSD’s engineering program is better, go for it. But ive met some engineer majors at UCD who all seem to love it. One of them now goes to Stanford (fwiw).</p>

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<p>go up north ucd, hot as f-u-c-k down here in ucsd</p>

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<p>lol there is no way that UCSD is hotter than UCD in the summer. It routinely gets above 105 at Davis (and I imagine over 110 from time to time).</p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>they have cow milking contests in UCD… if that doesn’t persuade you, i don’t know what can.</p>

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<p>haha I don’t care about the location so much as I care about the engineering programs at each school. I used to be in the military, and I’m accustomed to being in “less than ideal” living conditions. </p>

<p>Ogi</p>

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<p>san diego = beautiful weather/ beautiful people.
depends if you want a big change or a slight change.
socal and the bay are very different so its up to you.
i vote sd.</p>

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<p>wait…did you apply to cal poly slo? coz thatd should be the first choice besides berkeley of course</p>