UCMerced vs University of the Pacific vs CSULB

College Search & Lists
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<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I got rejected from UCI and UCSD which wasn’t that surprising to me. Anyway, I’m now left with these three choices to attend after high school. I wasn’t that heart-broken when I got rejected, because I never had a dream school in the first place.</p>

<p>I don’t really want to go to CSULB, because it’s too close to home and it seems more of a party school to me. Am I wrong? Are the academics just as challenging as compared to UCM or UOP? I’m not really the type to go out and want to party. I’m more of a gamer girl who just spends her time with people on skype and other things along those lines. I plan to stop gaming when I go off to school, though.</p>

<p>UCM at first didn’t appeal to me, but now I’m looking at it because I got chosen for the school’s admissions due to the “Count Me In” program. I’m considering it mainly, because: 1) I get to get away from home, 2) it is focused on its academics 3) it is a semester system and 4) it is a UC which I think holds more prestige than a CSU. However, what worries me is that it still isn’t certified, I know that it got it’s first initial certification last year though. Would it be hard for me to find work or go to a graduate school if I went to UCM? Also, is the place really that boring and is it true that all students leave during the weekends? Can I get a lot of attention when I need help with professors and TAs? How are the dorms? I’ve looked at the UCM page already, and it hasn’t been updated with new information and I’m sure it’s changed since 2008.</p>

<p>Finally, UOP doesn’t look that bad to me when compared to CSULB or UCM. It’s ranked 106 nationally, and it has been around for a long time. The campus is also beautiful. I got into my major which is psychology. I like this school, but the problem is this school is too far from home. It’s 7 hours away, and my parents don’t like that. UCM is only 4 hours away. Another big issue for me attending UOP is that by the time I graduate, I’ll be in debt with over 90k whereas CSULB and UCM are much cheaper for me.</p>

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<p>Bump.</p>

<p>I’ll be visiting both schools in the upcoming two weekends to make a sure decision. But, I still want input/replies; I’d really appreciate them!</p>

<p>Also, I was wrong about owing UOP over 90k. I emailed the financial aid, and one of the employees for finaid told me that I was wrong. It’s actually 55k after I graduate from the school. Is this still doable for me? For my future, I plan to go to medical school to become a psychiatrist but if not that I’d plan to get a Ph.D for clinical psychology.</p>

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<p>I wouldn’t take out 55K in debt if you have other options and plan to go to medical school. What medical schools and grad schools have UCM’s graduates gone to in the past few years? I bet if you called admissions they would be able to tell you.</p>

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<p>CSU’s are crap. UC’s are top tier but Merced is no different than CSU. I would choose University of Pacific.</p>

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<p>What do you mean by “certified”? Do you mean “accredited”? UC Merced has its initial accreditation, which means they ARE accredited. [Accreditation</a> | Accreditation](<a href=“http://accreditation.ucmerced.edu/]Accreditation”>http://accreditation.ucmerced.edu/)</p>

<p>They’re also hoping to build a med school. While that may not come to be, they DO have a program to train doctors with the assistance of other UCs. [UC</a> Merced sees its first medical students | abc30.com](<a href=“http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/education&id=8260266]UC”>http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/education&id=8260266)</p>

<p>And you can read about some of the successful Merced graduates who went on to med school here. [Successful</a> Medical School Applicants | Pre-Health](<a href=“http://prehealth.ucmerced.edu/portraits-success/successful-medical-school-applicants]Successful”>http://prehealth.ucmerced.edu/portraits-success/successful-medical-school-applicants)</p>

<p>I would recommend Merced. . . or, go to community college for a year or two and then transfer to a higher ranked UC. Good luck.</p>

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<p>@ CuriousJane
I looked into it and found out that students went to UCSD, UCD, Dartmouth, Yale, CSULB and some other ones which I don’t remember. I guess it really just depends on how much effort the student puts in for the four years. Finding that out was good, but UOP is the same I believe. I am indeed keeping the prices in mind. Thank you for the input!</p>

<p>@ XtremePower
Are you speaking this out of personal experience, or are you just saying this because you’re following the general crowd? I feel like your comment is out of ignorance rather than informative; if not, please do clarify or expound on your points. Thank you.</p>

<p>@ gettinin
Oh, okay. Thanks for clarifying the accredited issue.</p>

<p>I’ve already found that article and read it. It seems to be focused on the San Joaquin area, though, and that doesn’t appeal to me very much. I will most likely not be trying to join that program.</p>

<p>I like the thread you linked me towards the successful medical school applicants. Would you mind telling me why aside from the price you’d go for Merced? The more input I get, the more informed my decision will be! Thanks!</p>

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<p>Its common sense AinaChan.</p>

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<p>*CSU’s are crap. UC’s are top tier but Merced is no different than CSU. *</p>

<p>Absolutely not true. The CSU’s are not “crap”. CSUFullerton, Long Beach, San Diego and some others are very good. Certainly the Cal Polys are very good.</p>

<p>UC Merced is a very good school. It’s a UC but it’s small, so lots of personal attention and more like a private.</p>

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<p>*Stats: </p>

<p>SAT: 1380~1400 LOL
SAT IIs: even worse…
GPA: 4.2
Rank: Top 9%
Other stats: n/a*</p>

<p>Is that your SAT for all 3 sections? If so, then you’re pretty lucky to get into a UC. I’d go to Merced if affordable. </p>

<p>What is your major and career interest?</p>

<p>How would you pay for UOP if you went there? </p>

<p>How is the aid for UC Merced? How much would you pay there?</p>

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<p>CSU means California State University. Nobody is talking about Cal Poly here, and certainly the OP isn’t considering any Cal Poly’s if that wasn’t obvious. Merced is the lowest level UC where people with 1500 SAT and 3.0 GPA attend. This is the school you go to if you don’t get accepted to any UC’s. </p>

<p>CSU’s have average SAT of 1050 (R+M). This alone proves my statement and I have to question the learning environment there. University of Pacific has average SAT of 1750 which is way above those two schools. Merced and Long Beach can be considered a tier 2 college.</p>

<p>The 25th percentile at UC merced is 1340. So, getting accepted with 1400 is not a surprise AT ALL but getting accepted to University of Pacific with that SAT can be considered lucky.</p>

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<p>@ XtremePower
Thank you for your input, and I am sure mom2collegekids knows what CSU means. Yes, I didn’t apply to any Cal Polys.</p>

<p>I know that UOP has more prestige, but do you think the debt is worth it seeing as how I plan to go to graduate school?</p>

<p>@ mom2collegekids
Yes, those were my SAT scores. Pretty bad I know, I do agree that I am lucky that I got into a UC. I should have worked harder for the SATs, but alas that’s the truth. I think what also happened me with getting into a UC is due to my extracurriculars (MUN, Key Club, golf, NAHS, SADD, FCA, NHS and some other ECs I don’t remember), gpa, top 9% and maybe even my personal essays.</p>

<p>Anyway as detailed in my second post, my major that I put for both UOP and UCMerced is psychology. I am still trying to figure out what I for sure want to be, but for now I am thinking between becoming a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist.</p>

<p>If I went to UOP, I would be doing work study and I would be working during the summer as well (hopefully). I am planning to apply to scholarships throughout my years in uni and of course I am doing it now too; I hope I win some scholarships that I have applied to. My parents could probably offer some assistance, but I really don’t want to burden them so I haven’t asked them if they could loan me any money. My mom already knows that if I go UOP, I would owe 55k by the end of four years. She’s still on the fence about supporting me to attend UOP.</p>

<p>As for the aid from UCMerced, I have no clue about that yet. They just recently admitted me, so I’m going to receive the information later. I qualify for the FAFSA and CalGrant (A and B) though. I know for sure UCM would be a lot cheaper seeing as how it is a state school and not a private school.</p>

<p>@Anyone reading this (HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED/ATTEND UOP AND UCM)
How is the atmosphere at both schools? Are there a lot of activities to do? I’ve been reading online reviews, and many of them are negative for both places. I’ll be going on a visit soon, but I still have to ask this because the more insight, the better. I’ve also looked at the discussion thread for both schools on here and asked about how it is, but no one is really replying to me.</p>

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<p>Xtreme…</p>

<p>I’m from Calif. I know what CSU stands for. </p>

<p>And, the Cal Polys are PART of the 23 campus CSU system, so when you say that the "CSUs are crap, that would include SLO and CPP. </p>

<p>The CSU’s are not “crap.” I find it interesting that you “question the learning environment” there. Are you more qualified than that high tech companies who’ve hired thousands of CSU grads?</p>

<p>*My mom already knows that if I go UOP, I would owe 55k by the end of four years. *</p>

<p>That is waaaayyyyy toooo much money for a psych undergrad degree. That degree pretty much needs a grad degree to go with it. You could have debt associated with that. </p>

<p>And the likelyhood that you’ll get scholarships throughout your undergrad years is very unlikely.</p>

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<p>Of course, you know what CSU is. That was mentioned just for rhetorical purposes. I am aware that Cal Polys are a part of Cal State system. Let me rephrase my statement again, Cal State Universities are crap, not Cal Poly’s. </p>

<p>If money is a problem and you need to take high amount of loans, you have no other option other than attending CSULB. I guess you could go up to Merced. Both Long Beach and Merced are on the same level, choose either one. Long Beach is the best CSU whereas Merced is the worst UC.</p>