URGENT Help UCSB physics vs UCLA

mikemac
Fri, 04 May 2012 13:52:55 +0000

IMHO there is virtually no meaningful difference in the undergrad education offered between these two schools. You are going to take pretty much the same classes (since they are 2 UC campuses they even have the same course numbers!), your fellow students will be of similar intelligence in the Physics major, your classes will be the same size, etc, etc.

If you look for differences in outcomes among students you’ll find that its what the student does that makes the difference. How hard they work to learn the material, whether they get to know a few profs so they get the benefit of their advice (and personalized recs for grad school), whether they take part in research. Nobody is going to look over your shoulder to make sure you are working hard enough, nobody is going to tell you to come to their office hours, nobody is going to ask you to work on research in their lab. It’s all on your shoulders, but its what makes the difference in what you get out of your college years.

So since the 2 schools are quite different in atmosphere, I’d say go to the one you like best.