Community College or UCSD

[Nick York]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello everyone. I'm sort of new to this forum. I just graduated high school in June and i'm starting pre-pharmacy this fall in two weeks. I applied to ucsd when i was in high school and they rejected me. BUT, they gave me an offer to start at a CC and transfer as a junior and that it would be guaranteed. BUT, just about three days ago they sent me a letter stating that they have room for me at UCSD for the winter 2005 quarter and that I could take classes at CC in the fall. They gave me until Aug. 20th to send in my statement of intent to register for winter 2005 or continue in the guaranteed transfer program. Now i do not know what to do! After being rejected from them i was set to start at CC and I was pretty fine with that, in fact i was happy because it wouldn't be as hard as UCSD. What do you guys think I should do?

 

[Oneday_9]

Hello everyone. I'm sort of new to this forum. I just graduated high school in June and i'm starting pre-pharmacy this fall in two weeks. I applied to ucsd when i was in high school and they rejected me. BUT, they gave me an offer to start at a CC and transfer as a junior and that it would be guaranteed. BUT, just about three days ago they sent me a letter stating that they have room for me at UCSD for the winter 2005 quarter and that I could take classes at CC in the fall. They gave me until Aug. 20th to send in my statement of intent to register for winter 2005 or continue in the guaranteed transfer program. Now i do not know what to do! After being rejected from them i was set to start at CC and I was pretty fine with that, in fact i was happy because it wouldn't be as hard as UCSD. What do you guys think I should do?

Go to UCSD, it is an awesome school and worth the wait! Plus, SD is a nice city. Their Pharmacy program is top notch or is going to be.

 

[JD_USD]

Hello everyone. I'm sort of new to this forum. I just graduated high school in June and i'm starting pre-pharmacy this fall in two weeks. I applied to ucsd when i was in high school and they rejected me. BUT, they gave me an offer to start at a CC and transfer as a junior and that it would be guaranteed. BUT, just about three days ago they sent me a letter stating that they have room for me at UCSD for the winter 2005 quarter and that I could take classes at CC in the fall. They gave me until Aug. 20th to send in my statement of intent to register for winter 2005 or continue in the guaranteed transfer program. Now i do not know what to do! After being rejected from them i was set to start at CC and I was pretty fine with that, in fact i was happy because it wouldn't be as hard as UCSD. What do you guys think I should do?

I agree with Oneday 9 😱

CC might be a mellow "kick back" approach and you definitely could enjoy it better than studying hard at UCSD. But for the sake of wanting to get somewhere, UCSD is the better path to travel. The UC system is good, and well, they do think highly of themselves as well. I was posed with the dilemma of attending the University of San Diego or UC Berkeley. I wrote the UCSD Pharmacy department (Dean, professors, and all!) an e-mail about which they think may serve me better in preparing to enter their pharmacy school. I had an overwhelming response to go for Cal and only one "go where you'll feel comfortable" reply. Although I chose the minority opinion, I just may eat my decision when time to apply comes and my application is compared to that of a similar Berkeley grad. So my final word would be to go for it at UCSD. Besides, where else in So. Cal can you get student housing up against millionaire beach cliff homes?!? 🙂

 

[BMBiology]

where else in So. Cal can you get student housing up against millionaire beach cliff homes?!? 🙂

😍 UC Irvine 😍

Don't you watch the "OC"?

 

[JD_USD]

😍 UC Irvine 😍

Don't you watch the "OC"?

Much love to UCI, but they have no Pharmacy school! (Although they offer a pharmacology PhD!)

 

[jason UCSD2000]

If money is at all an issue, go to the CC first - by all means. I went to a JC for two years before transfering to UCSD - I saved a lot of money - graduated with no debt. One thing that I can tell you is that being a "transfer student" is a little different than coming in as a freshman. You kinda skip the whole dorm thing, so you won't know as many people when you first get there. All of the transfer students did a lot of things together (parties, movies...etc).
It was kind of a shock when I first got to UCSD, because I was used to semesters and UCSD is on the quarter system. Things move a lot quicker. So...it kinda looks like the ball is in your court. Either way, you still get into UCSD... 🙂
-jason

 

[JD_USD]

If money is at all an issue, go to the CC first - by all means. I went to a JC for two years before transfering to UCSD - I saved a lot of money - graduated with no debt. One thing that I can tell you is that being a "transfer student" is a little different than coming in as a freshman. You kinda skip the whole dorm thing, so you won't know as many people when you first get there. All of the transfer students did a lot of things together (parties, movies...etc).
It was kind of a shock when I first got to UCSD, because I was used to semesters and UCSD is on the quarter system. Things move a lot quicker. So...it kinda looks like the ball is in your court. Either way, you still get into UCSD... 🙂
-jason

Jason,
I'm thinking of transferring to UCSD's Pharm. chem B.S. program. I'm starting my 2nd year at Univ. San Diego. Would you advice it? I'm on a shrinking scholarship at USD (budget) and UCSD would be cheaper. How were you received by UCSD's Pharmacy School since you were one of their undergrads? I'm asking because I didn't apply to UCSD as an HS grad because I had heard about an unwritten rule where UCSD doesn't like to accept their own undergrads into thier graduate or prof. schools. Ever hear of that?

 

[jason UCSD2000]

I graduated from UCSD with a BS in Pharm. Chem. I didn't apply to UCSD's pharmacy school, but I have heard that UCSD would rather you go somewhere else for graduate school. I really don't know if that's true. There are a few other people in my class at UCSF who also got their BS in Pharm. Chem, and I know one person who went to USD. Perhaps you should call the admissions office at UCSD and see what they think.
-jason

 

[Oneday_9]

I graduated from UCSD with a BS in Pharm. Chem. I didn't apply to UCSD's pharmacy school, but I have heard that UCSD would rather you go somewhere else for graduate school. I really don't know if that's true. There are a few other people in my class at UCSF who also got their BS in Pharm. Chem, and I know one person who went to USD. Perhaps you should call the admissions office at UCSD and see what they think.
-jason

Hey just to kinda get in on this, I talked with a friend of mine who is going to UCSD Pharmacy School, a new student, and she told me that both her roomies also graduated from UCSD. So this may dispell the myth, but who knows what UCSD is thinking when selecting applicants. You actually have a better shot of getting in now, bc they are accepting 60 people each year from now on as compared to last year they only selected 25!

Honestly, just go to the school ya want to for undergrad (UCSD would be cheaper and would be great, no offense to USD, as I was thinking of going there after HS, got in actually).

Don't let myths or rumors stop you from where ya want to go. If I had listened to half the people here at work in AZ or from my own family like my Dad about how UC's favor in-state applicants, UCSF is ranked top (that doesn't matter to me anyways), they have so many competitive applicants, etc. I never would have applied and never would have got into UCSF.

So just go for it, because there is no reason why you shouldn't be one of 60, no matter where your did undergrad work. Get the right exp, work hard, community service, take on some leadership, and you'll have a great shot. I feel good just having received an interview from UCSD, because I knew it was ultra competitive (only 2.5% of the applicant pool of 1000 accepted)! haha

Anyways, hope that helps.

🙂

 

[Nick York]

well wouldnt it be better to get a's and have a better gpa at a cc, than getting b's and a lower gpa at ucsd?

 

[Oneday_9]

well wouldnt it be better to get a's and have a better gpa at a cc, than getting b's and a lower gpa at ucsd?

Well, it isn't all about grades, and I think the rigor of the coursework and courseload will make you a stronger student and I also think it will challenge you. I don't know if this is weighed heavily, but if you think you cannot do well at UCSD, then you won't.

Go to a cc for a year then transfer...it isn't the hardest work you could ever do but it will challenge you. This will help in your development and make you a more competitive applicant.

 

[crest29]

Hi Nick,
I just graduated from UCSD! If money isn't an issue, you should definetly goto UCSD! At UCSD, you will have so many more opportunities than you do at community college. There are a ton of pre-health, pre-professional programs that will offer you priceless information. Join the Pre Pharmacy Society! and Health Mentor Pre Professional Program ( you get paired up with a mentor in the field you want to study) In addition, though the courses are tougher, you will learn! you will learn how to study hard and how to do well and how to be competitive, early on in your academic career. The lower division classes will prepare you better for the tougher upper division classes. Also you have opportunities to check out the UCSD Pharmacy School and volunteer with them in various events they coordinate. You can do research too, lots of undergraduate research opportunities are available. Also San Diego is Beautiful! Awesome beaches, great food and clubs, very chill environment. If you are interested in UCSD, I would me more than happy to talk to you more about it!
I don't think its true that UCSD Pharm School won't accept UCSD undergrads becuase I know many people who got into UCSD Pharm school and were my classmates at UCSD. Also, schools DO look at what undergraduate college you went to. A 4.0 at a Community college is not the same as a 4.0 at a prestige university. If you can keep up your grades at a tougher school, it will look much better when you apply to pharmacy school. This is good especially since you are only starting your college career. I didn't figure this out until my last year at UCSD! Start early!
Goodluck!

 

[Nick York]

Thanks crest. btw, where are you going to pharmacy school?

 

[crest29]

i'm actually in the process of applications this fall.

 

[Nick York]

oh, goodluck then. which college are you in at ucsd? i am so bad at making decisions. i still havent decided yet. it is so funny because had i been accepted a long time ago, like i was supposed to, i wouldnt even have hesitated to go to ucsd. but why would i want to go to a school that didnt want me in the first place? another thing i dont like about being accpeted for the winter quarter is that i dont get to live in the dorms. and then i emailed some of the pharm schools in california and they all told me that it was up to me blah blah blah and that any direction id choose would qualify me to apply to pharmacy school.

 

[jason UCSD2000]

but why would i want to go to a school that didnt want me in the first place? another thing i dont like about being accpeted for the winter quarter is that i dont get to live in the dorms.

It's not that they didn't want you, it's the budget cuts that didn't allow UCs to accept as many people as they normally do. Just go to UCSD this winter. They have a really good off-campus housing office that'll help you find a place.

 

[crest29]

i just graduated from marshall college (3rd). UCSD is a great school, i'm sure you will do fine. trust me if you can get through it, you will feel like you can do ANYTHING; the school works you hard but it is well worth it, especially if you want to goto pharm school. you can try to find on campus housing, they always have people drop out in the middle of the year, you just need to get on the housing waitlist. But if you want to be sure to have a place, there are tons of people always looking for roomates, personally i liked living off campus much much better and i did for 3 years. There are lots of apt complexes around campus (i'd reccomend looking into La Scala, La Regencia or Archstone) all are walking distance to campus, during the school year, there is a City Shuttle that goes around La Jolla following the Public bus route but comes ever 8 minutes (very very reliable) that goes right to the middle of campus so you don't have to worry about transportation to and from the school. Excellent =) especially cause the parking permit is 435 dollars and forces you to park a mile away from campus anyway.