CSU or UC

[queenofhearts]

So I had a quickie question: I need to continue boosting my sGPA after I graduate this year and could either stay on with my UC (University of Cali) as part of the extension program (~$215 a unit) or could go to a CSU(Cal State Univ)? I know that UC's are thought to be more difficult but would classes taken at a CSU be counted in the same way?

Thank you!

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I personally would say that in the eyes of everyone outside of California CSU = UC.
So I would just go and take classes at state and have a easier time getting a higher grade.

 

[bravofleet4]

Well what kind of classes are we talking about? Like upper-division biology courses? Pre-req's should also be taken at a 4 year institution.

I don't think they'll care as long as you've demonstrated your ability to succeed in your science courses at the 4 year institutions.

 

[the duck]

I personally would say that in the eyes of everyone outside of California CSU = UC.
So I would just go and take classes at state and have a easier time getting a higher grade.

UC>>>>CSU.

Are you seriously saying that UC Berkeley has the same reputation as CSU Monterey which has a 31% 6-year graduation rate?

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I personally would say that in the eyes of everyone outside of California CSU = UC.
So I would just go and take classes at state and have a easier time getting a higher grade.

Seems questionable...

 

[Meat]

This is coming from someone graduating from a CSU.

The classes are fine, but I certainly feel the CSU reputation is much lower than the UCs. Go to a UC imo.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

UC>>>>CSU.

Are you seriously saying that UC Berkeley has the same reputation as CSU Monterey which has a 31% 6-year graduation rate?

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Actually, I'm a California resident and don't think of them that differently. As far as medical school is concerned it's your GPA that matters. Go to the one you feel more comfortable at and can do well at. Much more important about worrying about the reputation (which is in the eye of the beholder).

I have always attended schools where I liked the prof. and that made geographic sense (close to where I live), as well as based on schedule. Undergrad - Ivy League, but still took a chem class at a CC in CA because of the prof. Also took classes at Harvard (which was not my undergrad), Northeastern and UC Berkeley Extension.

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

 

[bookfreak89]

I personally would say that in the eyes of everyone outside of California CSU = UC.
So I would just go and take classes at state and have a easier time getting a higher grade.

Laypeople outside of California = possibly true, academia = not true.

CSU Anything =/= UC Berkeley/UCLA/etc.

Hell, Berkeley probably has some international clout for some of its programs.

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

I am from California, but I have been living in the East Coast for about 4 years. In academia (especially engineering), Berkeley is pretty strong and UCSD/UCLA for biological sciences. I can see where you are coming from, but Berkeley has more than just "good writers" (though it is program specific).

Of course, (in my opinion) Stanford >>UC >>CSU. Although this could be further broken down, but I won't bother.

Back to the topic:

In terms of taking classes for medical school admissions, that is different. I really don't think it matters that much where you take your science courses as long as you do well in them.

 

[J ROD]

Pick what works for you. I think UC would be better but mostly important is the grade.

 

[rHinO1]

Laypeople outside of California = possibly true, academia = not true.

This

like other people have said what is most important is your grade not where you get it. However an "A" from a UC will look better than an "A" from a CSU.

 

[the duck]

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

Okay seriously now...This UC bashing is getting kinda ridiculous. Berkeley has more Nobel winners than any other school, and is widely regard as having the number 1 chemistry department in the nation. Guys...do your research before you go bashing the UCs

 

[HopefulOncoDoc]

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

I just think it's interesting how many Nobel winners were either affiliated, taught, or graduated from Berkeley. Berkeley is in 6th place in the WORLD for being affiliated with a staggering 65 nobel winners, beating out institutions like Cornell, John Hopkins, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Cal Tech, Oxford, PENN....etc. In fact, the only institutions affiliated with more Nobel winners than Berkeley are Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Chicago, and Cambridge. It's just interesting.

 

[dokein]

Thats because your a California resident. Being a East Coaster I've never heard anything that impressive about UC with the exception of UC Berekely having some good writers coming out of it.
This might just be me, but your debating public schools, if it was CSU v.s Stanford then it'd be by far a big difference.

Based on the average of 3 well-known ranking systems (world-wide; Times Higher Education, ARWU, Newsweek):

Stanford = 5
UPenn = 11
UC Berkeley = 12
UC Los Angeles = 18
Duke = 19
Johns Hopkins = 20
UC San Diego = 24

The most commonly used ranking, SJTU, lists the UCs thusly:

Stanford = 2
UC Berkeley = 3
UC Los Angeles = 13
UC San Diego = 14
UPenn = 15
Johns Hopkins = 19
Duke = 31

The Stanford Dean even came out a while ago to say that UofM, UC Berkeley, and UCLA are vastly underrated when it comes to US News and World Report Rankings for undergraduate.

It's true that public perception lags a little bit, but I guarantee that UCLA and Berkeley are "heard of" by medical school admissions committees, considering the representation of students from these places at the interviews being comparable to other top schools (at least the places I've been).