I need your opinion guys regarding UC or CSU System in California?

[cnano]

Im finishing up my second year in a community college, and I'm considering to transfer to Cal State University Long Beach or UC Irvine for my major in Microbiology. Does it really matter that going to a UC school is more desirable than a Cal State to get into a graduate school like Dental School since I am pursuing to become a Dentist. I was considerating CSU, but I have no idea what to do. Is there a lot of Dentist out there that went to a CSU when they were working on their ungrad work. Can anybody give me opinions or guidance? I appreciate it. 🙁

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[Lopyswine]

don't go to Irvine. If you go to a UC, prepare for a much harder curriculum that the Cal state schools.

GPA is the most important factor for DS admission. With this in mind, you may want to pick the "easiest" school for you to keep a 3.7+ GPA.

 

[onetimeplease]

This actually pertains to me PERFECTLY. Out of high school, I went to UCI my freshman year as a chemistry major not knowing what I wanted to do. After surrounding myself with WAY too many competitive med students and having no idea who anybody is, I decided to transfer to CSU Fullerton. I found a school where you are on a personal level with teachers and get a quality education in the sciences. If I could do it all over again I would definately go to CSUF. Plus, CSUF has a dental committee that can write you a letter of recommendation for dental school. I am in the process of applying right now, and have 2 interviews so far : )

 

[ddsbruin]

i know for a fact from talking to adcoms that they look at (in no specific order)
1. where you went to school
2. the rigor of your courseload
3. your gpa

it may also be true that some dschools favor UC students giving them a little more credit for their gpa than other schools. from what i heard, a fair amount of east coast schools. the UC system is definitely harder than csu, but it also depends what UC's you go to as well. for ex. uc merced vs ucb. anyways, if you get a 4.0 at csulb or a 3.5 at uci, i think either way you're in good shape. now decide where you'll be most happy. 2-3 more years of school flies by, so have some fun while you're at it. undergrad will be/should be the best years of your life. good luck

 

[Lopyswine]

i know for a fact from talking to adcoms that they look at (in no specific order)
1. where you went to school
2. the rigor of your courseload
3. your gpa

it may also be true that some dschools favor UC students giving them a little more credit for their gpa than other schools. from what i heard, a fair amount of east coast schools. the UC system is definitely harder than csu, but it also depends what UC's you go to as well. for ex. uc merced vs ucb. anyways, if you get a 4.0 at csulb or a 3.5 at uci, i think either way you're in good shape. now decide where you'll be most happy. 2-3 more years of school flies by, so have some fun while you're at it. undergrad will be/should be the best years of your life. good luck

QFT.

Now, in my opinion a 4.0 at cal state is much easier to obtain than a 3.5 from UCI, UCD, UCLA, and UCB. So if you do decide to go to a cal state, don't expect the dental schools to be forgiving for a mediocre GPA.

 

[ddsbruin]

I forget what the difficulty is at csu's, but i think lopy is right. i might have given csu's a little too much credit (no offense). maybe a 4.0 at a csu is equivalent to a 3.3 at a good uc.

 

[PreDent08]

i think going to a uc would be more desirable. i would go to any uc over any cal states.

 

[firenoodle]

i think cal states are better, because you get to know your teachers at a much much deeper degree, when its time for that letter of rec, you will get a much in depth letter than the UC teacher might give. at the same time cal state class have smaller class size you get to ask questions and wont feel like a stupid. but if you want to have the college experience of living in dorm and be involved in on campus activity, UC is prob a better choice. GPA wise i think cal state and UC is similar, i know some community classes are harder than UC classes. it all depends on how hard you study and who your teacher is

 

[doc3232]

Forget about UC and CSU for a sec...just don't go to a tough school, get a low gpa, then try to say use the excuse that you went to a tough school.

On a side note, second time I hear that someone who went to CSU had great interactions with the profs.

 

[cnano]

I know that UC schools are more preferred due to the fact they are research schools. They tend to prepare the students with challenging classes that will prepare you for the graduate level. But isn't it the same for Cal State Schools as well. Since both Biology departments or any disciplines from any major you are majoring from CSU or UC System mission is to help the students succeed by preparing them for graduate schools. I know both colleges system are great. But in my situation UC system might be a too tough for me. This doesn't mean I want to go to a school that is easy to earn for a perfect 4.0 GPA as well. I now there been hard working, motivated, and dedication for people who work hard for their degree. I do want the best education far beyond, its just that why not CSU be a a great school also to prepare you to go to Dental School.

 

[PDizzle]

The UC vs CSU has been argued to death.

Here is the bottom line..........peeps from UC's are far more sexy than the CSU's. This is a fact! Go ahead and wiki it!

Now, if you already happen to be dead sexy, then go ahead and go to a CSU and get that 4.0 but isn't it the amount of sexitude you have really what counts?

Sexyliciousness > GPA

 

[206127]

I don't know where people get off saying that a 4.0 at a CSU is the same as a 3.3 at some UC, that is BS. If you had a 3.3 from a UC would you tell the admissions committee, "Oh it's cool, I got it at a UC it's basically a 4.0. Dont worry about it"... ??? I don't think so. A 4.0 in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, ect. is difficult to get anywhere. Is the biology I learned at a CSU different from the biology someone learned at a UC? Of course not. SAVE MONEY and go to a CSU...

 

[iJackTeeth]

.....

 

[206127]

The UC vs CSU has been argued to death.

Here is the bottom line..........peeps from UC's are far more sexy than the CSU's. This is a fact! Go ahead and wiki it!

Now, if you already happen to be dead sexy, then go ahead and go to a CSU and get that 4.0 but isn't it the amount of sexitude you have really what counts?

Sexyliciousness > GPA

Ok... I know I said go to a CSU but this statement is true, most (but not all) girls at my school are pretty rough....

 

[cnano]

I would agree to futuredentist09. Both college system are the same wherever class you take. Such as bio, org-chem, physics, etc. CSU offer the same amount of rigorous courses as UC system. I would think that no matter if you work hard and take a heavy rigorous coursework for that major and you graduate from a UC or CSU that once you get into Dental School then you are already in the program as a student in a UC System. i would say both schools are the same and I might as well go to a CSU system with the other CSU pre-dental students in this dental Forum.

 

[ddsbruin]

some would think that b/c it's the same material taught at both places that it should be just as easy/hard to get the same grade? it's not. uc's except for cal are on the quarter system which is at a much higher pace and is more difficult for the amount of information we have to cram in so little time. then add the higher level of competition that exists at a uc and you'll realize that it's not as easy as you would think. so if it's technically the same material...and the exams are the same, then why is it still so hard for us to do well?

this is exactly why adcoms give more credit to a uc student with similar stats to a csu student. it simply means more to them because they know it was harder to get. ask any adcom from the california dental schools. now, if you feel confident that you can compete at a uc for that gpa, go for it. if you're worried it will ruin you, stay away. basically, the take home message is that a ucgpa is looked more highly upon than a csu. but if you go to a uc and can't get that gpa, then there's no point right? just be confident in yourself and what you think you're capable of at either university. i don't consider that as taking the easy way out, but making a very smart decision. i feel the QUALITY of education should be the same b/c you're basically learning the same material. the opportunities, lifestyle, and experience may differ.

lastly, like you, i am also a transfer student. i had a choice to transfer to a local csu, save tons of money, and potentially have a higher gpa. i also had a choice of going to ucb/ucla/ucsd/ucd. i chose la at the time b/c i knew there was a lot more opportunities here for pre-health students and many other reasons(pac10 sports/weather/location/change/etc). and like pdizzle said, plain and simple...we're sexier lol. but back to the point, im happy i came here and i feel i'll still make it into dschool someday despite the sacrifice of my gpa. there's much more you should account for than just your gpa. see what opportunities are available for you there (research/volunteering/predent stuff). most importantly, maximize and take advantage of every opportunity you can and if you truly worked hard during those years, then im sure it'll pay off. good luck!

 

[Sea of ASH]

Im finishing up my second year in a community college, and I'm considering to transfer to Cal State University Long Beach or UC Irvine for my major in Microbiology. Does it really matter that going to a UC school is more desirable than a Cal State to get into a graduate school like Dental School since I am pursuing to become a Dentist. I was considerating CSU, but I have no idea what to do. Is there a lot of Dentist out there that went to a CSU when they were working on their ungrad work. Can anybody give me opinions or guidance? I appreciate it. 🙁

frankly, if you know you will handle business at uci go there, if not dont risk gettin a messed up gpa like me lol. i went to uci and i regret it. i shoulda gone to csun

 

[cnano]

I would agree. There's more than just earning that high GPA. My background so far for extra curricular/Experiences is that I am a Registered Dental Assitant plus also a Certified Dental Assistant (DANB), and I also have a certificate as a Certified California Oral Maxilliofacial Surgeon Assistant (CALAOMS) working in a Oral Surgeon office. The doctor I work for is also sponsoring me to obtain the Orthodontic Asssitant program. On top of that I have an A.S. Degree in Registered Dental Assistant. I know that is enough for experiences in the dental field. Especially my uncle is a General Dentist in Sacremento which he is my support system for me to go all the way for my success. I've also been involved in a pre-health club called Doctor of Tomorrow (DOT). So with these stats and GPA in the future I would pretty sure get into dental school.

 

[ddsbruin]

last thing to mention, i also noticed that other transfer students I met are usually more driven and already come in with the right mindset and goals to achieve. simply, they're not here to mess around...too much haha. everyone still has fun. if you did really well at your jc, then you should do decent if not well here or anywhere else. you also sound like you have all your dental exp covered. so aside from more volunteering exp(you can never have too much), maybe research, and a high gpa/dat, you're set!

 

[telebeans]

Go to the UC!!! They have so many more opportunities to offer than a CSU especially for ECs. While CSU may be cheaper, I don't agree that you should go just for an easier A. It's your last 2 years of undergrad and if you're set on being a dentist, you'll study hard regardless of where you are.

 

[RDAtoDDS]

If your concern is getting into dental school, you should compare schools on that statistic. Call up the schools of interest and if they have a pre-dental club or committee or adviser, then ask them what percentage of students applying to D. school from their college get in. Having a committee letter is also very favorable, so if one school gives them and the other doesn't, go to the school that will write you a committee letter.
Also, where ever you go, get a high GPA and a high DAT score.

 

[bjhath]

I have attended both UC and CSU. My experience may not apply across comparisons of all UCs and CSUs, but here goes...

I attended UCB and earned a BS and MS in ME; I am attending SFSU as a pre-dental post-bac. I put equal focus on my studies at both schools.

I am getting better grades with less study time at SFSU than I did at UCB. The rigorousness and workload of classes at SFSU is significantly less than at UCB. The size of core classes are just as bad at SFSU as at UCB. SFSU upper div bio classes are larger than upper div engineering at UCB. Professors were more knowledgeable and less accessible (imho) at UCB; professors are younger, more excited to teach, and more accessible at SFSU.

This may be somewhat of a flawed comparison, since I was in engineering at UCB and am in biology at SFSU. For me, biology is a breeze compared to engineering. I wish I had known how interesting and fun biology is when I was in school the first time around...😳

The syllabus and core content of classes at CSU and UC may be the same, but there was significantly more work required outside of class (problem sets, lab reports, etc.) at UCB compared to SFSU. I think that is the principle difference between the two systems.

My advice is to go to a school that best fits your learning style, budget, and lifestyle. Study hard, do well, make sure you have time for extracurriculars (volunteering, leadership positions, shadowing, etc.), and rock the DAT. If you do this, adcoms won't care if you went to UC or CSU.

Good luck!

*The views expressed above are those solely of bjhath* *ymmv*

 

[sl2obel2ts]

go to UC but stay within national ranking top 50. UCD UCSB UCSD UCI UCLA UCB. I found it interesting that every east coast school i went to for an interview thought highly of my UC Berkeley Engineering degree despite my low GPA. They also thought highly of UC Davis as well (I went to both UCD and UCB). If you look at UCSF's statistics for class of 2012,

http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/admissions/admiss_program1-stats.html

SCHOOL ATTENDED

University of California: 46​

California State University:4​

Other / Private:37​

This hopefully answers your question.

 

[DCeater]

Hi,

I am a UC Irvine biology graduate and currently taking SFSU post bac classes. Here are my thoughts on Pros and Cons.

Pros for UC Irvine: Hot chicks, nicer campus, more fun. LOTS of research opportunities.

Cons for UC Irvine: MUCH harder to get an A in bio classes than at Cal State. No question. Expensive.

Pros for Cal State: MUCH easier to get A's. I also felt the professors at Cal State were somewhat more approachable than at UC Irvine. Smaller classes at CSU's make it easier for the professor to recognize and remember you. Affordable tuition.

Cons for Cal State: the campus is nowhere near as nice as a UC and research opportunities are limited. Chicks are not as hot.

Hope this helps!

 

[206127]

go to UC but stay within national ranking top 50. UCD UCSB UCSD UCI UCLA UCB. I found it interesting that every east coast school i went to for an interview thought highly of my UC Berkeley Engineering degree despite my low GPA. They also thought highly of UC Davis as well (I went to both UCD and UCB). If you look at UCSF's statistics for class of 2012,

http://dentistry.ucsf.edu/admissions/admiss_program1-stats.html

SCHOOL ATTENDED

University of California: 46​

California State University:4​

Other / Private:37​

This hopefully answers your question.

Yeah but I bet there are way more applicants from UC's then CSU's so this doesn't really mean anything. I honestly think dental schools are more interested in what your GPA is vs the where you got it.

 

[telebeans]

Yeah but I bet there are way more applicants from UC's then CSU's so this doesn't really mean anything. I honestly think dental schools are more interested in what your GPA is vs the where you got it.

i disagree... look @ my gpa... or yours?

there are a lot of factors other than gpa that they consider.

 

[206127]

i disagree... look @ my gpa... or yours?

there are a lot of factors other than gpa that they consider.

I dont disagree with your statement at all. I wasn't saying that GPA is the only thing they look at but rather that they don't really care where you go to school.

 

[cnano]

Okay! Today I had my appointment with a counselor and a Pre-Health advisor.The pre-health advisor is a counselor at UCI and CSUF that came to my JC about questions on transfers and professional schools. So I ask her about the situtation of what school system I should go. And she said to me, " It doesn't matter what CSU system or UC system you go to. All it matters if you have a good GPA, dental experience, high DAT scores, and research that you will eventually be set. There is a significant amount of students who goes to CSU has sucessfully been accepted to schools that want to pursuit in Dental, Pharmacy, Med, Optometry, etc."

 

[khmaiDDS]

Hey,

Go to Irvine. If you have that hard work ethic from a community college you'll do well or even better than most of the students there. I went to a community college in orange county as well and then transferred to UCI to finish my last two years. From what I notice most community college students do really well b/c they just go in and handle their business, instead of trying to get into those popularity contest and risking an F on your science midterm. Another nice thing is that they curve at a UC school unlike the community colleges, plus IRvine is close to Orange, just commute. The only thing thats bad is that its on a quarter schedule instead of semester which means you have to work twice as hard. GOOD LUCK.

 

[TRN1983]

QFT.

Now, in my opinion a 4.0 at cal state is much easier to obtain than a 3.5 from UCI, UCD, UCLA, and UCB. So if you do decide to go to a cal state, don't expect the dental schools to be forgiving for a mediocre GPA.

Tell that to the kids who transferred from UC's to my CSU only to get steamrolled by the Bio major classes.

4.0 = 3.5 - That's ridiculous. Especially when considering the professors at CSU's come from the same schools as the professors at UC's, often times they've transferred for higher paying positions. My o-chem professor did his post-doc at Cal Tech, my Physiology professor got his Ph.D at Harvard, and my Physics Professor used to teach at Davis and was offered more pay/higher position down here. What makes them any more inclined to throw good grades at people just because they're at a CSU? Some difference, sure... but 0.5 difference? That's a hard sell.

Having said all that, attend the UC if you're not concerned about the money difference. People "do", unfortunately, hold it against you for going to a CSU.

 

[cnano]

Thanks guys for your reason that UC system is better. I'm just afraid of the more harder classes I'm going to take there since I'm not very good on Math. Math has been my weakness all my life and I've been struggling to get good grades on that subject. 🙁😡

 

[TRN1983]

Then take your math at a CC.

 

[Lopyswine]

go to CSU and do well. You'll be fine. The Cal state system is one of the highest ranked state systems in the nation.

I went to the most difficult UC and it was not worth it.

The chicks at CSU are way better looking than.
Fact of the matter:

lower admission criteria = hotter chicks.

So if you want to see smoking blondes and get a 4.0, go to long beach.

 

[ucla2134]

some would think that b/c it's the same material taught at both places that it should be just as easy/hard to get the same grade? it's not. uc's except for cal are on the quarter system which is at a much higher pace and is more difficult for the amount of information we have to cram in so little time. then add the higher level of competition that exists at a uc and you'll realize that it's not as easy as you would think. so if it's technically the same material...and the exams are the same, then why is it still so hard for us to do well?

this is exactly why adcoms give more credit to a uc student with similar stats to a csu student. it simply means more to them because they know it was harder to get. ask any adcom from the california dental schools. now, if you feel confident that you can compete at a uc for that gpa, go for it. if you're worried it will ruin you, stay away. basically, the take home message is that a ucgpa is looked more highly upon than a csu. but if you go to a uc and can't get that gpa, then there's no point right? just be confident in yourself and what you think you're capable of at either university. i don't consider that as taking the easy way out, but making a very smart decision. i feel the QUALITY of education should be the same b/c you're basically learning the same material. the opportunities, lifestyle, and experience may differ.

lastly, like you, i am also a transfer student. i had a choice to transfer to a local csu, save tons of money, and potentially have a higher gpa. i also had a choice of going to ucb/ucla/ucsd/ucd. i chose la at the time b/c i knew there was a lot more opportunities here for pre-health students and many other reasons(pac10 sports/weather/location/change/etc). and like pdizzle said, plain and simple...we're sexier lol. but back to the point, im happy i came here and i feel i'll still make it into dschool someday despite the sacrifice of my gpa. there's much more you should account for than just your gpa. see what opportunities are available for you there (research/volunteering/predent stuff). most importantly, maximize and take advantage of every opportunity you can and if you truly worked hard during those years, then im sure it'll pay off. good luck!

awesome post 👍
I would like to add some thoughts: I think you should go to schools that make you happy. Do you like a class with 300 students? Do you like the fact that you are just one point lower than your classmate and you got a B+ while he or she got an A-? Do you like a fact that you have to make 10 times harder an effort to get professor's attention? Are you a cramming person or are you a persistence studious student? Do you like cute girls or cute guys (UCLA has tons😎)? Do you like study in an environment where you feel so inferior toward some students (some of them here are naturally smart, do not have to work thier tails off)?
There are more and more to consider! Choose environment that make u happy as a student!
GLUCK

 

[harrygt]

GO to UCI, which is the better among those two schools. If you deserve getting in dental school and studying hard in order to become a dentist, then why not start studying hard and getting used to it, instead of looking for the easy school? You can definitely pull up a 3.6 + in UCI if you work hard. Two of my friends at UCI have 3.6+ GPAs at UCI, so it's not impossible. I have also a couple of friends who were dreaming about a UC school, did not get accepted in any of them, and ended up in Cal States universities. Take the opportunity.

 

[lemoncurry]

I got my BS from CSUSB and can't say enough good things about their biology dept. Sure, everything has its flaws, but I knew ALL the bio faculty and any one of them would have gladly written me a LOR. Very accessible and really enjoy teaching (they have to for the salary they get).

just some of the things I experienced or witnessed at csusb during my 4 years there:

-got "fresh" cadavers (not prosected) for upper division anatomy to dissect.\
-anatomy class professor also is a consultant to animators for disney/pixar
-in animal physiology lab, we did our experiments using live animals
-got to do research in a micro lab
-classes such as endocrinology, immunology, neuro, were offered and helped me immensely
- marine ecology class made regular trips to newport beach
- school has matriculation program with Western U's osteopathic medicine program and my best friend was able to take advantage of it
- so far everything i have been taught in biochem at d-school had been covered in undergrad (and much better taught)
- was able to take graduate level courses as a post-bacc because i knew the professors well and they granted permission
- was able to teach undergrad labs for the same reason. typically reserved for Masters degree students
- financial aid was easy to get, especially university grants and whatnot. between that and pell grants, my tuition was usually completely paid and all i had to worry about was living expenses.

those are just some of the things that i enjoyed about csusb. Remember that it doesn't really matter how easy or hard the program is (i found enough about the program to be challenging, especially the first couple years), the DAT is supposed to be the great equalizer. you can say a 3.5 from a UC is as good as a 4.0 from a csu, but if you're getting sub-18's, then it doesn't really matter what school you went to, IMO.

 

[Lopyswine]

I got my BS from CSUSB and can't say enough good things about their biology dept. Sure, everything has its flaws, but I knew ALL the bio faculty and any one of them would have gladly written me a LOR. Very accessible and really enjoy teaching (they have to for the salary they get).

just some of the things I experienced or witnessed at csusb during my 4 years there:

-got "fresh" cadavers (not prosected) for upper division anatomy to dissect.\
-anatomy class professor also is a consultant to animators for disney/pixar
-in animal physiology lab, we did our experiments using live animals
-got to do research in a micro lab
-classes such as endocrinology, immunology, neuro, were offered and helped me immensely
- marine ecology class made regular trips to newport beach
- school has matriculation program with Western U's osteopathic medicine program and my best friend was able to take advantage of it
- so far everything i have been taught in biochem at d-school had been covered in undergrad (and much better taught)
- was able to take graduate level courses as a post-bacc because i knew the professors well and they granted permission
- was able to teach undergrad labs for the same reason. typically reserved for Masters degree students
- financial aid was easy to get, especially university grants and whatnot. between that and pell grants, my tuition was usually completely paid and all i had to worry about was living expenses.

those are just some of the things that i enjoyed about csusb. Remember that it doesn't really matter how easy or hard the program is (i found enough about the program to be challenging, especially the first couple years), the DAT is supposed to be the great equalizer. you can say a 3.5 from a UC is as good as a 4.0 from a csu, but if you're getting sub-18's, then it doesn't really matter what school you went to, IMO.

QFT.

I went to a UC, I got my butt kicked by the curriculum and got a 3.3 GPA. Afterwards I went to Indiana and excelled. ALL of the schools I interviewed at said they were impressed with the GPA from Indiana. None mentioned my UC.

Lemoncurry is right. The DAT is the equalizer. Getting a 4.0 from CSU will be easier than UC, then you do well on DAT and you're golden.

 

[chober]

Alright, here goes my 2 cents. I spent 5 years at UCSD where I achieved a stunning GPA of ridiculously low. I'm now on my 3rd year at CSULA.

UCSD
1) Campus WAY NICER
2) Less Graffiti in the bathrooms
3) Very competitive, you end up dealing with the more competitive students from high school
4) Larger class sizes for core classes, prof less accessible
6) I got messed up

CSULA

1) Campus smaller, definitely not as nice
2) Smaller classes, more accessible professors
3) Still Fairly competitive in the Bio/Chem courses because it seems that 40% of my classes are filled with returning students trying to apply to the health profession.
4) Many of the professors are very willing to teach, whereas at UC most seem more interested in their research and less in teaching
5) Easier to get letters of recommendation; if you show up to class on a regular basis theres a good chance of being recognized by your professor.

All this being said, I would say that my learning experience at CSU was alot better than at my UC. The social life at UC is definitely better though. So its really up to you where you want to go. If I've known what I do now, I woulda enrolled at CSULA and got the hell outta there as fast as I could. I'd rather have a 3.8+ rather than trying to swing a lower GPA saying that its comparable to getting a 4.0 @ CSU.

 

[telebeans]

If math is your weakness, summer classes @ UCs are usually easier (or a CC like someone suggested). It seems like a lot of people are attending UCs first and then CSUs later. Maybe the maturity level is a factor to take into consideration. I've asked a lot of dental schools whether they take the school you come from into consideration and they have said yes! This is a tough decision and UCs and CSUs are booth great... I guess I'm just partial to what I know. *_*

 

[Amalgam4U]

I went to UCI and loved it (there are like 6 people from UCI at UCLA in my class).

Let me also note that almost EVERYONE (I'd say 65-70%) in my class went to a UC. Only 1 or 2 that I know of went to CSU. Whether this fact is indicative of the strength of candidate at a UC or that the UC name carries more weight can be debated. All I know is it's much harder to find a CSU student at UCLA than it is to find a UC student.

Whatever you decide to do, GET INVOLVED! Dont' get too caught up with your grades. Seriously. When I got here, I expected that there would be a bunch of nerds here, but everyone here is VERY well rounded, even at the expense of their GPA's. UCLA could easily have a class of 88 3.95 GPA 20+DAT kids, but our average is (to me) surprisingly less than that.

Good luck.

 

[Amalgam4U]

Let me also say that there are a lot of intangibles I think that go into a successful bid for a seat than putting up good numbers. I know from experience that UCI is a strong research school, and many predental opportunities on campus (asda and the bio office/career center has a lot of dentists who are willing to let you shadow in the area). Plus it's about the experience of college. Generally CSU's are commuter schools and I'll even go so far to say as their professors have better didactic skills. UC's are more immersive, and allow you much more room to grow and experience life. You don't go to college just for the degree and GPA. You grow and mature. I honestly think that if you want to, you'll be able to get more out of your education at UCI than CSU. But of course, that depends on what you are willing/able to do and what you make of it.

Again, good luck.

 

[Oracle DMD]

CSU. San Diego State. More fun. Better grades. More Pre-Dent opportunities. Hotter girls. Get into dental school. Easy day.

 

[DDSguyLA]

Go to CSU... End of story.

 

[Dentgirl09]

Is there any ranking of schools based on their difficulty in courses level?

 

[ruomengd2000]

THIS IS WHY THERE ARE DAT'S. SO ADCOMS CAN HAVE A STANDARDIZED WAY OF LOOKING AT APPLICANTS. We can argue all day about which is school is better or harder but at the end of the day, the best way to rank a student's abilities across the board, is through a standardized test. BTW i'm super biased towards UC's...GO BEARS!!!!😀

 

[Amalgam4U]

CSU. San Diego State. More fun. Better grades. More Pre-Dent opportunities. Hotter girls. Get into dental school. Easy day.

I also heard that 1/3 girls at SDSU have an STD. 😉

 

[TRN1983]

Again, I want to reiterate that, although I think some of the claims about UC systems being WAY harder are overblown (i.e. 3.5 to 4.0 GPA comparison is ridiculous) I would still recommend going to a UC over a CSU. BOTH of my recent interviewers were like "So, where did you go to school? I've never heard of this school before?" Not good.

 

[John Durian]

I got tired reading all of the other comments (made it about half-way through). Although we're in a dent forum, here's a link to UCD's competitive school of veterinary medicine: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/studentprograms/class_2013/pdfs/applicationstatistics.pdf

To sum things up, 65 of 286 students were accepted from UC's giving UC people a 22.7% chance of acceptance whereas CSU had 30/183 = 16.4% chance of acceptance. If you look at the breakdown, however, you will noticed that almost all of the UC's acceptances came from UCD itself, followed by the other "top" UC's (UCB and UCLA). With regards to the CSU, more than half came from CSU-SLO alone followed by CSU-Fresno and Pomona.

Anyways, I take this to mean that they DO look at what school you came from IMHO. They seem to "know" which schools are "better" in that they selectively chose only people from certain CSUs and UCs. UCs will also offer better recognition when applying out of state. Good luck!

 

[adizzle87]

You will find more pre-dents and pre-health students at the UCs than at CSUs. That is why campuses like UCLA, UCI, UCSD, and UC Davis are ranked among the top feeder schools in the country. Dental schools will still appreciate a CSU education, its just that coming from a UC they will cut you some slack if your GPA is a little lower (but not too low!!)

 

[dmitriyivanov]

If you want to feel like you are still at a community college go to CSU! Want a real 4 year U experience go to UC!

You may be learning the same subjects, but the faculty is better, information delivery, examinations and expectations are higher at a UC than any Cal State.

Better professors = harder exams = makes you study harder to recieve a good grade👍😀