Need help in chosing undergrad..

[MohMan]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am currently a sophomore, and will be transferring out of a community college into a 4 yr. Out of all the acceptances, Im torn between UCLA and UCI. I really had my eyes set on LA since...forever! But everyone I know at UCLA and others who go to the other UC's tell me not to go there. Theyre tellin me that my GPA is gonna plunge when I transfer and theres a very low chance of getting research there due to the enormous amont of students going there. Irvine, on the other hand, is said tohave "less competition" and more research opportunities. When I made a list of the things I like about both schools, UCI outweighed UCLA when it came to the academic area. Things like professors teaching more than 3 weeks of class (someone told me profs at UCLA teach 3 weeks, and dont like visitors in their office hours...TA's handle all the business), better research opportunities, less distractions--more studying, serene atmosphere. I like UCLA more due to its NAME, student life, sunset, the south-asian student population (although Irvine is 2nd in the UC system), and basically I think if I get into UCLA and dont go--I'd regret it for a long time to come.
I've gone crazy thinking about this situation and most people I talk to are telling me to go to UCI. But most of these people are more or less strangers. One of my good friends, who goes to UCLA as a bio major, told me that they were tellin me not to go because they didnt want extra competition. I dont know what to do! I know no matter how many suggestions/opinions I get, the final deciison will be mine....but still....any comments? 😕

 

[uclabruin2003]

where did you get the fact that TAs teach classes at UCLA? what classes are you talking about? I would say ALL of the science classes that I have ever taken at UCLA were taught by a professor. Of course, lectures also have discussions which are taught by TAs...I am assuming that it is the same at UCI.

Dont worry about competition at UCLA. Sure there are some people who are ultra competitive....but all in all...most people are very friendly and helpful.

I also dont think that its true that its hard to get a research job bc of competition. sure there may be more students...but uhhh ucla gets sooo much more funding than UCI will ever get.

just my 2 cents. go bruins!

 

[MohMan]

Heyy-- I got the "fact" from some people I've talked to that go to UCLA. Hows the curve like? I mean, I dont want someone else tellin me how successful or not I can be--because the more they surpress me, the more I will rise....but at the same time, I dont want toscrew myself over 😳 WHat major are you? I applied under MCDB...I hear its one of the tougher Bio majors, but then again, its from the same "sources".
Thats true about funding...so proffessors are pretty cool with giving out research positions? The thing with irvine is that I already have "the hook ups" with their genetics research department, so...yeah.
All in all, youre suggestion would be UCLA?