ucsd vs. ucd

[nyclipperfan]

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Hey all i was fortunate enough to get acceptances to ucd and ucsd (+another NYC school). I thought i'd ask for some of your thoughts on the two schools.

I was born and raised in orange county. I felt more at home at UC Davis when I was there and it seem to fit more of my personality. UCSD was also cool, but it was a little difficult to get a good feel for how things were there.

despite feeling more at home at davis, San Diego and La Jolla is pure so cal and i love socal. I have family and a significant other down here. My personality is very adaptable and am not very picky when it comes to workload and hours.

any thoughts on those who chose one or the other?

 

[Entadus]

Choose Davis for the experience of living in a different area.

I was born and raised in SoCal too, and am so glad I left for undergrad. It doesn't have to be forever, but wouldn't it be cool to expand your horizons and live in NorCal for a while?

Congrats on the acceptances.

 

[CytokineStorm]

Pretty nice options. I did the long distance relationship thing for awhile... it wasn't too fun. If this is serious relationship, my opinion is that you should stay close. Your free time is going to disappear rapidly and not worrying about traveling is a bonus. Additionally, UCSD is a great school and the area is really nice as well. If you already feel comfortable there, well... that's a good sign. Nevertheless, I'm a socal native going to UCD and I've really enjoyed it. Any specific questions feel free to message me. Good luck!

 

[trtls]

Hey all i was fortunate enough to get acceptances to ucd and ucsd (+another NYC school). I thought i'd ask for some of your thoughts on the two schools.

I was born and raised in orange county. I felt more at home at UC Davis when I was there and it seem to fit more of my personality. UCSD was also cool, but it was a little difficult to get a good feel for how things were there.

despite feeling more at home at davis, San Diego and La Jolla is pure so cal and i love socal. I have family and a significant other down here. My personality is very adaptable and am not very picky when it comes to workload and hours.

any thoughts on those who chose one or the other?

Dude, come to Davis! (current first year here...) I'm also from socal and last year was deciding between Davis and LA. You know that "fit" feeling that everyone talks about when interviewing at different places? I just felt that Davis had that for me. Plus it's a nice change of environment that I've grown to appreciate.

It's a great Cali school, good research if you want it, close enough to socal to take a quick plane ride down there whenever I want it, unbelievable student run free clinics, and my classmates are amazing people. Seriously, the class is diverse, really chill and not competitive. People get along so well over here.

I'm sure SD is a great program, but I just gotta stump for Davis...I am extremely happy with my choice.

Good luck with whatever you choose man, and hopefully we'll see you here next year!

 

[chrisispissed]

id say go to ucsd kuz of the beach

 

[nyclipperfan]

thanks for the input you guys, my s.o. would definitely be supportive either way.

i guess it boils down to the most logical vs. my gut

 

[ComradeDoktor]

This would be a no-brainer for me. More prestigious school+better location +family support+s.o.>>> some vague feeling you got. I go to UCSD for undergrad. I absolutely love this place and would kill to stay here for 4 more years.

 

[HealthHare]

This would be a no-brainer for me. More prestigious school+better location +family support+s.o.>>> some vague feeling you got. I go to UCSD for undergrad. I absolutely love this place and would kill to stay here for 4 more years.

+1
OP is this really a question?

 

[trtls]

This would be a no-brainer for me. More prestigious school+better location +family support+s.o.>>> some vague feeling you got. I go to UCSD for undergrad. I absolutely love this place and would kill to stay here for 4 more years.

+1
OP is this really a question?

Have you guys even interviewed yet? Sometimes you just connect with a certain place more.

OP does have a so to consider, but the travel between norcal and socal is cake.

Just sayin, don't count out other peoples intuition. I turned down LA for Davis and I don't regret it one bit.

Good luck OP.

 

[drizzt3117]

Really dawg? Wtf

Btw turning down la for Davis? Lol

 

[trtls]

Really dawg? Wtf

Btw turning down la for Davis? Lol

You seem like a really cool, non-judgemental kind of guy. I'm sure you went to a top 10 school despite any incentives to do otherwise because, you know, what idiot would turn down all that prestige? You're awesome...

...douche

(sorry for the slight hijack OP. Carry on!)

 

[LimeGreen]

Let's go clippppppers!!!!!! game night!

 

[DISCOSTEW]

You seem like a really cool, non-judgemental kind of guy. I'm sure you went to a top 10 school despite any incentives to do otherwise because, you know, what idiot would turn down all that prestige? You're awesome...

...douche

(sorry for the slight hijack OP. Carry on!)

👍

 

[MiracleforMD]

You seem like a really cool, non-judgemental kind of guy. I'm sure you went to a top 10 school despite any incentives to do otherwise because, you know, what idiot would turn down all that prestige? You're awesome...

...douche

(sorry for the slight hijack OP. Carry on!)

The manner in which you approached this was probably not the best (not saying I have not done it many times), but I agree with your general message. I have seen this poster constantly portray this type of attitude and it gets unbelievably old.

 

[Ironclad]

You have to measure your successes within, not by what anyone else might think. You're only truly competing against yourself. Take note, drizzt; even you still have a long way to go.

nyclipperfan, congrats on the excellent acceptances. My advice on this topic is always to go with your gut or intuition. While you may have some family ties to Southern California, it sounds from your post that you felt you belonged at UCD. I completely understand this opinion. I loved the school while I was there, and my personal revisit showed me how amazing the clinical training can be at UCD. Just don't let prestige, as others have wrongfully advised, make your decision for you.

Good luck with your decision. Let us know of the outcome!

 

[Kuuaku]

11 people at UCD failed Step 1 in 2011. I'd go with SD. Good luck!

 

[Ironclad]

11 people at UCD failed Step 1 in 2011. I'd go with SD. Good luck!

Can't go throwing around data like that without a source.

 

[dblue10]

Can't go throwing around data like that without a source.

And even then, how much is Davis at fault for this many people to not pass? Isn't your performance largely dependent on individual effort?

 

[Ironclad]

And even then, how much is Davis at fault for this many people to not pass? Isn't your performance largely dependent on individual effort?

Yeah, absolutely. The school can only provide instruction and guidance. It's up to those taking the test to prepare appropriately. Good point!

The faculty and administration seemed incredibly supportive of their students. I would imagine this is less on the school and more on those individual students. I'd be interested in seeing the data from years past.

Academic Calendar 2011 - 2012
Students get 8 weeks off to study for and take Step 1. It's not as though the school set those students up for failure.

 

[frutiaspice]

If I were in your shoes, I'd pick SD mainly because of family and SO. (I think this is especially important if you and your SO are really serious cause long distance sucks D: ). With that said, I LOVED UCD when I interviewed.

-This is coming from a UCSD waitlistee

 

[Kuuaku]

My source is a great friend and MS3 at UCD who said 11 people were pulled from their 3rd year clerkships all at once after Step 1 scores came out for the majority of students. Everyone knew what was up. He had 5 weeks off to study, as did most of his classmates. Students not studying cannot possibly account for a >10% failure rate, ie <188. Hardly anyone fails in the US. I can't speak to the calendar but he said 5 weeks. Could be different for others.

Yes, it's how much you put into it, but take it from an MS4 who did well- a ton of other factors make a difference including your teaching (UCD stresses non- board material- can be good or bad), time off, cumulative exams, integrated systems etc. UCD had a frequent quizzes, odd schedule and lectures, and poor admin support. Can you imagine doing a digital rectal exam your first year when you know nothing? That was my friend's first standardized patient experience.

Check out UCDs match list. Very few students matched to competitive specialties. This isn't to say they couldn't have, since UCD stresses primary care, but having the option is always a bonus. I thought I wanted to do primary care but I switched to something competitive, and have that option now.

 

[drizzt3117]

Sorry, I hadn't visited this thread in awhile; I was busy doing other things like graduating from med school.

UCD is a fine school but SD is better, closer to the OPs family, and they're both UCs with the same IS tuition (which isn't all that cheap, but w/e). I don't see how someone would choose UCD in that situation w/o a compelling reason.

Choosing a school based on one day's perception of fit is a fool's errand IMO. The dog and pony show you get on the interview day is going to put any school in its best light. This is true for both med school and residency, btw.

 

[MiracleforMD]

Sorry, I hadn't visited this thread in awhile; I was busy doing other things like graduating from med school.

UCD is a fine school but SD is better, closer to the OPs family, and they're both UCs with the same IS tuition (which isn't all that cheap, but w/e). I don't see how someone would choose UCD in that situation w/o a compelling reason.

Choosing a school based on one day's perception of fit is a fool's errand IMO. The dog and pony show you get on the interview day is going to put any school in its best light. This is true for both med school and residency, btw.

Considering you posted in this thread yesterday, wow you're pompous. And you are missing the point. People are not upset that you are suggesting SD over Davis for various reasons, in fact it seems most of us agree. Other posters and myself think you suck because of comments like "Davis over LA? LOL." You are implying that even with extenuating circumstances it is a ridiculous notion and your entire point more or less originates from prestige. Saying that it is objectively stupid and "wrong" to EVER pick Davis over LA is why the above poster called you a "douche," and I have witnessed dozens of posters on this site agree.

 

[drizzt3117]

I'm sure there are reasons someone might choose UCD over UCLA (s/o, full scholarship, etc) and that's perfectly valid. My amusement was over some sort of perceived intuition or fit that you'd get by spending one day somewhere. UCLA is a better school with far more resources than UCD. This isn't to say UCD isn't a good school.

Considering you posted in this thread yesterday, wow you're pompous. And you are missing the point. People are not upset that you are suggesting SD over Davis for various reasons, in fact it seems most of us agree. Other posters and myself think you suck because of comments like "Davis over LA? LOL." You are implying that even with extenuating circumstances it is a ridiculous notion and your entire point more or less originates from prestige. Saying that it is objectively stupid and "wrong" to EVER pick Davis over LA is why the above poster called you a "douche," and I have witnessed dozens of posters on this site agree.

 

[trtls]

I'm sure there are reasons someone might choose UCD over UCLA (s/o, full scholarship, etc) and that's perfectly valid. My amusement was over some sort of perceived intuition or fit that you'd get by spending one day somewhere. UCLA is a better school with far more resources than UCD. This isn't to say UCD isn't a good school.

I didn't like LA and I liked Davis. Condescend much? Jeeze...

 

[MiracleforMD]

I'm sure there are reasons someone might choose UCD over UCLA (s/o, full scholarship, etc) and that's perfectly valid. My amusement was over some sort of perceived intuition or fit that you'd get by spending one day somewhere. UCLA is a better school with far more resources than UCD. This isn't to say UCD isn't a good school.

Fair enough. Although absolutely none of that was conveyed in your original post.

 

[dbeast]

I didn't like LA and I liked Davis. Condescend much? Jeeze...

[YOUTUBE]CMNry4PE93Y[/YOUTUBE]

All else being equal except a better interview day experience, you should choose SD 100 times out of 100.

With that being said, if your gut feeling is *that* strong, go back to UCD and explore the school on a day when the administration isn't trying to bend over backwards to impress you. If you still get such a strong feeling, then you can go for it without any regrets (except maybe messing up your relationship...)