#UCSB v UCSD

39 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

vivid osprey
#

Schools: UCSB v UCSD
Intended major: bio/neuroscience on pre-med
Similarities: location, beach, weather

UCSB
School 1 Pros:

  • campus is beautiful
  • socially thriving
  • less cutthroat environment
  • school spirit
  • less reserved people
  • good research
  • stem curve

School 1 Cons:

  • clinical opportunities are less
  • not as good as SD for pre med

UCSD
School 2 Pros:

  • great for pre-med
  • lots of research
  • many hospitals
  • nice area

School 2 Cons:

  • “socially dead”
  • less social life very focused on academics
  • many more reserved people
  • spread out
  • cutthroat academics and competition

Tiebreaking considerations:

  • is UCSD really “socially dead”
  • is UCSB that bad for pre med? i’ve done research and so many people attest to it being very doable and even good

obviously academics come first, but i want an environment where i’ll be happy, where ill thrive, where ill enjoy myself and not regret my decision. i know pre med is likely better at SD but i’ve seen the path mapped out at SB and have heard as long as you start early you’ll be well off. really i’m wondering if the pre-med trade off between the two is not big enough to warrant choosing SB over SD. my heart has said SB for months, but my mom is heavily pushing SD.

#

basically i want people to either

a. put me in my place and say why would i pass up on SD

or

b. say the trade off is not that big and go where ill be happier and where i will thrive

gentle stone
#

Tbh go where you’d be happy, but UCSD is not cutthroat at all.

#

In terms of socially dead, we don’t have a frat row which kinda kills the party culture but idk you can def have a social life.

#

As for reserved people, not sure what you mean by that? Like we have a lot of introverts? Probably true tbh.

vivid osprey
#

yes that’s what i meant

#

i’m visiting both in three weeks

#

but i’m very extroverted and need a life outside of school otherwise i tend to spiral

rough tendon
#

ok so something really important to note is that UCSB does not have a med school while UCSD does

gentle stone
#

UCSD might give more oops since we have a med school but other than that I think you’d be fine at SB.

vivid osprey
#

my mind feels like ucsd is right bc just so many opportunities

rough tendon
#

i think you will find your people no matter which school you go to

#

theres thousands of kids at each school

gentle stone
#

If you’re an extrovert you’ll find people here fwiw.

#

We have 35,000 undergrads

#

Like lot of people LOL

vivid osprey
#

fair enough

rough tendon
#

i would personally lean UCSD simply because of the pre-med opportunities but if you tour the school and truly think its not the place for you, UCSB will still be an excellent choice that should serve you well

gentle stone
#

I’m an outdoorsy foodie so my social life consists of hiking with my friends and emptying my wallet at these amazing Asian eateries in convoy district ❤️

vivid osprey
#

since you’re a UCSD student i have to ask, i really didn’t intend on joining greek life, but im not opposed. do you feel that doing so will make social life better?

(i wont even sugarcoat so you can give honest feedback. i’m very academically driven and got into multiple other “top” schools, however i truly believe in a balance and would love somewhere where i can dissociate from academics and get that “college life” parties etc)

gentle stone
#

sry im not good at selling a social life im pretty boring 💀

terse gorge
# vivid osprey **Schools:** UCSB v UCSD **Intended major:** bio/neuroscience on pre-med **Simil...

im ngl talk to a UCSB pre med student and if it's convincing to you, go there. im not pre med but im pre law and i think it's somewhat similar in the sense that your final med school degree matters far more than your undergrad and thus it doesn't matter where you go for ug as long as you have good grades, do well on the mcat and get internships. you can even do internships in the summer in SD while going to UCSB. just my thoughts

vivid osprey
#

is what i’ve been

#

trying to say

#

buy my indian mother doesn’t understand that

#

honestly this thread was more to

#

validate that i’m not a complete and total idiot fighting for SB

#

but i appreciate you i will look for someone SB premed

gentle stone
terse gorge
vivid osprey
#

my college advisor just clutched

#

he just told my mom point blank choosing sd over sb for me personally would be dumb

#

and if it were his own kid he’d say SB without second thought

gentle stone
#

thats good !!

rough tendon
#

ultimately being at the school youre happiest at is the best move

#

youll be motivated and well not miserable
which is handy for keeping grades up for premed