What's up with UC's?

[phattonez]

So I was accepted into USC a few months ago and they offered me a chance at a scholarship worth $17,000. This week I've been hearing back from UCs, and I applied to Irvine, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Berkley. So far, I haven't gotten into Irvine or San Diego. At this point it's getting me :nuts: and :bash:. It seems like this is all because I took my SAT II's a month late. My 32 on the ACT doesn't matter, my 4.1 GPA doesn't matter, and my playing in the Rose Parade doesn't matter. Because I miss a stupid test (stupid for me because I did AP exams which are harder than the SAT II and passed them easily), I don't get into any of their schools. I'd really like to know why it is that all of this doesn't matter. Really, I'm just confused and shocked right now.

[solongfullerton]

Thats ruff man!!! If you didn't get into UCI or UCSD with those qualifications, youre probably assed out of Cal or UCLA. Atleast you got USC, that certainly isnt a bad fall back plan.

[alex3000]

Yeah... Don't expect any good news from UCLA or UCB either. :(

Did you apply to any Cal States?

Look, if you don't get accepted this time, don't worry. It's not going to be that bad. Go to a community college this fall, take your generals (English, Math, etc) and apply again for those universities for Spring '08.

I mean, you took both SAT's already... it shouldn't be hard for you to apply again.

[Fern~Fern*]

No just drop out and get a job as a door to door salesman.

[phattonez]

I'm probably going to go to USC (especially if I get the scholarship). So I'm gonna be working a lot and will have a lot of student loans.

Fun.

[The Baz]

UC system has become extremely competitive. Luckily, USC's outrageous tuition helps level the playing field so wealthy kids can get in the fun.

If you've got a scholarship that'll help.

[phattonez]

^^It's not because they have become competitive. I am above all of the average statistics for incoming freshman in UCSD and UCI, and I am in those statistics for UCLA and Cal. If it were just based on my grades and test scores (I didn't even mention how I've done on AP exams), I would be in those schools easily. They just got a pissy application reader who decided to take me out because of a technicality.

[solongfullerton]

Dude, working in college sucks!!!!!! Maybe you could deliver pizza or something like that part time, but do yourself a favor and don't over work too much. College was easily the most fun 4 years of my life, you can always apply for more scholarships and grants. The other good thing is that if you do have to take out loans, the interest rates are low and you get lots of time to pay them off, so they shouldn't make you broke. FYI, after graduating I owed around $25,000 at 3.75% apr. Thats $140/month over twenty years, which is easy to double up on occassionally. However, the rate is so low that I'm better off putting that extra money in a savings account with a higher annual yield. Just a little advice from a semi recent grad.

[phattonez]

Well I may be able to save some money, because I found out this morning that I was accepted to UCLA. I don't understand at all, but I'm not gonna fight them about it.

Now to decide, UCLA or USC?

[alex3000]

^
^
^
UCLA... Like, duh...

:tongue3:

Hey, we'd be going to the same school, yup yup.

[The Baz]

UCLA or USC?

Not a tough decision unless you like football. :crazy:

Congrats btw.

[Facial]

Rejection in the UC system is unpredictable. You might get rejected from SD or Irvine, but who knows? Maybe UCLA or Berkeley will accept you. The chance you get into at least one of them is 25%, I guess. USC ain't bad either, but it's private...

[Fern~Fern*]

.... just go to University of Phoenix and shut this thread down already...:lock:

[phattonez]

^^But why? I still haven't decided where I'm going.

[godblessbotox]

da' vriy

[Fern~Fern*]

^^But why? I still haven't decided where I'm going.



^^ Make it snappy so we can move on....

[phattonez]

Don't worry, I have to decide by May 1.

Btw, for something interesting, I have received letters from ITT and Devry, but my favorite is the Marine who showed up to my house while I wasn't there. I guess they're desperate for recruits.

[godblessbotox]

damn... i dont know what i would do if a marine nocked on my door when was gradumatating. so many options, slam the door. run away. say im not home... cry?

[Fern~Fern*]

^^ Yeah that's what we figure....

[bruin787]

whats wrong with our Junior College's?

yeah, it might put a damper on one's ego, but going to a JC for a two years, saving 14K (UCLA) and up to 50k (USC), and then transfering aint a bad option either!

i myself was accepted to ucla & usc, but REJECTED from csulb cause i didnt take a speech class i could have easily made up in the summer. wierdos.

[globetrek]

What's the difference between a UCLA and a USC student?

The UCLA student was accepted to both.

PS: I'm an anteater/trojan and wife is a anteater/bruin so it's all in fun.:)

[phattonez]

So I went to UCLA yesterday, and I think it's pretty much decided that I'm going to UCLA next year.

[globetrek]

So I went to UCLA yesterday, and I think it's pretty much decided that I'm going to UCLA next year.

Good choice.

[MattMKL]

Here's some advice coming from one of the biggest Bruin homer's you'll ever meet. UCLA is great, but you need to consider what field you're interested in going into once you graduate. People like to rag on USC saying that UCLA is the superior institution, but really it depends on what you're interested in doing. I realize you're only 17-18 so you probably don't know what you want to do as a career, but really think hard about what you're most interested in and what you excel at, and then look at the strength of the programs at both schools. Then make your decision.

Ex: Most of my friends have gone into business and from what I've seen, USC seems to do a far better job placing their graduates into entry level finance/management/etc. type jobs (probably due to a more extensive alumni network). I've got a few friends at UCLA that also majored in one of the business concentrations but they have not had nearly as easy a time (nor nearly as much help) as the USC grads in getting placed. Again, I'm talking strictly about getting jobs STRAIGHT out of college, and this is only anecdotal evidence (based on about 20-30 people I know who have gone to UCLA/USC) so take it for what it's worth.

If you're interested in going into medicine, it may actually be to your advantage to go to USC DESPITE UCLA being the superior institution in medicine because the grading policies seem to be a lot easier. I've known people who were getting 2.0s at UCLA, made the transfer and took the same classes at USC only to subsequently get high 3.0s. I'm not saying USC is a bad institution, but they do seem to be willing to grade inflate a bit for the sake of their students (a common theme at many private schools included the mighty Harvard, Stanford, etc.). This will NOT be the case at UCLA.

This is anecdotal evidence of only a few fields, but it's only meant to provide an example of what I'm talking about. If the choice were up to me, I'd choose UCLA 10 times out of 10, and I'm in medicine. However, you really need to take a thorough look at where you want to be in 4-5 years and base the decision on that.