Should I attend college in California? I'm thinking about attending UCSB, USC, or UCLA. My aunt lives out there. I love the sun, the beach, the weather, the city. I would like to live in California one day, too. I want to study the arts and business. And should I bring a car? I'd like to explore and get around. I want my college years to be the best 4 years of my life. I'm from Chicago, where snow drowns the city and clouds hide the sun. I want a change. All input appreciated.
Higher Education (University +) - 5 Answers
People's Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
Answer 1 :
I'm from Chicago too! California is great. A lot of my friends from high school went to schools in California, and they loved it. The weather was definitely a nice change. I heard that if you live in California, you should definitely bring a car. Of course it depends on where you live. But I know that even in LA everyone gets around by car. Good luck with your choice!
Answer 2 :
Yes, you definitely need a car in California. I live in L.A. and if you don't have a car you will be dependent on your roommate or friends for rides. If you end up at UCSB there is a train that will bring you to downtown L.A., but after that you would be on your own. I highly recommend you bring a car if you go to school in L.A. Our public transportation is terrible. (Also, as a side note, I would invest in a hand held $100 Garmin GPS - you will not regret it. The freeways in L.A. are confusing and there are some bad areas you would want to avoid.) In terms of whether you should come to California or not, I say YES. College should be about change, growth, and new experiences. I actually grew up in California and went to UW Madison for college. I loved it. NOTE: UCLA/UCSB will not be cheaper than USC if you are from out of state. You should come visit - the campus cultures are very distinct and different.
Answer 3 :
The U.C. system is fantastic. USC is in a dangerous area, but is still a good school. However, in terms of academics, UCLA is a top school. UCLA and UCSB are much cheaper than USC, and have beautiful campuses. USC is much further inland whereas UCLA and UCSB are much closer to the coast. For any of these campuses having a car will be useful as it is difficult to go anywhere in Southern California without one since everything is spread out.
Answer 4 :
If you live in dorm you do not really need one. If you live off campus, yes you will need one. And go to USC. If you are not a California resident and are thinking of coming to California to attend a UC or Cal State school, be aware the quality of these schools is falling off a cliff. Because of massive budget cuts, the state of California is handing the UC and CS schools less and less money to educate students. For instructors and staff at the UC and CS schools it's a known fact that new faculty aren't about to get hired on and those still there are likely going to see furlough days if they don't succumb to layoffs. I have heard the faculty at Berkeley have been given a 15% pay cut and many of the best ones are leaving. Then there are the students, many of whom in fine arts and humanities fields are finding their course offerings cut dramatically. Basically the rule seems to be that the majors that lead to an average starting salary over $50,000 seem to be impacted less. http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp I do know the cuts led Berkeley to withdraw all offers to out of state students for PhD programs no matter how good their research. Many students are finding it impossible to get all the courses they need in a given semester to make the progress they want to make towards their majors. Which may result in having to take an extra year to graduate. Many students are finding that by the time their turn comes to register for classes, everything they need is already full. To add insult to injury, the UC system has raised tuition this last year by 32%. Which means that an out of state student will pay as much; if not more than if they went to a private school? While private schools are still facing a budget crunch, they are accountable to their students, not to taxpayers and politicians. If you're really dedicated to what you'd like to study, be it English, Economics, or Engineering a small private school could be a better investment in your own human resources. If you are thinking of coming to California stick with the private schools like USC, Stanford, Chapman, the Claremont Colleges, etc. http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-classes20-2010jan20,0,6323484.story?track=rss My daughter was accepted at Berkeley and UCI for her fully funded PhD in engineering and decided to go somewhere else because the budget crisis resulted in half her classes getting canceled.
Answer 5 :
First make sure you can afford out of state tuition, otherwise, you may have to take out high student loans which will have to be paid back when you graduate. Make sure the schools you want have the academics you want and you are not choosing them for the weather or other factors like that. Tour the schools. My daughter says she thinks all students should have a car because yes its true whenever you need anything you have to depend on others for rides and its better if you are in control of your own life, driving yourself, being sober driving, not being like at a party or event and have to wait to go home until whoever is driving goes home, etc.
Read more discussions :
