UCLA vs UC Santa Cruz for undergrad-will the choice affect grad?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision-making process for choosing between UCLA and UC Santa Cruz for an undergraduate degree in astrophysics, with a focus on how this choice might impact future graduate school admissions. Participants explore various aspects such as research opportunities, class sizes, and institutional reputations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the choice of school may not significantly affect graduate school admissions, emphasizing the importance of personal satisfaction and engagement with the subject matter.
  • Others argue that UCLA has a stronger reputation and access to top-notch researchers, which could be beneficial for graduate applications.
  • There are claims that UC Santa Cruz has a highly regarded astrophysics program, potentially rivaling UCLA, and that smaller schools may offer fewer "weed out" classes, which could impact student retention and success.
  • One participant highlights the importance of finding a supportive environment that fosters a love for physics, rather than solely focusing on prestige.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential for burnout from excessive workload, suggesting that the choice of institution should also consider the overall educational experience.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relative merits of UCLA and UC Santa Cruz, with no clear consensus on which institution is definitively better for undergraduate astrophysics or its impact on graduate school admissions.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the reputations of the institutions and their respective programs, but there is no agreement on how these factors quantitatively affect graduate school outcomes. The discussion also highlights the subjective nature of educational experiences and personal preferences.

iamburitto
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Hi, I'm trying to make a decision! I've gotten accepted into UCLA and UC Santa Cruz for astrophysics undergrad. I absolutely love Santa Cruz, and I've heard that there is more opportunity for undergrad research there, as well as smaller class sizes. However I also know that UCLA has a famous reputation behind it. My long term goal is to go to grad school, preferably into a ph.d program after undergrad. Does my choice here really affect my chances of getting into a good grad school? (My dream is Caltech, second Berkeley, etc. I'm aiming high.) Hard work is not an issue for me, I will work my hardest wherever I go. Thanks!

-Britt
 
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iamburitto said:
Hi, I'm trying to make a decision! I've gotten accepted into UCLA and UC Santa Cruz for astrophysics undergrad. I absolutely love Santa Cruz, and I've heard that there is more opportunity for undergrad research there, as well as smaller class sizes. However I also know that UCLA has a famous reputation behind it. My long term goal is to go to grad school, preferably into a ph.d program after undergrad. Does my choice here really affect my chances of getting into a good grad school?

Yes, but not in the way that you think.

The big thing that you have to worry about is not what the admission committee thinks, but to find somewhere that you won't end up hating physics at the end of the experience. Go to both schools, hang around the upper classmen, and figure out which place you feel you will get the better education.

(My dream is Caltech, second Berkeley, etc. I'm aiming high.) Hard work is not an issue for me, I will work my hardest wherever I go. Thanks!

For some people, the problem isn't lack of hard work, but too much hard work. If you work yourself so hard that you burn out or your health suffers, that's not going to be good.
 
iamburitto said:
Hi, I'm trying to make a decision! I've gotten accepted into UCLA and UC Santa Cruz for astrophysics undergrad. I absolutely love Santa Cruz, and I've heard that there is more opportunity for undergrad research there, as well as smaller class sizes. However I also know that UCLA has a famous reputation behind it. My long term goal is to go to grad school, preferably into a ph.d program after undergrad. Does my choice here really affect my chances of getting into a good grad school? (My dream is Caltech, second Berkeley, etc. I'm aiming high.) Hard work is not an issue for me, I will work my hardest wherever I go. Thanks!

-Britt

UCLA has a much better reputation and top-notch researchers. I'd go to UCLA.
 
I have heard and read that the astrophysics program at UCSC is second to only berkeley. I would not go to a school based solely on "prestige."
 
Geezer said:
UCLA has a much better reputation and top-notch researchers. I'd go to UCLA.

As far as astrophysics goes, Santa Cruz has an equal if not better reputation and set of researchers than UCLA. I don't think it's going to make a difference as far as graduate admissions, so the big difference is surviving undergraduate. I was at Santa Cruz for a week because my dissertation advisor was there for a several months long school in which all of the world's leading supernova researchers were there.

One thing that you should look out for are "weed out" classes. Smaller schools tend to have fewer of those than big public universities. I don't know if this applies to UCLA or not, but it is something that I'd find out.
 
Current physics senior at UCLA. Feel free to ask/PM any questions.
 

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