Schools Would choosing UC Santa Cruz over better schools be bad?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the choice of attending UC Santa Cruz versus other schools like LA or Davis for a student with a strong academic record. The consensus is that UC Santa Cruz is a reputable institution and not looked down upon in the job market or for graduate school applications. Personal comfort and happiness at the chosen school are emphasized as crucial for success, suggesting that excelling in a supportive environment is more beneficial than struggling in a more prestigious but less enjoyable setting. The experiences of successful UCSC alumni in fields like physics are cited as evidence of the school's quality and potential for graduate school admissions.
333luke
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Right now I've got a 4.0 after taking all of calculus and about half my physics and computer science requirements. I'm almost positive I'll be able to get into some better schools but Santa Cruz is where id really like to live. I'm just curious what other people think and how set behind I might be if I chose Santa Cruz over say LA or Davis (not that I've actually gotten in anywhere yet). I don't know anyone in the field so I would love to get some advice on how important the school you went to is when getting a job and if Santa Cruz is actually looked down upon at all. Thanks!
 
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UC Santa Cruz is a great school and it isn't at all looked down upon. You can get into any graduate school if that is what you're interested in. I made a similar choice (I got into Stanford but chose to go to a UC campus instead) and it turned out great for me. You need to go to a place you'll be comfortable and enjoy because it will take a lot of work to succeed. Wouldn't you rather excel in a place where you're happy than struggle and be miserable in place with a "better" school?
 
analogdesign said:
UC Santa Cruz is a great school and it isn't at all looked down upon. You can get into any graduate school if that is what you're interested in. I made a similar choice (I got into Stanford but chose to go to a UC campus instead) and it turned out great for me. You need to go to a place you'll be comfortable and enjoy because it will take a lot of work to succeed. Wouldn't you rather excel in a place where you're happy than struggle and be miserable in place with a "better" school?

Thanks for your response I really appreciate your input!
 
Of course this is mostly a personal matter, but I know probably half a dozen physics majors from UCSC who did quite well and got into their top choices for grad school. I agree with everything analogdesign said.
 
Lots of good people came from Santa Cruz: Risa Wechsler and Wick Haxton immediately come to mind.
 

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