University of California - San Diego Reviews

It's about $780 a year...

It's about $780 a year or $550 for three quarters for the permit now.

They're very strict, even though...

They're very strict, even though we are not a dry camps.

Public transportation is very...

Public transportation is very good. There is a campus loop that goes around the whole campus and comes around every 15 minutes. There are also off-campus buses that come around every 5-10 minutes that can take you anywhere else.

Getting around campus on the...

Getting around campus on the shuttles is easy and all of the public buses that run through campus are free for students, so that is a plus. However, getting anywhere off campus takes a bit of time, even on the bus, because we aren't close to a whole lot.

Drinking in the dorms is easy to...

Drinking in the dorms is easy to get away with if you are smart about it, which means not a lot of people and not a lot of noise. Your first offense won't really hurt you unless you end up in detox or they find drugs.

This campus is as diverse as it is...

This campus is as diverse as it is athletic.

For every excellent professor that...

For every excellent professor that I’ve had at UCSD, and I’ve probably had a handful, there are lots of inadequate ones that shouldn’t even be teaching. They’re at UCSD to do research and teach to kill time, and it sucks for us.

The school claims to be diverse,...

The school claims to be diverse, but it’s really not.

Amazingly diverse, although the...

Amazingly diverse, although the lack of African American students is always an issue. Expect to be immersed in Jewish vs. Islamic issues, or to realize the importance of not mistaking a Korean student for Chinese. I’m originally from the Midwest (St. Louis), and it is very strange to go back to that part of the country now and see so many white faces. UCSD and SD as a whole is a wonderfully diverse area, and it is no where near as racially tense as the Midwest.

There are some hot girls, but not...

There are some hot girls, but not that many.

Our campus is not very diverse,...

Our campus is not very diverse, just white and Asian.

There’s a little bit of everything...

There’s a little bit of everything here—a lot of goody-goodies, a lot of the typical sorority/frat types, liberals, conservatives, and everything in between.

La Jolla is not a college town....

La Jolla is not a college town. The beach is close, so that’s nice, but most of the fun stuff to do is kind of far. San Diego is great—there are tons of different things to do.

Dorms are okay—kind of small, but...

Dorms are okay—kind of small, but livable. I got into the on-campus apartments. It depends what college you’re in.

The Revelle dorms are the worst,...

The Revelle dorms are the worst, since they are the oldest and most outdated. There really aren’t many dorms at all, and I don’t think that many more are being built, so just be happy if you get something!

Asians and whites dominate.

It’s easy to get around La Jolla,...

It’s easy to get around La Jolla, UCSD and other nearby places using public transportation, but it is not very convenient. It is hard when there isn’t a direct route and you have to transfer buses.

Sometimes I do wish I had gone...

Sometimes I do wish I had gone somewhere else. I choose UCSD because I was an engineering major, and UCSD supposedly had the best program. Since I’ve left that program for a non-science major, I think I could have used a better support system from a liberal arts college. UCSD is tailored for science students, particularly biology majors, and everything else is an afterthought. I haven’t considered transferring, though, because I know how valuable the UCSD name is on my degree, regardless of my major.

My biggest problem with UCSD...

My biggest problem with UCSD overall is that it can be an amazing school for one individual and an absolute nightmare for the next. It is a huge mixed bag, and often people tend to be having either the time of their life or are completely depressed and miserable. With a close group of friends, however, this school can be tolerable for most students.

The academics and level of...

The academics and level of education here is one of the best in California and in the country, but I hated the lack of social life. I met a lot of friends, but never really felt like I belonged.

It's a pretty chill college with...

It's a pretty chill college with relatively few serious problems. Of course, given the sheer number of students at UCSD, there are going to be challenges in establishing close relationships with fellow students and faculty. However, if one takes strong initiative, there is no doubt that you will have an awesome experience, both academically and personally. It really depends on the individual to shape his respective experiences at college. UCSD seriously has a good collection of interesting people, renowned faculty, and intense academics all with the beautiful San Diego location and weather!

The weather is ordinary and not...

The weather is ordinary and not diverse. There are no seasons, and the leaves on the trees never die.

A cutie isn't going to fall into...

A cutie isn't going to fall into your lap magically (unless you're really so lucky as all that), but if you put enough effort into it, the more people you meet, the more cuties you meet. Fortunately, most of the cuties are also putting themselves out there and not hiding behind a biology book in the furthermost corner of their single bedrooms.

The variety of food is very small....

The variety of food is very small. How often can you possibly handle eating pizza? It would be nice to have real dinner meals, not just pasta, pizza, wraps, or chicken tenders.

The dining hall food is boring and...

The dining hall food is boring and bland, but I’ve heard from friends thatit is considerably better than some of the other UCs.