University of California, San Diego / UCSD

Last year here! Wish I went to the beach more.
This school is lacking in the equality of the dining halls. Revelle got a new dining hall PLUS a restaurant. Pines has a huge variety of foods for breakfast lunch and dinner. Marshall is in the process of a new dining hall plus they have goody’s burritos. ERC has a dining hall with variety for breakfast lunch and dinner as well PLUS a restaurant. Then there’s sixth… Sixth has a small dining hall that only serves sandwiches, salads, and pizza everyday.
We finally got a Starbucks on campus but you can’t even use your rewards there like annual free birthday drink.
However this school has provided many opportunities for me to volunteer. Many hospitals surrounding the school, so that’s a great way to get involved. Many clubs and organizations.
I wish there was more diversity. UCSD is unique with its 6 colleges. It creates little communities. UCSD is its own community as a whole and I wish I went out more to explore the actual city of San Diego. They’re planning to build a new college (seventh college) so that means less parking for students
Public transportation is pretty good. Parking sucks and it’s always impacted. Have to come super early to campus to get a good spot.
Overall I’ve learned a lot here and have a decent amount of good memories.

Let’s just say, I’m glad I came here when I did

I am a Berkeley grad, and in the summer of 2005, I took summer courses at UCSD. The campus is beautiful, however, some students had previous exam questions in the classes that I was taking, and I found the TAs & Professors to be standoffish and unprofessional. I also received a lot of rude behavior and hostile looks from UCSD students because I was a Berkeley student, which I thought was very childish and immature. It’s as if they viewed me as a threat (ridiculous).
I wanted to be a lifeguard there for the summer and when I was taking the swimming exam, the UCSD students (water polo players and guards) were not nice to me. They were making fun of me, and the entire process of becoming a lifeguard was handled unprofessionally and inferior.
If someone from Harvard or MIT comes to UC Berkeley, they will be treated with respect, but I was mistreated by students, TAs and faculty at UCSD, and for this I HATE that inferior school. It was as if the students and faculty KNEW they were inferior to Berkeley, and they were trying to compensate with their low class rude behavior, which seemed so pathetic and insecure to me.
I found San Diego to be extremely boring, stagnant, and full of dumb people, and the UCSD students I met were bitchy, mean, and tried to scream how smart they were. I remember in that summer (2005) I saw a car with a sticker on the back that read «UCSD: the smart ones.»
Truly smart people don’t need to advertise, I thought that was so pathetic.
Sadly at the end of the day, UC Berkeley is superior to UCSD in EVERY CATEGORY, and ALWAYS WILL BE. All the bitchiness and rudeness will NEVER make me respect UCSD students. I want nothing to do with them.
I’m at Columbia University now and I have not met a single student who went to UCSD for undergrad, thank god. But I’ve met TONS of Berkeley grads. UCSD will NEVER be Berkeley’s equal, not even close. We have better athletes, better academic programs, more olympians, more Nobel winners. There’s simply NO comparison WHATSOEVER.
I will NEVER step one foot in San Diego again (a backwards unsophisticated county with inferior schools and stupid bitchy people).

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed my time here, and especially the memories I made here with all my friends.
Some highlights of course include the annual SunGod, the nightly visits to Earl’s place, the wonderful dorming experience, and the super convenient shuttles to La Jolla Village Square and UTC. People say that the school is «socially dead», to which I would argue that the experiences you make are your own. I had plenty of social interactions by joining clubs and interacting with as many people as I could. I had a great time as a subsequent result.
The only downside might be some of the food being served in the dining halls. Warren’s CV and Revelle’s Plaza were pretty inedible. I liked Pines (formerly known as Sierra Summit), Goodies’ burritos, and of course Foodworx’s Pizza.
I also made a ton of memories in the Price Center, frequently visiting Panda Express, Tapioca Express, and late night Burger King runs (even though they one time gave me food poisoning). The classes were decent — I didn’t learn a whole lot as a Communications and History major though.

Facilities are mostly up-​to-​date with a few exceptions. The school has a nice and large library. There are a variety of programs and majors to choose from. Price Center and dining halls offer many different types of food.
Only problem is that parking sucks! Students pay $ 600 for a parking pass and aren’t even guaranteed a spot. Multiple times I come to school 45 minutes to an hour before class and still cannot find parking. Took off 2 stars for this because parking is a hassle and this should not be a concern for students.

Hella expensive, but I love my school! Needs help with the parking but 95% of my classes have been incredibly useful and inspiring. I wish I could stay longer.

The campus is extremely big, way to big to see everything in one trip. They have several hospitals on this campus and are still adding on. It is close to the freeway and surrounded by many places to eat. The dorm rooms are very small and students should really prepare to utilize the small space with wall and under the bed organizers. Like most college campuses the structures and buildings all have a story and when I come to visit my son here he always has one to tell us. The house hanging over the top of one of the campus buildings is fully functional, it’s a little creepy to see but very interesting at the same time, it’s a must see. And the large sun god sculpture on campus is rumored to be the way to good grades if you hop under it on one foot backwards.

Ok so I’m a new transfer and, the following is my overall impression of the university so far.
Positives
Beautiful campus with lots of study areas and resources for every type of student.
Advising and financial aid offices have really made it easy for students to do everything required online. Love that!
There is definitely an organization for you should you want to join.
The professors and students are all brilliant.
Negatives
I’m 26 and, I’m going to school after being in the military. I’m really not a fan of the culture at UCSD. I’m adult; I know what I need to do. I have my own social life and house off campus. This isn’t the best school for transfers or older people with careers already.
While everyone is brilliant, obviously there’s a difference in maturity levels and life experience. I feel I’m getting a great education however; I don’t know if I’d pick UCSD again.

Yes, Unilocal,I’ve checked in here 178 times. What keeps me coming back for more? It might have something to do with the fact that I attended UCSD as an undergraduate and I am now attending it as a graduate student. Also, let’s be real, I’ve been here way more than I can count and I expect to still be here for another few years. I’ve only remembered to check in that many times.
Anyway, I digress. The campus has gone through a lot of changes since I started attending here. The dining commons food is exactly that, dining common food. It’s definitely not the best food out there, but I wouldn’t say that it was the worst either. They’ve expanded their food court a bit with the opening of PC east and so you can get your fill of Burger King, Tapioca Express, Subway, Lemongrass grill, Panda Express, among a few others.
It’s a pretty campus and definitely has some history to it. Check out the Stuart collection pieces, which includes a talking and singing tree, the huge bear made of rocks, the fallen star house, and the Sungod piece.
If you’re a tourist, come to campus on the weekend. There’s free parking for now. If you come during the weekdays, you will most likely have to pay unless you’re lucky enough to park off campus.

Senior year, here I come!
While the parking here is horrendous, but at least they are finally bringing in Starbucks!
If you ever get a chance to visit our campus, make sure you hit-​up Geisel Library (aka Spaceship)! Also, don’t miss out on the various art collection pieces we have… it would take you a good hour or two to walk around camps and take pictures with all the pieces!
Tired and need something to eat? Head back to Price Center (PC) and choose what you like for lunch! Want to try a dining hall? Head on over to any one in all the colleges!
Overall, UCSD is definitely like home now. Beach is nearby, convenient bus transportation and amazing staff.

UCSD from a tourist perspective. My boyfriend went here a long time ago and wanted to show me around. We found a 20 minute stop and got trekking. He showed me his old dorm that looked the same as when he was here. We visited the remodeled cafeteria. It was impressive. Flat screen TVs everywhere. The food was reasonably priced and there was quite a selection. The bottled drinks were well over priced just like in the move theater or any other event you attend. It would be cheaper if you want a drink to go to the grocery store and bring it. The new library looks like it’s from out of this world. 4^th element anyone? I think its good they have a separate bike lane and people lane. No one will get run over. The new campus is huge, you have to have a bike to get to class on time. That is crazy. The art installations are interesting. Like the screens in the grove of trees. The ceramic sun god is made by the same person that did the sculptures as Balboa Park. This is a beautiful location right near the ocean. Those going here are so lucky.

In general, it is my firm opinion that going to any college is a waste of time.
However, most people still find that it is what they must do after graduating high school. And so they face the decision of «where to go» and «what to major in». My review is based on actual experience as a student and now as an alumnus of UCSD who is reflecting on his past.
Whether you should go to one school versus another depends on what you’re passionate about studying. Since UCSD is located in the heart of San Diego’s most rapidly growing industrial area, you are better off going here if you’re interested in hardware tech, engineering and biotech. There are many major defense firms such as Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. The navy and the marines have a presence here as well. So basically, if you’re interested in engineering and science then UC San Diego is a great place for you to study and get real hands on work outside of school.
With that being said, I went to UCSD because it’s close to the beach and the weather’s usually nice. But I could’ve had much more fun if I had gone to a small community college, or a more chill UC near the beach like SB/​UCI. I double majored in Economics and Philosophy. The Philosophy department is superb, with small intimate classes and caring professors. Econ classes are much larger but perhaps that is just the way economics is taught due to the higher demand for those classes.
However, I think at the end of the day if you’re going to study something in the humanities, then you’re better off attending a small liberal arts college, or community college.
The main two benefits of attending a large «research» university for humanities or social sciences degrees are: (1) for the brand name on your degree so you can impress future employers and (2) if you’re planning to continue onward towards an M.A. or Ph.D. Most people go to UCSD for reason (1) and that’s why the general vibe is the way that it is. Not as «collegey» as it is elsewhere. More of a cold, functional, «means towards an end» vibe. I agree that in general there is «anti-​social» behavior among the students, so if you are an outgoing, fun-​loving type of person then you’ll need to put in the effort to join clubs and find similar people.
Lastly, one more thing: the campus is located on its own secluded plateau, so it’s more detached from the surrounding neighborhood. This makes biking or walking to campus a pain, so they have a bunch of free shuttle buses running all year round. You can also drive but then of course you’ll need to pay for a parking pass.
As an alum, UCSD has not stayed in touch with me in any way except to ask for donations or to collect on student loans I owe the school via the Perkins or whatever. Within a couple months after you graduate, they will deactivate your @ucsd.edu email address, and soon it will feel like you’ve disconnected from their impersonal, uncaring system. All you’ll have left are memories, and debt. So make sure you make the most of it while you’re a student; otherwise it’ll just be seen as a «decent school» you went as a stepping stone to either working a job or getting an even higher degree.
All in all, do I regret going to UCSD? Yes. Should I have dropped out? Definitely.
Is UCSD the best school for you? That depends on what you’re planning to study and how much hand-​holding you need to learn skills. If you are planning to study science, math or tech-​related fields, and can’t learn things on your own, then go for it. If you’re aiming to study something soft in the humanities, history or soc. science, just go to the library and read books like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. I owe the Federal gov’t and UCSD like $ 30,000 in student loans now when I could’ve just racked up $ 3.00 in late fees from the local public library. Oh well.
Therefore: 2 stars = it’s «meh» and you can do better.

Great environment, awesome chill people, space craft library, high tech research facilities, chill professors (some), nearby beach, a considerably much tamer Sun God, and raccoons that follow you at night. Best place to study and learn at: P 5 stars !! (this isn’t sarcasm, I really do appreciate the raccoons)

I graduated from this joint. I read a few books, studied from a few books, took a few exams based from those books I read. Spice is the variety of life. It’s not a bad school, but it can get kind of boring. So read a book.

So I have been reading through reviews and most of them are good, but then I have seen a few complainers and 1 stars. Those people usually sound like, «no social life at all on campus» or «the professors don’t care and its too competitive and nobody helps out.» So if you want to go to college to party all the time, have extremely easy classes, and spend money on a useless education; than UCSD is not for you. On the other hand if you want to make friends with intelligent people who have goals in life, work your ass off and feel accomplished, and graduate knowing this school has the 8^th highest starting salaries for graduates in the country; than UCSD is the right school for you.
College is what you make out of it, which is why it’s irritating hearing people cry about their issues with this school. This university is ranked in many categories in education and might be the best research school in the country. Your potential at this place is limitless, but that is on you.
The campus itself is beautiful and location is great. The beach is 5 minutes away and everything is green. Just walking on campus puts you in a good mood. I would suggest getting a bike if you don’t like walking though.

As a graduate of UCSD I’m extremely proud of the education (chemistry) I received. I thought the professors were challenging and engaging for the most part. Occasionally you run into the professor who clearly doesn’t have people skills but name a school that doesn’t. The campus is very beautiful with a lot of trees and some interesting architecture and art pieces. Close to the beach. It is pretty spread out so good luck when your back to back classes are on opposite sides of the campus. The quarter system is super fast so you need to really stay on top of things. I commuted so I can’t really testify to campus life. I do like the development of the student (Price) center. Solid eateries including Jamba Juice and Round Table Pizza. The school has always been recognized for its science programs but does produce graduates who excel in other fields. It is currently a D-​II school for sports and with the major exception of football offers most sports. Has a National Championships in softball (2011) and woman’s soccer (2000,2001). All in all a great school still offering education at a competitive price.

Going to the University of California, San Diego was the worst decision of my life. If you’re thinking of going here, please don’t. If you don’t have any other options, enrolled in school at Mira Costa College. You will thank me.

Part of me is questioning why I’m writing a Unilocal review for a university campus, but it’s really just to tell the public about cool things to see if you are in town. Apparently some people actually like to walk around school campuses just for fun. Anyways, the Geisel Library is one of the landmark buildings, made famous by the movie Inception. There is always some cool artwork installed around campus from the Stuart Art Collection:
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The campus is HUGE, so if you are determined to explore the whole thing, plan to be there for an entire day. Parking can be expensive for visitors (and especially for students) so either make the investment worthwhile or take a bus. Oh and if you consider attending here, the campus tour guides are great!

What a cred, what a cred!
Seventh oldest of the ten UC campuses, UCSD occupies 2,141 acres total with 1,152 allocated to the main campus. Predominantly a public research university, UCSD is also home to six undergraduate colleges, ranked 8^th among public universities, 37^th in the US and 18^th in the top worldwide institutions of higher learning.*
And all that academia within equally first class architecture, design and landscaping; take a virtual tour and see what I mean

Perfect venue for my recent continuing education course also pretty perfect to feel like a co-​ed again!
*

Ucsd is so underrated. The campus is beautiful. Close by are:
La Jolla beach
Torrey pines
Glider port (must see)
Scripps pier
Birch aquarium
Shopping and movies down la jolla village
I love waking around on campus, I also love sneaking into the Atkins hall to checkout some of the work on robotics.
The university is solid and is one of the nation’s top recipients of NIH funding. I found people who work at Ucsd genuinely like working instead of getting the big $.