University of California campus rankings, US News 2022 edition... (Los Angeles, San Diego: homes, neighborhood)

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by Fisherman99

You got lucky to get in with a 2.55 GPA...that probably won't ever happen again. Don't you need at least a 3.0 minimum GPA for UC schools now? Most UC schools now have 4.0 plus average GPA's...getting tougher each and every year.

I went in the 80's when you could only apply to ONE UC and they still had affirmative action. Wasn't sure which one to pick as a Biology major initially with a 3.8 GPA and mediocre test scores (top third on ACT but not top 10 percent), picked UCLA out of peer pressure but rejected,...redirected to Santa Cruz (no grades/far away/no Bus Admin. Major)), or Riverside which had Biology and Business Administration (Berkeley only other one to have it back then). Also played tennis, but no scholarship, so that was out...Bio-Med was brutal...switched to Business Administration and never looked back. Had the right fit...Enjoyed my time and received a solid education at UC Riverside.

Personally I think all UC schools will continue to rise...some will go up, some down (like UCSC now) with lack of growth, housing issues, etc that will eventually be worked out. Rankings are important, but major, fit, research opportunities, and other variables are as well. You can really do well at any UC Regardless of ranking...the best public system in the world.

A 2.55 GPA in the 1980s is equal to a 3.5 now.

Seriously.

The K-12 standards in the US have gotten that bad.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by tstieber

The only thing I would personally disagree with is putting so much importance on local birth rates. Students in California don't necessarily choose or get accepted to only their local UC campus. When I went to Berkeley in the 90s, there were tons of people from Southern California, and tons of Northern Californians attended UC campuses in Southern California too. People choose these schools all over the state. And don't forget the huge percentage of international students as well.

I don’t want to put “too much” importance on locals, but locals are important—particularly for those UC schools in densely populated areas. My daughter is at UCI and turned down acceptances to UCLA and UCSD because so much money could be saved by staying local. And, of course, UCI has a great program in her major, though if everything were equal she would chosen UCLA.

She did her first two years at a local community college and knows a number of classmates who also transferred to UCI. When money is a big factor, why go farther and have to take out loans.

[Fisherman99]

Originally Posted by apple92680

A 2.55 GPA in the 1980s is equal to a 3.5 now.

Seriously.

The K-12 standards in the US have gotten that bad.

A 3.5 may not even get you into any UC now...will SAT/ACT be required in the future?...keeps getting tougher and tougher every year.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Fisherman99

You got lucky to get in with a 2.55 GPA...that probably won't ever happen again. Don't you need at least a 3.0 minimum GPA for UC schools now? Most UC schools now have 4.0 plus average GPA's...getting tougher each and every year.

As far as I still recall, undergraduate college application demand wasn't really that "too-high" back in 2002 when I applied during my senior year of high school. Some universities actually struggled to find students, even dummies, back in 2002, so they took in more low high school GPA students than necessary. We were born in 1984, United States was still pretty conservative with the Reagan presidency, birth rate monitored well with more disciplined families, and this was the predecessor year that undocumented immigrants or gang members haven't given birth yet.

When former president Ronald Reagan gave amnesty for the immigration bill in 1986, that's when the USA's birth rate began to skyrocket dramatically, since the undocumented immigrants could now give births for the first time, and a lot of it (up to 10 kids not unheard of). Former president Bill Clinton took care of them well. The kids are future UC student applicants. By 2005-2007, college acceptance rate dropped dramatically, and declined even further beyond 2010s era.

When I first enrolled in UCR in fall-2002, it used to be a dummy school with dumb students I've met around, with only CSU-level students' intelligence. I spoke with many students, and their average high school GPA was only 2.70 to 3.10 average. UCR accepted a lot of dummy students until 2005 year. UCR's acceptance rate was 85% in 2002-2004 heyday-peak (two school years only). I won the lottery... Over 30% of incoming freshmen students didn't pass the "Subject A" essay test in order to enter English 1 that counted for graduation. We were all put into BSWT (basic writing) English course, and professors taught us all high school level English grammar, actually.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by apple92680

A 2.55 GPA in the 1980s is equal to a 3.5 now.

Seriously.

The K-12 standards in the US have gotten that bad.

I would say about 3.10-3.20 GPA inflated-adjusted today for 2022, up from 2.50 in 2002. More high school teachers are grading too easy now, and now there's many more resources to find educational material today than 20 years ago.

No, I wouldn't be accepted to UCR today with only a 3.1 high school GPA. Maybe Merced...

[Fisherman99]

the

Originally Posted by waltchan

As far as I still recall, undergraduate college application demand wasn't really that great in demand back in 2002 when I applied. Some universities actually struggled to find students, even dummies, back in 2002, so they took in more low high school GPA students than necessary. We were born in 1984, United States was still pretty conservative with the Reagan presidency, birth rate monitored well with more disciplined families, and this was the older-year that undocumented immigrants or gang members haven't given birth yet.

When former president Ronald Reagan gave amnesty for the immigration bill in 1986, that's when the USA's birth rate began to skyrocket dramatically, since the undocumented immigrants could now give births, and a lot of it (up to 10 kids not unheard of). Former president Bill Clinton took care of them well. The kids are future UC student applicants. By 2005-2007, college acceptance rate dropped dramatically, and declined even further beyond 2010s era.

When I first enrolled in UCR in fall-2002, it used to be a dummy school with dumb students I've met around with only CSU-level students' intelligence. I spoke with many students, and their average high school GPA was only 2.70 to 3.10 average. UCR accepted a lot of dummy students until 2005 year. UCR's acceptance rate used to be 85% in 2002-2004 heyday-peak (two school years only). I won the lottery... Over 30% of incoming freshmen students didn't pass the "Subject A" essay test in order to enter English 1 that counted for graduation. We were all put into BSWT (basic writing) English course, and professors taught us all high school level English grammar.

Wow...completely different from UC Riverside in the 80's...only 5,500 students then (no fancy student recreation center yet...we studied hard and worked out like demons in the "old school" gym with metal weights)...now has grown five-fold at about 26,000 students...barely recognize the place.



Most students were very high-level (3.5 plus GPA's), and very smart...very few "remedial" ones from my recollection. The "dumb" ones and party types dropped out of college pretty fast. I was in Bio-Med (a year faster than Pre-Med) first year...brutal program! Switched to Business Administration second year and never looked back. One of my brilliant Business Administration UCR buddies got a full scholarship to Georgia Tech MBA program...scored 99th percentile on the GMAT!!


How did you do on the SAT/ACT waltchan? Assuming you must've aced it to get in with a 2.55 GPA...you got lucky getting in at UC Riverside! Current student stats below...at all UC's by location...getting crazy tough to get into any UC now!



https://admission.universityofcalifo...n-profile.html

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by saibot

I don’t want to put “too much” importance on locals, but locals are important—particularly for those UC schools in densely populated areas. My daughter is at UCI and turned down acceptances to UCLA and UCSD because so much money could be saved by staying local. And, of course, UCI has a great program in her major, though if everything were equal she would chosen UCLA.

She did her first two years at a local community college and knows a number of classmates who also transferred to UCI. When money is a big factor, why go farther and have to take out loans.

Yes, population density matters into UC rankings. Before 1990 (and before the baby-boom of late-1990s), most southern California high school students could easily get into UCLA with no biggest trouble. Irvine as a 2nd backup readily available with about 80% acceptance rate. Santa Barbara and Riverside, forget it, these two campuses were too far away for locals at that time, so they had small total enrollment, and they were considered to be the worst UC campuses in So. Cal. at that time.

San Francisco and Bay Area have very-low birth rate, per-capita now. UC Berkeley is showing very-small signs of trouble. UC Regents are aware of this changing demographic, so they will make UC Santa Barbara as the new #2 best UC school after UCLA by year 2040 or 2050.

2042 (forecast):

1. Los Angeles
2. Santa Barbara
3. Berkeley
4. Irvine
5. San Diego
6. Merced
7. Riverside
8. Davis
9. Santa Cruz

1992:

1. Berkeley
2. Los Angeles
3. Davis
4. San Diego
5. Irvine
6. Santa Barbara
7. Santa Cruz
8. Riverside

Look much much the rankings have changed and flipped...

[Fisherman99]

Originally Posted by waltchan

Yes, population density matters into UC rankings. Before 1990 (and before the baby-boom of late-1990s), most southern California high school residents could easily get into UCLA with no biggest trouble. Irvine as a 2nd backup readily available with about 80% acceptance rate. Santa Barbara and Riverside, forget it, these campuses were too far away for locals at that time, so they had small total enrollment, and these two were considered to be the worst UC campuses in So. Cal. at that time.

San Francisco and Bay Area have very-low birth rate, per-capita now. UC Berkeley is showing very-small signs of trouble. UC Regents are aware of this changing demographic, so they will make UC Santa Barbara as the new #2 best UC school after UCLA by year 2040 or 2050.

2042 (forecast):

1. Los Angeles
2. Santa Barbara
3. Berkeley
4. Irvine
5. San Diego
6. Merced
7. Riverside
8. Davis
9. Santa Cruz

1992:

1. Berkeley
2. Los Angeles
3. Davis
4. San Diego
5. Irvine
6. Santa Barbara
7. Santa Cruz
8. Riverside

Look much much the rankings have changed and flipped...

Hard to say how much things will really change in US News future rankings from the current list.


UC Riverside positioned very well to continue upward and onward to high growth in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation along with the first new California Medical School in 50 years.


The UC's with minimal future growth and major housing issues (like UCSC now) very well may go down in rankings some in the future...time will tell.


https://www.universityofcalifornia.e...leges-rankings

[happygrrrl]

UCI is a hidden gem.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by waltchan

As far as I still recall, undergraduate college application demand wasn't really that "too-high" back in 2002 when I applied during my senior year of high school. Some universities actually struggled to find students, even dummies, back in 2002, so they took in more low high school GPA students than necessary.

Speak for yourself. That certainly wasn't the experience of my kids, nieces, nephews, or any of their friends born around the same time you were.

Originally Posted by waltchan

When I first enrolled in UCR in fall-2002, it used to be a dummy school with dumb students I've met around, with only CSU-level students' intelligence. I spoke with many students, and their average high school GPA was only 2.70 to 3.10 average. UCR accepted a lot of dummy students until 2005 year.

"Dummy students"? How condescending. UC Riverside ranked lower than other UCs mainly because of its location. Don't forget that it grew out of a UC citrus experiment station founded in 1907. The campus itself was established in 1954 as what was supposed to be a small liberal arts college. It has obviously become much more competitive.