University of California--San Diego | Student Reviews | Best College

Student Profile

Birdie

Class: Sophomore
Major: Biology
Gender: F

High School: Arrowhead Christian Academy
Transfer Student: N

Big Picture

I came from a really small high school in Southern California. I came to UCSD because of the large student population. We have somewhere around 30,000 students on campus, split into six colleges. If that break down isn't enough to give you a familial feeling, then turn to one of the many student organizations or Greek life. I'll be honest, when I was in high school, I was the last person you would have pegged to be in a sorority, but now I don't know where I would be or what I would be without that family here on campus. Students here can be as active as they want to be. The sky is the limit, but you have to be able to go out there and find your niche, or you will feel like one little speck in a huge universe. I guess that the best part about UCSD is that you can do anything you want to, literally. The options are out there, just waiting for you to find them.

Academic Life

Like any large, public university, UCSD has a range of classes from 300 person lecture halls to a 15 person discussion setting. Most classes are split into three hours of lecture and one hour of discussion. Lecture classes are large, and though participation is encouraged, it rarely happens, which is why discussion sections are key to learning effectively. Discussion sections are generally between 20 to 30 people and one TA. This allows for a more personal environment and a closer relationship between students and TAs. The six different colleges also have different general education requirements. Students can choose which college is best for them based off of the level of requirement. I go to Muir College, which is generally known for the easiest GEs. You take two writing classes developed by Muir faculty and then choose four year-long sequences, one from science or math, one social science sequence, and two sequences from foreign language, visual arts, or humanities. The Muir writing classes consist of 12 to 15 people and an instructor, and are honestly some of the best classes at UCSD. I learned more in my Muir 50 class than from any other class on campus so far. My class was about AIDS, society and culture and I learned from many different areas including social science, science, politics, philosophy, fine arts and psychology. The academics here on campus are why I chose to come here, and I have not been disappointed.

Student Body

The student body consists largely of science and engineering majors, most are to the left of the political spectrum. That being said, some of the most passionate and dedicated people I have met come from philosophy and english majors. On a typical day at UCSD you will see surfers, skateborders, gamers, activists, writers, scientists and most importantly, just people. I think the best thing about UCSD is that people are passionate about what they do, and that also spurs from their exposure to so many different organizations on campus. Whatever you are passionate about, we can accommodate you. That is why people are so happy to come here and stay here. It's just a very accommodating and perfect environment.