University of California-San Diego Top Questions

The students are smart at UCSD, part of the reason I chose it. Some classes are competitive. The professors that I have come in contact with are very helpful and care a lot about forwarding my education.

If you make the effort to get to know your professors by going to office hours, they WILL know your name and they will do everything they can to help you out. The math professors at UCSD all SUCK, which is extremely disappointing. My chemistry professor (Hoeger) however has been amazing, and I plan on following him through the chem series. Students here study A LOT, and a lot of the times it IS necessary, but depending on your major you usually don't have to make yourself crazy studying all night. Class participation usually happens in discussions rather than lecture, but then again there are some professors that like parcipation. UCSD students are WICKED smart, prepare to finally have an intelligent conversation with that guy you've been eying across the class. Students at UCSD are extremely competitive. I can't tell you how many people ask me what grade I got on a test to gloat about how much better they did than me. A lot of the education at UCSD is based on which of the six colleges you go to. At Revelle where I go, the education is very much based on learning for its own sake. If you really want to prepare for the working world, there are plenty of internships and research opportunities for the taking though.

Professors don't usually know my name if it's a big lecture. Students usually study a lot and mostly during midterms or finals. Class participation during section is common but not during lecture. Students are fairly competitive.

not professors yes tas like all the classes very informative study lot participate alot yes intellectual conversations not competitive good requirements both learning and career goals

Professors: They don't know your name, often classes are 200+, but if you go to their office hours, they can get to know you better. Fav and Least Fav Classes: Favorite was Poli12 with Professor Lake. He's awesomely smart and the class was totally interesting. Least favorite was Poli10 With Professor Gordon. It was an hour long napfest three times a week. Study: NEVER! Until finals week, then we cram. Class Participation: The classes are large, so no. But in section (in lower division classes) the size of class is smaller, usually no more than 20 and discussion is sometimes required. Intellectual Conversations: Not really, unless prompted by controlled substances. Competitive: Not really... Unique Class: Haven't had one yet, but the wait list on the Sexual Sociology class is like 100 people long. Major: Political Science with emphasis on International Relations. This will probably be your major too, unless you are Biology... Spend Time with Profs: No. I saw one at Baskin Robbins at 10pm once though. Academic Requirements: In general I think that GEs are a joke, but they are a requirement at almost every reputable school. UCSD Education: I'd say that it's geared towards getting a higher degree. The TAs are almost all PhD candidates or Master's students and they always talk about it.

I think classes are ranked based on the professor. Some professors can be great people but give horrible tests, or some give easy tests but are difficult people. As long as the students have something to engage in and the professors test that, there will be student participation. My favorite class was a Human Nutrition Biology class. I think the thing that made it so great was that the professor related it to college students. She would throw in random sex and exercise facts that you rarely hear about, and then relate it back to how it works in the body.

Professors tend to know your name only if you make the effort to talk to them. My favorite class was definitely HILD2B with professor Klein, because the professor made lectures fairly interesting, her tests were fair, and she seemed to be very friendly. My least favorite had to have been VIS3 with professor Steinbach. Apparently a very large number of people who took the class received A's. However, his class was so mind numbingly boring and my TA was so inept that I simply stopped going to class around the 6th week and got a C+. Students tend to study lightly throughout the semester and cram at the end, which seems typical of every college. Students are not really competitive as few professors will grade on real bell curves.

no comment

No, UCSD is too big for professors to know you personally. Some of the intensive writing classes were difficult, but I like the seminars they provide. Students study quite often, even on Saturdays. Class participation is common especially in liberal arts classes, but I heard in science classes competition is fierce. Some classes don't generate a discussions students are willing to participate in. I think my friends, especially after taking 2 years of a history GE, have intellectual conversations outside of class. I think a lot of the classes teach intellectually-stimulating, but relevant information to our contemporary world, that students find it interesting and easy to talk about it outside of class. I like our communication department is pretty impressive, but I wish the T.A.s were more helpful. I think education at UCSD is geared toward both getting a job or learning for its own sake.

no - none/none - most of the time, since thats mostly all you can do - not really, especially not for large classes - sometimes - yes, very much so.. especially for those engineers - mmw - structural engineering is very interesting, although i've come to the realization that lots of classes that are required are irrelevant - no - ucsd's academic requirement is decent, but how every college has a different requirement is the part that is frustrating, especially for students who want to experience different GE's while coming from different majors - education at ucsd is prepping me for the real world, because it's taught me connections is really important in the world out there.