University of California-San Diego Top Questions

Professors don't know my name but that will change next quarter when I have to take a 15 person colloquium. My fav class is anything with professor Radcliff. My least fav would be anything for my minor, communications because all completely pointless. Class participation is rare exception for the one annoying kid in every class that will argue with the teacher and ask pointless/obnoxious questions while the rest of the class is thinking "shut up already." Some students discuss intellectual things outside of class but usually because they are trying to be artsy and intellectual--they're trying to seem cool. Some students are competitve but I really couldn't care less. I like my major/department--my one beef is that you have to email the professor to get permission to enroll in your required colloquium and it doesn't say that anywhere on the website. So, I majorly flipped out over nothing when it wouldn't let me sign up. I feel that the academic requirements are fine, although I might object to the 6 quarters of MMW if I didn't like history. I haven't gotten a full time job yet (and my current job has nothing to do with my major) so I really couldn't say.

professors usually do not know your name unless you put in the effort of getting to know them, but that seems like it makes sense since classes are very large. my favorite class is MMW especially professor herbst he loves what he teaches and does an amazing job. my least favorite class was Phil 10 with grush it was the most annoying class ever and i find that people tend to agree with that statement. ucsd's academic requirements are time consuming, but it helps each student be more well-rounded. the school is very science and research-based which is kind of annoying for non-science majors. ucsd students usually tend to have intellectual conversations about molecules and electrons rather than what is going on in the world, which i don't really like. i don't really spend time with professors outside of class but i would like to. i think ucsd should also do a better job of letting students who are applying to the school know what each college is about so they don't randomly apply to a college that doesn't cater to their major or interests.

UCSD is a great place, one of the best, to study in the sciences. My rooms mates consist of 2 mechanical engineering majors and a human bio major and all three of them study like crazy. Apparently it's really competitive. As for spending time with professors outside of class I hear a lot about programs that provide deals on food for students that want to get lunch with a professor. The academic requirements are different depending on the "college" you enroll in within UCSD, so definitely look into the requirements that each college has before picking one because they range from having to take a crap load of general ed to hardly any general ed. I'm a music major. Personally I find the undergrad music program here a little underdeveloped but it is growing and it has the potential to be quite respectable some day. The grad department is huge on experimental music/contemporary classical. that's pretty much all they do, so you get exposed to a lot of that. The faculty, at least the jazz oriented faculty, is pretty awesome, with people like Mark Dresser, Kamau Kenyatta, David Borgo, and Anthony Davis. There are a lot of really interesting performances too. I think UCSD is the home of Red Fish Blue Fish. One problem is that it is very grad centered and the professors really don't give a toot about your development if you are an undergrad, so if you want something done here you have to do it yourself. Another problem is that most of the students in the undergrad department are either a double major in music and something else or a music minor, and are just taking it to look good for when they apply for grad school or a position as a doctor or a brain surgeon. They are very few undergrad music students committed to being awesome musicians and nobody practices.

Students study everyday and the libraries, especially Geisel, is probably the most popular and social place on campus.

It's strange that all classes are just big lectures with section only once a week. It basically means my professors never know me at all and I only get to know TAs. I don't like that that is the set up for basically every class.

Students are really competitive and maybe that's why you'll see so many people at Geisel Library. It's a good thing too though because you meet really quality people who you can have more than just shallow, stupid conversations with.

Classes are all very different. They aren't too difficult to pass if you don't slack off.

Classes are very large so unless you go into office hours and see the professor, or your T.A., then usually they will not know your name. My favorite class was TDGE 25 which is a Public Speaking class. It was amazing! Yes, students are very competitive at UCSD. My major is International Studies and the department is good.

yes some do

See "Are these stereotypes accurate?" UCSD is a hard academic school. Students study quite often. Much of the curriculum is theory based and geared towards research. It is not geared toward getting a job. If a student wants to get to know a professor they must be proactive and go to office hours. Classes are usually large and thus a student will most likely not get to know a professor just from attending class.