How to Choose the Right UC

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As one of the largest public university systems in the US, the University of California system has 9 separate universities for you to choose from: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, and UC Merced. With so many options, you may be wondering how to choose the right campus to apply to. In this post, you'll learn about which UCs have the most emphasis on your desired major, what costs look like for in and out of state tuition, what makes the campus stand out, and what types of students each branch is best for!

UCs By Major

For Engineering and adjacent STEM majors, Niche rankings suggest UCSD and UCLA as the best UC programs as they have a range of top-tier labs and many cutting edge developments in the field being produced by professors. Medical sciences are slightly different, as UC Berkeley leads the charge with strong foundational science classes and many opportunities for clinical experience in the Bay Area. A strong runner up for 'best pre-med UC' is UC Davis, as it boasts the UC Davis Medical Center with opportunities for pre-med and med students alike!

Natural science majors interested in zoology, oceanography, and more may be interested in UCSD due to its ocean proximity and hands-on volunteering experiences that help make California's environment healthier. For students mostly interested in veterinary medicine, UC Davis has the strongest pre-vet program of the UCs. UC Santa Cruz also offers great environmental science programs with a focus on sustainability in fields like agriculture, forestry, and more!

Finally, social science oriented STEM majors are more likely to be interested in UC Berkeley and UC Irvine due to their wide ranges of social science disciplines (over 24 degree options!) and their storied histories at the forefront of political activism and research.

UC Berkeley also takes the cake for students interested in humanities with a wide range of subjects, and UCLA may be of interest to students interested in international and cultural studies due to well-funded departments and the lively multicultural hub of LA in their backyard. UC Irvine may also be appealing to English majors as their literary criticism program is one of the foremost in the country. UCSB has one of the standout education programs amongst the UCs, and many of their undergraduates continue to their Gevirtz Graduate School of Education.

Business majors tend to flock to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and UCLA's Anderson School of Business, and admissions are very competitive for freshman. If you're just curious about business and might want to double major in another field, UC Riverside has a respectable business program without the overwhelming competition and with smaller classes.

UCs By Cost

If you want the biggest bang for your buck, UC Merced features the cheapest tuition and living costs of all the UCs. UC Riverside also boasts a lower net cost than the other UCs and is a smart choice for financially savvy students. UC San Diego and UC Irvine are also several thousand dollars cheaper than the larger campuses and Irvine's cost of living is lower than the more metropolitan costs in San Diego.

UCs By Campus Special Features

We've discussed the majors and costs of the different UC campuses, but special programs and resources make each campus stand out from the rest.

UC Berkeley: Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MET) dual-degree, Bay Area tech & policy internship opportunities

UCLA: California NanoSystems Institute, School of Theater, Film and Television

UC Davis: Gene Therapy Center, Entomology major, Tahoe Environmental Research Center

UC Irvine: Institute of Transportation Studies

UC San Diego: California Cultures in Comparative Perspective, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

UC Santa Barbara: AlloSphere Research Facility, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)

UC Santa Cruz: Robotics Engineering major and UC research Observatories

UC Riverside: Entrepreneurial Proof of Concept & Innovation Center (EPIC) for startups

UC Merced: Sierra Nevada Research Institute for sustainability and climate change

UCs for Each Student Type

Everyone's journey in college is unique, and each campus has different support structures for certain student populations.

Transfer students: UCLA is 39% transfer students.

Students with children: UC Davis has a dedicated Student Parent Resources program.

Veterans: UC Riverside has the strongest veteran support service network and is a recognized Yellow Ribbon Campus.

First generation students: UC Riverside and UC Merced have some of the highest reported rates of social mobility for students after graduation and have strong support centers for first gen students.

Students with disabilities: UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC Davis are noted to have the most disability resources and staff of the UC campuses and their more urban campuses support accessibility and ease of transportation for many students.

International students: UCSB is reported to have some of the most supportive international student offices, particularly for students with visa problems and integration concerns.

Which UC is right for me?

Choosing the right UC isn’t just about prestige or campus size, it’s about how the campus fits you. The best campus for you depends on your intended major, your financial needs, the environment you thrive in, and the resources that you need to support your journey. With nine campus options, the UC system offers something for nearly every kind of student.

Still unsure which UC aligns best with your goals? Schedule a discussion with our team today, and we’ll help you build a personalized application strategy that sets you up for success.