Expert: Sue Kayton - 5/3/2011

Question
QUESTION: What universities of California are good and bad for the major of psychology?

I am 19 and male and am in the midst of choosing what college I want to go to. I am choosing between the following:
Davis
.
UCLA
 (Los Angeles)
Santa Cruz

Santa Barbara

San Diego


I am choosing on the basis of (from most important to least):

1) how “respectable” the school is, it’s reputation, per se.
2) What aspect of psychology they teach, I want to stay away from the science aspect and go more into the actual behavioral aspect
3) People: I don’t want to be around all and only “Preppy” people, sorry not to be rude. And, I don’t want to be around a bunch of people who are only about school – school – school, I want to be around some “outgoing” people, and diverse in nationalities if possible.
4) City: I don’t want to live in a slow type city with nothing going on (boring). I’m a very outgoing person and this is where I will be living for the time I’m there so it’s important.
5) Geographic location & weather, I want to be around a nice sunny weather, you know somewhat like Santa Cruz.

ALSO, I KNOW THIS IS A DEEP TOPIC AND UNBELIEVABLY IMPORTANT SO IF YOU ARE WILLING TO TALK ON THE PHONE FOR A LITTLE BIT I WOULD BE MORE THAN GRATEFUL TO DO THAT, EITHER OR. THANK AGAIN =D

ANSWER: They are all respectable, and have very diverse student bodies.  UCLA and San Diego are the most prestigious.  None of the UCs attract a lot of preppy students, so don't worry about that.  

Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara have a reputation for having more laid-back students that party more than study.  Of course, this is a stereotype and there are also plenty of serious students at those colleges, but there is a definite element of truth to the stereotype.

Don't know about the aspects of psychology - suggest you look through the list of courses they teach and the pre-requisites to learn this.

UCLA will have, by far, the highest percentage of workaholic students.  My daughter who was a psych major at Berkeley calls them "Psycho-Asians) since most are first-generation children of families from Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and other Pacific Rim countries, whose parents are pushing them very hard.  

Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and Davis are sleepy, quiet cities without a lot of nightlife, off-campus internships and jobs, and excitement.  San Diego has a lot going on, but nothing on campus.  On the weekends, everyone at San Diego gets in their car and leaves campus to find fun.  UCLA, by contrast, has a lot going on right on campus, or nearby.  

They all have very nice weather.  If you have allergies, Davis isn't a good idea since it's in a agricultural area with a lot of pollen and dust.  The summers in Davis are hotter than the other, coastal locations.  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Wow your answer was perfect! I have spoken to multiple counselors here at my community college and they have said the same things about the towns of these colleges! Therefor San Diego and UCLA would be my top 2 choices since they are city cities and not slow life type towns - comparably speaking right. So just a few things I wanted to ask.

I heard that even though at Davis there's nothing really there but the college. there's things going on very near by? like very close by, how true is this? I mean their reasoning was that there were city cities right there like Sacramento? What do you think? You definitely know what you're talking about because as I said before your words correspond with pretty much everyone I've talked to about these places.

Answer
From Davis, you can hop on the train and be in Sacramento in a half-hour, or in San Francisco in 2 hours.  But people tend to not do that.  Instead, students at Davis actually talk to each other, go out for pizza, and socialize in a different way.  Not night clubs, but actually talking!  What a novel concept.  Everyone I know who has gone to Davis has been happy with it.  

Remember, From UC San Diego, to do any of the city stuff, you will need a car.  And cars need gas, insurance, repairs, and $$$$.