UCSD vs UCSC CME?

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pclaw10
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:14 am

UCSD vs UCSC CME?

Post by pclaw10 » Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:15 am

Hi everyone,

According to US News, UCSD ranks better overall. But, I've recently found alternative rankings that seem to contradict US News. The links to these are listed below.

http://graduate-school.phds.org/univers ... ysics/1743

http://graduate-school.phds.org/univers ... ysics/4462

Does anyone know anything about this? Can anyone offer me advice on choosing between these two schools?
I just visited UCSC and I really loved the campus and their small program. Now, if UCSC turns out to be the better program my decision becomes that much less difficult.

Thanks

photonic
Posts: 37
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:36 pm

Re: UCSD vs UCSC CME?

Post by photonic » Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:46 am

I noticed the same thing, the NRC ranks UCSD lower than US World news and report (I've never looked at UCSC).

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of either program but that won't stop me from giving out some generic advice! First off, its good to visit campuses, its good to like where you're going to work for 5-7 years.
You should also look up the research programs, see what the active research areas of the professors are and if you're interested in them. This is of primary importance.

Also these rankings aren't always trustworthy. You can find plenty of critiques of them online. If you want to get good information on the programs, ask around in your department. Maybe a school has a better representation within the CME community but you wouldn't know about this from just the overall rankings.

Personally, I prefer the NRC rankings over the US World news and report rankings, but its always good to take them with a grain of salt.

alphanumeric
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:44 pm

Re: UCSD vs UCSC CME?

Post by alphanumeric » Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:12 am

My guess is that UCSC ranks higher due to their astro program, an excellent and very active program... not to mention that astro itself is a bit of a paper-output machine, just the sort of thing that will show favorably on that sort of record.

In my application process for CMT, I found UCSD to be a great school with a large and very active department. In my (admittedly uninitiated and potentially naive) opinion, UCSD was far better than UCSC in CM.

bfollinprm
Posts: 1203
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:44 am

Re: UCSD vs UCSC CME?

Post by bfollinprm » Sun Mar 18, 2012 12:13 pm

The two schools are close enough the decision should be made based on the specific professors you're interested in, and your own personal opinion of the department. Any system of ranking graduate schools really only has resolution between tiers.

pclaw10
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:14 am

Re: UCSD vs UCSC CME?

Post by pclaw10 » Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:14 pm

Thanks for your advice everyone. I think I will follow brollinprm's suggestion.



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