Charts show University of California admissions rates for every public high school in state

[bones]

I have some friends and acquaintances who graduated from UC’s who have struggled in the tech industry and I’ve interviewed plenty who just straight bomb. *shrug*

"Top" colleges don't take the best and the brightest. They take the kids they take.
And even in an elementary grade classroom, you can have an absolute zero and an absolute stud. Same teacher. Same curriculum. Same box. Why would it be any different at college?

 

[bones]

I may catch flak for this but I think someday broad college education may not be as important as it has in the past.

I really believe in the 2 year junior college for general ed (or if your student is ambitious, pile up on AP and summer classes to skip those 2 years) and then some specialized education track after that. And in many cases... just some specialized education course or trade school and that could be good enough for most.

I learned most of my skills in my field during my 3rd year in college (at a job not in the school) and most of what I do now is from work experience and almost zero college education.

If I remember correctly... most of the better money straight out of colleges careers (no post college degree) are in finance (investments slanted) or tech. Most kids out of high school actually know enough to get started in some tech positions (via self taught or the internet)... as for investing... aren't there specific courses for that may not require all that college bruhaha?

And I do believe many kids can benefit from "the college experience" for both social and mental growth... but just like sports players who can make more after 1 (or no) year(s) in college, a lot of what is learned in college for people who are targeting medicine, law or whatever.. is wasted.

From what I've seen, college is more like a buffer zone for kids to figure what they think they want and what they really want. Many of the people I know are working in a field they didn't go to college for. Sometimes I think degrees aren't worth the money they cost.

/shields_up

I don't disagree with this. "Buffer zone" is a good way to put it. For some kids though, college is a necessary step to figure out adulthood. And as mentioned upthread, a good college experience is irreplaceable. But sure, if you have a kid that can figure it all out and get a job he/she wants without a 4 year college, you can use college tuition money to bankroll that instead. Currently, the data bears out the advantages of a 4 year degree but that speaks to averages, not who everyone knows.

 

[OCtoSV]

What experience? 3 years or 4 years of college experience, what's the difference? It's different from you either have or don't have college life experience.

College is the most fun time of your life with only academic responsibilities that can be very much aided by prodigious use of office hours. No unlimited office hours in the real world. Plus why be in a hurry to leave one's friends and the dating talent pool?

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Currently, the data bears out the advantages of a 4 year degree but that speaks to averages, not who everyone knows.

I do think a 4 year degree has value but I also think that the majors/degrees/track/education/whatever systems needs to be fixed.

There are some majors that don't need the GE math/science/English course that most colleges require (esp since most of that is covered in high school) and don't require a 4-year term.

Unless they are looking at research/teaching/etc type careers, there isn't a lot of real-life work experience in college... even at the high school level, they should be teaching kids more practical things like personal finance/budgeting, car/home repair or even social navigation skills (how to deal with co-workers/managers). Maybe they are doing that now, but seems like we are missing crucial parts of education that are not STEM related.

I know it's easy to say but at the same time... I don't think it's healthy for kids (and parents) to be killing themselves in high school to get to a university that may or may not be worth the money/time/effort.

One of my kids wants to take a "gap year" and my old-school 'You need a degree!" self is fighting with my "Well.. it's not like you got much out of college" self. I think it's okay as long as they know that they have to plan for what they are going to do after that gap year... and if it means just work... as long as they can carve out a path that is good for them... I'm good with it.

I can't be the only member on TI who is thinking this way (which is ironic on an Irvine forum that stresses the schools).

 

[bones]

I do think a 4 year degree has value but I also think that the majors/degrees/track/education/whatever systems needs to be fixed.

There are some majors that don't need the GE math/science/English course that most colleges require (esp since most of that is covered in high school) and don't require a 4-year term.

Unless they are looking at research/teaching/etc type careers, there isn't a lot of real-life work experience in college... even at the high school level, they should be teaching kids more practical things like personal finance/budgeting, car/home repair or even social navigation skills (how to deal with co-workers/managers). Maybe they are doing that now, but seems like we are missing crucial parts of education that are not STEM related.

I know it's easy to say but at the same time... I don't think it's healthy for kids (and parents) to be killing themselves in high school to get to a university that may or may not be worth the money/time/effort.

One of my kids wants to take a "gap year" and my old-school 'You need a degree!" self is fighting with my "Well.. it's not like you got much out of college" self. I think it's okay as long as they know that they have to plan for what they are going to do after that gap year... and if it means just work... as long as they can carve out a path that is good for them... I'm good with it.

I can't be the only member on TI who is thinking this way (which is ironic on an Irvine forum that stresses the schools).

Well,I think a lot of the college talk is centered around the highly rejective colleges which distorts things. But the reality is there are A LOT of colleges with 50%+, 70%+ accept rates. Just the top of my head. Purdue is top 50ish and has an accept rate of 65%+. George Washington University in DC is top 70ish and has an accept rate of 50%. No one needs to be "killing themselves" to get into college.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

If they don't get a scholarship... the cost of some of those higher acceptance rate colleges could be killer.

Funny just heard this on the radio about a WSJ poll saying 56% don't think a 4-year degree is worth it:

A majority of Americans now think getting a college degree isn't worth it, a new WSJ poll says

A WSJ poll found 56% of Americans believe a college degree isn't worth the cost. The poll highlighted a growing skepticism about the value of college.

www.businessinsider.com

I guess I can be the experiment and see where my kid is at in the next 2-6 years.

 

[socal78]

I guess I can be the experiment and see where my kid is at in the next 2-6 years.

I haven't read this thread; just saw this comment and was going to ask -- Iho, does that mean your kid decided to take an alternative path after high school, rather than college? If so, no criticism from me. I would have absolutely been good with that if my kids wanted to do something else instead. Unfortunately, they picked the college route. Lol.

 

[zovall]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641363954537746432

 

[someguy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641363954537746432

DEI policies at work

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Iho, does that mean your kid decided to take an alternative path after high school, rather than college?

Well... that's the idea they are suggesting... we will see.

 

[Liar Loan]

I have some friends and acquaintances who graduated from UC’s who have struggled in the tech industry and I’ve interviewed plenty who just straight bomb. *shrug*

I don't know specifically about CS majors, but the knock on UC's is that they are research institutions and the professors generally don't care about providing undergrads a quality education. It can be a degree mill like many other easier to get into colleges, but with the higher status and branding that comes with 'UC' on the piece of paper.

So if this is just a game of getting the best status/branding for the lowest possible cost, the optimal route is: CC for general ed --> transfer to Cal State for undergrad --> UC for graduate.

Incidentally, I think this path may provide the best possible education for the money because CC/Cal State will provide more practical hands-on skills for the undergrad portion of the journey, while attending a UC for a graduate degree will allow you to actually benefit from the "research institution" resources that their reputations are built on.

One of my kids wants to take a "gap year" and my old-school 'You need a degree!" self is fighting with my "Well.. it's not like you got much out of college" self. I think it's okay as long as they know that they have to plan for what they are going to do after that gap year... and if it means just work... as long as they can carve out a path that is good for them... I'm good with it.

I have no problem with alternative paths, but I would say you should make clear that they need to be prepared to fund the gap year themselves.... including paying rent if they continue to live at home! That should help with the process of crystalizing their ambitions and driving home the point that a path to higher earnings needs to be figured out.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

So it's still the same... back in the day UCs were known for theory and CSs were practical.

 

[CogNeuroSci]

My daughter is a native Californian, 4.52 GPA, 2nd in her class, ASB, campus ministry, Varsity Letters, Company level Ballet dancer, AP in almost every subject…Wait listed at UCSB and flat out rejected at my alma UCLA…Now, to be fair she didn’t want to go to either and would have turned them both down but applied bc I wanted her to. She was accepted at 7 of 8 applications and will go to her first choice anyway. But jeez, what does it take to get into a UC school these days. I’ll admit it…I wouldn’t have stood a chance…

Please tell us where she is going!

 

[morekaos]

Kid was accepted to Chapman, Loyola, UCSB, Cal SLO, LB State, Pepperdine, Whittier, Point Loma Nazarene, and USD. UCLA was her only reject… Not sure who she will chose but it is nice to be wanted. She leans to Slo, I’m ucsb my wife wants Pepperdine.

 

[OCtoSV]

Kid was accepted to Chapman, Loyola, UCSB, Cal SLO, LB State, Pepperdine, Whittier, Point Loma Nazarene, and USD. UCLA was her only reject… Not sure who she will chose but it is nice to be wanted. She leans to Slo, I’m ucsb my wife wants Pepperdine.

Congrats MK!

Don't sleep on USD - a good friend's son graduated Finance there a few years back and has done well on his CFA path so far.

Another friend's son went to UCSB then transferred to USC through the TTP offered to alums whose kids don't get accepted as freshmen. UCSB these days has an odd housing situation leveraging small apt blds in IV which is not ideal.

I notice several schools with good waves - how convenient for weekend visits.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

What about UCGAP like my kid?

 

[morekaos]

Both our kids are head and shoulders above their UCLA and SDSU parents. They both are Sports Medicine/Pre Med. Lord help me

 

[socal78]

I don't know specifically about CS majors, but the knock on UC's is that they are research institutions and the professors generally don't care about providing undergrads a quality education. It can be a degree mill like many other easier to get into colleges, but with the higher status and branding that comes with 'UC' on the piece of paper.

So if this is just a game of getting the best status/branding for the lowest possible cost, the optimal route is: CC for general ed --> transfer to Cal State for undergrad --> UC for graduate.

Incidentally, I think this path may provide the best possible education for the money because CC/Cal State will provide more practical hands-on skills for the undergrad portion of the journey, while attending a UC for a graduate degree will allow you to actually benefit from the "research institution" resources that their reputations are built on.

I have some friends and acquaintances who graduated from UC’s who have struggled in the tech industry and I’ve interviewed plenty who just straight bomb. *shrug*

My husband helps out with hiring. He got tired of applicants coming in who had no serious, genuine interest. He doesn't care where the degree is from ... ivy league, UC or Cal State, irrelevant. He focuses mainly on personal projects. (He's a senior software engineer so usually interviewing software engineers, often entry level.) If they bring a project into the interview, that's fantastic. He loves to see that. Only a few have done it. If they can show that they pursue their interest outside class in clubs, etc., that's great. Sometimes he will give test questions to evaluate competency. You'd be surprised at the results, lol. For these reasons plus company culture, we now have a son majoring in Computer Science at Cal State. Never had to ask him to get motivated on a personal project. He lives, eats, and breathes this stuff, which is what you hope to see in a job candidate. He's on the board of a computer club. All the students say they learn more in that club than their actual classes. He works during the summers as a software engineer for a defense contractor. College is whatever the student makes it to be. It really comes down to how motivated or interested in their field they truly are.

 

[socal78]

I5 years ago on IHB / TI, these conversations about college seemed so far off. Hard to believe here we are and now I have a kid halfway through college, with another on the way soon. Kind of going on a tangent here, but one thing I'm glad we decided to do was go straight into a 4 year school rather than community college first. It has allowed my son to get quickly established into clubs & leadership roles for his major, start taking some upper division courses right away, and eliminate any red tape / confusion with transferring which some kids have had. He has a few friends at CC. They seem to be more focused on their jobs or lingering on making decisions about what they want to do... I can imagine it will take years before they get their undergrad degree. A long time ago, I probably would have said go to cc first because on paper it looks like a good plan. And I'm sure it's a fine option for a motivated student who is maybe operating on a tight budget. But other than that, I've become a fan of the more seamless transition from high school to bachelor's degree. Of course, if the student really needs more time picking a major then by all means, go to cc, where you have more freedom to take all the time you want. This isn't in any way meant to say it's not a good option for anybody. (Double negatives there but you kwim.) But if they know what they want to do... and having family support definitely helps... then go straight to a 4 year university. Rip off the Bandaid.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Yeah... both paths can be good depending on the student.

To stay vague... I went in with one major, added another, dropped the original and added a minor.... so I really didn't know what I wanted either until I took that weeder/intro class for the major I added. I was hooked from there and probably could have saved a year or two in college had I focused on that one major because those classes were fun. Was not many classes away from the turning the minor into a 2nd major but had to start working.

I don't think CC would have been good for me because where we lived, those CCs were basically high school extensions... and uh... not very safe.

For my kids... I think CC would be better but what do I/they know.