CSU vs. UC

Puffguts · 10-23-03, 07:07 PM

Hello everyone. Very often my discussions with friends and relatives arrive at the issue of my college life, and then almost inevitably lead to the CSU vs UC argument. I noticed many of my relatives idolize the UC schools, while viewing CSU as nothing but "souped up Mt.Sac(s)".

Here is my view on the pros and cons of CSU vs UC universities:

CSU:
Pros - Very undergraduate-friendly, good education for the cost of tuition. Instructors are easier to reach than of UC's. Smaller class-size compare to UC means more in-class participation for the students. Getting to know the instructors and having them know you very often motivates learning.

Cons - Limited budget. CS department installed wireless accesspoint in most of the CS classrooms in building 8, but lacking in additional funding prevented them from activating those hardware. For now they are classroom furnitures. Graduate students cannot sufficiently complete highend researches with lowend budget. Being a State institution, instructors that proven themselves to be unfit cannot be fired easily even if they get all "E"s for the student evaluations (state employees benefit). Registrar / Cashier / General Admin units work with government like bureaucracy (transcripts can be obtained faster if you talk to a more responsive admin).

UC:
Pros - Large budget to enable students to conduct undergraduate projects to reflect better on their resume (CS students building their own server, and run self-made applets to monitor them, etc with university funding, bio majors can go to government research centers and get hands-on study with travels paid by the university, etc). More regulated faculty and staff.

Cons - Instructors won't remember students' names in classes. Questions for the instructors can only be answered by the TAs, while the instructors focus on more researche. Undergrad departments are focused less compare to Graduate level studies. Forcing everyone to live on campus for the first year means more money for the university. Systematic issues such as racial tension (Whites trash Asians for "not attending the games" and not "participating in the campus community", UC Berkley students signed a petition to limit Asian enrollment on the basis of not "contributing to campus communities". UC LA had a hotdog event to make fun of affirmative action... every African American and Hispanic students passing by were offered free hotdogs accompany by the chant: "free-ride hotdog for the disadvantaged".

Any comments are welcome.

ak · 10-23-03, 07:34 PM

You and I think alike.

We actually had the same talk here:
http://www.calpolyforum.com/showthread.php?t=205

10-23-03, 07:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
Puffguts Active Member Joined: Oct 2003 Location: Chino Hills Posts: 140	CSU vs. UC Hello everyone. Very often my discussions with friends and relatives arrive at the issue of my college life, and then almost inevitably lead to the CSU vs UC argument. I noticed many of my relatives idolize the UC schools, while viewing CSU as nothing but "souped up Mt.Sac(s)". Here is my view on the pros and cons of CSU vs UC universities: CSU: Pros - Very undergraduate-friendly, good education for the cost of tuition. Instructors are easier to reach than of UC's. Smaller class-size compare to UC means more in-class participation for the students. Getting to know the instructors and having them know you very often motivates learning. Cons - Limited budget. CS department installed wireless accesspoint in most of the CS classrooms in building 8, but lacking in additional funding prevented them from activating those hardware. For now they are classroom furnitures. Graduate students cannot sufficiently complete highend researches with lowend budget. Being a State institution, instructors that proven themselves to be unfit cannot be fired easily even if they get all "E"s for the student evaluations (state employees benefit). Registrar / Cashier / General Admin units work with government like bureaucracy (transcripts can be obtained faster if you talk to a more responsive admin). UC: Pros - Large budget to enable students to conduct undergraduate projects to reflect better on their resume (CS students building their own server, and run self-made applets to monitor them, etc with university funding, bio majors can go to government research centers and get hands-on study with travels paid by the university, etc). More regulated faculty and staff. Cons - Instructors won't remember students' names in classes. Questions for the instructors can only be answered by the TAs, while the instructors focus on more researche. Undergrad departments are focused less compare to Graduate level studies. Forcing everyone to live on campus for the first year means more money for the university. Systematic issues such as racial tension (Whites trash Asians for "not attending the games" and not "participating in the campus community", UC Berkley students signed a petition to limit Asian enrollment on the basis of not "contributing to campus communities". UC LA had a hotdog event to make fun of affirmative action... every African American and Hispanic students passing by were offered free hotdogs accompany by the chant: "free-ride hotdog for the disadvantaged". Any comments are welcome.

10-23-03, 07:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
ak Cal Poly Guru Joined: Oct 2003 Location: LA Posts: 605	You and I think alike. We actually had the same talk here: http://www.calpolyforum.com/showthread.php?t=205 __________________ If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. Education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance.

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