UC Davis and San Francisco State University?

Question

Hi guys! I'm a senior in high school and I'm having so much trouble deciding which college I should go to. I want to become a nurse or a doctor in the future so I have several questions about these two colleges - SFSU and UCD

1) SFSU has a nursing program and I was wondering if, after 4 years of nursing, can an SFSU nursing student already become an R.N. and begin work? Is it possible to finish the nursing program in 4 years?

2) How are the social scenes at UCD and at SFSU?

3) What is the difference in cost? NOTE: I live in the Bay Area so if I go to SFSU, i wouldn't be dorming, whereas if I go to UCD, i would be dorming. My parents want me to stay here and go to SFSU because it's cheaper (is it a lot cheaper?) than UCD, but I just have this gut feeling that UCD would open a whole lot more doors for me....but then again, SFSU has a nursing program.

4) What school would be best for me (considering price, majors, career path opportunities)?

*my parents want me to transfer from SFSU to a UC after 2 years of General Education, but i heard it is very hard to do so. What should I do?

Answer 1

Don't go to SFSU under any circumstances. Much less if you want to get into nursing. My ex-gf wanted to do nursing and ended up waiting 2 extra years (after doing her GE in 2 years) to get into the SFSU nursing program, and she still didn't make it with a 3.2 GPA. She had to transfer out to USF.

UC Davis does NOT have a nursing program, so keep that in mind before you go there. The social scene is OK at Davis. If you're the type of person who enjoys meeting up with your friends and going to the same bar (I always had an "ID" to get into bars. The people that don't typically HATE Davis, but even the bar scene gets old after a quarter), with same people around, you will enjoy UC Davis. Otherwise, Davis is a horrible place. The people that tell you that you can go to Sac because it is 20 mins away are LYING to you. Nobody wants to drive Sac. People are stingy like that. The only time you'll have "alternative" fun is when you go snowboarding or to Cache Creek. If you're into the whole frat/sorority system, you may find yourself with a better social life, but it is very hypocritical at times. Personally I hated the social scene, but many people did enjoy it.

UC Davis will NOT open more doors for you in the job market. It is a lie that is given to kids. I graduated from UC Davis with a double major in Psychobiology and Sociology-Organizational Studies in 3 years of full-time study. I was not able to find a job in over 6 months, and when I did, it was lousy working with graduates from SFSU and other similar Universities. Not even the fact that I did 3 summer schools at Berkeley and 6 month internship in Sacramento boost me. I was even Vice-President of my Pledge Class and held other offices.

Also, it is a lie that Davis will cost more. The FAFSA will give you more money at Davis than SFSU, so you'll end up paying the same in tuition and books.

The only reason you might want to go to Davis is because it gives you a competitive edge for Graduate school. I go to Law school now, and if it hadn't been for Davis, I'd probably had ended up at a really lousy school.

Oh, and classes are A LOT easier to register with Davis. SFSU people typically spend 5 years in college instead of 4.

E-mail me if you have questions. I know A LOT about Bay Area Universities and the job market.

------------------

Jellybean below is lying to you. If you have a 2.8, you will transfer at the same rate as any other student as long as you sign the Transfer Agreement Contract.

Answer 2

1). I don't know about the degree program, so you need to do research with SFSU about the possibility - most schools have either a certificate program or Master's (Merritt in Oakland) in nursing these days, but some BS programs still exist.
2.) Social scenes are what you make of them - while Davis is a small town, once you've met people (and the dorms are good for that - maybe try a specialty floor to increase the chance of meeting people with similar interests) you'll find ways/places to socialize. There's not the same amount of bars/clubs/theaters, etc as in the City, but Sacramento is only 20 minutes away & has lots. Also, will living with your parents affect the social life you want to have?
3.) Costs are the differences between any UC & State program - the UC's are going to be more expensive. You also might find that you want to go to a different RN program than the one at SFSU, or even consider a Nurse Practitioner or Physician's Assistant program, so don't let that be your basis for a decision.
4.) Another thing to consider as part of your decision is that college is a time to be increasing your independence - hard to do while still living at home. Even though you'd be in college it's hard for a parent to completely let their child grow up when they're still around & the parents are helping with food, laundry, etc. Look into grants, scholarships & other financial aid packages to determine the true costs.

Answer 3

1. Probably not. I don't know about SFSU, but I do know that at SJSU you have to spend several years as "pre-nursing" and on a wait list before getting into the nursing program. I would assume that SFSU is similar.

2. SFSU would be closer to a lot more nightlife, however living at home might make that less available to you. UCD has some nightlife, nothing compared to SF though. There are also numerous clubs for students of every interest, and most people in town are students so it is easier to meet people.

3. If you are living at home to go to SFSU, it will indeed be a lot cheaper than UCD becuase you won't need to pay for room and board. However, depending on how far away from campus you live, you may spend a lot of time commuting, which is tough for a student and might take a toll on you. UCD would open more doors for you, not only in nursing (probably better for applying for grad school) but also for pre-med or any other career changes you may make.

4. I would pick UCD because it is a great school. There are a lot of pre-health student organizations that cover pre-nursing. I think it is also better to live away from home in college, because you will meet a lot of new friends in the dorms and learn to be independent. If you do end up being a nurse, neither college is going to affect your future salary because it is a union job.

5. It is very hard to transfer from CSU to Davis. First priority for transferring is JC students, and they take up the majority of available spots. You can, however, transfer down to SFSU for whatever reason.

I agree with Linkin about SFSU's lack of social life nearby. My grandma lives near there, and it is mostly just a residential neighborhood with a mall and a college. And I get the impression that most of the students are commuters. But hey, it's only a short MUNI ride from downtown.

Answer 4

Davis doesn't have nursing. So, it's either or, to be realistic. Do you want to try to be a doctor, or do you want to try to be a nurse? Nowadays, both are actually fairly difficult to get into. Being a nurse is easier, but they attract different levels of students.

The key is to figure out realistically which one you are.

Were you always a good student? Really high grades? Essentially an A student? Maybe just the SAT held you back from going to a school like Berkeley? If so, go to Davis and try and be a doctor.

Were you not that great as a student? Maybe more of a B or A- student? Then, I'd go for nursing.

Davis costs about 2.5 or 3 times as much as SF State, not including housing. Housing bumps up the cost a lot more. Think $500 a month or so. Financial aid can cover it, but you have to decide if it's worth it depending on how much of that you'd have to pay back.

Davis is very isolated, but that just forces the students to band together and party more. Could be better, but all in all, it's a pretty fun time as a student. Social life is nonexistant at SF State. You've got Stonestown mall next door, but otherwise, you're on the wrong side of SF if you wanna have fun.

If you're aiming in the medical area, I'd go to Davis just for general career opportunities.

Answer 5

SFSU has a great social science programs: urban studies, environmental science, poly sci, social work, counseling, economics, nursing and biomed. Adminstration can be a headache, but great classmates and profs. The same profs. and researchers as Berkeley!!! It opportunites and nightlife. Great preparation for grad school and internship/jobs. If, you want to get into the nursing program, go to CCSF/DVC or CSM any other community college an earn our LVN and RN first. Then come to SFSU and get your BSN & MSN.

Even thou you live in the Bay, get your parents to let you live in the dorms. Its a college experience not to be missed!

Answer 6

Sfsu Nursing

Answer 7

How is SFSU for MS in Electrical Engineering?
Any bad reviews?

Answer 8

Check out this site for all information about nursing, nursing schools, tips and much more - it help me at least a lot: http://nursingfaq.org

Best Regards and good luck with your research on this!

Sylvester

Answer 9

While surfing on the internet found this site http://mynursingprograms.com might help you