understatement700 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'd like to but am too far away it's not really worth it even with the $300. I have been to the UCSD campus before though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonGal Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 It's nice that they're offering to subsidize, but $300 doesn't even cover airfare let alone a hotel. I will be making my decision sight unseen, but I have a friend attending UCSD so I'm not potentially accepting with no knowledge of the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangesplease Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 It's nice that they're offering to subsidize, but $300 doesn't even cover airfare let alone a hotel. I will be making my decision sight unseen, but I have a friend attending UCSD so I'm not potentially accepting with no knowledge of the place. I believe someone else on this thread also went to UCSD for undergrad, but if any of you have any questions about the campus/culture feel free to ask away. A good friend of mine is also in the program and will graduate this June. Had I not been raised in California my entire life and went to UCSD for undergrad, I would have considered IR/PS for their Pacific regional focus. For those of you who don't find the subsidized payment enough to justify the trip, I say do it and treat it like a vacation. How often are you given $300 to travel to a world-class city like San Diego?? Granted, the campus in La Jolla is not central nor is it public transit friendly to the rest of the city, but I don't think anyone has complained about spending a weekend in La Jolla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonGal Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I don't object to spending a weekend in La Jolla... I object to spending a couple hundred dollars I don't have to spend a weekend in La Jolla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouveau.ukiyo Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I believe someone else on this thread also went to UCSD for undergrad, but if any of you have any questions about the campus/culture feel free to ask away. A good friend of mine is also in the program and will graduate this June. Had I not been raised in California my entire life and went to UCSD for undergrad, I would have considered IR/PS for their Pacific regional focus. For those of you who don't find the subsidized payment enough to justify the trip, I say do it and treat it like a vacation. How often are you given $300 to travel to a world-class city like San Diego?? Granted, the campus in La Jolla is not central nor is it public transit friendly to the rest of the city, but I don't think anyone has complained about spending a weekend in La Jolla. I'd like to hear more about San Diego, the school, the program and your friend's experience. I'm from Philadelphia. I'd imagine San Diego weather is vastly superior and the the city is safer. The campus seems nice in pictures. On campus, I heard it's pretty laid back there though and not as competitive as say Georgetown or John Hopkins; I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. What are your friend's concentrations? How does he/she feel about employment prospects when he/she graduates? I plan on picking the International Economics concentration. And despite living in Japan for 3 years and being able to speak Japanese, I will pick the Korean regional focus. It's hard for me to gauge the employment data on the IR/PS website; it doesn't include numbers for students who are unemployed or do not report their employment status. Therefore the numbers given are only for those who report back, another number we don't know. Where did you guys get information on admit day? I don't think I got any e-mails and I can't find anything on the web. Not that I plan on going, because I'm still in Japan, but I'm just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 During a chat on last Tuesday for admitted students, they said that they would notify everyone in the next two weeks (so, about a week from now). They'll email everyone to either inform that they did not receive aid and link other financial aid information, or email them to let them know that packages will be coming via snail mail. sengpatt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I just now realized that I was responding to a question from the first page of the forum. Sorry for the stupidly late reply. Has anyone else submitted their seat deposit and decided on IR/PS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouveau.ukiyo Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) I just now realized that I was responding to a question from the first page of the forum. Sorry for the stupidly late reply. Has anyone else submitted their seat deposit and decided on IR/PS? I'm waiting for word on aid money. I think OregonGal crunched the numbers in a spreadsheet and IR/PS costs around $100,000. It's cheaper than the other schools I'm considering, but not significantly cheaper. If attending a more prestigious school can get me a better job and/or higher salary, then paying an extra $20-30 grand wouldn't make a difference I think. On the flip side, significant aid from IR/PS would make the decision a relatively simple one in my case. Edited March 21, 2012 by nouveau.ukiyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I was going to say that those numbers seemed really high, but then I realized you must be talking about the out-of-state tuition costs, which are significantly higher. I'm hoping they get the aid out soon, waiting has left me rather anxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangesplease Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'd like to hear more about San Diego, the school, the program and your friend's experience. I'm from Philadelphia. I'd imagine San Diego weather is vastly superior and the the city is safer. The campus seems nice in pictures. On campus, I heard it's pretty laid back there though and not as competitive as say Georgetown or John Hopkins; I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. What are your friend's concentrations? How does he/she feel about employment prospects when he/she graduates? I plan on picking the International Economics concentration. And despite living in Japan for 3 years and being able to speak Japanese, I will pick the Korean regional focus. It's hard for me to gauge the employment data on the IR/PS website; it doesn't include numbers for students who are unemployed or do not report their employment status. Therefore the numbers given are only for those who report back, another number we don't know. Where did you guys get information on admit day? I don't think I got any e-mails and I can't find anything on the web. Not that I plan on going, because I'm still in Japan, but I'm just curious. I've put in a request from my friend regarding the specifics of the program, so I'll provide that insight once I get it. Here are my fond memories and thoughts on UC San Diego: Academics are very much focused on the sciences and engineering, but the political science department is the cream of the crop of all the social science departments. It's currently tied #7 with Columbia on the US News rankings above UCLA. Even though the campus is only just over 50 years old, it has quickly come to prominence in intellectual circles. It is included among 20 prestigious schools in the academic peer survey Teaching and Research on International Politics (scrool to page 26/27). In California, it's common for a student to choose UC San Diego over UCLA or UC Berkeley. Grad student housing is plentiful and affordable as there were two separate developments completed in the last 6 years. Don't expect the walls to be very sound proof though XD I think they're trying to discourage raucous behavior? ha ha There are plenty of dining options on campus as each college has its own dining hall and then some... at least 7? The med school dining hall is known for being great, but some of the newly renovated ones offer organic and local food items. The weather in San Diego is arguably the best it gets in the 50 contiguous states. I lost my umbrella my first year down there and it virtually wasn't ever an issue. The university is located in it's own canyon, so it's somewhat isolated in the surrounding community. It is also the step child of the La Jolla community, which is considered one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. Beaches are VERY accessible and the closest one is a 20 minutes walk down a curvy road (the school is kind of above a hill if you're looking in from the ocean). The area is very much safe, but it has a high rate of car thefts b/c of the attractive notorious busy student population. There are free university shuttles that will take you around the area of the area in addition to free use of the city bus service with your student id (and current student sticker). A car, however, is very much necessary in SD if you expect to see the rest of the city. San Diego is a very diverse city with both cool and horrible neighborhoods. You will find the chillest of people in the beach neighborhoods and the most pretentious people at the hottest clubs in downtown. You will find whichever scene you're looking for in SD. Even though there was nothing about the program, hope that helps in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouveau.ukiyo Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 (edited) Thanks orangesplease. You post is helpful; I'm trying to get a gauge on the place as I've never lived on the west coast, haven't been there for awhile and will have to make an admission decision without ever visiting the place unfortunately. I'm looking forward to hearing from your friend. Edited March 22, 2012 by nouveau.ukiyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangesplease Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks orangesplease. You post is helpful; I'm trying to get a gauge on the place as I've never lived on the west coast, haven't been there for awhile and will have to make an admission decision without ever visiting the place unfortunately. I'm looking forward to hearing from your friend. If it helps at all, I didn't think I was going to go to undergrad there. I took a 36 hour trip to check out the campus and immediately determined with no hesitation that it was for me. Of course, I may have different aesthetic/environmental preferences. In no way is its architecture reminiscent of renaissance revival, romanesque or medieval revival similar to other prestigious campuses. It is also a sprawling campus that requires plenty of walking IF you need to cross campus. There is also an on-site eucalyptus forest on campus (a mini one in the middle, and a large one on a perimeter of the campus). To further stress the unconventional nature of this campus, here is a new art installation on campus that will also be employed as meeting space. pic1 pic2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I saw the installation of that art piece-- it was on the same day as the admissions info session in November. In terms of quality of life, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a better city than San Diego/La Jolla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinaC Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I also went to UCSD for undergrad and I'm pretty sure I will decide to go to IR/PS this fall. In terms of San Diego/La Jolla, like others have said, you really can't beat the atmosphere and the weather there. On-campus grad housing isn't too expensive, and the most recent one that has been built, Rita Atkinson, is really nice. The only one I personally wouldn't choose to live at, would be Mesa grad housing. Aside from on-campus grad housing, there are plenty of townhouses, apartments, and condos in the area around the school that aren't extremely expensive. When I lived off-campus, it was about 1700 a month for a two bedroom apartment that was actually a nice, and not run-down place. I know my friends that were going to UCLA were in two-bedroom apartments that were about 2000 a month, so I would say that housing around UCSD isn't bad at all. If you live outside of the UTC (University Town Center) area, you can find places in Mira Mesa and Clairemont for even cheaper, and it would be about a 10-15 commute. In terms of the campus itself, it's a big campus with plenty of trees and great views of the ocean from the higher levels of buildings. IR/PS has its own part of the campus, which is nice because everything is grouped together. I know that there is also an auditorium there where some of the classes are held. Unfortunately due to budget cuts, the IR/PS library was shut down last year, which is a shame because I really enjoyed studying there. It's okay though, because there are still plenty of places to study around campus. There are two libraries that most students like to study in, which are Geisel (main library) and Biomedical Library. I usually went to Geisel because it's basically in the middle of campus, but I would sometimes go to the Biomedical library when I really needed to get work done and study because it's extremely quiet there. I can't really say much about the faculty as whole, but I did work with one of the IR/PS professors as a student research assistant, and he was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible. Whenever I went to his office, there seemed to always be students talking to other professors in their offices in the hallways too. In terms of transportation I agree with orangesplease. It's easy to get around UTC and the surrounding area of UCSD with the free shuttles and city buses. However, getting around San Diego itself with public transportation can be a pain, speaking from experience. Public transportation in San Diego just isn't that great, so a car would be nice to have. However, I'm sure you're bound to meet at least one person that has a car, especially at the graduate level, that you can hangout and carpool with. If you are planning on bringing a car, don't bother driving it to campus because parking permits cost somewhere around $700 for the cheapest permit, and it seems to be going up every year. If you need to commute to campus, it's better to just park your car around a shuttle stop area and take the shuttle to campus. In terms of things to do and places to eat, San Diego has plenty of things to do. In and around UCSD itself there are a lot of places to eat, but they can be a bit pricey, with the exception of $5 footlongs at Subway and the value menu at Burger King. San Diego in general though, you can find anything from Ethiopian food to Korean food, and nothing can beat Carne Asada fries and Taco Tuesdays in SD. Things to do...I don't really need to say much about beaches, because it's San Diego so there are a lot for you to choose from. Also, if you want some night life, you can either go bar hopping in the Pacific Beach area or explore the bars and clubs in Gaslamp, downtown San Diego. Pacific Beach is about a 10-15 minute drive by car and downtown San Diego is about 15-20 minutes. If you don't have a car, you can find various van/taxi options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msn Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) I was originally "wait-listed" and then I was sent information as how sign up for an interview. It took two days of calling constnatly to figure out what exactly I was going to interview for. Just now I recieved an email stating the following: "Congratulations! Based on your academic preparation and personal motivation to study and work in the field of International Affairs, I am recommending you for admission to the Dean of Graduate Studies at UC San Diego. Your application was reviewed by the Admissions Committee at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies and we believe your interests and background will make a strong addition to the incoming class of 2012. In the following days your application will be reviewed by the UCSD Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) for confirmation. If your nomination is confirmed, you will receive an email directly from OGS with instructions for accepting our offer of admission. Admission packets will be posted to all OGS-confirmed IR/PS admitted students shortly thereafter." What is going on with this school? I feel like they are all over the place and not well organized. I am so confused. Does this mean I am also some sort of "Provisional Admin"??? Edited March 23, 2012 by msn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sengpatt Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 For people still waiting for fellowship info, I just got an email from IR/PS directing me to the Grad Apply website. No money for me, but I'm not super disappointed as I'm in-state and it's not one of my top choices. Good luck everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangesplease Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) Alrighty, received some insight from my friend who currently goes there. Pros: - He'll be leaving w/ 18k in debt (in-state tuition) - The IR/PS career center is amazing and they really do a great job at assisting their students find jobs. They bring in alums and other useful individuals. Apparently the director is a fantastic networker. - Lots of useful academic exercises - The student network created through the program is a huge asset Cons: - Brand isn't as instantly recognized outside of academia and/or the West Coast - Their academic requirements are quite rigorous and it's difficult to give your all to all the courses b/c you're taking 4 courses at once time I forgot to ask him about quant... well hope this helps someone! Edited March 26, 2012 by orangesplease nphan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nouveau.ukiyo Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Thanks orangesplease for contacting your friend. I got a packet in the mail today from the school, so I spent some time go over the materials. I noticed for the first time that the school runs on trimesters; I can't believe I never realized this. I also discovered that IR/PS has a Youtube channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncybellows Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Has anyone heard about fellowships yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangesplease Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Thanks orangesplease for contacting your friend. I got a packet in the mail today from the school, so I spent some time go over the materials. I noticed for the first time that the school runs on trimesters; I can't believe I never realized this. I also discovered that IR/PS has a Youtube channel. In the US university system, we refer to it as a quarter system. There's definitely no slacking time, but you can also say goodbye to horrible professors/subjects sooner than later! Goodluck to wherever you go nouveau, you have some awesome choices to choose from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laj168 Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I heard about fellowships today: full tuition/fees and a modest monthly living stipend. Good luck to all waiting! Now I have to make an incredibly painful decision. theseeker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chauncybellows Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) I heard about fellowships today: full tuition/fees and a modest monthly living stipend. Good luck to all waiting! Now I have to make an incredibly painful decision. I got the same package this morning! Shocking no? Was not expecting that, especially considering the UC situation with budget cuts, etc. Anyways, congrats! Edited March 28, 2012 by chauncybellows theseeker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laj168 Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I got the same package this morning! Shocking no? Was not expecting that, especially considering the UC situation with budget cuts, etc. Anyways, congrats! Thank you; congrats to you, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 For the people receiving aid, may I ask what kind of background numbers you have? I'm curious what it took to receive aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laj168 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 For the people receiving aid, may I ask what kind of background numbers you have? I'm curious what it took to receive aid. Hi Seaking, You can go to my profile where I posted somewhere my whole stats thing, but the short version is 3.7 GPA (English) from a top 10, 720/720/5.5 GREs. theseeker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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