UCLA vs CSUs for MSW

[BackNSchool83]

So I'm planning to work down the road as a therapist, I'm therefore going to have my degree on the wall in my office, and when people look me up on places like psychology today it's going to say where I went to school, front and center.

 

Here are my options...

 

Cal State University Long Beach aka Long Beach State OR other CSUs like CSU Fullerton which all rank similarly

Cost: Very doable $10k per year and about 35 miles away commuting 2-3 days per week with practicum in the LB area

Ranking: 78th for MSW, 39th for regional universities Western US, and 9th for regional public universities all by US News

Semester system, full time 2 years.

 

University of California Los Angeles aka UCLA

Cost: $20k per year and about 65 miles away commuting 2-3 days per week, with practicum closer to home

Ranking: 12th for MSW, 21st for national universities, 1st for top public schools nationally all by US News

Quarter system, full time 2 years.

 

What would you do if you were admitted to both? I was offered admission to CSULB, but not yet to UCLA and I'm thinking to myself, if I got admitted, would it be worth the extra cost and drive time for 2 hard core years of work at UCLA? What say you?

Edited February 6, 2018 by BackNSchool83

[Elliemsw]

Commuting is definitely a big strain on considering what to do. I commuted to a job that was 20miles away but was a 3 hour trip round trip ? As much as I would go to the closest school I am accepted to, I have always wanted to go to UCLA so I think I would do what it takes to make it happen. Are you planning on working during the MSW program? 

Edited February 7, 2018 by Elliemsw
More info

[Mopar18]

Commuting to Westwood is ABYSMAL. I live about 20 miles away and the few times I've had to go to UCLA have been miserable.

[BackNSchool83]

6 hours ago, Elliemsw said:

Commuting is definitely a big strain on considering what to do. I commuted to a job that was 20miles away but was a 3 hour trip round trip ? As much as I would go to the closest school I am accepted to, I have always wanted to go to UCLA so I think I would do what it takes to make it happen. Are you planning on working during the MSW program? 

I'm not going to work, it's the full time program, most of it is 2 days a week in LA all day for classes and then interning closer to home.

[BackNSchool83]

3 hours ago, Mopar18 said:

Commuting to Westwood is ABYSMAL. I live about 20 miles away and the few times I've had to go to UCLA have been miserable.

Yeah it's going to suck if I do it, but I'm got to try and minimize it by driving out at like 4 am staying all day till the evening and coming home at like 8pm to avoid traffic, and I can use the extra time to work on school stuff. That said, this may not work out as I envision it.

[Elliemsw]

10 hours ago, BackNSchool83 said:

Yeah it's going to suck if I do it, but I'm got to try and minimize it by driving out at like 4 am staying all day till the evening and coming home at like 8pm to avoid traffic, and I can use the extra time to work on school stuff. That said, this may not work out as I envision it.

I pretty much did this during my undergrad (going early, staying late, living in the library or cafe) and it was doable! Of course I was jealous of the people who had apartments or dorms 10mins from school but I felt that having nothing to do but study made me more productive!