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So... I guess it is indeed a good thing that I have way more options.
Firstly, my parents have really loosened up lately. Much less arguing, I am allowed to do pretty much what I want so long as it is legal. And I don't want to do anything that isn't legal. So yeah. I'm pretty good. Me turning 18, and so far positive college admission returns, as well as good semester grades contributed. As did my aunt calling, and just saying how excellent a person I was, etc etc.
Also helping, was the fact I just started taking care of random housekeeping stuff without being asked .Without school being difficult, figure spending 30-45 minutes never hurts.
But anyways, I have a lot of options. 
Firstly, I have a ton of options in college.
I'll just disregard the schools my parents made me apply to because they thought I was so screwed for admissions.
Full ride at University of Idaho (not going to do probably, just so low tier)
Full tuition at Northeastern (pending)
UC Davis
UC Riverside (Regents, but still lols)
UC San Diego (prob on top right now)
UCLA? (hopefully :DD)
Cal? (Hopefully :DD)
Stanford (going to be no)
Princeton (going to be no)
Rice (going to be no)
Anyways, these are options. I really need to look more into UCSD. When I toured UC campuses i just did a quick lookabout because I was on a tight schedule, and figured "oh well, I won't get in."
But then I got in to UCSD and UCD, both for a BS in Computer Science. Which is my ideal major. And it's pretty darn good both places. UCSD is better, but I was only at the campus for an hour, and got into my 4th place school, revelle. :| I mean, it's got issues. I think I may like hte humanities, mainly it is the fact the people are known to be... reclusive. But this is all off of internet heresay. What is Revelle REALLY like at UCSD. How brutal is the GE? And what is it like for a CS major?
I know much more about UCD. I wouldn't be against attending. But UCSD leading so far.
I will be visiting northeastern pending acceptance. It's cheaper than UCSD, and a private, but there are things to be said for both schools. Would rather be in boston than SD, but weather....
Anyways, what are your guys' thoughts and feelings on UCSD and UCD? For those of you attending what is it like?
And are the horrors of revelle at all accurate?
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/dFNCf.jpg)
An image I took with a friend's camera, then photoshopped. I swear to god, no gramthingshit involved
Anyways. For my birthday I figured I would not get a new mp3 player. Probably will just buy my own sansa clip. Parents generously offered to get me a DSLR, something which I've wanted for quite some number of years now. Right now, the top cameras for me are 500D, 550D, and possibly a nikon or Sony. The nikon equivalents might be OK, but I really don't like the whole "autofocus in lens" thing on them.
So...
I know that the costs vary widely.
Taking cost into account, would 500D or 550D be better. About 100 dollar differential. Not sure what to do on lenses either. I know that glass should take priority over camera, but I don't want to be in a situation where I have to replace. I'm leaning toward 550D. I can get it at costco with two lenses for 800, but I'm still not sure that's great. I'd like to keep costs lower. Body only is 550, with 18-55 is 650. I'm quite torn between the two. Is it worth another 130-150 for the 550?
Also, where should I be looking to purchase cameras? Amazon, other retailers? In person? Right now because of a $40 gift card Bestbuy is cheapest rofl. (610 for 550 with 18-55)
I'm perfectly open to buying used.
 
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PRINCETON! Come here we have sick starcraft scene. you have to believe
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Baltimore, USA22259 Posts
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
iirc NeoIllusions & Cadical were at UCD.
> m3rciless
Man, princeton sc used to basically consist of TASA kids playing some really shitty games, and the Korean kids being D- level. That was about it. Things sure have changed.
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UCD HWIGHTING. I've been here for 3 years so i have a pretty good idea what it's like, but honestly you're going to have to ask a more specific question then something like "do you enjoy it" or "what's it like" lol.
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On March 19 2012 15:42 thedeadhaji wrote:
iirc NeoIllusions & Cadical were at UCD.
> m3rciless
Man, princeton sc used to basically consist of TASA kids playing some really shitty games, and the Korean kids being D- level. That was about it. Things sure have changed.
I mean we're still d---- level, but we host symposiums and start CSL like its no thang.
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UCD is #1 in the Collegiate Starleague. Source: http://www.cstarleague.com/stats We beat both Stanford and Cal 3-0. 17 - 0 overall record. HDStarcraft is cousin of an undergrad, and has visited quite a few times. Moletrap, love him or hate him, is an alumni.
Our team features 3 grandmasters: Spanishiwa, famous for his Ice-Fisher build from about a year ago; Tbeezy, aka'd Fallout Boy, for his expansive and expert use of nuclear warfare; and Ruxin, that one dude that spams our Facebook page about parties and trolls all the time. T_T jk dude you're ok, i guess.
If that doesn't get you to go to UCD, nothing will.
+ Show Spoiler +I think what most people don't think about when going to college is the atmosphere of the town. Sure, UCLA is a great school, but it's in fuckin LA aka California's Toilet. Anywho, i chose UCD because it's quiet and calm and small town. Basically any reputable university will give you an equal undergrad education, so you should think.... Do I want to go to parties/ beach? UCSD. Do I want a vibrant city/ don't mind creepy people on public transport/ don't mind noise or traffic (obvious bias is biased). UCLA. Prefer a quiet college town, with the biggest and best indie/underground radio program [shameless plug: listen now DO IT: http://www.kdvs.org/ ] in the united states (largest music collection in the west coast too, i might add) and the best Starcraft team in the nation? UCD. etc etc etc you're not only going to be studying at university, you're going to be living there. Not everyone would enjoy Davis, which I believe has only 2 under-21 clubs, and a vast expanse of farmland surrounding it. sacramento, which is close-by, doesn't exactly have the greatest nightlife either. Not everyone would like living at berkeley, with its homeless people and rather congested campus, or its rather large nudist population. What kind of environment would you like to live in?
as for cameras... no clue. sorry.
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
as fishgie said, location is actually pretty important, esp since it dictates your employment prospects directly.
(companies definitely recruit heavier in their direct region, regardless of their size/prestige. it's just easier)
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I used to live in Davis, CA and I'd say it's a pretty calm and quiet town that doesn't really have much distractions.
If you want to party SF is only 3 hours away and Sacramento is a 30 minute drive.
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< BS in CS at ucla undergrad if have any questions
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The only thing that being in Revelle at UCSD will directly impact is:
1) Your GE requirements
2) Where you live your freshman (and optionally sophomore) year
You'll likely meet more people from Revelle just from the close proximity as well but there are plenty of ways to meet people in the other colleges especially 1st year and early on in the quarter. On top of that as a CS major you'll be spending a lot of time near Warren (where the CS building is) which is all the way across campus. Plus a lot of CS people are in Warren so you have an easy in to get to know people there as well.
I did undergrad at UCSD (Bioeng), getting an MS right now, and (hopefully) staying here for Ph.D. so I like it :-p
I will say that the "traditional" social scene here is much less in your face than at other schools. If you want to have drunken escapades you can, very easily, but it isn't a huge emphasis. (Best way I can think to put it).
Check out this thread on /r/UCSD: http://www.reddit.com/r/UCSD/comments/r1t41/the_new_student_qa/ and feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all about SD.
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On March 19 2012 15:33 m3rciless wrote:
PRINCETON! Come here we have sick starcraft scene. you have to believe
if i get admitted, I promise I will join. Even if its sc2.
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On March 19 2012 15:33 m3rciless wrote:
PRINCETON! Come here we have sick starcraft scene. you have to believe
That is a dream for me aha
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On March 19 2012 15:39 EvilTeletubby wrote:
ASK HER OUT ALREADY
Came into this blog expecting an update regarding this.
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Idaho sounds good to me
You sure will have good scenery there
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Personally I think SD/Cal >>>>> all other UC's. I didn't stay in Cali for school but of the people I knew who went to college, the SD/Cal kids were much more chill and actually intelligent. The benefits of SD is that its also better than Davis in other fields, which is good because there is a high probability you will want to play with your majors a bit even though you say you want to do CS (not saying you won't love CS and do it but I have seen many many people switch majors even though they were gonna be X). Though tbh, after going through college I think the strength of a school's program is much less important than how comfortable you are with the culture of a school. People with a strong work ethic/drive will do well no matter how "good" the program is, much more important that you're in a place that you can find likeminded people.
Personally this is my list of schools on your rankings (take it with a grain of salt):
UCSD
Cal/Stanford
Princeton
Rice
UCLA
Northeastern
UCR
U of Idaho
But again, that's my opinion. Go take a hard look at those schools before you decide!
As for DSLR's...
Btw: Fry's is having a deal for the t3i+kit 18-55 for 699 if you're thinking about it. http://www.frys.com/product/6547673
Frequent sales on 550D and 600D on slickdeals.net if you're willing to wait for some good ones, they had 550D body for 430 at Fry's like two weeks back.
Tbh, the differences in body are pretty minimal in the rebel line and its hard for a beginner to tell the difference between 1 generation. My personal recommendation is get the cheapest decent body you can find and don't skimp on glass UNLESS there's something special you need like full HD video or something, the money you save can go to MOAR GLASS! If you really want to do photography you'll eventually upgrade to something like a 60D/7D/5D or something (I just went from a 450D to a 7D).
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Hong Kong9179 Posts
On March 19 2012 15:02 Froadac wrote:Anyways, these are options. I really need to look more into UCSD. When I toured UC campuses i just did a quick lookabout because I was on a tight schedule, and figured "oh well, I won't get in." But then I got in to UCSD and UCD, both for a BS in Computer Science. Which is my ideal major. And it's pretty darn good both places. UCSD is better, but I was only at the campus for an hour, and got into my 4th place school, revelle. :| I mean, it's got issues. I think I may like hte humanities, mainly it is the fact the people are known to be... reclusive. But this is all off of internet heresay. What is Revelle REALLY like at UCSD. How brutal is the GE? And what is it like for a CS major? I know much more about UCD. I wouldn't be against attending. But UCSD leading so far. I will be visiting northeastern pending acceptance. It's cheaper than UCSD, and a private, but there are things to be said for both schools. Would rather be in boston than SD, but weather.... Anyways, what are your guys' thoughts and feelings on UCSD and UCD? For those of you attending what is it like?
The stereotypical UCSD student isn't very social, but that doesn't mean that if you make an active effort to be social and do stuff other than constantly studying you won't have opportunities to have fun and meet other people. There are plenty of opportunities both on and off campus to have a great time.
The weather here is absolutely amazing (except for the past few days, because it's actually been raining). UCSD is in La Jolla, and really close to a number of really good beaches. There is a hang-gliding port on the cliffs just outside of campus that most people don't know about, too.
On campus, there are pretty cool recreational faciities. I hear that they are switching finally to Division I athletics now that I've up and graduated already.
There is a pretty big Starcraft culture here, both on and off campus. UCSD has a CSL team. We get quite a few people in attendance at our weekly Barcraft scene from UCSD as well.
On the subject of alcohol, Porter's Pub on campus remains my favorite bar. Dozens of craft beer on tap served in a pint always, cheap food, and a great atmosphere. Everybody I've taken to that bar says it beats their own respective on-campus bar.
I had a lot of fun and made a good group of friends at that school.
And are the horrors of revelle at all accurate?
You will have a general education burden that will be somewhat greater than that which you would have if you were in another college, but I feel most of that is just hyped up complaining; perhaps an actual Reveille student can give a more objective (or subjective) response. I only lived at Reville my first year because my specific college didn't have enough dorm space, and got to know a lot of people who actually were part of that college.
On the plus side, they are building brand-spanking new dorms for Reville students, I think.
Anyways. For my birthday I figured I would not get a new mp3 player. Probably will just buy my own sansa clip. Parents generously offered to get me a DSLR, something which I've wanted for quite some number of years now. Right now, the top cameras for me are 500D, 550D, and possibly a nikon or Sony. The nikon equivalents might be OK, but I really don't like the whole "autofocus in lens" thing on them.
So...
I know that the costs vary widely.
Taking cost into account, would 500D or 550D be better. About 100 dollar differential. Not sure what to do on lenses either. I know that glass should take priority over camera, but I don't want to be in a situation where I have to replace. I'm leaning toward 550D. I can get it at costco with two lenses for 800, but I'm still not sure that's great. I'd like to keep costs lower. Body only is 550, with 18-55 is 650. I'm quite torn between the two. Is it worth another 130-150 for the 550?
Also, where should I be looking to purchase cameras? Amazon, other retailers? In person? Right now because of a $40 gift card Bestbuy is cheapest rofl. (610 for 550 with 18-55)
I'm perfectly open to buying used.
The Canon EF mount also has 'autofocus in lens.' Image stabilization is in lens too.
Which Sony cameras are you considering? Sony, like Pentax, which I use, keeps the autofocus motor in the body, and adds image stabilization into the body as well. This lowers the price of lenses, and lets them be smaller and lighter than their counterparts.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/lZiSm.jpg)
Case in point, OMGWTFBBQ small.
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS
In the case of image stabilization, it means that even my favorite manual focus prime lens that is twice as old as me benefits from image stabilization. Hence I can hand-hold at shutter speeds slower than the typical rule of 1/focal length in the dark confines of an ESPORTS event so long as I brace myself and breathe steadily.
Also if you want to use the camera more for video purposes, that should factor into your choice.
Cross posted from a recent photography topic I posted in: "In general, go with acquiring better lenses over acquiring marginally better camera bodies; if you stay within your camera system, you can always take those lenses with you when a body upgrade finally makes sense."
The kit zoom has a versatile focal length range, but generally lacks in image quality and speed for many purposes. Don't expect to be able to use it effectively indoors and in even lower light without a flash or a tripod.
Good retailers: B&H, Amazon for brand new. KEH.com for used (they have pretty good quality control and used rating system).
You can always go into a store and try out cameras and them buy them online at better prices. Didn't do that for my personal purchase though; I read a whole bunch of reviews, looked at RAW samples, and bought based on that information. Pretty hipster.
Edit: Snapsort.com has a somewhat decent camera comparison tool. One thing I will suggest is to not really place much emphasis on 'lens selection' unless you really plan on buying 138 different lenses that will overlap the same focal lengths. Each camera system generally has the same core competing lenses available.
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Thanks.
I may be clueless, but I know that the Nicon 5100 3100 etc all have something that makes that camera unable to use most nikon lenses.
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On March 19 2012 15:39 EvilTeletubby wrote:
ASK HER OUT ALREADY
hahahahahahah
So what's the stauts about asking her out?
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On March 20 2012 08:26 beetlelisk wrote:hahahahahahah So what's the stauts about asking her out?
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Tomorrow.
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EPT
