I am trying to come up with my application plan and UCSD is primarily on my list. But I am not sure which college within UCSD is the toughest to get into. Could anyone familiar with UCSD help me out?
UCSD uses a unique system of residential colleges which affect your housing and the general education requirements you need to meet, but not your major or the specific classes you'll take for your major. The selection process for each college is not based on selectivity or competitiveness, but rather on your personal preferences and alignment with each college's philosophy and general education requirements.
When you apply to UCSD, you rank the colleges from your first to last choice. While this does affect which college you're assigned to if admitted, it does not affect your chances of admission to UCSD overall. Every admitted student is assigned to one of the seven residential colleges.
To figure out your rankings, I recommend familiarizing yourself with each college's general education requirements and philosophies, and deciding which ones appeal to you most. Each of the seven colleges (Revelle, John Muir, Thurgood Marshall, Earl Warren, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sixth, and Seventh) offers a unique academic and social experience, so you should think about how each one aligns with your interests and academic goals.
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