University of California vs California State University?

Question

what are the differences between UC's and CSU's.

Answer 1

Private = More famous, cost more than UC.

UC = famous, cost more than CSU.

CSU = Ok famous.

Answer 2

The University of California campuses are what are known as research universities, which are more prestigious than the "balanced" universities represented by the CSUs.  Their purpose is to push forward the frontiers of knowledge, so they tend to have a lot programs like medical schools and physical sciences which are engaged in original research.  They are better-funded than the CSUs, both in terms of state funding and also from research grants  (and also have higher tuition).  UCs generally offer a large number of graduate programs in addition to their undergraduate majors, providing their prestigious professors with research and teaching assistants.  

The CSUs were designed to train the large numbers of employees needed in the state to make the state run.  They tend to have a lot of programs like education, social work, nursing, and business for undergraduates, because those are careers that are needed in large numbers in the state.  The professors hired by the CSUs tend to be somewhat less prestigious and less focused on doing original research, but that doesn't mean that they may not be excellent teachers (some are and some aren't, as is the case at the UCs).  Grad programs at the CSUs have until very recently been limited to masters degrees, not doctorates (an EdD was recently instituted at CSULB, which was the first doctorate offered at a CSU).  One thing to keep in mind is that when state budgets are cut, it is usually the CSUs which are most badly hurt.  Often classes are cut causing those remaining to be overcrowded, and students often have trouble getting the courses they need to graduate, causing them to take longer to get their degrees.  

Answer 3

That really depends on the university. UC's offer more Ph.D. programs, are usually larger, and cost more. I say "usually" because San Diego State University is actually the largest of the Cal States, and it probably can rival the smaller UC's in size -- namely UC Merced. Also, UCs tend to have larger PhD. programs, which implies they do more research. Although more research doesn't mean it's better, it is a reliable indicator of the quality of education. Typically researching professors are more up-to-date within the field.

Anyway, don't worry about the name. Look up info regarding your major. Cal State Los Angeles has one of the best teaching programs. Overall, it might be better to go to Cal State U of LA than (for example) UC Berkeley... Simply because CSULA costs less and the program is larger.