UC Irvine vs. CSUF direct entry nursing?
Hello! I was fortunate enough to be admitted into these two nursing programs in SoCal. I just recently got off CSUF’s waitlist after I already submitted my SIR to UC Irvine in April, and I would like some help choosing between the two.
For context, I plan on commuting and possibly working part time as a CNA to help with funds if need be. Additionally, I MAY switch my major to pre-med biology or engineering (I am 15% sure), which is a contributing factor to my indecision.
UCI has been my dream school since freshman year of high school, and when I visited I absolutely loved the campus and community. However, my commute would be ~35 mins with traffic and tuition is 17k/year after aid. I am currently in the process of appealing the aid offer.
CSUF is only 10k/year without aid, ~15 mins away WITH traffic, and has a 98% NCLEX pass rate compared to UCI’s 93%. However, their campus and resources are not as nice as UCI, and I can’t help but feel like it’s high school 2.0.
Unfortunately I only have 10 days to make my decision, and I am unsure if UCI will read my appeal before that time. I understand that CSUF is more practical given my financial situation, especially since my dad is against taking out student loans, but my personal preference is UCI. Any input would be helpful. Thank you!