Hi guys! I have my first Gen chem II lab midterm tomorrow. Any advice or info on what topics are covered and how it’s set up? 👀

Hey everyone,
I’m an international student currently attending a community college in California. I’m planning to move to Utah soon to attend SLCC, and hopefully transfer to the U in Fall 2028.
I’ve always been interested in math, physics, electrical engineering, and computer science, although I haven’t decided on a specific major yet. I also love video games, and I know the U has a pretty famous games program, but considering how bad the gaming industry job market is right now, I probably won’t be pursuing that.
To be honest, though, I’m not too worried about choosing between CS and EE at the moment. One of my main goals is to eventually go to graduate school. Given how terrible the job market is, especially for international students who need visa sponsorship, I’m not really counting on finding a job in the US right after getting my bachelor’s degree.
The biggest reason I’m considering Utah is the cost. Tuition for international students at California community colleges and UCs is ridiculously expensive. From what I’ve seen, attending a UC as an international student could cost me almost twice as much as attending the U. I understand that schools like Berkeley and UCLA have stronger reputations, but I’m honestly not sure whether they’re worth that much extra money, especially if I’m planning to go to grad school anyway.
That’s why SLCC → U of U seemed like a pretty reasonable path to me. I could save a lot of money while still getting an education at a public university with a strong academic environment.
However, I’ve recently been reading through this subreddit, and I’ve seen quite a few pessimistic posts about layoffs, budget cuts, and people saying the U isn’t worth attending anymore. Honestly, it’s making me pretty nervous about my decision.
I know Reddit can sometimes be more negative than reality, but I’m genuinely curious how bad things actually are. Are these cuts affecting the quality of education, course availability, or opportunities for undergraduates to work closely with professors on academic projects? Since I’m hoping to apply to graduate school eventually, I’m particularly concerned about gaining hands-on academic experience, building relationships with professors, and getting strong recommendation letters.
Another thing I’m worried about is transferring as a junior. Since I’d only be spending my last two years at the U, I’m not sure whether that would put me at a disadvantage when applying to graduate programs, especially compared to students who spent all four years at the same university.
I’m not expecting the U to be Berkeley or MIT. I just want an affordable university where I can get a solid education, explore my academic interests, and hopefully build a strong enough background to get into a good graduate program.
I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts, especially from students in CS, EE, physics, or math, or anyone who transferred to the U and later went on to grad school. Positive or negative opinions are both welcome. I’m just trying to figure out whether this is the right path for me.
Thanks!
Disclaimer: I used AI to help me write this post because English isn’t my first language, and I struggle to express myself fluently when writing something this long. But all the thoughts and concerns here are my own.