University of California-Davis Top Questions

I really love UC Davis. There are certainly things about the school I didn't expect (some pleasant, some unpleasant surprises) but on the whole I'm really happy with my experience here and would recommend the school to anyone. On a big campus like Davis, it definitely takes some extra work on the part of the student to find ways to get involved, but if you take just a little time to look you'll find all kinds of really wonderful organizations and opportunities. In terms of the freshman experience in the dorms, I think people have very mixed experiences. There can be a lot of variability based on who your RA is, and what your housing set-up is like (double, single, apartment-style, etc) and I'm not sure that all the RAs are really involved out of an interest in students' lives - a lot of them just need free housing. On the other hand, if you get involved in activities freshman year you WILL make great friends through them - exploring organizations through SPAC or checking out the Greek system are probably two good ways to start out. My biggest advice for students is to get involved EARLY and know that it will be on you to seek out these organizations (no one will really come to you) but once you start looking people are very welcoming and will help you out in whatever way they can.

Davis is a great community. There is ample opportunity to get involved and explore your interests. There should be more opportunity for specialization though.

Davis is a world unto itself, and being here is like being in a microcosm of the world, with a bit less diversity. Students and student groups are cosntantly hosting workshops, teach ins, teach outs, campaigns, lectures, mobilizations, etc. Our students are highly motivated and determined to be heard. Whether it's Students for Justice in Palestine holding a Die In on campus, or MEChA working to organize the annual May 1st International Workers Solidarity Day events, to lectures on what it's like to be a Jew in America today, to addressing the growing self-identifying Mixed ethnicity group, our students are on it. Plus, with the loci of power for the state of California situated 30 minutes away from us, our students always have a chance to address concerns to our state leadership, as well as participate in statewide mobilization efforts.

The best thing about UCD is that there's a lot of service included in your tuition such us bus fare, gym fees, and health care. If you don't intend to use these services then there's nothing you could really do to get your money back. Personally, the prestige that people feel when they say they go to UCD is a lot of hot air. University students tend to always think they're better than others just because they go to this big university with a reputation in research. This is a good school for those who want to impress people that they have UCD on their resume, but for those that want a school that's less of a backyard fairy tale and hot air, then choose a different school.

I love the fact that UCD has alot of school pride and it's constantly encouraged to go to a game and be apart of the "Aggie Pack" (wear Aggie blue and sit in a special section of UCD students only and sing and shout anthems). I find it difficult to do well in all my classes and maintain a high GPA when a majority of the classes only take into account scores on 3 multiple choice exams (50 questions each). I personally love to write essays and have other assignments incorporated into the course because not only does it get me more involved in what we are learning in class, I can also prove myself as a student who does well on assignments and turns them in on time. I think the size of UCD is perfect. I have lecture halls that have 50 students in it and then go to another class with 300! I think it's a nice atmosphere at UCD and alot of students are very friendly. UCD has a friendly feeling campus; if you walk through the quad you will see alot of people hanging out enjoying each other's company, a great majority of whom are smiling and willing to help you if you're lost. I find that the cousselors at the College of Letters and Science are extremely helpful and friendly as well. They seem to really care for your individual needs when you set up meetings with them and they are always open to hear what you have to say, or any questions you need answered.

To me, UC Davis has been a home away from home. Everyday flies by and I can not believe I will be graduating next year. The academics are hard and challenging but I feel I have learned so much and am continuing to learn. I love to think of UC Davis as a big school in a small town and it fits me perfectly. Being from San Diego, I love coming to a small town with such a large student population. The greek system has also been a perfect match for me. I am currently the president of Alpha Phi and have loved every minute of being in my sorority. There is a lot of school pride, everyone loves UC Davis here and you can tell!

It's a big school, but there's a good deal of school pride and it's a great college town.

UC Davis has excellent academics, and students who like to have fun. Davis is truly one of the last college towns, and it is quite unique. Downtown is so adorable and has amazing one-of-a-kind restaurants and cafes. The Farmers Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays is so fun and it has some incredible food! UCD is the perfect size school. You meet new people everyday, but you always see people you know around campus.

UCD is a very large campus. If you are from the city, you would feel like you were dropped into the middle of nowhere, which is somewhat true. But everywhere around you focuses on college life. If you want a good source for information about Davis, visit www.daviswiki.org.

I really like the campus and all the trees make it really pretty. It's also nice that there are so many recycling bins. I love the library and there are a lot of really neat places to study in there. The arboretum is a beautiful place to go to when you want be near greenery. It's also a small town, so it's a cute place to go to school and there are a lot of nice places to hang out. If you get sick of Davis, Sacramento is right there and there's a bus that goes there. You can also take the amtrak to the city if you want to get away.