University of California-Riverside Top Questions

One of the stereotypes about students at UCR is that we are underachievers; that most of the students who decide to come here did so because it was their "safety school". I can tell you that it's really only an unfortunate stereotype and nothing more. Yes, some people did not choose UCR as their first choice, but that doesn't mean the students here are lazy and boring. There's hundreds of student organizations, tons of free social events put on by student government, and a thriving academic landscape. All you have to do is take advantage of it.

Many would say that the University of California Riverside contains students that are not as intelligent as those who attend other UC's such as UCLA or Berkeley. Fortunately this isn't the case and in fact UCR has nothing but intelligent students who strive to learn more.

UC Riverside students are stereotyped as being UC rejects, the kids who didn't get in to any other UC school. To some extent this is true, UCR has had a rather high acceptance rate being a newer school, and many of the students who get in don't actually deserve to. But at the same time, this creates a more diverse environment and there are still a great deal of intellectual students and esteemed professors within the school, which is why UCR is considered "up and coming." I remember one tour guide rather frankly said how the school actually doesn’t suck and many students miss out trying to get into more prestigious schools.

UC Riverside students are stereotyped as being UC rejects, the kids who didn't get in to any other UC school. To some extent this is true, UCR has had a rather high acceptance rate being a newer school, and many of the students who get in don't actually deserve to. But this creates a more diverse atmosphere there are still a great deal of intellectual students and esteemed professors within the school, which is why UCR is considered "up and coming." I remember one tour guide rather frankly said how the school actually doesn’t suck and many students miss out trying to get into more prestigious schools. You may not as often get that "Ooooh" from people telling them you're from UCR than another UC, but there is still a lot of opportunities and support the school offers that you don't get elsewhere.

UC Riverside students are stereotyped as being UC rejects, the kids who didn't get in to any other UC school. To some extent this is true, UCR has had a rather high acceptance rate being a newer school, and many of the students who get in don't actually deserve to. But this creates a more diverse atmosphere there are still a great deal of intellectual students and esteemed professors within the school, which is why UCR is considered "up and coming." I remember one tour guide rather frankly said how the school actually doesn’t suck and many students miss out trying to get into more prestigious schools. You may not as often get that "Ooooh" from people telling them you're from UCR than another UC, but there is still a lot of opportunities and support the school offers that you don't get elsewhere.

The stereotype of students at UC Riverside is that they are students that were rejected from the other UC’s. I have even heard people say UCR stands for University of California Rejects. Sadly, there is some truth to this stereotype. Even I have to admit that out of all the UC’s I applied to, Riverside was the only one to accept me. During orientation, I was curious to see if other students were in the same situation. I asked roughly twenty students and fifteen of them told me they chose to go to UCR because it was the only university that accepted them. They explained they would much rather attend a university than a community college. The summer before college started, I was not very enthusiastic about going to UCR because I came from a competitive high school in Irvine. If you didn’t get into a “good” college, then you might as well keep your mouth shut and not tell anyone where you’re going. I even had a friend who lied to people that she was attending UCI when in fact she was actually rejected. This shows how much pressure our peers, teachers, and parents put on us to be accepted into a “good” college. There is a strong desire to be number one and with that mind set, it has lowered the esteem of students who got rejected from their dream schools. First of all, what is considered a “good” college? Why is UCLA considered better than UCR? Are there better and smarter students that go to UCLA? Are they going to be more successful? In my eyes a good college is what is best for that particular individual. Going to a college is like committing to a relationship. Sometimes you ask someone out and they reject you. Maybe it was because it was just bad timing on your part or you’re just not what that person is looking for, or you don’t meet their standards. If you really want to be in a relationship that works for you and makes you happy, then you personally need to know yourself very well. Why spend a lot of money on a college that doesn’t even have what you’re looking for? You just want to go there for the prestige or because it looks good but not because you truly believe you will be happy there. Attending college is a four or more year long relationship with that school. Some people decide to break up with it by dropping out. Others do not put enough effort and time into the relationship and the college dismisses them. But if a student does his research, spends some time with the school, gets to know it from the inside out, then he will get the feeling that this is a good fit for him. Yes, UCR students may fit the stereotype of “UC Rejects” but if we continue to have this attitude that we are not as intelligent, as hard working, and as successful as other UC students, then that attitude will spread to others. Stereotypes are not just randomly formed but are created as a result of what is commonly seen. UCR has many great opportunities for students and if they can break away from believing in this stereotype and be proud to attend this university, it will change that negative perspective.

The stereotype of students at UC Riverside is that they are students that were rejected from the other UC’s. I have even heard people say UCR stands for University of California Rejects. Sadly, there is some truth to this stereotype. Even I have to admit that out of all the UC’s I applied to, Riverside was the only one to accept me. During orientation, I was curious to see if other students were in the same situation. I asked roughly twenty students and fifteen of them told me they chose to go to UCR because it was the only university that accepted them. They explained they would much rather attend a university than a community college. The summer before college started, I was not very enthusiastic about going to UCR because I came from a competitive high school in Irvine. If you didn’t get into a “good” college, then you might as well keep your mouth shut and not tell anyone where you’re going. I even had a friend who lied to people that she was attending UCI when in fact she was actually rejected. This shows how much pressure our peers, teachers, and parents put on us to be accepted into a “good” college. There is a strong desire to be number one and with that mind set, it has lowered the esteem of students who got rejected from their dream schools. First of all, what is considered a “good” college? Why is UCLA considered better than UCR? Are there better and smarter students that go to UCLA? Are they going to be more successful? In my eyes a good college is what is best for that particular individual. Going to a college is like committing to a relationship. Sometimes you ask someone out and they reject you. Maybe it was because it was just bad timing on your part or you’re just not what that person is looking for, or you don’t meet their standards. If you really want to be in a relationship that works for you and makes you happy, then you personally need to know yourself very well. Why spend a lot of money on a college that doesn’t even have what you’re looking for? You just want to go there for the prestige or because it looks good but not because you truly believe you will be happy there. Attending college is a four or more year long relationship with that school. Some people decide to break up with it by dropping out. Others do not put enough effort and time into the relationship and the college dismisses them. But if a student does his research, spends some time with the school, gets to know it from the inside out, then he will get the feeling that this is a good fit for him. Yes, UCR students may fit the stereotype of “UC Rejects” but if we continue to have this attitude that we are not as intelligent, as hard working, and as successful as other UC students, then that attitude will spread to others. Stereotypes are not just randomly formed but are created as a result of what is commonly seen. UCR has many great opportunities for students and if they can break away from believing in this stereotype and be proud to attend this university, it will change that negative perspective.

All it took was a single Facebook status. One cheery update telling my friends I'd decided to become a UC Riverside Highlander, and the stereotypes started flowing. "UCR? I thought you got good grades.." "Isn't that, like, in the middle of nowhere?" "Good luck dude, I heard some kids there can't even read." I began second-guessing my decision, and my dreams were a montage of me sitting alone by the bell tower, completing a second-grade writing assignment and crying over my high school honors diploma. Move-in day finally arrived on September 25th, almost a full month after most of my friends had packed up their lives and shipped off to college. As part of the welcoming activities, all the awkward freshmen and I broke into groups and talked about our high school activities. My jaw dropped as those around me explained that they were valedictorian, or had won a state math competition, or were the first in their family to attend college. THESE were the "lowlifes" my peers had warned me about? It seemed like out of everyone, I was the lowlife for judging a school based on elitist opinions instead of fact. It turns out UCR is just like any other UC: chock full of super smart kids. The difference lies in the diversity, and though that sounds cliche I love being surrounded by such a unique blend of people. I would encourage anyone who judges UCR to take a campus tour and ask about all the exciting plans for the future, like our med school and the new on-campus apartments. It;s such an exciting place to go to school, so don't let Facebook comments scare you off!

There have been many common misconceptions about UC schools such as UCLA with "U Clowns Lose Again" or in my case, UCR with "University of Chinese Rejects". However this is one of the most misguided stereotypes of UCR. UCR has many types of races and is considered to be one of the most diverse universities and one of the top business schools in California.

Generally UCR is notoriously known as the ugly step-child of the other, more prestigious UC's. Students here are not really taken seriously, they don't take themselves seriously, and neither do the teachers. In many ways, this stereotype is undeniably true; a self-fulfilling prophecy presents itself here by infecting the mindsets of many insecure, confused and discouraged students. Also, because UCR is a big "party" school, complete with a busy partying scene, easy access to alcohol and other substances, and a thriving Greek fraternity/sorority system, it is even easier to look down on the students here. In addition to this, another group that is largely prevalent in UCR's campus is the Asians. Lots of them. Statistically, UCR is one of the most diverse campuses in the U.S. and is home to many races and cultures. However, some sort of fetish and stereotype of the erotic Asian girls and the hipster Asian guys have been established. Especially because there are so many Asian sororities and fraternities, which require many of their members to consistently look and present themselves at their best, UCR is also known as the "hot Asian school".