<p>Being that southern california is basically MADE for people with cars, I'd recommend bringing one. Public transportation is a joke, at least from what I've seen. Dunno about Irvine. Bumming rides can be a hassle, especially if everyone's busy or whatnot.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if you plan on nerding it up and being pretty busy with studying most of the time, then it might not be that important. I'm sure it's not that hard to get a ride to the beach or whatever on the weekends.</p>