I have narrowed down my choices to these two and I know that they are super different but I feel like there are really great qualities for both as well as drawbacks. Any advice?
Yes, very different but excellent options!
Some things to consider:
- Are there cost differences? It rarely makes sense to choose a significantly more expensive option.
- Do you want a liberal arts education? Or not?
- Student-to-faculty ratio is much different (Colby 10:1, UCI 17:1)
- Ethnic diversity is much different (Colby ~70% white)
- Geographic diversity is much different (UCI ~75% CA residents)
- Weather
I assume you’ve visited both, met some students, stayed overnight in the residence halls. If not…make every effort to do so. Where do you get most excited when you think about it?
Good luck!
Whoa, schools can’t really get much more different than these two.
Colby is small – do you like intimate schools, where you know everyone? Colby is in the middle of nowhere and the winters are brutal so you’ll be on campus A LOT. For some that makes for a cozy, intense academic experience, for others it’s limiting and suffocating. Lots of Colby kids do a semester/year abroad… is this something that appeals to you? The older, preppier Colby prides itself on being a selective, academic place. Davis, a huge public, attracts top students but also a lot of community college transfers. By its nature it’s less intimate. And being in a budget crunch, you’re likely experience some difficulties at times in getting the classes you want/need. OTOH, its very size and academic diversity will offer opportunities – options in majors, for one – you may not find at Colby.
A Colby professor (whose own children went to big public universities on the West Coast) says, Colby is the kind of school many kids begin to grow out of by their junior year… hence the popularity of study abroad (usually in warmer places, lol.) Davis is the opposite, the kind of school students grow INTO by their junior year.
I like the fact that Colby has such small class sizes and that the focus of the school is on the undergraduates. I think that they would be able to advise me very well. I am worried about the Maine winters and fitting in with kids from New England. I felt like Davis has a really great energy with a happy student body and lively campus - more so than Colby. I think it would be easier to fit in their. I’m interested in possibly majoring in Environmental Policy/Studies, Economics, or International Studies as well as maybe a minor in Spanish.
My mistake…I quoted some stats for UC Irvine, not Davis in #1 above. Same point though with slightly different numbers.
Colby has a global outlook, and has great research opportunities for undergrads. Great food! Great community, whose reputation is still on the rise. Admissions dean stolen from Stanford…can’t go wrong. I always thought Davis was considered the “B” school of UC’s (vs. “A”), unless you are prevet/vet.
I’d pick Colby for undergrad… And ucd foe grad school down the line 
I think you really just have to decide what kind of experience you want. I think post 2 nails it. If you see yourself going stir crazy after a year, you might want to choose California. If you feel you will be lost in the anonymity of a big school, choose Colby.
For what you want to study, Colby is very strong.
I’m not trying to sway you in that direction but am responding to the accurate remark that Davis offers more in the way of majors.
In addition to pre-vet, Davis is strong in engineering, which is not an option at Colby.
If you have an interest in Spanish, being at a school like Colby where lots of students go abroad could be a positive.
They are pretty different plsces, and I can see the appeal of each. Personally, I like the opportunity to engage in class and get to know professors, so I would choose a LAC every time but plenty of people prefer the anonymity of larger schools, so it’s not like there’s a right answer.
Graduation rates, from College Navigator:
Colby: 91% 4-year, 94% 6-year
UC Davis: 58% 4-year, 85% 6-year
Davis has a wider variety of majors and classes – but their availability isn’t guaranteed. Many students have difficulty getting the classes that they need to graduate in 4 years.
At Colby, the selection will be more limited – but you will have access into any class or major that interests you. You won’t have any problems getting the classes needed to finish on a 4-year schedule.
Well? Where did you decide? My daughter attends Colby and I am very familiar with Davis. Both great options. Interested in hearing what you decided.
I chose Colby!
CONGRATULATIONS!
Great choice - enjoy!
Yea! Go Mules!