<p>i was really excited about going to davis because they offer this awesome awesome program STEP. don’t you if you’ve heard of it but it’s really great and you get so much benefits! anyways, i thought anyone who got invited get to go but it turns out i recieved a letter today saying they couldn’t accomodate me!!! this hurts so much. i was really looking forward to it. is it because davis got so many more students this year and so opportunities become less? i feel a little regret not picking irvine now. welps, did anyone else who didn’t get in or anyone else who got in?</p>
<p>what exactly is this step program you speak of? why would you rather go to uci just because you can't attend step?</p>
<p>I'm sorry you didn't get into STEP and you actually wanted to go to STEP. I haven't heard of anyone getting rejected from STEP before, so it must be because of the record incoming freshman class size.</p>
<p>(Brief summary of what STEP is for the clueless: STEP is a summer program that lasts about a month before school starts. At STEP you take mini-classes to get you prepared for your fall classes. You also get priority registration for 6 quarters so you always get the classes you need, and you can also join research programs like BUSP & MURPPS that fund you to work in a professor's lab)</p>
<p>But good news (for you).. in the Aggie today they had an article about how they made several lower division classes available to freshman & sophmores only on the first pass so that freshman & sophmores are more likely to get the prerequisite courses they need for thier major done early.</p>
<p>because uci gave me tons more money and they have something similar to STEP called summer bridge program which i don't think i would have a problem getting in.</p>
<p>thanks for the news pearlinthemist! i really wanted to experiece it and join the research program though...oh welps.</p>
<p>Everything happens for a reason, don't worry too much about it..</p>
<p>I'm really disappointed with UC Davis. They changed all of the rooms in Miller Hall from doubles to triples and reduced the content of the Honors Program. They didn't tell the incoming UCD Class of 2010 students about this until last week, well after the SIR deadline. Of course, a lot of the Class of 2010 may have to wait a few extra years to graduate due to the problems UCD has created that will make it real hard to get the courses you need to graduate. Not real happy about this. UCD says one thing and delivers something else after it is too late for students to change their UC choice. Oh well, guess this is a red flag for anybody who is thinking about applying to UCD next year. </p>
<p>It looks like incoming freshman (as well as most other undergrad students) are going to have a real tough time at UCD if the UCD Administration doesn't get a handle on all of the problems the UCD Administration has created by admitting 900+ additional new freshman.</p>
<p>Looks like anybody who was thinking about going to UC Davis, and went to another UC, avoided walking into a big mess. </p>
<p>Just have to see what happens. However, at this point, things don't look promising. Dam, should have accepted the UC Berkeley offer.</p>
<p>I too know how you feel blueprints. Like you, I applied to the STEP program at the beginning of April thinking that it was an automatic acceptance. I made plans for a job that would last up until August 19th and became excited for the experience and benefits that would follow. Come Saturday, I recieved my letter of rejection, and for the rest of that day and much of Sunday I remained quite depressed and a bit angry. If any concellation, at least your not alone in disappointment. :)</p>
<p>Although, towards the close of the letter it did mention something about a later mailing with regard to "a special program provided specifically" for those of us rejected. I only hope that this "special program" covers the research benefits that STEP would have provided. I could get over the loss of the four-week course, but losing the benefit, like the reseach, would be closing a door on me and that hard to get over. </p>
<p>Let us hope that it was our high academic standing that caused them to reject us. If their aiming to aid those in danger of remediation then I find it understandable that we were denied. I just wish we could inquire into the reasons and find some comfort.</p>
<p>mvellius, it's not so bad, you'll be fine at Davis.</p>
<p>Just a query though, why did you turn Berkeley down?</p>
<p>you can still join MURPPS & BUSP, etc as a junior even if you didn't go to STEP.. so research opportunities are not completely out of the picture. They are even thinking about forming an Undergraduate Research Center which would centralize all these programs & opportunities to make it easier for students to find. </p>
<p>I think all these actions by UC Davis in response to the large freshman population are positive changes (i.e. changing doubles to triples, etc). Just imagine the chaos if they didn't change anything. The dorms wouldn't be able to house everyone, freshmen wouldn't be able all be able to get into classes, etc. Reducing the content of the honors program won't prolong your graduation - you can take non-honors courses.</p>
<p>Turned down UC Berkeley because Biomedical Engineering at UCD was more compatible with the goal to become an M.D. than Bioengineering at UCB. UCB does not offer Biomedical Engineering. Also, prefer the suburban/country atmosphere at UCD to the more urban atmosphere at UCB. Will have to see how things work out in a triple.</p>
<p>Do not be disappointed. This is my theory. This is all the path of UC Davis becoming a flagship since it has so much acreage. Look at these events:</p>
<ol>
<li> FACE Act is passed to get UC Davis stuff like the ARC, Stadium, Mondavi Center</li>
<li> New dorms and dining commons are built</li>
<li> Sports teams move to Division 1
a. More alumni spirit
b. More alumni giving
c. More money for research etc
d. Higher US News Ranking</li>
<li> New parking lot, lecture halls are built</li>
<li> More students can be accepted</li>
<li> More students actually attend relieving pressure from UCLA, UCB</li>
<li> Campus reaches max capacity*</li>
<li> No more room for students to be accepted</li>
<li> Lower acceptance rate</li>
<li> Higher US News Ranking</li>
<li> More students apply, relieving pressure from UCLA, UCB</li>
</ol>
<p>*I'm a volunteer for Undergraduate Admissions. Every single training session we have, the higher ups always stress making the events great so that we reach "full capacity." I think the UC system recognizes that they need to relieve pressure from UCB, UCLA and fully occupy the grand campus that is UC Davis. Looks like their plan is working ;)</p>
<p>yeish, im glad i turned down UCD for UIUC...</p>
<p>Thanks for your post Prophasi.</p>
<p>I think UCD is a great school that may be in need of new management. The welfare of the students, their ability to easily access the classes they need to graduate, and not be crammed into dorms like sardines or thrown off campus into a hyper competitive/expensive local housing market, resulting from the possibly intentional overcrowding by UCD's administration, should be the administration's first priority. </p>
<p>This UCD grand campus concept that you describe, seems to be coming at the expense of the students who have to suffer from all the problems associated with overcrowding. Grand schemes like you describe, that raise the misery index on the end user who is paying for the service, are not grand at all.</p>
<p>mvellius your description sounds familiar, like UCB ;)</p>
<p>See, the problem with your bashing, mvellius and the others, is that it isn't the administrations fault that more students accepted their admission this year. There is no way to predict how many students will intend to join a university, and this is one of the biggest toss-ups in every university's admissions process. </p>
<p>If anything, you should be thanking Davis that the administration has been on its feet in trying to adapt to the tough situation it has been put in. Would you rather not have housing at all if the administration had been lethargic and not converted these rooms to provide extra space?</p>
<p>Also, if anything it is a positive sign that more students accepted their SIR this year because it proves that Davis is a wanted school and thus it will have to be more selective in the future. Selectivity is the sign of a prestigious school.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>oh come on....</p>
<p>
[quote]
he welfare of the students, their ability to easily access the classes they need to graduate, and not be crammed into dorms like sardines or thrown off campus into a hyper competitive/expensive local housing market
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I agree with Megathunder. Mvellius, I like how you keep using one example from the news to create a generalization about all students at UC Davis. They just built new dorms a year or two ago, they're very very nice. The old dorms are still very good, and even the Regan dorms are good (not unlivable by any stretch of the imagination). And the housing market is acceptable, get more roommates for a lower cost; some people only pay like 500 a month. It is very easy to find housing, there are so many posters of people looking for roommates in all of the lecture halls, and there are housing guides available in the MU and many other places on campus. Every single person I know has found an partment for next year.</p>
<p>Mvellius, you still haven't answered me. Do you go to Davis? Have you ever been in Davis? Do you even know where Davis is? Have you looked for housing in Davis? Have you set foot in one of the dorms? Just because you don't like Vanderhoef and the management doesn't mean you should be dissing the entire campus and making the incoming-freshman feel like they are coming to a university that doesn't care about them.</p>
<p>The university has free tutoring for most of the major classes: calculus, stats, english, even Organic Chemistry! and they have seminars and how to study and more. They help students find internships at the ICC, and teachers are very approachable after lecture and at office hours. I am amazed, because I thought most of these things were only available at private universities, but I am really suprised by the accessability of the campus and the opportunities available.</p>
<p>Taffy go post in the UIUC forum. bye bye...</p>
<p>ilikeoranges, don't be ridiculous, of course I know where Davis is (it's in Uzbekistan isn't it?); of course I have visited many of the dorms; I have been to UC Davis several times; I also know that the real estate rental market in Davis is very expensive; assuming you can find a place to rent. Also, I already said what my association with UC Davis was in an earlier post on this thread, so I don't need to repeat myself. I am not trying to make incoming freshman feel like they are coming to a university that doesn't care about them. The administration has already done that by overcrowding Davis. No matter how many programs UC Davis offers it doesn't really matter if they make living at UC Davis unbearable by cramming everybody into small dorm rooms, or, in the case of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, don't provide on campus housing for those who need it or want it and throw them off campus into the expensive local rental market. It is very difficult to finish college in a small town like Davis, or anywhere for that matter, if you don't have anywhere nearby to live. Also, if you can't get the classes that you need to graduate in four years due to this overcrowding, how long will it take to get a degree from UC Davis? Five years, six years, maybe seven years?</p>
<p>If all of these problems, created by overcrowding, are not the fault of the administration, who manages UC Davis and controls virtually every aspect of what goes on at UC Davis; then exactly who is reponsible for all of these problems that are creating this chaos at UC Davis?</p>
<p>
[quote]
I also know that the real estate rental market in Davis is very expensive
[/quote]
It is, but if you spread it out (even with 1 person per room), it becomes very bearable for normal people, even if you don't get financial aid. If you do get financial aid, it's even more affordable.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The administration has already done that by overcrowding Davis
[/quote]
I like how you diss the administration like that. Obviously the administration doesn't care about their jobs and they want UC Davis to go lower in the rankings so there will be less donations and Davis will eventually not even be on the US News Rankings right?</p>
<p>
[quote]
No matter how many programs UC Davis offers it doesn't really matter if they make living at UC Davis unbearable by cramming everybody into small dorm rooms, or, in the case of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, don't provide on campus housing for those who need it or want it and throw them off campus into the expensive local rental market.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What are you talking about "cramming" people in small dorms? Where is your proof other than 1 incident taken out of context by the news? Please provide some proof. My friend doesn't even have a roommate, and he lives in a double!</p>
<p>
[quote]
It is very difficult to finish college in a small town like Davis, or anywhere for that matter, if you don't have anywhere nearby to live.
[/quote]
Except Davis is pretty small, and there is free Unitrans (bus) access, there are stops ALL around Davis. You have to remember, Davis is a college town. almost 50% of the population of Davis is college residents, why would the city not cater to half the population?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, if you can't get the classes that you need to graduate in four years due to this overcrowding, how long will it take to get a degree from UC Davis? Five years, six years, maybe seven years?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The 2004 "actual graduation rate" according to US News is 81%. That is higher than UCSB and UCI and UCSC and Riverside, same as USC, and 1% less than UCSD.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If all of these problems, created by overcrowding, are not the fault of the administration, who manages UC Davis and controls virtually every aspect of what goes on at UC Davis; then exactly who is reponsible for all of these problems that are creating this chaos at UC Davis?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What problems are you talking about? They are the same problems that people face at every college, sometimes one class will be full for a quarter and you'll have to get it the next quarter -this happens at ever college!</p>
<p>So please, write a letter to the Chancellor if you hate him, but don't take it out on the University.</p>