Just checked out UC Merced

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Merced
1

<p>I was really suprised at how UC Merced is turning out. I was kind of shocked to see it not fully built, but we took a tour, and it will be amazing! First off, it will have the biggest library, second to the Congress library, and in additon, the entire first floor is surrounded by retractable glass windows, so they will open up when its hot. The first floor is also a place where you can talk all you want, play guitar, whatever. There is a huge cafe, with two large flatscreen tv's. As you go up, the places get quieter. Eating is allowed in all parts of library.</p>

<p>Because its a brand new school,new freshman will live in the appartment style housing (usually only offered to older students) but for price of dorms. So that means you'll have 6 ppl in an appt (1-2 ppl per bed room) and 2 bathrooms and common area.</p>

<p>Their dining area is like a restaurant. You order something, and its cooked right there infront of you, like the restaraunt Benihana's. They also offer free food delivery anywhere on campus (if your sick, you can get food to room...etc)</p>

<p>-There are underground tunnels form building to building so you don't get wet if it rains.</p>

<p>-They plant to have an indoor pool</p>

<p>-There is a huge lake next to the campus, where you can do water sports.</p>

<p>-Unlike most UC's, there will only be professors teaching, NOT teachers assistants.</p>

<p>-Student to teacher ratio is 11 to 1, compared to 300 students in a lecture in a normal UC</p>

<p>Earlier today I was completely not even considering going, but really, I think it will turn out to be a high ranked school.</p>

2

<p>Wow thats so awesome. I kinda regret now applying.</p>

3

<p>sounds pretty sweet</p>

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<p>a roumer i heard is the UC system wants to make merceed one of the top tier UCs right behind berkeley</p>

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<p>seems like it will take awhile to accomplish that
i dont think it will surpass la or berk ever, prob not sd either</p>

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<p>It's basically a small private college with UC capabilities.</p>

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<p>UCM very well might become one the better UC's, however it's going to take some time before we see that happen.</p>

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<p>I think i know who this is :P. Yeah if i had to choose between the middle UC's i would definently think merced now based on what i'm hearing. I'd also like to point out the faculty page on the UC merced website-</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ucmerced.edu/faculty/facultylist.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ucmerced.edu/faculty/facultylist.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Look through that list of professors and you'll see a ton of accomplished individuals from top ranked schools and ivies.</p>

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<p>Hey, i feel great after hearing what you have told me. I did apply to UC Merced and I got in. After hearing what you have told me, I am considering going there under a computer science major. I heard they are going to have a strong computer science major. I also got in Davis too, but I really might take Merced over Davis. Tell me if it is not a smart idea. And thanks for telling me about merced.</p>

10

<p>I would have applied to Merced but it has no reputation yet.</p>

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<p>Merced is not likely to emerge as a top UC anytime soon. They are having trouble attracting good profs because no one wants to live in or around Merced and it's well known that the UCs have massive budget problems. It's also not an area that attracts kids with choices. Getting in will be very easy for some time. </p>

<p>The UCs that will get better are those in areas where people want to be. There's a reason Santa Barbara gets Nobel prize winners!</p>

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<p>just to clear something up, it is the University of California library as a whole, not just UC Merced's, that is the second largest in the nation.</p>

<p>and the only reason its going to be only professors teaching is that they dont' have any grad students yet haha. I don't know what everyone's thing about TAs teaching is... I've had some TAs that were better teachers than the professors for the same class. The Ph.D. behind your name doesn't make you a good teacher.</p>

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<p>Yea, but I say if UC merced has the major of choice then go there. What other UC can one attend with a student teacher ratio of 11:1. Atleast you are not just a number to them.</p>

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<p>yeah but unfortunately, since they don't have many faculty (or students for that matter) yet, their choices of majors is very limited.</p>

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<p>Choice might be limited, but they said if you wished to add new majors, you would be able to tell them, and they could have it done because they have room to grow.</p>

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<p>It should be really nice</p>

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<p>I am happy to hear the campus is progressing and that people are anxious to attend. I hope the air and climate will be countered by its proximity to Yosemite. If they could have raised the money it would have been a good idea to start the school off with full scholarships and transfer rights to UC Berkeley and UCLA for junior year. That way they could have created an impressive student body from the start. As the college developed the scholarships and transfers could be reduced.</p>

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<p>Wow sounds awesome, that's just too bad I didn't apply because they didn't have political science as a major =/</p>

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<p>a few things... UC Merced was established where it is because there is no place of higher education in that region. It is designed to serve the people who live in the Merced/Central valley, at least for the next 20 or so years, while it improves facilities and attracts professors, wins research grants and gets notoriety for research (the UCs have a formula for this, it seems).
I would have applied but I wanted to go out of state\
My aunt was telling me about how when she was applying to college, like, 35 years ago, she was accepted at Stanford and UC Santa Cruz. This was at a time when SC was in a position much like Merced now.. it was a brand new UC, in an area where nobody wanted to live. She chose UCSC because when she went to visit, she accidentally just bumped into teh dean of the college, and he just started giving her a tour... at Stanford, even back then, they were total snobs.</p>

<p>At UCSC, she got a work study job cleaning dishes in a bio lab. The Professor she worked for, who was a "nobody" at the time.. went on to be on teh first team to discover and understand RNA.
I anticipate that thats the kind of access which will be available at UCM... at least for the people who are a)bold enough and b)bright enough to take advantage of the opportunity.</p>

20

<p>"Even back then they were total snobs." It is sad but true that one generation passes down unfounded, prejudiced generalizations to the next.</p>