I’m a current community college student looking to transfer very soon. My major is “Computer Engineering”, but I’m also considering “Computer Science and Engineering” as software emphasis seems like the way to go. My GPA is a 3.5 and I know I have a decent shot at a plethora of schools. In California, there’s a TAG program that guarantees entry into one of the many UC Campuses, and I’m having an extremely tough time deciding between UC Davis and UC Irvine.
I live in the Bay Area and have a close connection to my family and the area. However, my father works for United Airlines and I fly standby for free so returning home for holidays shouldn’t be an issue. Additionally, I’ve been to both campuses and have friends at both. I’d say I enjoy both campuses equally, even though they are seemingly opposites of each other, making the whole social aspect a non-issue for me. I could easily see myself enjoying both schools.
The real issue I have here is the academic outlook. I’m under the impression that they are both very similar in ranking, especially in engineering and computer science where UCI may have a slight advantage in regards to the latter. The mysterious, hazy part seems to be employer recognition and internship/job opportunities. It appears that my family, and the general public see UC Davis as the “better” ranking school, when in reality, UCI’s computer science program is ranked higher than Davis. These conflicting reports are further adding to my confusion.
I know many will say, “If they’re both so equal and you’ll be happy at both, just choose one and be done with it.” I do see the logic in that, but something tells me that a decision as big as this shouldn’t be taken so lightly. This could potentially have implications for the rest of my life, so I want to try my best to be as thorough and thought-out as possible. Also, just because I don’t choose a certain school for my guarantee, it doesn’t mean I can’t be accepted through the normal route. It’s not the complete end of the world if I make the wrong choice. With that said, I have heard that engineering in particular has gotten much more competitive over the recent years so I’m not so hopeful about my “normal” transfer chances.
So my question is, for those with knowledge of both schools, which would you choose in my case and why? Keep in mind I have two potential majors I’m considering and that my main priority is my future.
Thanks all!
I have lived in Irvine almost my entire life (since age 2). Irvine has a crazy good reputation for the quality education they provide, and I have attended Irvine’s schools for my entire educational career thus far (kindergarden-gen ed college). I went to Irvine’s community college (IVC) for 3 years while working part time at an animal hospital.
My major is biology with the goal of being a veterinarian, so clearly Davis is the better choice for me since they have their own veterinary school that is #1 in the world right now. I have no idea how the computer science programs compare. However, all of the professors, counselors, and peers that I have spoken to about Davis have held it in high esteem, with the ranks of UCLA and UCB. The hierarchy within the top UC’s seems to be #1 Berkley, #2 Los Angeles, #3 San Diego, #4 Davis, #5 Irvine. They are neck-in-neck as far as prestige and research contributions, etc, so what really makes the difference is the environment and where you picture yourself being the happiest.
During my community college career (3 years), I was a regular at UCI’s main library (in front of the bridge coming from the shopping/restaurant area) and 24 hour study rooms, and despite all the experience I’ve had with UCI, it took one visit to UCD to know that it was the place for me.
The bottom line is that they both are top-notch research universities that people are desperately trying to get into. You are privileged and well-off no matter which school you choose. I chose UCD because it seemed to have more to offer me as a bio major and pre-vet student, but mostly because the environment appealed to me more than Irvine, the boring, safe, conservative city I’ve lived in for as long as I can remember. Irvine is close to Disneyland, Six Flags, Knott’s Berry Farm, Newport Beach, LA, Laguna…so if you are not from SoCal, Irvine might be a more fun option than Davis since it’s a small town. But I have been to all the crowded SoCal attractions more times than I can count, so I am excited for the laid-back atmosphere that UCD provides.
Hope to see you up north next year 
lol
Well firstly, according to the new rankings out last week, the UC’s go UCB, UCLA, UCSB, UCI, UCD/UCSD, UCR UCSC, UCM.
Rankings aside, have you looked into computer engineering at both schools? UCI does have a strong undergrad engineering program but I’m not sure how Davis’s is. You have met all the TAG requirements for both right? Since your GPA is 3.5, I’d recommend TAG to UCI since it I remember correctly, they have a higher GPA requirement (3.4 vs 3.1 I believe). So you could always apply to Davis regularly and most likely get in and then decide in April about where you want to go.
You’d also have to look at the campus’s and see if the surrounding area fits you. Irvine is a really nice suburban campus so if you’re into nature, that’s the place, but Davis is more of a college town. I got into UCI as a transfer for fall 2016 ( starting this week actually) but got rejected from Davis.
So I’d list a pro and cons of each school and decide which one you think would be harder to get in with regular admissions and TAG to that one. I mean just because you’re tagging doesn’t mean you have to go there.
Hope that helped. If you have any questions let me know 
hope to see you in Irvine next fall
From what I understand, both schools have comparable programs. The benefit of Davis is that you’re somewhat near the Bay Area, and the tech industry is booming here.
If you’re leaning more toward engineering, UCI is probably the better option. But the difference is negligible, so go where you feel the most comfortable.
Both are great schools. Picking one over the other won’t haunt you for the rest of your life. Go where you feel you can succeed academically and socially.
I think you need to figure out what part of CA you want to be in after you graduate. If you see yourself living in notthern CA, then Davis may be a better option, and for So Cal, Irvine. You’ll likely do internships and network, so the connections you make, should be in a location you want to get a job after graduation. If your choices were between UCLA and Davis or between Cal and Irvine, then I would say pick the better school. But when schools are so similar, I say pick based on location. The Bay Area has so many tech companies, but they’re not super close to Davis, so I’m not sure how helpful that will be. Irvine may provide more opportunities for internships and networking.
I know you’re talking right now about which school to TAG, but I hope you’re still applying to UCLA and Cal. Also, keep in mind that you have a decent GPA, so you have a good chance at both Irvine and Davis for regular decision.