<p>Hey. I realize you guys are tired of answering the same questions over and over and I could probably get the same info some where on my own and you'll probably tell me little that I haven't already heard and thus this post is a big waste of time but...</p>
<p>I'm really trying to decide between UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz. I think that Santa Cruz is probably the "cooler" place and would be a really rewarding college experience in regards to social stuff and the surrounding sounds a lot more enriching (I hope to visit both campuses soon). It also seems to have climbed in the rankings pretty steadily in the last few years and so it could end up being pretty good soon. But supposedly academics at Davis are generally considered stronger. They have nearly twice as many majors (and students = crowded classes?..) so lots of opportunities as well. Davis has greater repute I believe, so it looks better on transcripts I guess.</p>
<p>So yeah. I was just hoping that maybe you guys knew something about their English/Literature departments. Which has the "better" undergrad experience? Thanks.</p>
<p>Weasel,
UC Davis has the stronger program. Plus, they also have a communications program which allows you to get some "real world" job classes. However UCSC is not bad for English either. Both schools will have large classes, at least at the entry level so I wouldn't let that be part of your decision. Basically, I think this really comes down to which school you prefer for other reasons (social, location, size, etc.)
Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Thanks carolyn. It does seem like Davis is more geared toward the "real world" than Santa Cruz. SC just sounds so cool though... I mean would you rather be an Aggie or a Banana Slug?</p>
<p>I like the Davis campus better because of it is open and flat. The community of Davis is a short walk from the campus and it is a college town. Santa Cruz was designed to keep students from congregating (Reagan hated Spoul Plaza) and is a hike from any downtown situation. Davis is a superior school overall and is getting more serious with every year...so your reputation should be intact with a diploma from this school.</p>
<p>Technically, Santa Cruz doesn't have an English department. It's a Literature department. Subtle difference, but it's there. As far as I know, only two other campuses in the nation make that distinction (one I think is Duke, and the other I can't remember).</p>
<p>That said, I'm a Lit major at UCSC. I like it. I don't know how it compares, but they have a very interesting array of specializations, and SC beats Davis for town ambience any day.</p>
<p>I have two close friends on the faculty at UCSC and they both feel the academic quality there has improved quite a bit since they arrived several years ago. They both love living in Santa Cruz (they previously taught at Princeton). </p>
<p>As I said, I don't think there's going to be a MAJOR difference in the academic quality between UCD or UCSC. Think about which student body and atmosphere you'd prefer for the next four years and go for it!</p>