UC Davis or UC Irvine? Chemical engineering! Help Please!

College Search & Selection
1

Hi.

I am wondering whether to SIR to UC Davis or UC Irvine while waiting for my UCLA and UC Berkeley waitlist. I heard that last year, UCLA only accepted out of state students from the waitlist, but I might be wrong. I know there are so many online forums about Davis vs Irvine out there, but it’s still so hard to decide. I have spent like days and hours looking online, watching videos and asking people but I am unable to come to a conclusion. Also, since this is 2017, I assume that each campus has probably changed at least a little.

So far, I have an incomplete pro/con list that I have come up with so far.

UC Irvine pro’s

  1. Near beach
  2. Near Disneyland
  3. 19-acre Aldrich Park
  4. Hiking trails
  5. $2,000 cheaper than Davis first year? (maybe)
  6. Is developing rapidly
  7. Nicer weather
  8. In the south

UC Irvine con’s

  1. Socially dead on weekends b/c commuters
  2. Need to drive to get somewhere fun (I got no car to bring)
  3. Might get sick of dining common food?
  4. No air conditioning (new dorms have them?)

UC Davis pro’s

  1. Campus is next to downtown Davis
  2. 100-acre Arboretum
  3. Near 3 parks
  4. Great dining common food
  5. Cheaper apartments
  6. Better college town & college style life
  7. Amtrak and bikes
  8. Lots of nature

UC Davis con’s

  1. Middle of nowhere
  2. Has crazy rain sometimes. Either very hot or very cold sometimes, and is pretty windy?
  3. Has cow smells?
  4. In the North

BOTH:

  1. Has Rock climbing
  2. Has bus
  3. Has great restaurant food around it
  4. Can find jobs

5. Good chemical and engineering programs

Does anybody have any other suggestions? Also, if any of the above information is incorrect, feel free to tell me. I got most of this information either from people I know who go there or from other online forums.

I do have other questions though.

Would anybody like to tell me their experiences at these campuses?
How do you like the campuses compared to each other? I am unable to visit both, unfortunately.
If I go to Davis, what are some things that I can do besides explore downtown? Do the buses or Amtrak go anywhere fun, besides visiting SF?
If I go to Irvine, what are some things I can do besides go to the beach, Disneyland, or drive/bus all the way to LA/SD?
What type of food do they serve at the dining commons at Davis and Irvine, and how do you like it?
Because I heard that it rains a lot in the winter in Davis, what do you do on those days?
What are your experiences with the weather at these two colleges?
What are the clubs and sports like at both campuses?
How are the dorms at these campuses?
What is the library like?
Does anybody know some other bonuses/interesting things at those two campuses?

I know I have too many questions, sorry haha.
Even though I made this list, the moment I decide to go to Davis, two moments later i feel like I am gonna miss out on Irvine. And the moment I think of going to Irvine, two moments later I feel like I am gonna miss out on Davis stuff. This is like a near-impossible choice for me to make lol.

Any help or opinions would be appreciated. I’m from the bay area in case you want to know to help. I dont really care how far exactly each campus away is. Mostly, I just want to compare the campuses themselves and the life at the campuses.

Thanks!!!

2 
 Hello, I am deciding between the same two school and I was also waitlisted at Berkeley (I didn't apply to UCLA). Definitely submit your SIR for one of the schools, but you can also get off of the waitlist, I heard that last year about half of the students that were waitlisted for Berkeley got in.

Would anybody like to tell me their experiences at these campuses?
I am visiting for two days for Experience UC Davis and I am attending Deciding Davis. So far, everything has been great. The campus looks very new and it’s very spacious. The people there seem very nice and they are willing to answer your questions. The faculty is very kind.
How do you like the campuses compared to each other? I am unable to visit both, unfortunately.
I can’t visit Irvine :confused: I do know that there are a lot of commuters at Irvine and Davis really is a quintessential college town - it does not look or feel like it is in the middle of nowhere.
If I go to Davis, what are some things that I can do besides explore downtown?
Maybe visit snowy areas during the winter, there’s a trail for running.
Do the buses or Amtrak go anywhere fun, besides visiting SF?
I don’t know. I know theres a Facebook group where students pay other students to take them places.
If I go to Irvine, what are some things I can do besides go to the beach, Disneyland, or drive/bus all the way to LA/SD?
I don’t know.
What type of food do they serve at the dining commons at Davis and Irvine, and how do you like it?
I heard the food is really good at Davis, I will be trying it tomorrow, I shall get back to you.
Because I heard that it rains a lot in the winter in Davis, what do you do on those days?
Theres a gym and a student recreation center. The buses there take you around for free.
What are your experiences with the weather at these two colleges?
Today it rained, being from the bay area this was definitely more rain than I am used to, but I know the it tends to be very hot.
What are the clubs and sports like at both campuses?
I don’t know.
How are the dorms at these campuses?
I shall get back to you.
What is the library like?
They have rooms that are open 24 hours and they are huge. Theres 5 of them on campus.
Does anybody know some other bonuses/interesting things at those two campuses?
I don’t think so.

3

Hi,
I’m a high school Junior living in Davis and I spend a lot of time of the UCD campus (Rehearsing for UCD Symphony) and have a lot of UCD friends.
I can’t really speak for the comparison of engineering programs, but I can help clarify some of the lifetstyle/atmosphere aspects of Davis.

-It’s not in the middle of nowhere, it’s right next to Sacramento the capital of California as well as relative proximity to SF for weekend trips with friends. That being said, there isn’t much to do in Davis that is big-city-like “exciting”. It’s more of a “strolls in the park” kind of city. You would have to drive about 30 minutes into the Sac/Vacavile/Roseville areas for big malls, Kings bball games, etc.
-I have definitely heard of the infamous cow odor being present by one of the dorm buildings, but its not like it smells like cows everywhere, only the unfortunate places right next to wherever the animals are kept
-Davis is pretty beautiful. It’s way more green than city-gray. The arboretum on the campus is really nice with redwoods and green hills. Putah creek runs through Davis and there’s a bike path next to it and it’s awesome I love using it for leisure.
-The weather in Davis is sorta nice. It has been raining a lot this year because of El niño, but the two previous years it hasn’t rained at all (bc drought). I hate the rain tbh. It only rains during winter, never snows bc it doesn’t get cold enough. Summers are ~90’s but it can get pretty hot. So the weather is not as good as Socal weather in Irvine, but it’s still nice CA weather
-Davis is small, so you can bike anywhere, and even walk anywhere within the city if you wanted
-Davis tries to be very Environmentally aware. It is a relatively affluent neighborhood so most adults here are college-educated, low poverty and crime rates. Overall the people of Davis are nice and understanding. Relatively diverse (but that’s due to UCD and its exchange program). It doesn’t have like “ghetto” areas, whatever that means, again bc of the relative $$$ flowing through. Parents don’t worry about kids biking through town in their own since Davis is known to be safer, most kids bike to school by themselves by the 2nd grade.
-The Davis Police Department is pretty cool and reasonable (in comparison to more extreme Police/ICE brutality in news lately). They just seem like genuine officers who want to help keep the city safe.
-A Farmer’s market every wed/sat with local produce/popcorn/juice/honey, bouncyhouses for kids, live music, and people picnicking in central park. Tight-community stuff
-MONDAVI CENTER is beautiful!!! If you are a student musician, the opportunity to play here is fantastic! Attracts famous performers, especially classical musicians but also comedians and the occasional Chance the Rapper (Sacramento nearby has more concerts of this kind!)
-Most churches/other religious communties in Davis are very friendly and they get along pretty well despite differences (like the Interotating Winter Shelter where all the churches regardless of denomination volunteer together to provide shelter and meals to the homeless during the rainy winters of Davis)
-I love the atmosphere of Davis personally, but if you are a big-city type of person, it might not be the best fit
-Visiting both schools would prob be best! And looking into the actual academic programs, having to consider costs, etc

Good luck! I’m sure whatever your decision, you’ll be happy! California is general is great :slight_smile:

4

Other than SoCal weather, your pro’s for Irvine are pretty thin. I’d go with Davis.

5

@anonapplepi How was your visit to UC Davis?