<p>Hello,</p>
<p>Looking for other parents whose children have chose to attend UCD this Fall or parents of current UCD students for experience and advice.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>My older S is currently a freshman in Environmental Science. Really likes the school, the friendliness of everyone he has met and the large campus. A bicycle is a must, but make sure you have a heavy duty lock. He had his back fender stolen recently and his roommate had his seat stolen. Bike thefts are the only major crime on campus. He is finding the course work very challenging especially CHE 2A and B and realizing that everyone else on campus is pretty much a 4.0 student. He is no longer a big fish in a small pond. Any other information, just ask. Go AGGIES!!!</p>
<p>Thank you. </p>
<p>We are working on our financial aid paperwork. It asks for my son’s Davis email address. Is that something he needs to sign up for on the UCD website somewhere?</p>
<p>Also, have you ever tried to get more financial aid or tried to submit something to show there is a change in expected income for the 2014 compared to 2013? He was offered the University Grant and Cal Grant, but he worked on a project last summer and that is why he had $10K income in 2013, this year, he is back to being a regular HS student will not be making that amount of money (or near $10K), so I wanted to see if they would reduce his EFC a bit.</p>
<p>My sons email address is his first initial of first name, first initial of middle name and full last name @ucdavis.edu. When you SIR, they will send an email with the information. His roommates email address also follows this same rule.
Regarding financial aid, we are currently full pay using his 529 plan savings. We may need to take out loans in the future, but currently I can’t answer any questions in that regard.</p>
<p>@liveonboca my son is a senior at UCD; I can echo what gumbymom said about the problem with bike parts being stolen - my son had both his rear fender and his front light stolen when he was a freshman. He also loves the school and couldn’t imagine having gone anywhere else.</p>
<p>Regarding financial aid, I’ve used the link below to ask questions and they’ve always been very responsive; I forget what they say their turnaround time is, but it usually takes at least a day to hear back. The responses have always been very helpful. I’ve found that is the easiest way to contact them, plus it has the added benefit that you will have your answer in writing.</p>
<p><a href=“https://students.my.ucdavis.edu/ask_us/index.cfm”>https://students.my.ucdavis.edu/ask_us/index.cfm</a></p>
<p>Best of luck to your son - it’s a great school!</p>
<p>Is anyone from the Los Angeles area? How does your student travel to/from Davis. I think I saw JetBlue flights from Long Beach and Southwest from Burbank. Looks like it would be about a 6 hour drive by car and 14 hours by Amtrak. Did your Freshman bring a car? I like the idea of him NOT bringing one and working on his bicycle and or skateboard skills!</p>
<p>I read somewhere that there was a FB page for buying/selling bikes at UC Davis. Anyone have a link?
Also, how do you choose a roommate and preferred dorm selection?</p>
<p>Thanks! </p>
<p>When my son started four years ago, freshman living on campus weren’t allowed to have cars. He rode his bike that year, and took his car up as a sophomore. We live in San Diego and he has commuted mostly by plane (Southwest) into Sacramento then taken the bus to school or had friends pick him up. Flights from SD are reasonable if you plan in advance. Not sure about smaller airports in LA. </p>
<p>We live in La Verne so my son takes the Davis Airporter shuttle from campus to Sacramento. He flies Southwest Airlines to Ontario airport. I got the Chase Southwest Visa last year and I have earned 3 roundtrip tickets so far.
No car as a Freshman and will probably not take a car until Junior year. Uses his bike or Unitrans bus system to get around. </p>
<p>Good idea on the SW Chase Credit Card to earn mileage! Thanks! I live closest to Burbank, but I have used Ontario and LAX too. It is good to have options. Well, his first year will be bike and bus. Sounds good to me. </p>
<p>Did either of you attend a local meet and greet before going to an on-campus event? There is one next weekend (3-29 in Los Angeles) and I wonder if it is to meet other LA students or is it going to be similar to a campus admissions tour video and Q & A?</p>
<p>We didn’t - my son visited with his school Spring Break his junior year and fell in love with the campus, so he didn’t feel the need to do any of the local stuff.</p>
<p>We didn’t attend any local meet and greets. My son visited the campus twice before deciding on UCD. We went up his Junior year during Spring Break for the campus tour and the following year we visited during Admitted Student’s day. He got to see more of the campus, tour more of the dorms and visit with professors and TA’s from his major college. He did run into 2 of his high school classmates whom we also trying to make their final decision. We also spent alot to time looking around the downtown area and checking out the neighboring towns.</p>
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<p>Here you go: facebook.com/groups/bikesforsaledavis/</p>
<p>Also, I am from Orange County. When I first transferred here, I had to embark on an 8 hour car ride because I needed to transfer stuff up. Now whenever I go home, I take a plane from Sacramento. There’s a Yolobus that takes people straight to the Sacramento airport, and fares are free if you’re a UCD undergrad. Just flash your student ID when you get on and you’re free to go. </p>
<p>It looks like Southwest’s standard low fare is $77 each way from LAX or SNA.</p>
<p>I was able to do $61 OW including tax with JetBlue out of Long Beach. Not bad!</p>
<p>Not bad at all. Heck, GAS is considerably more than that, if you drive… (or at least if WE drive in our car…)</p>
<p>Yes, gas in LA is like $4.25 a gallon right now. Ouch! </p>
<p>@sweetlacecharm Thank you for the link to the Davis pages. My son does not have an email yet. Maybe that comes after he does his SIR? </p>
<p>He is getting a little excited about visiting. I can see it peeking beneath his “cool” exterior.</p>