UCD vs UCI vs UCSD?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Davis
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<p>So, I got accepted into UC Davis as a Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major, into UCSD (Eleanor Roosevelt college) as a Physiology and Neuroscience major, and into Irvine as a Biological Sciences major. </p>

<p>This may be the greatest problem ever, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GO. </p>

<p>All three schools are great, but I don’t really know which one is right for me. I am going to try to visit them, but I am not sure if I will be able to, or if the visits will give me an accurate idea of what going to classes at the campuses will be like. </p>

<p>Any insights into these schools? How are the campuses? How stressful are the classes? How are the people? How much free time/fun do the students have? (parties aren’t really my idea of fun, so no need to worry about San Diego/Davis not having too many parties). Do you feel like the majority of students are HAPPY at their respective school?</p>

<p>Feel free to answer just one of these questions, or to just tell me something about the schools that I didn’t ask. I just appreciate any information anyone can give…</p>

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<p>UC Davis is a picturesque college campus with green quads lined with trees, squirrels, walkways, etc. We have the arboretum which stretches across the southern end of campus; it’s an amazing place to hang out or bike through with lots of places to explore. The weather gets hot in the summer and cold/rainy in the winter, but fall and spring are amazing. Architecture ranges from traditional brick buildings to old wooden buildings (we have a silo that was converted into an eatery!) Being an Ag school, we also have many different animals on campus including sheep, pigs, horses, and cows (I was able to see cows from my dorm room last year.)</p>

<p>UC Irvine didn’t really stand out to me at all. Lots of cement…? The campus was really nice but not particularly noteworthy. It’s So Cal, so I imagine weather would be nice year round.</p>

<p>UC San Diego is built in the center of a eucalyptus forest. It gives the campus a rather beige color, but I do like how tall and narrow eucalyptus trees are. UCSD has rather unique architecture, from Geisel Library which looks like a space ship to the Sixth College dorms which look like a summer camp. I personally really like the buildings and quirky art they have on campus. The school is also really close to the beach if that’s your thing. Weather will be near perfect year round; it is La Jolla, after all!</p>

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<p>For Biology, UCSD’s gonna be pretty competitive. If you’re looking to keep a high GPA, I think UC Davis or UC Irvine would be easier in that regard. Not that either school is easy per se, but I’ve just heard that UC San Diego is pretty hard core for premeds (not sure if you’re premed, but you’ll be competing with them in your classes.) I also have heard that UCSD in general is a tough school, especially for the sciences. UC Davis and UC Irvine may be less stressful and more laid back, but I really can’t say for sure. Like I said, Biology at Davis is pretty competitive, but it’s doable and most people are willing to form study groups and help each other out.</p>

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<p>I’ve found people at UC Davis to be really laid back and easygoing. I’ve never noticed any competition in classes despite being a science major. People are generally pretty outgoing and will talk to strangers. Also, being such a diverse school, it’s extremely easy to find people you click with. I’m not sure how UCI or UCSD are in that regard, but I will say I think the “UC Socially Dead” stereotype is exaggerated. </p>

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<p>I’d say most people have a relatively large amount of free time at Davis. The exceptions might be engineers or certain science majors, but it’s a matter of balancing your time. If you study throughout the quarter and don’t put it off until the last minute, you won’t have to lock yourself in the library during midterm/finals week. UC Davis in general is a pretty fun school. The bottom line is you have to get involved! Honestly, the easiest way to find things to do is to join clubs. They’re always doing exciting things.</p>

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<p>With regards to UCD, I definitely do. UC Davis is a true college town, something you won’t find at the other two schools. The campus and the town are so seamlessly integrated; it’s a great feeling walking downtown and seeing UC Davis owned shops and students everywhere. Everything you could ever want/need is a quick bike ride away. I chose UC Davis over UCSD and UC Irvine because you’re only an undergrad once; you might as well spend it somewhere that revolves around college students.</p>

<p>That said, go where you can picture yourself living for four years. All three of your options are great schools, and you’ll likely end up loving whichever one you choose.</p>

<p>Wow this got long :stuck_out_tongue: let me know if you have any other questions.</p>

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<p>THANK YOU so much for that response, it was fantastic. I think all of your info is really going to help me make a decision. (:
Davis is starting to sound pretty appealing.</p>

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<p>Speaking of someone who lives in both Davis and Irvine (Davis for school, Irvine as my hometown when I go home for breaks), I can tell you that people in Davis tend to be a lot friendlier. People in Irvine tend to be more conserved (and if you go into the more affluent areas of Irvine such as Bommer Canyon or Turtle Rock, people can even be snooty). Plus, Irvine isn’t exactly a college town, as the university isn’t the center of it all (I mean, it takes 20-30 minutes to even drive down from my house to UCI since there are so many traffic lights along the way!). Plus, Irvine is just rather cookie-cutter boring, IMO, not to mention you need to use your car to even get around since almost nothing is within walking distance of UCI, except for the small shopping center connected to UCI (near the bookstore) by a bridge.</p>

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<p>My daughter has to decide between Davis and Irvine. Its tough</p>

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<p>Hi @Hellothere95. I’m in the exact same situation as you and am wondering if you have made your decision yet? If you have, why did you choose that school?</p>

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<p>@Sharonnn, it was the hardest decision of my life, but I am going to be an Aggie. </p>

<p>San Diego was tough to shoot down, but for me it came down to the fact that I was admitted to a college within UCSD which is really heavy in humanities-oriented GE’s (there is a two year, writing intensive history course which really doesn’t appeal to me). At the other two schools, I would still have to deal with GE’s, I am aware of that, but not nearly as many (or as horrible) as SD. I think I have a better shot at graduating in four years at UCD or UCI, just because I wouldn’t have to deal with Eleanor Roosevelt College’s graduation requirements, on top of my major’s requirements. </p>

<p>San Diego also lost my heart because, from what I can tell, it is a very, very competitive school for biology. I am sure that, since Davis and Irvine are also FANTASTIC biology schools, they will be challenging as well, but I think San Diego would be incredibly tough, and incredibly stressful, and I think I have a chance at a higher GPA at UCD or UCI (which is important, because I need to get into graduate school…). </p>

<p>Irvine was an easier decision for me, just because the area was not as alluring as San Diego (for me). Don’t get me wrong, Irvine is a great city, very safe, and there is plenty to do. But for whatever reason, my heart just isn’t there. Part of my reluctance might be that I do not have a car, and after visiting Irvine, it does seem like much of the city, and much of the fun, is out of reach to those of us who are limited in that respect.</p>

<p>I also didn’t really like that at Irvine I would just be a general biology major, whereas at SD and Davis I have a major which is more specific to what I am interested in.</p>

<p>Davis, on the other hand, just seems like the perfect fit for me. Getting around the town without a car is a non-issue, since biking is the way to go in Davis, and the bus system (how cool are those London double-deckers?) also seems to be a great way to get where you need to go. The college town atmosphere is also something that REALLY appeals to me, and you can’t get that in many places anymore, definitely not in Irvine or La Jolla. The small town big college vibe also sounds pretty cool.</p>

<p>Another thing that I love about Davis is that I can’t go anywhere without someone telling me about how friendly the people are. This is one of the first things that people tell me when I say I am considering Davis, and I think that speaks a lot to the environment of the school. Since the people I will be surrounded with is INCREDIBLY important to me, it is reassuring to know that UCD seems to have have a reputation as a “friendly” school.</p>

<p>As academics, I couldn’t really go wrong in this respect, since all three of my choices have VERY strong biological science programs. Davis is a great option for someone with my interests, but that could also be said for San Diego and Irvine. </p>

<p>I’m also not worried about the things that people cite as strikes against Davis. People accuse UCD of being “boring”, or “in the middle of nowhere”, or of “smelling like cows.” College is what you make of it, if you are bored, that is on you (seriously, Davis has a crazy number of clubs). I also don’t really think Davis is in the middle of nowhere, it’s 20 minutes away from Sacramento, and like an hour away from San Francisco, and (being from a small town) the city of Davis itself doesn’t really seem like “nowhere” to me. As for the cow smell, many people tell me that it isn’t really true (and even if it is, c’mon, there are worse things, and since Davis is such a HUGE campus, I imagine it would be pretty easy to find somewhere to escape any unwanted smells). </p>

<p>If these are the worst things people are saying about UCD, that’s fantastic. </p>

<p>I guess the biggest factor in all of this was that Davis just seems RIGHT to me. I can’t really explain it, UCD just feels like it is my school. I know this comment is probably of no help to you, but, honestly, it is how I know I am making the right choice. </p>

<p>Good luck making your own choice, I know how difficult it is, but it is SO NICE when you finally figure everything out. Every single one of these schools is INCREDIBLE, so just know that you are going to end up somewhere amazing no matter what you choose. </p>

<p>Sorry, this ended up really long…</p>

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<p>@Hellothere95 this was very helpful. Thank you’d of going into such depth.
I too got into ERC at ucsd and am really turned off by all the GEs unrelated to neuro and physiology, and like you, I don’t find biological sciences at UCI as appealing. At this point UCI is out of the picture and I’m torn between SD and Davis. Your response makes Davis sound very appealing and I am leaning towards it.</p>

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<p>Well, I’m glad I could help. Again, good luck making your final decision :)</p>

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<p>This was very insightful! I’m in a very similar situation as you. @Hellothere95</p>

<p>If I attend UCSD I would go to the Revelle college. So far, I got accepted to UCD, UCI, and Spring UCB.</p>

<p>At UCSD the major I applied for was Neuroscience and Physiology, UCD - Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, UCI - Biological Sciences, UCB - Integrative Biology.</p>

<p>Irvine gave me the best financial aid package, BUT, a non-specific major like Biological Sciences no longer appeals to me. (Especially after reading the posts above) Berkeley, is admitting me for Spring–I aint got time for that. (Haha, I’ve been in community college for almost 6 years I need to get a move on!) UCSD and UCD have about the same offers in Financial Aid, I have a sister who lives in San Diego so my living costs would be cheaper than average but I also have a friend who lives in Sacramento/Davis area AND the cost of living there is super cheap. So they both cancel each other out in terms of housing.</p>

<p>In the beginning UCSD was my top choice (next to Cal) and Davis was my lowest choice. I complained that Davis was in the middle of nowhere, hella hot with NO beaches (unlike San Diego), and the smell of cows. But “the universe” has been telling me to give Davis a chance. For one, I recently got accepted to an internship at UCD this summer, and rejected to the 5 others I applied for. I’ve always set my eyes on major first, financial aid, then location, location, location!</p>

<p>Well, the majors are the same (damn near), the financial aids are the same, and well…the locations are complete opposite! I can’t seem to make a decision based on visiting the campuses and researching their programs.</p>

<p>Most importantly, I would like to know the CON’S to UC San Diego/UC Davis that you all have experienced. Most of the reviews have been fairly positive and I feel that it’s only fair that I judge the negative experiences with the positive. Since I have a stack load of positives what trash do you guys have to say about UCD/UCSD?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>Good question. I’ll be completely upfront about this, but just remember, these are only my opinions.</p>

<p>UC Davis:
-Class size for certain courses, but that’s true at UCSD as well.
-Some classrooms can feel small/old/depressing, especially ones for discussions. I hate having class in Wellman. Also, some lecture halls can just feel kind of dirty at times; I’m not sure how often they clean them. But for the most part it’s a nonissue.
-Some lower level series are just structured extremely poorly. Especially the Physics 7 series. I’ve never taken it, but I don’t know a single person who didn’t hate it with a passion.
-Off campus apartments. They’re either far from campus, old, or overpriced. Usually some combination of the three.</p>

<p>UCSD:
-I was there on a Sunday once, and it was extremely dead. I was at one of their dining halls from 12-1, and I literally saw one student the entire time. Not sure if it’s usually like that, but it was really creepy.
-They only have suites. Some people may prefer it, but it makes it way harder to meet people in your dorm.
-Revelle. Not sure how it works for transfers, but the GEs are ridiculous for freshmen.
-Although I really like it, the campus is kind of lackluster. Doesn’t feel very homey.
-Not a college town at all, whereas UC Davis is the epitome of a college town.</p>

<p>I’ll post more if I think of them.</p>

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<p>Definitely nicer people up here in Davis. I lived in SoCal all my life and instantly noticed a difference in attitude from people up here. Campus wise, I can’t speak for Irvine but I’ve been to UCSD and it is so large and spread out that I didn’t like the amount one would have to travel to get to classes and the like. Davis is very interconnected and has an amazing campus. Plus here, the downtown is right off campus and all the houses are fairly close. It’s just nice.</p>

<p>As a side note, our club ice hockey team kicked the ***** out of San Diego’s club hockey team this year :)</p>