The professors here all really know their stuff! And even if you're a little confused about a topic, the grad student assistants are always there to help you out and fully understand a topic better. I love how at Davis, the actual professors teach the lectures, then the grad students run discussion. You get two chances and two different perspectives on a topic which is helpful when you don't understand. In addition, the professors work really hard with the students to make sure that their office hours work for everyone and that they are available for you whenever you need them. You hear horror stories about how professors are cruel and heartless, but in reality every professor I have had has been completely understanding and accommodating to their students needs.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
The town of Davis is its own little world. It's a small town and completely full of college students. Some people go home on the weekends but it is by no means a commuter school. I absolutely love the town and being there and never before have I wanted to go back to school so much! There is always something going on to fit any students preferences. From free movie nights in the Chem 194 lecture hall to constant parties on frat row. The Greek life here is amazing, there are no ugly house rivalries and everyone I have met, whether they're in a sorority or fraternity has been amazing. There are also hundreds of other extracurricular activities to get involved in, as well as various campus-wide events. There is the famed Picnic Day, full of families, fun and a never ending battle of the marching bands in the arboretum. There is Whole Earth Festival when for an entire weekend tie-dye wearing hippies overrun the main quad. The farmer's market comes every Wednesday and Saturday morning and occasionally there are midnight drum circles in the arboretum. The arboretum itself is an amazing place to lounge around on a warm summer or spring day. You can study out by the creek, feeling completely by yourself as a family of ducks waddles by. Everything about Davis seems to exist in its own little bubble, which is amazing feeling when you want to get the whole college experience. You can cut yourself off from the world and live in Davis for a little, then take a free bus down to Sacramento to get a healthy dose of shopping and the real world!
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
College is expensive, but I think that in terms of tuition and the type of education you get at UC Davis, it is definitely worth it. You get some of the most knowledgeable professionals in each field, teaching YOU directly. Unlike some Ivy League or more elite schools, the professors themselves teach and will talk to YOU personally. You don't get shoved off onto teacher's assistants or grad students. Unfortunately, the school does try to rip you off sometimes. For example, there are no book lists and you have to physically go into the campus bookstore to find out what texts you will need, but you can always write down the titles then find them cheaper elsewhere. Overall, though, there are dozens of ways to cut costs and the high tuition is completely worth it, if not for the excellent professors and teaching, than for the experience as a whole.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Get involved! If there's something you like or would like to try, there is a club on campus for that. And if there isn't, dozens of clubs are formed every quarter. Also, bring your bike, a good bike lock and light! Everyone rides bikes, and the biggest crime is bike theft. It's really the best way to get around though. There are so many bikes on campus that a lot of first year students park their bike outside of a lecture hall, then come out an hour later, freaking out because there are literally hundreds of bikes in front of them and they can't remember where they parked theirs! Go to Farmer's Market on a Saturday morning at least once, and see the dachshund races on Picnic Day. Go for a summer bike ride through the arboretum and try something you have never tried before. Take advantage of the campus escort/tipsy taxi services and try not to get too lost in the Death Star (aka: the social science and humanities building)!
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Someone who wants the full college experience. You become so immersed in your own little world of Davis that when you go home for holidays it's a bit of a culture shock. You don't have to love cows or the farm life, but you will have to get used to the occasional scent of cattle on campus! It's a beautiful and amazingly diverse place. If you want to go somewhere where the people are real and you're fully prepared to fall in love with your school, Davis is the place for you!
The professors here all really know their stuff! And even if you're a little confused about a topic, the grad student assistants are always there to help you out and fully understand a topic better. I love how at Davis, the actual professors teach the lectures, then the grad students run discussion. You get two chances and two different perspectives on a topic which is helpful when you don't understand. In addition, the professors work really hard with the students to make sure that their office hours work for everyone and that they are available for you whenever you need them. You hear horror stories about how professors are cruel and heartless, but in reality every professor I have had has been completely understanding and accommodating to their students needs.
The town of Davis is its own little world. It's a small town and completely full of college students. Some people go home on the weekends but it is by no means a commuter school. I absolutely love the town and being there and never before have I wanted to go back to school so much! There is always something going on to fit any students preferences. From free movie nights in the Chem 194 lecture hall to constant parties on frat row. The Greek life here is amazing, there are no ugly house rivalries and everyone I have met, whether they're in a sorority or fraternity has been amazing. There are also hundreds of other extracurricular activities to get involved in, as well as various campus-wide events. There is the famed Picnic Day, full of families, fun and a never ending battle of the marching bands in the arboretum. There is Whole Earth Festival when for an entire weekend tie-dye wearing hippies overrun the main quad. The farmer's market comes every Wednesday and Saturday morning and occasionally there are midnight drum circles in the arboretum. The arboretum itself is an amazing place to lounge around on a warm summer or spring day. You can study out by the creek, feeling completely by yourself as a family of ducks waddles by. Everything about Davis seems to exist in its own little bubble, which is amazing feeling when you want to get the whole college experience. You can cut yourself off from the world and live in Davis for a little, then take a free bus down to Sacramento to get a healthy dose of shopping and the real world!
College is expensive, but I think that in terms of tuition and the type of education you get at UC Davis, it is definitely worth it. You get some of the most knowledgeable professionals in each field, teaching YOU directly. Unlike some Ivy League or more elite schools, the professors themselves teach and will talk to YOU personally. You don't get shoved off onto teacher's assistants or grad students. Unfortunately, the school does try to rip you off sometimes. For example, there are no book lists and you have to physically go into the campus bookstore to find out what texts you will need, but you can always write down the titles then find them cheaper elsewhere. Overall, though, there are dozens of ways to cut costs and the high tuition is completely worth it, if not for the excellent professors and teaching, than for the experience as a whole.
Get involved! If there's something you like or would like to try, there is a club on campus for that. And if there isn't, dozens of clubs are formed every quarter. Also, bring your bike, a good bike lock and light! Everyone rides bikes, and the biggest crime is bike theft. It's really the best way to get around though. There are so many bikes on campus that a lot of first year students park their bike outside of a lecture hall, then come out an hour later, freaking out because there are literally hundreds of bikes in front of them and they can't remember where they parked theirs! Go to Farmer's Market on a Saturday morning at least once, and see the dachshund races on Picnic Day. Go for a summer bike ride through the arboretum and try something you have never tried before. Take advantage of the campus escort/tipsy taxi services and try not to get too lost in the Death Star (aka: the social science and humanities building)!
Someone who wants the full college experience. You become so immersed in your own little world of Davis that when you go home for holidays it's a bit of a culture shock. You don't have to love cows or the farm life, but you will have to get used to the occasional scent of cattle on campus! It's a beautiful and amazingly diverse place. If you want to go somewhere where the people are real and you're fully prepared to fall in love with your school, Davis is the place for you!