The University of California - Davis

I didn't think it was going to be anything like UCLA or Berkeley, but you have to understand that Davis isn't meant to be a big, busy, metropolitan city and so it can't compete with schools like BU or Stanford or SF State. But if you love college-town universities, then you will LOVE UC Davis. It has a big community-like feeling and everyone is really genuinely friendly. There are surprisingly a lot of things to do as well. I don't feel like I have to leave every weekend to find something to do. I go to Tahoe a lot during the winter and it's nice being close enough that you can go for a few hours or a few days. There is plenty of shopping too, not in the city itself, but there are a couple good malls within 30 minutes of Davis. Plus, SF is about an hour away if you drive. Socially there are always parties and that's true of any university. I mean, we're in COLLEGE right?

UC Davis is academically really highly ranked and I feel challenged in courses and I feel motivated to do well. We're not cut-throat like Berkeley but we're by no means "laid-back" when it comes to academics. People try really hard and the great part is, nobody cares if someone does better than someone else. There are a lot of people willing to form study groups even if the course is graded on a curve system. Bottom line, we want to do well for ourselves but we aren't going to rip out pages in library books so that other people suffer.

If you're coming to Davis, my one advice is to take advantage of the resources. There are endless things provided for you as a student and you don't realize it unless you try. I think a lot of high schoolers go to college and are too afraid or lazy to make the most of the education. Making the most of your education doesn't mean you go to your classes and take the tests and pass the classes. There is so much more than that and I think if you go through college without looking at what there is to offer, then you will probably sleepwalk through life w/o smelling the roses.

If you want to go to a school by the beach or located in a huge city with all the things that beaches and huge cities have to offer, then quite simply Davis is not the school for you. But I don't regret my decision to come and I think I have made a very unforgettable experience while I've been here.