The University of California - Davis

Having grown up in the Sacramento area, I wasn't happy about having to stay put. Freshman year sucked, I didn't like the dorms, and everybody studied too much. I thought college was a big party scene---not here. I adjusted my expectations and got to work. Study Study Study. Science Science Science.It's been about 15 years since I left Davis, and I'm actually relieved how it worked out. I didn't have a particularly fun experience, but I really did develop some skills that put me above and ahead of others in my field. Of course, I wanted to party and have sex with a lot of strange women, instead I honed my skills.

But as I said before, UCD is not for everyone. It is not a social hub (due partly to its location), its campus is not very impressive, and it is not (universally) a household name among schools. If these are important considerations to you, you may not like life at UCD. Also, although it is a major research university now, it still shows signs of its agricultural origins. Aside from the cows on campus, it also appears in the selection of courses offered. For example, there is no undergraduate business degree, and there is a general lack of finance and accounting courses, but there is an Agricultural and Resource Economics department. Hmm. These realities are simply part of UCD's identity, so take them into account if you are you considering UC Davis against other schools.The dominant impression I hope to give is that UCD has a lot going for it, but recognize what it is and isn't good for, and how those align with your expectations.