University of California-Davis Reviews

"I think that Davis is a pretty good school and the surrounding environment of Davis is what makes it stand out the most. It has it's own isolated community which plays a huge part on the student experience, on top of that the academics at the school are pretty good. Overall the experience was really nice so I do recommend going to Davis for schooling."

"UC Davis is at the heart of a calm, eco-friendly college town, filled with bikes, small shops, and scenic areas, and home to its own farm with cows and horses. Most of the teachers are patient, friendly, supportive, and passionate about their students' success and understanding. The coursework is rigorous, but the professors/TAs often host helpful long Office Hours. As part of encouragement, the campus also hosts several fun, unique annual events, such as "puppy therapy" and "Picnic Day." There are also "hidden" eggheads scattered around campus as silly statues to uplift students' moods. The academic/major advisors frequently check in on student progress and graduation topics through one-on-one sessions. Some perks include free, safe student transportation with many vintage red double-deckers inspired by the buses in London, as well as carpool services to off-campus locations during late hours. There is also a free gym membership for students, featuring indoor rock climbing. However, there are not many food options unless you go further to the Sacramento area.Read Less"

"I think my time at UC Davis taught me that college is all about getting accustomed to the grind of life and making ends meet while compartmentalizing your time to ensure you enjoy yourself as well. I think the academics come secondary, and the curriculum is meant to be the content that you absorb and spit out to show that you have what it takes to succeed in the real world. I do not remember 95% of what i learned in college, and I've learned far more in the real world than I ever did while cramming before a midterm.College is meant to be the platform where you are learning how to navigate the next stages of life, "real life", and I believe my experience and opportunities at UC Davis set me up for success, but it was me who grabbed ahold of those opportunities to ensure I achieved success.Read Less"

"UC Davis is a great academic institution. The is the right balance of rigor and exploration. You can find your people at UCD. There are groups for every and any interest. UCD cares about their students and provides ample resources for learning, internships and other forms of career exploration. They also have great top ranked graduate and research programs so there is so much exposure to real world applications."

"UC Davis is a wonderful school. The overall environment is welcoming and warm, and the town itself is the perfect college town. It's small enough to be able to bike around and get places on foot, and public transportation in the area is also very accessible and reliable. Classes can be a bit large and professors seem really invested in their own research (more so than teaching at times), but are largely available outside of class time to support student. Overall, I would definitely recommend!"

"Lucy Davis was a great school and a wonderful atmosphere as well. Bicycling culture so if you like riding a bike, this is the place for you. Location is good if you're looking for a small, safe, quiet college town. Not much going on in Davis outside of the school. Weather gets extremely hot in the summer so be prepared for that!"

"It has been about 5 years since I graduated from UC Davis. I'm glad I chose to go to UCD because I feel like the community that I found there was very supportive and we do still keep in touch to this day. I will say the classes are large, just like any other UC, so it's easy to feel like a small fish in the big sea. I really think my last year was the best academic experience because I got to learn things that were niche and specific to my major. I wish that we had more of those and less of the GE/lower level courses. There are definitely some professors there that probably shouldn't be teaching, but again, this happens at every school. I think the beautiful campus and the community on campus are the strengths. Living in a small college town was definitely a once in a lifetime experience for me and I really enjoyed it! I think there are a lot of great opportunities to network and improve your prospects for your future career, whether that be through the department events or through clubs. I don't regret choosing to come to Davis and I do miss it!Read Less"

"Overall, UC Davis is an amazing school from an academic standpoint. On the other hand, examining the school as a student from a low-mid income family, it is completely unbearable in the economy of the area of Davis. Everything is far too expensive and life is a drag if you don't have an exuberant amount of established income or savings. Additionally, on-campus living, especially in family units, is far too overpriced for students who, as previously mentioned, aren't super wealthy."

"UC Davis was a really good experience overall. I earned my Political Science degree there in the early 2000s and loved the relaxed campus atmosphere, great professors, and friendly community. The school gave me a solid education and some lifelong friends. My only real complaint is the cost. Looking back, tuition and expenses were pretty high for the career payoff, but I still remember my time there fondly."

"The school does a good job of preparing you for the work field. It has a lot of opportunities for internship in a broad field. It is a big school in the upper area and so it has a variety of different environments to learn from. I enjoy being able to socialize and learn from the best in multiple fields"

"I enjoyed online and on campuses classes at UC Davis as everything was well organized as to where and what I had to do. Also, All the teachers I took were very welcoming to the point where they understood if we had any problems occurring during covid."

"The University of California, Davis is an incredible school but something I did not fully understand (until it was too late) is that to get the best experience possible you have to be much more intentional with how you seek out / use resources in comparison to high school. The problem is that since UC Davis is so large (~40,000 students) no one is really going to "check on" you because there literally isn't capacity whereas at smaller private schools you are forced into more beneficial interactions with peers, professors, etc. This isn't necessarily a fault of UC Davis but it's something I think every student should know / understand before they start their journey.Read Less"

"UC Davis is a great university that offers many opportunities for students to work in all sorts of different industries. There are particularly strong programs for any major related to biological and life sciences. The campus is also very cyclist-friendly and there's a cozy college-town feel when it comes to student life."

"I enjoyed my time at UC Davis. It was academically rigorous and played a large part of my personal growth. I feel that UC Davis has a good reputation for my major, biology. There were a plethora of classes offered, which allowed me to explore more specialized areas such as microbiology and neurobiology. Most of the professors were amazing and passionate about their teachings. Another strength of UC Davis is the collaborative environment and the ease of joining study groups."

"Friendly staff and students who really invest in one another to make sure they succeed. Plenty of resources and opportunities to go beyond just getting a A on things. While I admit I don’t currently use the degree I got it still laid the foundations of hard work and collaboration I’ve carried into my current career."

"I had a wonderful time at UC DAVIS. I was offered a fantastic education that I completed in a timely manner. I also participated as an athlete playing golf all 4 years of my education, I’m in the process of getting my masters degree and continuing education."

"My experience with UC Davis was great as a non-traditional transfer student. The peers that I had were friendly and the student environment was competitive, yet helpful. It's not a toxic environment which I enjoyed. Most of my professors were also very helpful as well as the teaching assistants, so there was a lot of academic support in my experience. As for academic rigor, I would say UC Davis offers a well-rounded and rigorous academic experience. I have learned a lot at this university while studying computer science, and I have to give the school credit for teaching my both the technical and soft skills to land the job that I'm currently at right now.Read Less"

"While the academics at this school were not bad, I felt it did not properly prepare me for a career. I did not learn things relevant to my field and the career office was lacking. There was little to no support for students to find employment after they graduated."

"I enjoyed going to UC Davis. I thought it was a great experience and I learned a lot during my four years attending school there. I would say that their academics were very strong, however the social aspect was lacking a bit. Overall, I would do it again and recommend to others."

"It is a wonderful school and I learned so much! The English and Psychology departments offer interesting courses with knowledgable professors. There is a lot of support from faculty. The campus is also beautiful and the students have a good, non-competitive energy."