University of California-Davis Reviews

"UC Davis Ecology graduate program is not only one of the top programs in the country but also has friendly professors and a great grad student social community. It lacks diversity and the town lacks some of the benefits of city life, but is a nice college town."

"UC Davis' FNP/PA program is a strenuous, fulfilling, top-rated academic program that I am proud to attend. The staff is very supportive and does a fantastic job of encouraging students to strive for the best."

"The biggest con of law school is the extreme debt load students must take on for the education in light of the poor job market. Davis is a great community and one of the best places to go to law school and manage to have a balanced life."

"Pretty decent, but it is what you make of it. Be sure to negotiate whatever offer they send you."

"The economics program at Davis is good for both applied micro and international trade fields as we have strong faculty in both areas (Rob Feenstra, Giovanni Peri, Scott Carrell, Ann Stevens). Davis is also well known for its economic historians (Greg Clark who teaches a fascinating first year course based around his book "A Farewell To Alms", Peter Lindert, now retired, still does research and hires grad student researchers). In the future Alan Taylor will return, substantially improving our macro field. Professors are generally very receptive of students and helpful. Davis is a town surrounded by farms. There's not much to do here. Sacramento is the nearest city. There are bars and restaurants in downtown Davis, but if you like to be in a city then Davis may not be a good choice. Although being in such a secluded area has probably contributed greatly to my productivity. Nothing to do on weekends? Go to the office and work. Generally, there are many students from Asia and Europe, in addition to U.S.-born students. First year is competitive, as everyone is trying to pass prelims, but we generally maintain a friendly and collaborative atmosphere. Students who engage with the faculty and fellow students often end up co-authoring papers with both Professors and students during their 5-6 years here. Most students who aren't offered funding in the first year are able to find a TA ship by the next quarter. If not in economics, there are TA ships that one can look for in math, and other fields."

"Funding opportunities abound. Faculty members are generally accessible, very supportive, and work with and collaborate with grad students on a regular basis. The department is also very interested in helping students succeed on the job market. Workload can be intense, and courses are not always staggered to spread out the intensity. Davis is an expensive cost-of-living area, and it sits in flatland. However, Davis has a strong sense of community, is supportive of the university, and is within an hour or so of the mountains,the ocean, and lots of outdoor activities. There are plenty of social opportunities on and off-campus, as well as within the department, and if the night-life isn't stirring enough in Davis, Sacramento is only a short drive away."

"If you want to do quant- and/or policy-oriented work this will be good program. Otherwise, expect to work as a TA and to pile up loans while constantly stressing. Great diversity of offered majors and courses on campus, but not enough time to get involved in much. Top-down administration with little interest in student feed-back and willingness to change policy to meet needs. Needs more fellowships and grants."

"Pro: we have access to brilliant mentors who want us to succeed. Con: it can be difficult to live in Davis on a graduate student income."

"The pros of my undergraduate program at the University of California, Davis is that the diversity of the school population as well as faculty and staff members. The cons of the program, however, are that the town is a small, college-town, in which student life is limited."

"UC Davis has a very supportive environment and there are a lot of good resources here."

"I think this program is very good overall. The faculty and other grad students are supportive and available. I am getting a high quality education. I am very satisfied with my financial package. I would recommend this program (sociology) to others."

"Davis Engineering is a great place to learn and grow. The school is not only a great research institution but a place that really values teaching and the students learning the concepts. I am happy with my choice."

"Pros: the life and study here is pleasant and not very stressful. Cons: I hope more opportunities on career, internship or communication with industry and study of knowledge in business and management could be provided."

"The faculty are always available for you and are always offering support."

"Pro: Great medicine with invested educators, great reputation and great residency matching. Con: None!"

"This is a very demanding school, but professors try to prepare you giving you hw and projects that are very similar to the task that you will do on a real job."

"The biomedical engineering program has a lot of good qualities and many valuable resources. I think the core classes should be restructured to make them more relevant and applicable. Also, there are not many resources within the department for pursuing a career outside of academia. Overall though, this is a good program."

"Very good program. A lot has been done in recent years to increase school's prestige."

"Pros: Good intercampus networking amongst graduate programs"

"I'm not sure that I would depend on any of the above categories in selecting a program, but here are a few details that I might have found useful: 1) In general, there is access to any technology you would need in the social sciences, but if you are planning on using GIS, but are not already an expert in your procedure, you will find very limited support at Davis. 2) The on-campus library is very good, and most other books are in one of the UC depositories (one near Berkeley and one near Los Angeles) and arrive in one to two days. 3) As with other UCs, most social science grad students are funded through TAships. Changes to the budget structure in the current year (2012/2013) will be shaking up department budgets to a significant degree, and you should talk to the department about how they plan to support you in the future."