University of California-Riverside Reviews

"The cons are that there are not many financial assistance opportunities like scholarships, grants, etc. to pay for graduate school expenses. Some other cons are that the work load can be quite overwhelming at times and the time commitment to meet deadlines is strict. Some pros are the quality of education one gets from the program. The social experience of being with other students in the same program or learning about what students are doing in other graduate programs."

"This is a good program for anyone who really wants to improve their creative writing, and wants some insight into the how the industry really works after you've finished your manuscript and are ready to get published. As with any program, some teachers will click more with certain students than others, but overall this program is well worth the money spent. Without it, I might have been able to finish my novel but I wouldn't have had any clue about what to do with it after I finished writing, and the writing quality would not have been what it is today. Indeed, one of the greatest strengths of this program the opportunity to network with people in the industry (editors, agents, etc.) before you graduate.Read Less"

"University of California Riverside has an excellent Physics graduate program with an ever rising list of faculty and research avenues. The area is not the safest or the most interesting but the Inland Empire is quickly improving itself. The major renovations and new convention center should cause an influx of new businesses and talent."

"UCR is great for its openness and academic competency in geology. I hope more world-class faculty can join the team and jump a big step."

"Superb instructors. Excellent mix of classroom instruction and field work!"

"Great professors; graduation requirements are focused on research but very few professors have enough funding to support graduate students, so most student need to TA; nothing to do in Riverside but nowhere else in the world can you ask yourself, "I want to take the afternoon off, should I drive 40 min to the beach or 40 min to go snowboarding/skiing?"."

"Excellent program and very knowledgeable and friendly faculty"

"The biggest pro of the program are the professors. Because we are a smaller program you get to know most of the professors really well. Also because of the size there is a real collaborative atmosphere, so you never feel alone in solving a problem. Another pro is also the focus is on research rather than class work. We had very few requirements for the program which left more time to engage in research. A con is that many students have to TA every quarter to support themselves which takes away from research. Also the Riverside is not the greatest area, but at least close to San Diego, LA, the desert and the mountains.Read Less"

"I think the department is changing in a positive direction due to recent new faculty hires and the quality of the graduate students. As for crime, the police department spends too much time sending out email messages retroactively blaming crime victims and not enough protecting students and preventing crime."

"This is a fairly friendly place. Geophysics program is somewhat small with limited courses. However, grant support is always guaranteed over teaching assistantships. Unlike the IV league schools the work/life balance is quite flexible while working load tends to be booked since you have to work for survival in even phD program. The degree does not get you a good entry to find jobs, but this department is working on networks to career/job connections. Most people I know in the program graduated with a fair job in industry while those stay in academia go to postdoc(no comments to prolonged postdoc life for researchers, which is common for all scientist in the world now).Read Less"

"Pros: Small department, plenty of time to do research, weekly get together's. Cons: little faculty interaction, not enough classes for specific interests."

"A pro about my program would be the highly qualified teachers and staff. A con is not being able to work a full time job while attending."

"Tell us about your college experience.My college experience was very good in terms of expanding my frame of thinking but sometimes I feel that I do not possess very many concrete skills other than writing and critical thinking abilities which are difficult to display on an application. My school was a good fit because it is geared towards academics which is the area I was exploring rather than sports or the arts.Would you get the same degree if you could start over?I think I would because any other humanities degree would present similar job struggles and there is no way I could succeed in sciences or have the stamina for math.What advice can you offer other students?Follow what you love but don't expect to make $50K the year after you receive a BA. Finding your niche takes time and you might not even think your degree has anything to do with the job you find in the end.Read Less"

"Tell us about your college experience.College definitely taught me how to think critically and write at an above average level, however in the last year I started to stress over future employment. I decided to go to graduate school afterwards so I can hopefully obtain a job in my field of history.Would you get the same degree if you could start over?Sometimes I think I would not because it is not an in demand degree, but then I think about what college is really about and I have no regrets.What advice can you offer other students?Follow what you are passionate about, any degree from a decent university will open up opportunities that you wouldn't have had otherwise. If you really hate what you're studying, you probably won't enjoy the job that comes afterwards.Read Less"

"Tell us about your college experience.I felt like I had an average time at my school. It was tough at first to make friends and to acclimate to the new environment. Overall, I believe I got a good value, and a decent experience, but things could also have been much better.Would you get the same degree if you could start over?I would choose the same degree as I believe it is very valuable and it is one of the tougher degrees to get.What advice can you offer other students?To make friends that are hard working and in a similar situation as you because sticking together throughout your college career makes it easier to study and work together. Working together as a group helps.Read Less"

"I feel satisfied with and impressed by most of the elements of this program. The classes are small and intimate, and most professors make themselves accessible to you. The faculty is a strong lineup of writers and professionals who really know their stuff--people like Susan S, Andrew W, Chris A, etc.--and are more than willing to work with you one-on-one concerning your thesis, and sometimes make connections with editors, agents, and so on. My biggest complaint, and possibly my only complaint, is that not enough of the program is centered around helping you finish your thesis project (in my case, a novel). The courseload and extracurricular work keeps my quite busy, and I feel like I spend my time doing everything BUT work on my own project, which is why I'm here in the first place. Riverside itself isn't too bad, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it, especially when compared to the surrounding cities.Read Less"

"The pros of my graduate program are that there are 3 NAS members that are faculty in my department. It is very satisfying knowing that I am learning from the elite members of science with great mentors. Another pro is that our graduate program sets students up for success with a requirement of taking a "core" class which focuses on career development, grant writing, ethics, and everything necessary for a graduate student to know. Cons are that the only way to get funding is if you start out as a PhD student in the program. Being that I am currently a Masters student and am planning to switch to a PhD program, I will not be considered for departmental funding. This is extremely difficult since I currently have to work a second job while conducting research. It would be ideal to have my full focus on the research so that I can accomplish my goals in a more timely manner.Read Less"

"Good school, with a very competitive engineering program. Many research opportunities."

"Small programs have pros and cons because of their size. What UCR's program can sometimes lack in variety, they more than make up for in depth of teaching and accessibility to faculty and staff. If there are faculty teaching in your area of interest here, I would more than recommend UCR."

"My Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Master's program was very informative but the communication between the advisers and the students was a bit lax."