University of California, Davis
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Berkeley vs. Davis for freshman in biology/pre-med
April 2010
My teen got accepted at both UCB (molecular biology)and UCD (pre-med). Does anyone have a basis for freshman experience comparison of the two? My teen can live at home for UCB or the dorm at UCD; plans to become Pediatrician. HELP! cj
I have observed and participated in the frosh experience at UCB two times. Does your kid thrive in huge classes and mindless, all out competition? (some do) Is she good at forming study groups, learning all kinds of tricks to do better, and lots of memorization? UCB is the place for her! I'm afraid that otherwise she will get discouraged by the giant classes that are not only hard to get into but really hard once you get into them. For some kids, seriously, it is great, but think about it and maybe discuss it with her. Living at home is much cheaper, but healthy? Also depends on the kid.
UCD is also going to be competitive in the pre-med ranks, but she has a better chance of getting through it, in my opinion.
Most pre-med students entering Berkeley (about 70% of those in the sciences, and that is a lot of people) change their minds, maybe for the best, but I think that there are many who would be doctors if they had done their lower division years someplace else--even a community college (and saved money!), because they would not have been subject to the absurd competition here. And I do not believe it is competition where the best potential doctors, graduate students, or people necessarily prevail. Some students do get through and have a wonderful experience in the end of course. You should try to fit your kid to the school. signed, been through it. UCB mom and faculty
Our daughter was in a similar position, having to decide between biology at either Berkeley or UC Davis. She chose Berkeley, is living on campus and loves it. She keeps saying that Berkeley is so great because everyone there wants to learn. If your daughter chooses Berkeley, I strongly suggest that she live on campus. Eventhough she is only a short distance away from home, she is still at college and can be as independent as she wants. Some of my daughter's friends that are from the Bay Area go home every weekend, and many are like my daughter, who gives us a call when she wants to come home for some home cooking or to do laundry. Davis is also a great school, so you really can't go wrong. Dad in Oakland
It's like matchmaking, depends on what your kid wants. I attended UCD and loved the small-town atmosphere, biking everywhere, proximity to the Sierra and the Bay Area. A lovely campus with a college town feel. I loved it. The school of medicine is now in Sacramento, but still close enough. Cal Aggie
Not that the opinion of a stranger on the internet will sway her in the least (nor should it), but sounds like Davis to me, especially if live music is a big factor, since Sacramento has lots of venues, from tiny to arena sized. The bio/health sciences piece also dovetails with UC Davis Medical Center which is a powerhouse institution and my understanding is there are lots of internship pathways associated with it.
That said, I love SLO town and it would definitely win on the outdoor activities piece (hiking is amazing around there, and beaches within a 15 min drive).
What is your daughter interested in pursuing as a career? Is she a hands-on learner? Cal Poly's motto is “Learn by Doing” and they really mean it. My son graduated from there in 2021 in Mechanical Engineering and he was doing engineering stuff from day one. The faculty are very student focused and students have opportunities there that are usually reserved for grad students at other universities. There are also plenty of options for non-academic pursuits. Lots of clubs, outdoor activities, and Cal Poly Arts for music, shows, etc.
Feel free to message me if you have questions.
We've taken a tour of SLO, and they made it very clear that it is difficult to change majors there. This is because of the way the programs are designed. So this is something important to keep in mind.
I don't have a lot of experience with Davis, but my outdoorsy kid has thrived at SLO. I really love their "learn by doing" method - it's not just a motto, but seems to be integrated into the teaching - for example, before engineering students start designing things, they learn to weld and build things and break things so they understand the materials. It's been a great fit for my hands-on kid. It seems like the other disciplines have similar approaches - there are opportunities to raise goats, restore sand dunes, study beekeeping, etc. depending on what you're studying. And the campus and surrounding area are beautiful - lots of places to bike, hike, hang out by the ocean, etc. and there's a strong music scene with house concerts and other venues. I think she'd get a great education at either school, so maybe if you have time spend a day exploring the two towns and checking out the vibe and the weather and see what feels right to her.
If you have not already, you may want to post this question to a College Confidential forum - they have lots of folks on the site with kids at both places who may be helpful, and similar questions have come up there lately. I agree with the previous poster that what she wants to do with bio/health is key. I assume your daughter has toured both - they are quite different - the question we always asked our student was 'could you see yourself here for the next 4 years?" Congrats to her and good luck - she likelly cannot go wrong either way!
As a current Cal Poly parent and spouse of an alumnus, I recommend it. My kid has thrived there so far and enjoys all the extracurriculars you mentioned are important for your daughter. I suggest you and/or your daughter join the Cal Poly parents Facebook group. It’s an extremely active page with lots of great information. As a new admit your daughter/you can join and ask your questions and I promise you’ll get a lot of feedback, even about Davis as members may have kids who attend there as well. https://m.facebook.com/groups/CalPolySLOMustangParents/
Congratulations and good luck in whatever school she chooses!
I attended UC Davis a while back and LOVED it. One thing to consider is the weather. It is very very hot a lot of the time. It did not bother me but for many of my peers at the time it was a hard adjustment. The other thing I recall seeing others have difficulty adjusting to was the allergy season. Many people with allergies were miserable during certain months.
Again neither of these impacted me at all and I made lifelong friends there. I loved the safety and the small town feel.
Both great choices though- Good luck!