University of California-Davis Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

Pat

Academics are difficult, but finding the right balance between a social life and academics makes focusing on school a lot easier. Knowing when to party and when to study is the biggest challenge academically.

Dominik

You're at a UC school, case and point, academics are super competitive. They aren't nearly as hard here then at some other schools but it's still competing on a whole new level and getting a B or C for the first time is definitely not unheard of. My favorite classes are computer science classes, but it's really whatever your into, your major definitely has to be your passion hands down. Students study for a little bit everyday until it comes to midterm and finals crunch time, at that point you're shutting yourself in room and gluing yourself to the computer screen. You don't really get a chance to meet professors too much in your lower division classes your first two years except in internships and job opportunities, but a lot of upper division classes really help make those connections. This school is excellent for both Engineers and anyone that wants to go into Agriculture and the school is definitely pointed towards helping those students get the best jump on their careers but it's hard work.

Andrew

UC Davis faculty staff members take education seriously. Students take education seriously. Does that sum it up? All jokes aside, the university offers a wide range of classes from beer brewing, human sexuality, to Native American studies, animal science, etc. Some classes are big classes ranging from 200-400 students in a lecture hall. Some classes contain smaller numbers with about 25 students. Depending on the classes you take, you will be able to interact with your professors personally as a friend and as a tutor. Some professors encourage themselves to get to know each and every one of us by the end of each quarter. I've only seen a few handful of the professors remember students. If you engage with the professor a lot in and out of classes, he or she will definitely take their time to get to know you better and help you throughout your years at UC Davis. That is why participating in class is very important. The professors want you to do well in their classes, so they encourage you to come to their office hours or talk to their TAs (Teaching Assistants). Don't throw away your opportunity, find time to get to know your professors! The most unique class I have taken is HDE12, Human Sexuality. Most of the college students tend to believe that they know everything that there is to sex life. That is not true. This class isn't about having sex the right way, it is about knowing the risks and safe methods of sex and how our organs function. You also get to know different cultural views on sex, the diseases, how sex is used in society (i.e. human trafficking) and many other interesting topics. It's definitely a class worth of taking. Remember! This class isn't about just sex. It's about the human body in relation to sex. The academics here are often challenging. Because UC Davis runs on a trimester system, each quarter (3) consists of 10 weeks of lecture. That's not a lot of time. If you do not keep up with your work, midterms will hit you like a bug getting smacked into a windshield of a car. Midterms and final exams come by fast and so you have to keep your stuff together in order to do well. But professors also know that you want to have fun and experience the college life, so they don't push you with stacks of homework. They'll give you a good amount of homework everyday with a lot of time for you to enjoy the freedom. It's just the choices you make that will determine your progress in school. UC Davis is a university that points all students to a successful life after graduating. Many of the students at UC Davis have prominent careers such as working with Apple or Google. I am planning to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in the Community and Regional Development as potentially a city planner or even a manager of an organization.

Victoria

The academics at UC Davis are outstanding. If you do your research on professors RateMyProfessor.com (a great website with ratings of each professor which I have found to be very accurate), you should have no problem with getting great professors. I am an economics and sociology double major so my favorite classes have been ECN 135 Money and Banking with Athanasios Geromichalos and SOC 138 Economics of Sociology with Lucas Kirkpatrick. Another great professor is Emanuel Frankel. He has real experience in the private sector as the VP of a department for Bank of America. He applies his experiences to the concepts we are learning in class so the ideas become more tangible for those new to the concepts he is teaching. Unless you are in a smaller class, especially an English class, classes don't usually require a significant amount of participation. If they do, the majority of it is just showing up to discussions. At UC Davis, a lot of classes geared toward math and science are graded on a curve. This makes the students pretty competitive with each other. Students are willing to help each other, but there is always an underlying notion that we are all competing against each other. For the most part, the education at UC Davis is geared toward learning for the sake of learning as opposed to being geared toward getting a job. The Internship and Career Center does a good job of offering workshops to prepare your resume and cover letter to apply for jobs, but the classes are mostly aimed at teaching concepts and theories.

Christine

Although UC Davis is a large research university, I find it easy to interact with professors on a personal level. Many professors care just as much about teaching as they do their research. Student participation is very high, even in large lecture halls, and professors often make an effort to get to know students who ask questions and go to office hours.

Eugenia

The academics at Davis is pretty good. I think Davis offers a lot of academic opportunities and it's up to you to make the most out of it. Lectures tend to be filled, so professors do not know you personally. You can, however, attend office hours where you can talk to your professor and receive additional help or have questions answered. The professors I've had so far have provided me with lots of assistance at office hours. If you can't make their designated office hours, you can always set up an appointment. There are also discussions for some courses where there are opportunities for participation and conversation between other students and the TA.

Stella

It seems pretty easy to get to know professors once I make an effort (going to office hours, asking questions...) to do so. Professors were generally helpful in answering questions when asked. Students are definitely competitive and workload can be overwhelming, but it all depends on the class; some classes are obviously much easier than others. I also appreciate that there are a whole lot of classes I can explore!

Stella

It seems pretty easy to get to know professors once I make an effort (going to office hours, asking questions...) to do so. Professors were generally helpful in answering questions when asked. Students are definitely competitive and workload can be overwhelming, but it all depends on the class; some classes are obviously much easier than others. I also appreciate that there are a whole lot of classes I can explore!

Sruthi

The professors just know you know your name from just attending lectures, if you take the time to go their office hours and make an effort to get to know them, they will welcome you with smile. They love to see students interested in their classes. My favorite class right now is the programming class I am currently taking. The teacher is very humorous and also very knowledgeable about the information she teaches in class that it makes me more interested in the subject. The amount of students study is not too bad. It is not required that you will be studying all day, but you should spend a good amount of time studying for each class to keep up with the teacher. Class participation is very common in classes. It might be a little intimidating to speak in lecture hall with around a hundred people, but you get used to it and seeing that many do participate and ask questions, you are encouraged to ask questions as well. Students have various kinds of conversations everywhere, intellectual, entertainment related, and other kinds as well. Student are cautious of their grades and are competitive when they need to be. The education provided here is for learning purposes and also to train us to be able to get a job in the major we are in.

Andrew

The academic environment at UC Davis is bar none. Students inside and outside the classroom strive for academic excellence and are supported at every step of the way. Teachers are very helpful and often provide the support of Teaching Assistants to further aid students. Another attribute is the success UCD has had in balancing work related education with education for intellectual improvement. Here you will not only grow as an individual but as a professional.

Samantha

Some of my professors know my name because I have some small clases. My favorite class so far is my spanish class and my least favorite is my psychology class. Students study pretty often at davis and class participation is common in most classes. Some students choose to have intellectual conversations after class pertaining to class material. A lot of high achievers are competitive with their peers. The most unique class I've taken so far is my writing class. I'm a communications major and I want to become a teacher after I graduate. I spend some time with professors outside of class going to office hours. I feel that the academic requirements are fair. The education at this school, I believe, is geared toward getting a job and also learning at the same time.

Jenny

The academics at UC Davis are challenging - but that is what the school prides itself for. There are numerous majors to fit to numerous interests, and guaranteed there will be a suitable class for every curious inquiry. Professors are very professional in their field and it is evident that they are very experienced with what they do. As a communication major, I remember that I absolutely enjoyed a communication class in where I learned about the structures of an organization, and how I would do a corporate setting. I still remember all the information to this day, and it has been very helpful since.

Kelly

There are several aspects of learning here at UC Davis that are quite similar to those of high school. Most professors utilize PowerPoint to teach their students. Additionally, the lessons are not too difficult to understand and professors are open to answer any question their students might have. But there are also aspects of learning that aren't so typically "high school". Professors don't know their students' names. Unless he or she is leading a seminar, the professor typically makes no effort to learn the names of their students. Class participation is common, though in the larger lectures students are less likely to contribute to the discussion.

Alexandra

As an amazing research institute, UC Davis offers educational opportunities that other colleges simply can't. Wether you are interested in Agriculture, Engineering, Psychology or Biology, UC Davis has invested millions of dollars into departments for research in these areas. UC Davis students are highly involved and competitive when it comes to classes and I have met incredibly dedicated people attending this University. These students are both intimidating and inspiring. The professors are a unique and eclectic bunch however I cannot deny that most are amazingly accomplished and dedicated to their students. I am a Senior at UCD and I am double majoring in Psychology and Communication. I have enjoyed most of my classes for these majors a lot. As far as student beliefs, these are the easier majors that you can choose. That's probably why I decided to do two. No matter what though, getting a degree from UC Davis looks great and is definitely a personal accomplishment.

Julia

Like many other UCs, UC Davis runs on the quarter system. Basically, there are three quarters within each school year and each quarter is only 10 weeks long. On our campus, we are expected to learn the same amount of material as students who are in the semester system who have, on average, 15 weeks for each semester. We need to be fast pace learners and manage our academics on our own. Homework is rare in classes because there is, on average, about 100 or more students in each class and the professors cannot grade homework for each student. Our course grades are usually made up of midterms and a final. It is up to the individual student to manage their studying. Since homework is not assigned, we are expected to use the time we would be spending on homework on studying. We are viewed as adults who do not need to be supervised and forced to do work. The students themselves should be in charge of their own education and the academics here encourages it.

Sydney

The academics are definitely challenging and so are fulfilling G.E. requirements. You do have to stay focused when scheduling classes if you want to graduate on time and sometimes getting the classes you want/need can be hard. Having said that, the scheduling struggles are well worth it. All of the professors I've had so far have been really enthusiastic about the material they teach. Also professors are extremely helpful and it is easy to get a hold of they if you need to talk to them for any reason. Classes are a lot of work, but really interesting. UC learning isn't hands on, it is very conceptual. Davis is the perfect place to get an education if you want to explore different subjects and majors because all majors are very strong and it is easy to switch around. Overall Davis is a really great education that both challenges and interests it's students.

Ruth

Here's the thing about academics at Davis. They vary so hugely based on major it is hard to give an accurate picture of the whole school. My major is Communications, which is a part of the College of Letters and Sciences. My classes are generally lectures, containing about 100 students. Professors are not difficult to get to know, however. They make time in their office hours and after class to meet students and help however they can. I am currently enrolled in a Public Speaking class where we have separate discussion sections led by a Teacher's Assistant. I love public speaking, so this class has been incredible rewarding. In lecture, I learn the basic components of public speaking, and in discussion I get to actually create and deliver speeches that I am then given direct critique on so I can improve. It is one of the best classes I've taken so far in college. Students at Davis are known as hard working. Davis is a research university, so many of my friends and classmates have had internships working with professors. The library is always filled with students, studying individually and in groups. The quarter system is either loved or hated by students. The way I see it: if you dislike a class, it's over in 10 weeks. And I love that I can take three sets of classes every year while my friends on the semester system can only take two.

Alexa

The reason I chose Davis over Berkeley was because as a student going into the medical field, I wanted a school with peers that support one another. We are ranked as one of the top public schools in the nation but without the extreme cutthroat nature.

Karena

In smaller classes like my University Writing Program class, the professors know your name and whether you came to class the other day. However, in larger classrooms, you may have to speak up more in order to be noticed by your professor. The students in my major, Communication, are usually not very competitive. My Communication classes consist of a friendly environment where we are all very willing to help each other. The professors I have had over the years always encourage us to visit them at office hours if we have any questions or concerns. Office hours are held twice a week, so the professors are usually very accessible. Their academic requirements are pretty standard and consistent with other Universities.

Leslie

Often times, classes are rather large. This holds especially true in lower division (introduction) course. Because of this, professors have a hard time knowing their student's names. To solve this problem, professors have office hours. I personally really enjoy attending office hours because it allows for one on one time with the professor. Sometimes this leads to friendships with professors that can last even once the class has ended. During my freshman year, I had an English professor who was very helpful. After attending his office hours on an almost weekly basis I now feel like I have established a relationship with him. This proved to be true when I emailed him about writing a letter of recommendation for me. Despite the fact that he was teaching at another university now, he was still more than willing to help he. I am a communication and psychology major, english minor. I find that this combination of topics allows me to expand my depth of understanding in a variety of areas which will further prepare me for a career in journalism. Because of the requirements for these areas and for the university as a whole, I have the opportunity to take a plethora of courses that broaden my understanding of the society as a whole. Every class I have taken, rather it be in my majors or simply a general requirement, has only served to benefit me and mold me into a more intellectual person.

Richard

As a UCD student, I am a over achiever in most respects. Although academics is important, due to the current economy, I believe work experience and networking far outweighs academics. Most students that only finish undergrad degrees at UC's tend to not find the same high paying jobs as state students. This is in part due to the fact that UC's prepare students for graduate school, but do not teach any technical skills. This can be a big downfall for students looking to work full-time out of school. Overall, academics is important, but experience and networking is far better.

Leslie

Often times, classes are rather large. This holds especially true in lower division (introduction) course. Because of this, professors have a hard time knowing their student's names. To solve this problem, professors have office hours. I personally really enjoy attending office hours because it allows for one on one time with the professor. Sometimes this leads to friendships with professors that can last even once the class has ended. During my freshman year, I had an English professor who was very helpful. After attending his office hours on an almost weekly basis I now feel like I have established a relationship with him. This proved to be true when I emailed him about writing a letter of recommendation for me. Despite the fact that he was teaching at another university now, he was still more than willing to help he. I am a communication and psychology major, english minor. I find that this combination of topics allows me to expand my depth of understanding in a variety of areas which will further prepare me for a career in journalism. Because of the requirements for these areas and for the university as a whole, I have the opportunity to take a plethora of courses that broaden my understanding of the society as a whole. Every class I have taken, rather it be in my majors or simply a general requirement, has only served to benefit me and mold me into a more intellectual person.

Samuel

UC Davis, as with any UC, is a great school academically. Recently rated as the 9th best Public School in America (behind other UC's like Berkeley and UCLA but ahead of UCSB), UC Davis has a reputation as an academically challenging school in only the agricultural sciences. While it is true that our Agriculture school is one of the best in the world, our Engineering college is also world renowned and our hard sciences such as Biology and Chemistry are also ranked in the top 50 nationally. Psychology, the most popular major on campus, also has an incredibly strong department. Depending on what major you have, your study time will differ from person to person. Engineers can expect to spend a lot of time in the library or home studying while some other majors require much less work. In terms of classes, Davis offers so many classes that are both fun and academically stimulating. Two example of this are SAS 30 (Mushrooms, Mold, and Society) and NUT 10 (Nutrition). SAS 25 is a class that looks at the different breeds of mushrooms and how they have effected history in different ways (such as one being uses to kill old British lords without leaving a trace). NUT 10 is a class that teaches you about the different kinds of food and how they effect you directly. You also get to see how healthy (or no healthy) you diet is and it is consistently rated as one of the top classes at Davis year after year!

Brenda

Challenging. The science department will be difficult but is completely worth it. It is possible to do well, but you have to study alot and go to office hours so the professor knows who you are(There may be 100s of people in each class).

Robyn

Professors know your name if you chat with them after lecture, or visit them during office hours. It's a very good idea to do both. Maybe even complimenting them on the lecture of that day will give you a head up. My favorite class so far was Cultural Anthropology with James Smith. BOY can this guy talk! He had the most intriguing stories of his times in Africa, all discussing broad themes and sociological patterns that we see in America, too! Learning about people and the history of other peoples is fun. My least favorite class was Economics. I'm not a money person. I know how NOT to spend, and to pay bills and that is ENOUGH for me. The lectures were always online and you didn't even need to go to class because he would READ the slides. ^(this econ info can also be found on ratemyprofessor.com when you become an aggie and register for classes! Others agree with me.) Class participation is not common. It also depends on the class. I had a great political science professor who always made sure we were listening by adding comments like, "Guess what Stalin did next?" Etc... haha so that was fun. The majority of UC Davis students I know, have all engaged in intellectual conversations with me at some point or another. We know what's up. We all think about the big picture. Who doesn't? Ok so I'm a Spanish major and for one of my lower division classes, we met on Sunday afternoons at starbucks or a mexican food place and only spoke in Spanish. It was a totally different atmosphere and I loved seeing my classmates outside or school, if I hadn't already at parties! hahaha.. Also, I have met with my Major advisor twice throughout the year and she has been nothing but helpful and understanding that freshmen may need some extra explaining. Also, she told me about classes I could take for upper division electives that may suit other interests than just the language, like literature, linguistic, and cultural classes. The academic requirements are totally reachable! I'm working towards a double-major with international relations, and I plan on finishing in 4 years. I will also sacrifice summers to make sure I'm ahead of the game. It's not that big of a deal. I like what I'm learing/experiencing and I like my professors so far, and that's what's important. There are two ways to look at the education UC Davis can give you. There are plenty of majors and interships available for post-graduation jobs, and then there are the majors that can either go into teaching, more studying and more classes, and maybe even grad school. Bottom line, you'll find a job if you get good advice on what to major in and what pre-graduation jobs to look for. If you're not interested in a job right away, that's fine too and until then, take as many classes as you want!

Charlie

I am fairly well know among the professors whose classes I have attended as I tend to ask a great many questions during lecture and office hours. Although I am a sociology major, I enjoy each and every anthropology class I take and do fairly well in them. I hardly ever notice anyone except the graduate students engaging in academic forum outside of the class. The most annoying thing about UC Davis's minimum requirement policy is that many of my classes overlap in scheduled time or are not offered, this causes many problem for me and possibly other students in similar situations.

Dylan

What I said above--hard to get students to care. It's frustrating, as a student that learns through discussion. My work schedule has at times been tough, I've definately pulled some really late nights, but overall this year it really wasn't that bad at all. But they offer some pretty sweet classes. Take animal science 1, even if you're not an animal science major. It's hecka fun, and a good intro to being at UC Davis. Also take ABT49-tractor driving! You basically drive tractors all week. Once again, I am not a farmer, nor do I have any intrest in being one, but it was fun regardless!

KJ

In physics, we are a small family. We graduate a small (20-30) group of students per year, so professors know your name, know your face, and the more you're around the offices and doing research, the department knows you. It's a nice feeling. Also, with such a group as we have, it's easy to make friends in your major and create study groups. We are competitive, yes, but more to help everyone out in the class rather than best people and hurt their progress. Professors teach the material so you can understand, but we have some classes dedicated to telling you about the job opportunities open to physics majors.

Blake

I wish there was more faculty help in trying to decide what to do after college.....depending on your major, some professors are better than others. There's a lot of research and internship opportunities close to campus, you just need to find them.

Mel

some professors are horrible, some are great professors dont bother learning ur name or getting people to participate, they dont encourage people to see them

Ryan

Overall, I loved the courses I took for my major, Clinical Nutrition. I am pretty sure others would enjoy it as well.

Ryan

I feel like most students study a lot...especially if you want good grades or plan on going to graduate, medical, etc school. Class participation isnt really common in large lecture halls but usually in group discussions. It is important to get to know teachers and they will learn your names if you make the effort to go to their office hours or make appointments to ask questions about the lecture. If you get to know your professors you can ask them to write letters of recommendations or maybe get a chance to work in their lab or something.

Kyle

Academics at Davis are serious. There isn't any screwing around. Don't screw around...or you're screwed. The quarter system demands that you put your time in on a regular basis or you will suffer the consequences. Lectures are good, professors are amazing (in my experiences), but I have heard of some terrible profs which is obviously unavoidable anywhere you go. I am surrounded on a daily basis with intellectual deep conversation everywhere I go. That initially stunned me because I am use to hearing nonsensical bull shit in high school and in public in general. Here, though, you might be taken by surprise by the seriousness and focus that surrounds you. This, I think, fosters a good environment to get serious with your own work though. So it's good.

nicole

I transferred from another UC before I came to UCD and I noticed that the professors at Davis seem to be more knowledgeable of their area of expertise and have taught for so long that they have perfected the art of lecturing and engaging students in the material. The student are not very competitive and because some majors are more popular than others you can find a lot of your peers in all your classes which makes it easier to study.

Jay

you dont have to put in as much time as they say to school to do well. go to class and listen and do the assignments and u can get an A in most classes.

Steph

Sciences at UC Davis are ridiculously hard and competitive. I know multiple people that came into college set on being doctors/ something medical oriented. Since then, they have switched their majors completely to be something more in the humanities departments. My favorite class that I have taken so far is my Psych 131 class about perception. My professor created a color-blind simulation that was amazing. I don't spend time with my professors outside of class, however, they make themselves very available during office hours and appreciate it when students take the time to get to know them and seek out extra help on confusing topics.

Connie

Yes, some professors do know my name. But thats mostly because I went to office hours or sat near the front row and talked to them before class. There are also small classes or classes with discussion or participation where they will get to know your name whether you like it or not. There are a couple of profesors in my department that went out of their way to get to know student in class - some really really GREAT professors that I will miss. In fact, many students in my major know these 1 or 2 exceptional professors and they will definitely make your college experience great if you happen to take them for a class. For me, a class isn't about the material necessarily but about the PROFESSOR that teaches it. A really interesting class can be made boring if the professor sucks, unfortunately. And the other way around as well. Go on rate my professors to check what other students say, or ASK AROUND to figure out who the good professors are. Students do study here, pretty often. Its not uncommon for students to stay in and study on weekends, normally during midterms and finals weeks. People take grades pretty seriously, and this especially true with more competitive majors like BioSci or Managerial Econ or Engineering probably. The atmosphere here isn't really competitive at all though. Its relaxed. People try to help each other out. Freshman year people are more relaxed, so dont fall into that trap. As the years go by people become much more focused. There are a lot of really really smart intellectual people here who do amazing things in and out of class. There are also lots of opportunities to be that person - so study and get to know professor and get involved with research! I really like my department..although I don't really want to give out the details about what it is called, its related to Economics. We have a sense of pride and people in my major work together and know each other well. I like the advisors and professors a lot. Everyone just kind of knows each other and it makes me feel connected to the university. This is really evident at graduation where many people in this major congregate together and socialize.

michelle

the academics are amazing! the classes are definitely challenging but they are great

John

One of the great things about going to Davis is that for the most part, students are not as competitive as they can be at schools with similar prestige. That's because students at Davis study to learn, not to pass. But academics at Davis are definitely more demanding than you might expect. Studying is a big part of every students weekly routine, especially for those who are majoring in science or engineering. As a freshman majoring in Political Science, I've only taken GE classes (usually in lecture halls ranging from 100-250 students.) But classes do definitely decrease in size once you get into your upper division classes. Classes are challenging, but most GE's are pretty interesting. Human sexuality is by far the most popular class on campus. I'm currently taking "Biology of Addiction," a class where we look at the effects of various substances and their social context and history.

Quinn

Davis students know how to have fun, but no matter what they are still students at heart. Davis offers challenging classes in all fields but with an emphasis in anything regarding science. Some of the unique classes include tractor driving and human sexuality, (hey we're an aggie school and still a bunch of 20ish year olds looking to have fun). Like I said the people here are students at heart and care about their interests. At parties people are proud to show off their acid burns from the internships and have in depth conversations about what they learned in physics last week and how it applies to a beerbong. Academics are rigorous and difficult but they're nothing a Davis student can't handle.

Lorie

I haven't gotten close to most of the professors because I take mostly science and math classes and I haven't had very many good professors for those subjects. However, my Italian teacher knows who I am and a lot about me because it is a small class and this is my second quarter having him as a teacher. I think the academic requirements are definitely good and the expectations provide a very well rounded student.

Jess

the size of the classes i've taken range from a couple hundred to about 50. it's difficult for the professors to learn everyone's names because there are so many of us. and for the fact that our professors are researchers first and foremost (like any university), the quality of our educators here are not the best. however, there are a handful who are exceptional. my favorite classes would have to be Human Sexuality (HDE12), and Beer and Brewing (FST10?). these classes are fun, educational, and out of the box. like any group of students you find anywhere, there is great variety in study habits. some are always studying in the library, others the night before the exam, others utilize their time in between classes and read on the quad on a sunny day.

jessica

I am a civil engineering student and a lot of the classes in upper division is geared towards getting a job. A lot of professors teach and start by saying "When you get into industry..." In my major people go to office hours a lot. Its also a good time to work with your fellow classmates on the homework.

Jesse

Initially classes are very large. My intro chem and bio were large lectures and if you're not a proactive student you will get left behind. That said, we always had discussions with TAs that by and large DO SPEAK ENGLISH and as you progress classes get much smaller. A lot of it is major dependent, so if you want small classes pick a rare major:) Students are smart and there is a good intellectual attitude to the campus. People discuss most taboo subjects easily and noon the beautiful quad is a great time to experience campus "hot topics" I encourage everyone to take some language classes while at Davis because the TAs are generally native speakers and you meet in a class of 15-20 students everyday. It's a great way to meet people. Professors always have office hours and GO TO THEM. you will succeed. I didn't figure this out until my senior year.

Alex

Engineering is one of the worst subject areas in Davis. People like Prof. Current really doesn't give a shit about students and they teach horribly. Most teachers are nice and try to teach but no one really knows how to teach well. They are smart, but what's the use of being a smart teacher, but can't teach anything well. I give them an A for trying and D for teaching ability. It is pretty much required that you have to go to Office Hours for help/kissing ass for recommendation.

Melanie

All academics at UC Davis are up to par. It really just depends on the class though. If you are in a english or art class you are going to have maybe 30-40 kids in your class and the teacher will give you all the individual attention you want, but in a lower division science or math class you are looking at 300-400 students and the teacher will not know you. Teachers are highly aproachable though and all of them have office hours that you can attend to get some one on one time if thats your thing.

Ryan

Like any school, there are good and bad professors, but I have found that this university really wants to see their students succeed. There is free tutoring offered for all students in math, science and english at Dutton Hall. In the residence halls there is also free tutoring every weeknight in these same subject areas. I have heard that at highly competitive schools students aren't willing to help each other in their studies, but at Davis I have found everyone I ask to be more than willing to take time to help me understand something or study together. All of the professors I have had really stress learning for learning's sake (not just memorizing to pass an exam). The professors seem to really care about our wellbeing beyond studyies as well. Some professors have even offered their office hours for students to come in a talk to them about whatever is on their mind--that was a huge surprise to me at this big university, but something that also means a lot!

Charlie

My professors have gotten to know my name. If you're in the other majors in which there are thousands of you, definitely go to your professor's office hours. This will enable him to remember you and professors know that if you come to office hours you are trying to pass their class. UC Davis is a research university, so most of the professors don't teach their class. They have TAs - Teacher's Assistants. These are graduate students studying for their masters. However, the TAs and professors do have office hours. There are many ways for a student to get academic help as well. Since I'm a French major, the upper division classes are very small. You are expected to participate in discussion and read the material. UC Davis also has one of the biggest Internship & Career Center. They are there to help you get a job or internship that will help you in your career search.

Abby

Sociology is a great class. Math is not fun at all, but it would be that way in most schools. Students are competitive but it's easy to ignore that and do your own thing and still have fun. You can go either way at UC Davis. There are a lot of challenging classes you could take but it's not hard to do well if you try.

Laura

Classes at a big school can also be pretty mixed. I have really loved many of my courses, but this isn't the kind of school where a professor will give you a call or send an e-mail if you miss a class - it's on you to reach out and make a connection. I've found that professors are generally very helpful and caring, but the student needs to go to office hours or set up a meeting time, you probably won't make a good connection in a class, especially a large lecture hall. It can also take some work to make good connections with students in classes - freshman year I was disheartened by how many people on my floor didn't care about their classes, but my sophomore year people are more focused and you really start to recognize those students in your classes who are academically oriented.