University of California-Irvine Top Questions

At UC Irvine, I have the most difficult time with fitting in academically. The school is filled with intellectual students from successful backgrounds. I come from a low-income community that does not have room for growth, thus depriving me from opportunities that many other students at UC Irvine already have experience in. Although the quality of past education differs between my peers and me, I give my best efforts to thrive in this new environment. I see their leverage as a challenge for me to push myself in all my classes and reach the same potential as my peers.

Personally, as a transfer student from a community college, the most frusterating thing about my school is the expenses. The cost of books, tuition, parking, health fees, material fees, etc. is very expensive and difficult for me.

I can't think of anything that's frustrating at my school. I can comment however on what I found frustrating about college life. In college people are a lot more solitary or based on work. It's hard to socialize if you aren't dorming or involved in any clubs. So, if you're a commuter, I urge you to join at least one club that you enjoy. That way you can meet people and make friends. People aren't looking to socialize in lecture halls

THe most frustrating thing about UCI is that it is hard to meet people at times. A lot of people tend to interact with their own race or ethnic group, making it harder to get to know people. Also another thing that is hard about UCI is that on weekends many resources that the campus provides during regular weekdays are not open. The campus is dead and Irvine is an isolated city that in order to go out you need a car. So location of campus is kind of a downer.

The most frustrating thing about my school is that the tuition and housing cost are too expensive.

The most frustrarting thing is too be in some classes where students never participate. Those that do not have a voice to show throughout the quarter but can complain on how it is difficult. I feel as if they have no motivation as if they take it all for granted and it is annoying to act as if it is not their fault. The work is there so do it and love the feeling of completing something.

The most frustrating thing about my school is the fact that the school shuttles do not run on weekends. But academic-wise, it depends on the person. If you find the right class and the right schedule it won't be too frustrating. Getting the classes that I want is also frustrating because enrollment windows are based on how many credits you have. The more you have the earlier your enrollment will be. Taking summer classes at community colleges can help boost that up.

We only have two libraries, and they tend to get overly crowded. It's difficult to study in groups.

The most frustrating thing about my school is that it's not too far from my home town; however, the intolerable traffic makes it seem like it is. Because UC Irvine is in the bay area, the freeways are always over packed with people in vehicles trying to get to the beach. So the car ride to school or my house should acutally take about forty minutes, although it takes almost two hours.

cOST

not enough appreciation of the arts. GRRR

The most frustrating part is how many people complain that they attend UCI. Personally UCI was my last choice (out of 4 schools I applied to), but I still thought it was a great school. However, most people that attend UCI were rejected by UCB and UCLA so they're a bit bitter. I think UCI is a great school (still a part of the UC system), offering great academics and fun clubs. I enjoy the atmosphere whenever I'm on campus, and the people are friendly (usually haha).

For me, the most frustrating thing about UC Irvine is that most of the students live in Southern California. They go home a lot on weekends, and since I live nine hours away in Northern California, often times on weekends there is not much to do.

The most frustrating thing about UC Irvine is it is difficult to obtain all the information I need from the faculty. When I went to register for my classes the academic advisors were not helpful.

The most frustrating thing about UC Irvine is the competitiveness, but that is expected to come with the school.

The most frustrating thing about school is learning to take advantage of the oppurtunities. Going to UCI, a relatively large school, you can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. I just wish I had put in more effort to get into my passion which is writing, sooner, as well as take a lot more internships.

Everything is extremely expensive. Food, housing, tuition and cost of school supplies, etc.

The most frustating thing about my school is that I have to commute to school from a pretty far away and the transportation system is so limited in schedule. Therefore I take the train and bicycle to school.

Tuition goes up every year.

The fact that there are so many people. You would think it would make it easier to meet people, but it actually makes it harder because there are so many people around that people rarely take the time to introduce themselves in classes and things like that.

Our servers, when receiving high traffic, always crash. Applying for housing is a pain because everyone is trying to access the server at once, and it ends up taking over two hours. There is also a 18 unit cap enrollment and to surpass 18 units, there is a later enrollment period where it opens to everyone at once. And of course, it crashes.

Parking! Parking permeits are always, always expensive! To be honest, I do not understand why parking prices increase almost every school year. In addition, it is always a hustle when you park. People tend to be very last minute, so expect some crazy driving in parking lots and parking structures. Although it is very unlikely that you can't find a space while having a permit, do expect to park inconveniently far away from your classes. My advice? Find an apartment that is walkable to the campus or simply take the bus, it is more eco-friendly, too!

The only thing I would have to complain about UC Irvine is how big it is, which does have its pros and cons. The pros are the rich diversity of people and culture integrated into this campus; the cons are that it is hard to get that personal attention and close-knit relationships with faculty and professors. In such a big campus, it is easy to feel like a nobody. Other then that, nothing gets better than college life at UCI with perfect, beautiful weather every day, the amiable people, and the caliber education one can achieve.

The most frustrating thing about UCI is the fact that everything closes relatively early (around 9PM), so if you get hungry during the night while you're studying, it is hard to get ahold of a snack unless you have a car.

The most frustrating thing about my school isn;t necessarily within the school itself, more the idea that because it is on quarter system and it is my first year it has taken some time to adjust to the faster pace then what I have been used to.

There are very few places to go to outside of campus.

Every single class is ridiculously hard!

classes too big

The most frustrating thing about my school is the lack of diversity. I believe that my school's demographics include almost 40% of Asian people. I have no problem with Asian people, considering I am Asian American myself, but I came from a very diverse community and would have loved to continue learning in that type of environment, especially in college. It is frustrating because I believe that being surrounded by different types of people helps provide a learning community outside of the classroom, but with such a lack of diversity, I miss out on that type of knowledge.

Although many view this quality as a positive, UCI is located in an extremely safe environment. While safety can never be a frustrating issue, students feel safe from all sorts of extremes--from political to even weather extremes. While many prospective college students hope for a life-altering experience, including exposure to different and extreme ideas and lifestyles, UCI offers these experiences to students at their disposal, rather than throwing these experiences in their students' faces like other universities. UCI students can feel like they are in a bubble, but they are not trying hard enough to break free.

Enrolling in classes because students should have the freedom and right to enroll in the classes they want and need when they want. It is a hassle and very stressful for students to enroll in classes when they are waitlisted or full. The school needs to open up those classes that are in high demand to accomodate everyone's needs.

The most frustrating thing about my school is the amount of "red tape" I have to go through in order to get something done. For example, if I need to call the university about a billing issue, I must look up their specific phone number and if they do not answer I must leave a message or e-mail them and I must allow ten days for them to reply.

Well I don't know yet becuase I have not started school yet. I will begin my college experience in a couple of weeks and so I myself don't even know what the most frustrtating thing about UC Irvine is.

It is a big commuter school and there is not much school spirit.

Conservative politics of the surrounding area.

Nothing

There is a lack of non-academic activity going on at UCI, in comparison to other universities. The classes one takes are only a part of the overall university experience; the connections and life skills one learns during their university years will also be quite beneficial to them throughout their future. Unfortunately, I do not feel that I am learning enough of this non-academic portion of a university education, and thus will be disadvantaged in comparison to the rest of the students my age (at other universities).

The rising tuition

There is no school spirit. I don't get the sense that all the departments are part of the same University community.

I am most frusterated with the budget cuts and cut classes. It is hard to get the required classes in when most classes are not even offered during certain quarters. I end up cramming the classes that I need when they are offered.

The most frustrating thing about my school is the atmosphere. Everything is very suburbian, to put it simply. The campus is very open and the surrounding area just is not very lively. I wish I went to a more urban, lively school where there is always something going on.

The lack of school spirit and diversity. It's a strong academic school, but people don't seem proud to be there. It takes hard work to get into UCI, and people just seem to take it for granted. That kind of apathy is irritating when it comes to athletics and community events. The lack of diversity makes it hard sometimes, too. Being one of the few minority students on campus is saddening - it's supposed to be equal opportunity, but it doesn't feel that way when everyone around you is the same race and the same culture.

Some of the regimented programs associated with specific majors can be frustrating. For instance, the combination of a Biological Sciences major and the Campuswide Honors Program can hinder a student's ability to explore other subjects and take other classes. Although this will likely be helpful when applications to further education opportunities arise, it is frustrating at this point to fit study abroad, research, work, and volunteering into the schedule somewhere.

The most frustrating thing about my school is the lack of FREE school-sponsored events such as concerts, dances, etc.

The parking restrictions and guidelines are definately most frustrating. Parking passes are outrageously expensive per quarter and the passes only allow you to park in certain areas. Parking tickets are also very expensive and have a zero tolerance policy. It makes it tough if something happens and you end up parking in a lot you shouldn't have. You are going to get a ticket and it is going to cost as much as a month's groceries.

During enrollment, it is really competitive to get the classes you need since they don't offer enough course for the number of students enrolled

The communte and parking

That the student body is too large for some majors.

That it is a commuter school. Most students who are less involved, in clubs, sports, or the greek system, tend to go home on the weekends.

Lack of indivdual attention. I was told that by the time I reach upper division classes, the class size would shrink to around 20 to 30 students, but I have honestly not seen a change in class size since my freshman year in college and I am now in my last year.