Each University of California campus is unique in what they offer students. Depending on what type of environment the student thrives in, there’s a school that’s a good fit for them. In this post, we’ll share our observations and thoughts from our visits to the UC campuses.
Not quite sure how time snuck up on us so quickly. In a blink of an eye, our baby boy is off to college in 2 years. The thought of him leaving home in such a short time is a strange feeling for us and we are definitely not ready. Regardless, we want to make sure he is well informed about his options before he decides which college to attend.
We believe that choosing the right college is very much part art and part science. With that in mind, it’s important for us that our son gets to experience the schools first-hand—to see the surroundings and atmosphere—beyond the publicly available data. With schools all over the country, we didn’t want to rush the college tours in his senior year. For that reason, we started visiting different colleges during the school breaks this year.
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University of California Visits
Living in California, some of the schools he would love to attend are UCs and we visited many of them this year. I’ve shared the UCs we visited from the north to the southern part of the state. For each school, we’ll share our feelings about the campus as well as the surrounding areas.
One thing to note is we didn’t join any of the guided tours. Right now, most schools are only offering tours to incoming freshmen only.
University of California Davis
We visited UC Davis in April with our friend who had gone there for school on the annual Picnic Day. Picnic Day is very fun as it’s a big open house opened to the public with various departments offering interesting exhibits, presentations, and showcasing their identity.
Our son has an immense interest in UC Davis because of its Entomology Department. He loves all things bugs. When we spent summers in Japan, his favorite daily activities were catching insects and creatures and observing them.
UC Davis is located near the city of Davis. It is not in an urban city setting and is surrounded by plenty of open spaces. The very large campus has a distinct college feel to it. It is relatively flat and students can easily get around riding bikes or scooters. UC Davis is generally a safe community and downtown Davis is right next to the school, with a good number of restaurants, theaters, and shops. The campus is spread out and most buildings look like they were built in the 70s.
During Picnic Day, we saw a show put on by the UC Davis chemistry department with colors and explosions, learned about farm science, and stopped by the entomology department to look at bugs.
After the visit, our son is utterly convinced that he would really enjoy UC Davis. This summer, he’ll be spending 4 weeks there for a STEM camp. We’re glad that he’s getting an early college experience and can’t wait to hear about it after. The UC Davis residence halls are on campus.
University of California Berkeley
I went to UC Berkeley (aka Cal) for college but haven’t spent much time there since graduating. Our son took a science camp at Lawrence Hall of Science this summer and we ended up spending a week at the campus. What a wonderful opportunity it was for me to give him an intimate tour of my alma mater and its surrounding areas!
UC Berkeley is very different from Davis as it’s situated in an urban setting and the campus is relatively small by comparison. It is roughly 6 blocks by 6 blocks. Located on a slightly sloped hill, it is a bit of a hike walking from the bottom to the top. Many of the school buildings feature Beaux-Arts classical design.
I took our son to the buildings where I had classes and pointed out the other buildings and what departments are in them. He liked the campus but was not enamored with the surrounding. There is a persistent homeless population right near the school and the area to the south of the campus is colorful.
However, what UC Berkeley campus lacks in size, it makes up with its convenient location and vibrant city life. There are many great restaurants, cafes, and an assortment of activities to do around the area. It is also right across the bridge from San Francisco and neighbors Oakland. During our visit, The Slanted Door had their pop-up right on campus, how cool is that!
Berkeley Campus Safety Concerns
Due to a large number of homeless people, there are frequent crimes being committed around the campus. It does not feel as safe as other UCs we’ve visited since it’s in the middle of an urban area. Also, the campus housings are mostly all off-campus so the students aren’t as protected compared to an enclosed area. Nami and our daughter joined us in Berkeley on the last days of the camp and I managed to give them a quick tour. Go Cal!
University of California Santa Barbara
Our kids had different summer schedules so I decided to take our son to tour UCSB, UC Irvine, and UCSD while our daughter was still in school. It was a fun boys’ trip!
Even though it’s called UC Santa Barbara, the school is actually located about 10 miles north of downtown Santa Barbara right next to the Santa Barbara airport.
The school is located right next to the Pacific Ocean and has a laid-back vibe, and has its own beach! The campus is not too big, and the buildings feature concrete block designs. Most buildings look like they were built in the 60s and 70s.
The campus is pretty flat and easy to get around by walking or biking. We walked around the campus and visited the Davidson Library. From the top of the library, we were able to take in the breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other.
We were lucky to meet a JOC reader’s daughter who just graduated from UCSB to give us a tour of the UCSB marine lab and shared her research experience with us.
UCSB is our son’s second favorite UC and we wouldn’t mind him going there. It’s not too far south from us (5 hrs from San Francisco). The school is next to the city of Isla Vista with plenty to do and beautiful Santa Barbara is just 10 min away. On the whole, Isla Vista is considered a safe area for students. The residence halls are on campus.
University of California Los Angeles
As we head further south, the next school is UCLA. Our family visited the school together during a visit to LA. Compared to the rest of the UCs, UCLA has a rather different vibe as it’s situated in the glitzy Westwood near the wealthy neighborhood of Bel-Air and Beverly Hills.
The campus sits on a hill similar to UC Berkeley, but it is much larger. It is also home to a sizable medical center and medical school.
UCLA has a mix of newer and classic designed buildings, and the campus feels grand with plenty of greenery and large avenues for walking. What really stood out to us is the importance of sports for the school. The football field and basketball arena are located near the center of the campus and are prominently featured.
The residence halls are on campus located on the northwest side. Even though it’s in a large city, the campus and surrounding areas are safe to walk around.
Being centrally located in LA, it is easy to get to many nearby locations from UCLA including Santa Monica, downtown LA, and Hollywood. There are endless activities to do!
University of California Irvine
About an hour southeast of UCLA (without traffic) is UC Irvine. The school is located in the city of Irvine and situated in an urban area with the conveniences of a large city; however, without the chaos of Los Angeles.
The UC Irvine campus feels new and the landscape is beautifully manicured. It is very walkable with most areas being leveled. Nevertheless, it does feel quite small compared to the other UCs we’ve visited.
The majority of the school buildings surround Aldrich Park in the center. The ring road that encircles the campus takes about 25 min to walk for a complete loop.
Our impression is that the campus is really clean, well maintained, and very pleasant. Residence halls are on campus and closely located to the main school buildings.
The city of Irvine has a population of over 250,000 and is considered one of the best places to live in the US. It is quite safe and is close to many attractions, including beaches, parks, and Disneyland. It is also just a short drive to Los Angeles.
University of California San Diego
The last UC as we head further south is UC San Diego. The school is located about 12 miles north of downtown San Diego near the upscale neighborhood of La Jolla.
The campus is very large including the school of medicine and a hospital. In fact, it is so big that Hwy 5 runs through part of the campus. It is built on hilly terrain but there are campus shuttles available for students to transport around campus. Since the campus is of considerable size, we didn’t get to see all of it.
What differentiates UCSD from other UCs is the student structure. Students are divided into colleges (when they apply) based on their educational philosophies. Each college has its own campus neighborhood including residence and dining. For the students, it feels like a closer-knit community while attending a large research university.
There is a mixture of older buildings along with many newer and modern buildings.
The location of campus is very close to the ocean and near La Jolla. All things considered, I would think it’s very inconvenient without a car to attend UCSD compared to other UCs.
The campus is generally safe and with San Diego downtown just minutes to the south and LA not far to the north, there are always plenty of activities to do.
Finding The Right School
For us, the most important part for our son is to find a school that he likes and fits well in. Since he’s not a big sports person, his preference for schools so far are:
- UC Santa Barbara
- UC Los Angeles
- UC Davis
- UC Berkeley
- UC Irvine
- UC San Diego
We don’t mind if his preference changes over the next two years as he learns more about himself. We are also aware that it’s becoming very difficult to be accepted in most UCs because of the increasing number of qualified applicants. With many factors at play, we will keep an open mind for what’s to come. This midsummer, we plan on visiting schools on the east coast so our son can see what other college campuses outside of California are like.
Do you have any kids that are in college right now? What are some of your helpful tips and insights in deciding the right college? Share them in the comment box below as we’d love to hear your experiences!
I have a rising Senior and I feel sorry for our kids’ generation as it has become SO competitive to get into a UC these days. If your son loves UCSB, he can try and get into their SRA program which is a summer research program that runs 4 weeks. My daughter is currently there doing this program. I see it as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for college! She’s hating dorm food for sure 😂 I enjoyed reading about your college visits as we have been doing the same thing this year!
Thank you for the SRA program info, we’ll tell our son to look into it!
My daughter recently graduated from UCSB and lived in Isla Vista the whole time. If you or your son want any insight or tips, she’d be happy to talk to you!
Hi Marsha,
Thank you for your kind offer, we’ll reach out if our son has any questions!
Another vote for checking out UC Santa Cruz! I went to UCLA and was so surprised by how different UC Santa Cruz was when I first visited. It felt like walking through a forest compared to all the other UCs. Also for UCSD, there are trolleys to take students from school to downtown, so it’s totally possible to get by without a car!
Thanks Annie for your feedback and info on the UCSD trolleys! We’ll visit UC Santa Cruz!
I went to UCSB!
California certainly has a lot of great university and college choices. My wife and I attended and graduated from Pepperdine University. My daughter graduated from UC Irvine with the intention of pursuing a PharmD. But instead of going to UC San Francisco or UC San Diego, for the PharmD, our entire family decided to move to North Carolina. So now my daughter is getting her PharmD at UNC Chapel Hill and my son just transferred into the same school as well. One down side of our move……hard to find good Japanese grocery products. Love your website!! And good luck to your son’s future educational and career choices.
Hi Tom! Thank you so much for sharing your family’s college experience!
You missed what’s arguably the coolest UC of them all – UC Santa Cruz (“Slug On!”)
Hi Rod, we’ll check out UCSC!
We live in Torrance, which is located in a suburb of Los Angeles County. My husband and I both went to UCLA so we were hoping our son would go there too. We loved the location and the SoCal vibe and that the neighborhood is safe and vibrant. Plus, it’s super fun to be a Bruin sports fan!
My son is interested in Business and unfortunately, UCLA doesn’t have a business undergrad major, only Economics. He went outside of his comfort zone and applied early decision to the Wharton undergrad school at the University of Pennsylvania and he was accepted. I didn’t know anything about the college and didn’t even know it was an Ivy League school. We were proud that he got in and proud that he was brave enough to go to a college on the East Coast. That said, it was really hard to let him go. He completed his freshman year and is a rising sophomore now. It’s been wonderful having him home for the summer, but I do feel sad about him going back to college in the fall. I would rather have him close to home, but the decision was his and he loves UPenn. Being on the East Coast away from us has really made him mature and develop into a confident young man. He recently went on a road trip to San Francisco with his UPenn friends and I could see how they developed such a strong bond since they went to a college so far from their homes. If your son is willing to go to school on the East Coast, I would definitely encourage him. It will be hard to let him go no matter where he goes to school. I’m confident he will find the right college for him and he will thrive where ever he goes!
H Jill! So happy to hear about your son’s experience at Wharton and the bonds he’s having with his school friends. He must have been an excellent high school student to be accepted early at UPenn.
We completely understand the difficulty of letting your child go far away for college. We felt the same sadness when we dropped off our son at UC Davis this summer. We are open-minded about wherever our children want to go for school and will be stopping by UPenn as part of our east coast college visit this summer.
we did these tours several years ago. and our daughter ended up taking 2 masters at Berkely. so you know which is our favorite school lol.. But depending on your son’s preferred major & his gpa do have a look at the Claremont Consortium in Claremont. it consists of Harvey Mudd (where our daughter went before Berkeley) Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer & Scripps (girls only) – truly the schools i recommend the most. bonus, private colleges all over generally have more scholarships & housing. the 5schools at Claremont included 4 years of housing as opposed to the UCs freshman-only housing.
Hi Robin,
Thank you for your feedback. We visited the Claremont Colleges earlier this year as they are excellent schools in CA. However, both our children preferred the atmosphere of the UCs. It was pretty quiet when we visited the 5 colleges. Not sure if it’s due to the current situation or if we may be been there during a school break.
Our family- parents, siblings, children have graduated from or are attending Davis, Cal, UCLA, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. All are excellent and the most important thing is to find a good fit for your student. Thank you for sharing a thoughtful and enjoyable report on the UC schools. It is an exciting and stressful time when your first child applies to college, good luck. Like you, I went to Cal. Go Bears!
Hi John! Thank you for your feedback, we agree that they are all excellent schools and would be happy wherever our children are able to be accepted. Go Bears!
Just about an hour south of the San Francisco area is my alma mater UC Santa Cruz. Don’t forget to check it out.
Hi John, we will check out UCSC! What was your favorite thing about the school?
My kids graduated from two very different private southern California schools several years ago, but I still enjoyed this write up and thought the comparisons great. I am just finishing up Simu Liu’s autobiography, We Were Dreamers, and encourage all parents but perhaps Asian parents more to read this. Yes, we know Simu as the Marvel star, but his story is not a Hollywood dream come true but a work of self-identity and going against the grain.
Hi Mary,
Thank you for the recommendation! It’ll be our next audiobook!
You didn’t include UC Merced, which is the newest of the UC’s. UC Merced has created partnerships with signature research entities, such as the Sierra Nevada Research Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, World Cultures Institute, and the National Park Service. And has 18 graduate and 18 undergraduate programs.
I am also a graduate from Cal and agree the surrounding homeless is a major concern for the student’s safety ( but a reality of real life ) , however the education and campus is wonderful.
Hi Michael,
We don’t know much about UC Merced as most of our friends went to the existing UCs. Will ask our children to look into it!
I’m a grad student at UCSB and it really is a magical place! I know it has a bit of a reputation as a party school, but my experience as a TA has been that while obviously some students socialize a lot, for the most part my students are incredibly hard working and talented. The level of accomplishment to even get into a UC is very high. A car is absolutely not necessary, though it’s hilarious seeing the new students try to figure out the bike roundabouts every fall. It’s also just a gorgeous place to live, like literally there are dolphins swimming off the coast of campus point.
We definitely have some problems as well. Housing has been especially bad this year, and I know Santa Cruz and Berkeley are in similar situations. The University just has not built up enough housing to match enrollment, to the point where Freshmen are crammed into triples and older students are increasingly scrambling to find housing at the last minute. The school even had to put students in hotels during the fall because there wasn’t enough housing. And while our homeless population isn’t as big as Berkeley’s, it’s definitely an issue in SB county.
Overall, though, I think the campus and Isla Vista/Goleta are incredibly safe. I’ve lived in the Bay Area as well and I definitely feel safer here. IV can be noisy, and it sometimes feels like a post-apocalyptic town where everyone over 25 was wiped out, but it also has families and great food. And if your son ever gets nostalgic for Mom’s cooking, there’s a great Japanese market and ramen place in Goleta, haha!
Hi Emmy, thank you so much for sharing your experience at UCSB. It’s our son’s number 1 choice so we hope he gets in!
I don’t have any children of college age. My daughter is grown. She enjoy her collage years. She went to Muhlenberg in PA.
Hi Theresa,
Thank you for sharing! We will visit some liberal arts colleges on the east coast this summer!
Hi Mr. JOC,
it sounds like you and your son had a very memorable trip! My son and I have also toured all of those schools that you mentioned, sometimes in an organized group, sometimes as a guest of a current student. Your assessment about the settings and safety still seem accurate to what we remember. My son started at UCSD then transferred to, and graduated from, Cal (just last year). Your son has exciting choices to make! Please remind him that the first decision he makes is in no way written in stone and he is free to change his mind, even after beginning his freshman year. Making the switch to a different university worked out great for my son!
Best wishes to you and your family,
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thank you for the info. Was there a reason why your son transferred if you don’t mind sharing? Also, how difficult was it to transfer?