Those living in campus dorms at UC's are mostly freshman. UCSD has high percentages of freshman who live at home and drive to the campus. Many students living on campus go home on the weekends. Add in the six college system which separates students away from each other and you get a very quiet campus. The commuter issue involves all the rest of the students. UCSD is not located in a college town (the city of La Jolla). There is no centralized area around the campus where the majority of students both live and congregate. Large numbers of students drive in to school and park each day, thus the often lamented parking problems. After freshman year many students live in diverse areas away from the campus and are unable to walk or bike. At UCSD most students (not freshman) end up living about 20 minutes away (though there are shuttles). At UCB, UCLA, UCD, UCSC, and UCSB the vast majority of students all live in the immediate area surrounding their campus and there is plenty of walking/biking distance entertainment and housing (the costs vary dramatically from campus to campus). It would greatly improve your social life to have a car (or a friend who has a car) if you plan to attend UCSD.
UCD in contrast is a college town. Everything (and there is a ton of stuff to do) can be reached by biking, walking or the excellent public transit system. Driving by the freeway doesn't give you a clue. Not enough to do in Davis? Sure it has a friendly, laid-back atmosphere, but I challenge anyone to find any other university, UC or otherwise that offers what UCD offers in the way of recreation or entertainment.
The Mondavi Center, is a new state of the art venue, with hundreds of world-class events per year. Check out the big names - from Yo-yo Ma to Bill Clinton (check out the mondavi center -http://www.mondaviarts.org/)
The ARC (activities and recreation center) is a 140,000 sq. ft. new fitness and recreation building and is THE best facility of its kind on a college campus. see
http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/n....lasso?id=6979
UCD is home to the Schaal Aquatics center, an Olympic size venue for world-class swimming & diving meets. Again, developed to be the best facility around.
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/recpool/schaal.html
Division 1 UCD is home to a brand-new football stadium. All home games are free for UCD students.
http://www.ucdavis.edu/spotlight/0807/stadium.htm
UCD is home to the Aggie Pack one of the largest school spirit organizations in the country.
The Aggie Pack
Both an exceptional Baseball stadium, and dedicated soccer stadium were built a few years ago. UCD has the largest NCAA sports program of any UC featuring 26 mens and womens teams.
UC DAVIS, The Official Athletic Site
Want to participate in sport for the fun of it? UCD has one of the largest intramural programs in the United States. Every year more than 14,000 students play on over 2000 teams, in 26 different men's, women's, and coed activities.
http://imsports.ucdavis.edu/intramurals/im-home.htm
There are 450 student groups and organizations in support of just about anything one can think of
Student Programs & Activities Center, UC Davis
Want to get an internship? UCD has one of the largest internship programs in the country.
https://iccweb.ucdavis.edu/
Not sure what you want to major in? UCD offers 104 undergraduate majors.
Majors By Alphabetical Order
Want to join a sorority or fraternity? Want to have a frat row in walking distance to where you live?
Russell Blvd Fraternities.
Theta Chi
Sigma Alpha Epsilon ("SAE") 521 Russell Blvd.
Pi Kappa Alpha ("Pike") 101 Russell Blvd.
Chi Phi: 217 Russell Blvd.
Sigma Phi Epsilon ("Sig Ep") Oxford Circle
Russell Blvd Sororities
Alpha Phi
Chi Omega ("Chi O"): 5th and A
Delta Gamma ("DG")
Kappa Kappa Gamma ("Kappa")
Pi Beta Phi ("Pi Phi")
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi ("Sigma AEPi")
Non - Russell Fraternities
Alpha Gamma Omega ("AGO"): Parkway Circle
Alpha Epsilon Pi ("AE Pi"): C st, across from Farmers Market
Theta Xi: 1st and E
Delta Sigma Phi (Delta Sig): House next to Kappa Alpha Theta
Sigma Chi: House next to Delta Sig and Kappa Alpha Theta
Non - Russell Sororities
Alpha Chi Omega ("A Chi O"): 2nd and C
Kappa Alpha Theta ("Theta"): Parkway Circle, next door to Sigma Chi
Delta Delta Delta ("Tri-Delt"): 1st, between A and B
Davis is a quaint college town, however, Sacramento ( a fifteen minute drive away) has all the nightlife of a metropolitan area.
Sac nightlife not enough? San Francisco is only an hour drive away (just don't hit the traffic).
Two big malls are within a 12 minute drive and you can also take public transit.
Arden Fair | Home Westfield Help Yourself
Davis is one of, if not the only, California campuses with an Equestrian center.
UC Davis :: Department of Campus Recreation :: Equestrian Programs
Like the outdoors? This is the closest UC to great skiing at Tahoe. Hiking, fishing, etc can be done on campus even (it is the largest UC in area), or just head to the outskirts of town.
Outdoor Adventures is one of the largest outdoor activity programs in the country. It is an incredibly well established, mostly student run organization, sponsoring outdoor activities of all kinds, from white-water rafting, to kayaking in Baja over break, to cross-country skiing, you name it.
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/oa/index.html
Like Crafts? The Craft center offers more than 100 classes per quarter - jewelry making, ceramics, you name it. State of the art facilities in just about any craft
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/...ter/index.html
Bowling, billiards and game center
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/mugames/
Want to go paintballing?
Davis Paintball Center - Davis Wiki
Skydiving anyone?
Skydance Skydiving - Davis Wiki
Want to just swim and hang out? 2 pools are available - and the weather is great! There is nothing better than summer evenings outdoors in Davis!
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/...l/recpool.html
Like to eat out and want a big variety? The best part is you don't need a car.
Restaurants - Davis Wiki
Like the unusual stuff? How about the salsa, merengue ? from yoga to tai chi, drumming to bike repair., body massage? Experimental college probably has something for you.
http://asucd.ucdavis.edu/experimenta...=969&sort=name
Interested in contemporary music?
Music Scene - Davis Wiki
or the student-run radio station where anyone can DJ
KDVS.org / Freeform Radio / Davis, CA
A better question is what ISN'T available at Davis?
UC Davis offers something that is special, look how many of the students look happy, try to live in Davis after they graduate, or who turnout to support numerous campus activities especially their teams. 91% of UCD alumni would recommend their school.
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