UC Davis students share their favorite parts of the university and tips for high school seniors making college decisions
By JALAN TEHRANIFAR — features@theaggie.org
Months after the application submission deadline, UC Davis released admissions decisions to students of the upcoming Class of 2026 on March 11. Newly admitted students have until May 1 to submit their commitment to attend the university next fall.
Current students — whether they’ve attended UC Davis for just a few months or multiple years — have gathered college insight and advice for newly admitted students to help them choose their university and thrive upon arrival.
UC Davis’ campus is known for its agriculture and campus animals, according to Vaidehi Gupta, a third-year cell biology major. She recommended that new students check out the entirety of the campus when touring or arriving next fall.
“Explore UC Davis because the campus has so much to offer,” Gupta said. “It’s a really unique, cool, beautiful campus.”
Gupta also said that Davis has a lot of resources for new students and students who are struggling to adjust to campus, which she recommended.
Curtis Dong, a second-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, emphasized the importance of community at Davis. Dong also said that, when he was choosing his university, he found that Davis had the perfect mix of focused classes and fun.
“I think that Davis is the perfect place to focus on your education while still having those ‘college experiences’ because I think the town really encourages it,” Dong said. “There’s stuff to do, but not so much that you’re overwhelmed, where you can’t focus on school.”
Jessica Chan, a second-year design major, said that she’s found Davis to be pretty small but encouraged students to take advantage of the areas surrounding Davis during their time here.
“[Davis] is a small town, but you can branch out and take the bus to Sacramento or San Francisco,” she said.
For students who have decided on attending Davis next fall, Elisha Aguirre, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said that her biggest piece of advice for new students is to branch out of their comfort zones.
“Really try new things,” Aguirre said. “Try to be outgoing and open-minded, [and] try to introduce yourself to new people. [That’s a good way to] maybe make some really great connections and friends.”
Nik Childers, a third-year political science major, said to be wary of reading too much about professors and courses online before arriving on campus.
“Don’t trust what you read on Rate My Professors,” he said. “A lot of the professors I have taken have got ‘meh’ reviews, but I haven’t had a single bad professor here.”
Grace Heller, a third-year design and economics double major, said that her biggest advice for incoming students is to be open to new experiences and friends as a first year.
“There’s definitely a place for everyone to fit in, and you definitely find your group,” Heller said. “I know high school can be really small, but Davis is really big, and within it you can find your community and a lot of similar people with similar interests who will make it feel a lot smaller.”
Cynthia Fernandez, a molecular, cellular and integrative physiology (MCIP) graduate student, agreed that building a community in Davis is super important freshman year.
“Try to enjoy your first few quarters here, and make some friends, and just definitely get comfortable with the campus,” she said. “Definitely dive into your academia, and it’s really important to establish a support system here in Davis, especially if you’re not from the area. Just get involved with many clubs and activities, which obviously will help with making friends and establishing that support system too. Also, take advantage of the resources they have here on campus, because it really will help you if you’re lost in any way.”
Written by: Jalan Tehranifar — features@theaggie.org
