University of California-Irvine Top Questions

get your education and get out.

One of the reasons I chose to come to UCI was because I felt it was big, yet small, I know that sounds weird, but it has a sense of community and familyness that I didn't find on another campus. It felt like home.

UC Irvine is still making a name for itself, and I think that in a couple more years it's going to be one of those "top tier" schools with that everyone wants to go to, just like UCLA or USC. It's drawback is that it's in a suburban area, so the area around it doesn't necessarily cater to college students. However, being in the OC area, there's a lot to do. Disneyland is right around the corner, the beach (Newport and Huntington) is a 10 minute drive from the campus, Angels Stadium and the Staples Center are about 20 minutes away, and it's right in the center of all of the southern California schools, about an hour from UCLA, USC, UCRR, UCSD and SDSU. The school itself is not too big, on the average day, I run into at least 10-15 people that I know on the campus, but at the same time, with any college, you have to put yourself out there and get involved in something, anything to have fun. We are also National Champions in men's volleyball.

The area and education. The location is not only safe, but very pretty. The campus is big, but because of the layout feels small. As with most UC schools, when I tell people that I go to UCI, I always get the response that it is a very good school I spend most of my time on campus in classrooms, sometimes visiting the library to study. This campus is not really a "college town," as it is a "commuter school." Most people live fairly close to home and so on weekends UCI becomes a ghost town. There was some controversy over the dean of the new law school, but all issues have been resolved regarding that. We have a national champion men's volleyball team, however school pride is not the same as colleges with top 20 basketball or football teams. The most frequent complaints that I hear is the demographic of students being heavily weighted toward asians, but over the past couple years I feel that it has become more well rounded. Dorm life is something that I will always remember as nothing I have ever done had really compared with it.

UCI is a little bland. There is very little school spirit. But after that not much to complain about. The one thing (and it is true about any big school) is that you got to get invovled with a group of friends, club, lab, sport, greek system or something or you'll feel detached. At UCI, people love UCI through their little pieces of UCI. Note remember the bio majors who study all the time will tell you their lives suck and that UCI blows, yes it does if you study every second in major that offers very little creativity when it comes to research. For me as a Psychology & Social Behavior Major + English Minor, I have small classes and great labs. Yeah I have lectures but I've got to know those professors, and honestly lectures are best things for certain introductory topics. UCI provides a safe home atmosphere. I can’t stress enough you will love the fact that no one is waking you up at 3am in the morning. Note housing isn't too great for Freshman but the upperclass housing (2nd year is guaranteed) is awesome. Plus, the apartments just across the street are plentiful and quite nice. Compare this to stuff you see at schools like UCSD with there concrete ugly mammoth apartments and UCI looks even better. UCI is beautiful, the park in the middle is stellar, the intramurals and recreational (dance, kayaking, martial arts, sports, yoga) classes are phenomenal. UCI is a great school in a great place. It literally is located 5 minutes from the beaches that The OC and Laguna Beach are filmed in. This place is amazing. New Port Harbor is breath taking and quite uncorporate. The campus food is no UCLA, but it dominates about 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the competition and the meal plans aren’t real ridiculous like say Cal-Poly SLO where they force you to buy more meals than you’d ever be able to use, recommendation though is get the smallest mandatory meal plan. Finally, at UCI, you get to be your own person. No one will tell you who you should be. There is no UCI identity like there are at some bigger schools (especially private schools). You come to UCI and whatever majors and activities you want to do, you can be. Comapre this to say to Chapman which is the size of high school, were there is a norm of dress, of interests, and of activities.

UCI has a beautiful campus. They are trying hard to change it from being a commuter school and are slowly succeeding. The new Student Center is beautiful and the ARC is off the hook! I think UCI is neither too large or too small, but just right. People outside of orange county generally don't have much of an idea of where UCI is, but as it grows bigger and more prestigious (as it is currently), I think this is changing. If you're looking to go to UCI soon, it's definitely on the upswing....it's a really good time to come here! Irvine isn't much of a college town, but is a really central location for the beach, Disneyland, LA, San Diego and more! School pride is increasing, but we could definitely use more!

A lot of people have never heard of Irvine. I think it was supposed to be UC Newport Beach but Irvine redrew their city lines because they wanted UCI. It would have been way cooler if it were UCNB. But, once people see the campus and ralize how close we are to the beach and mountains, they can't deny that we have a beautiful campus, minus the horrible 60's architecture. We lack school spirit and people call UCI "Under Construction Indefinitely" or "University of Chinese Immigrants." It is a wet campus which is pretty cool and it does seem to be getting more school spirit so slowly but surely we are getting there.

The professors and the actual classes are the best part of UCI. Parking rules need to be adjusted. School is growing too large, they need to stop expanding the incoming classes. People know and understand UCI to be a good school, and it is, it will definitely educate you, but like with any university experience the student has to take the learning into his/her hands. I spend time in classes mostly and then in any cafe's on campus or the library/gateway to study. If the pub was still there I would have spend time there. Definitely--"what college town?" The environment does not support UCI students unless of course it's significant research that will get them more notoriety--it's understandable for a suburban town that is really modern. Administration is good, no complaints. Lots of controversy, but mostly it's just so superficial. No school pride at all. But people still participate in things and it really doesn't hinder from a student in having a good time in general. Not much of a school pride atmosphere. Lots of unusual things about UCI...too many to list, but it's like any other place. Mardi Gras at UCI was fun. Freshman year was fun. But I can't pick one experience--I will remember as many as I can. Students complain about the lack of interesting things going on around campus. Although some groups put on interesting things, a lot of them are culture specific so they leave other students out. BUT, at the same time those students learn and grow by experiencing new cultures all around them...so there is a plus and minus to that. Mostly it's the lack of students meeting other students. It is very difficult to meet new people without some socializing atmosphere.

I like the size and layout of the school. I love the campus altogether; the only thing is Irvine is a boring town. The beach is practically the only place to go, and when it isn't hot, there is no where, especially if youre not 21. I know a lot of people that don't have school pride for some reason, but I consider myself to have school pride. There is no point in looking down on the school you are attending. It only makes you look bad. Freshman year has been the most fun for me because you meet so many people when you dorm. I also was on Mesa staff, which has been one of the most rewarding and fun experiences that I have had here at UCI.

The best thing about UCI is its proximity to San Diego and Los Angeles. If I could change one thing, I would give us a football team. The school is a good size. It depends. My older sister went to Princeton so people who know her are surprised that I am going to such a less academically acclaimed school, but other people seem to think it's a pretty good school. I spend most of my time on campus in class. I'm not on campus a whole lot other than that. I get coffee with friends at starbucks every once in a while, and go to the Bren center for sports games once a week or so, but other than that, I'm off campus most of the time. "what college town?" UCI's administration seems pretty good. I guess I don't really have anything to compare it to. Some guy who had been working at ASUCI for a long time tried to strangle another employee. Nope, not a lot of school pride. There are an unusual amount of Asians. Living on campus first year with such great friends. No school spirit, no football team (although the second explains the first), and nothing to do in Irvine.