UC Hastings VS UC Davis Forum

[matt30]

Any one had any experience at one rather than the other?
Do Davis students get free bus passes? Better campus? People?

They rank about the same so...

If you don't live on the west coast I want your opinion too!
How are each of these school perceived out east, if at all.

[deliciouspork]

I'm an undergrad at Davis and I have visited the Hastings campus. I'm also applying to both, so here's my 2 cents:

Davis:
More scenic campus (overall). The law school is currently undergoing renovations as it is quite old and bland. While the school is located on the UCD campus, it's pretty far removed from any undergraduate buildings.

With respect to the buses, I'm not sure, but I would guess that law students get free access to Unitrans (the student-run bus service for UCD). As long as you have a student ID, you are given free rides. Davis is pretty small, so it's very easy to get around; it's also extremely bike friendly.

In terms of cost, Davis certainly has cheaper housing. I currently pay $400 for my own room in 4-bedroom and have easy access to campus (about 1 mile off campus, 10-15 min walk, 5 min bike, or bus). Davis really is a small town, and there's not much to "do." There are a few small shopping venues and some good restaurants but beyond that life in Davis is what you make of it. I do enjoy the tranquil, laid-back small-town atmosphere, but occasionally I get really bored and have to go to the SF Bay area. For this reason, I'd say a car is highly recommended.

Hastings:
Living SF will not be cheap, but the cost may be worth it. SF is full of things to do: Fisherman's Wharf, Pac-Bell Park, China Town, Japan Town, Union Square... just to name a few. Plus, you'd be situated in the highly populated and urbanized Bay Area/Silicon Valley.

Hastings' campus is located close to Civic Center and is in the Tenderloin district. I've strolled through the area during the day, and it's full of bums and druggies. However, I've read that Hastings offers good security and these vagrants are largely innocuous, so it's not a huge concern.

Public transportation is obviously much more available in SF. There's the Cal-Train which connects the South Bay (San Jose) to SF. And there's the BART which runs from the Peninsula (San Mateo) to the East Bay (Fremont, Berkeley, etc.). Getting around SF is pretty easy too.

I can't really say anything about east coast recognition about either of these schools, but I would venture a guess that Hastings would carry more weight because 1) it's been around longer and 2) it's ranked slightly higher. I do know that both Hastings and Davis have vast alumni throughout the Bay Area - just look at the attorney roster for any big firm in the area.

[muddywaters]

Hastings if BigLaw, Davis if not.

[muddywaters]

Back east (where I am from), I would venture to say that Davis has more prestige merely because more people have heard of it (since it has an undergrad).

[PNW5225]

Coming from a Californian who has spent significant time living in Seattle:

UC Hastings seems to have a more solid reputation because, just as you said, it's been around much, much longer and thus has many more alumni out there and I'm sure the location doesn't hurt! King Hall is only ~45 years old and many people are surprised that they even have a law school when I talk to them about it.

[whyamidoingthis]

Purely anecdotal, but I've lived in California my whole life, been interested in going to law school for about 5 years (albeit with an east-coast focus), and I didn't find out Davis had a law school until a good friend got in there. I had, on the other hand, always known about Hastings.

While neither has a fantastic national reputation, I would venture to say that Hastings has a better rep in-state. Davis is still building its brand and it's not in a metropolitan area.

[JPeavy44]

Hastings if BigLaw, Davis if not.

Biglaw in bay area, davis or scu?

[muddywaters]

Davis. Unless IP, then SCU MAYBE (with $$$)

[whyamidoingthis]

Davis. Unless IP, then SCU MAYBE (with $$$)

Muddy is right, I would only do SCU if I was going to continue in patent pros. Even with money, I'd have to think long and hard about going there over paying in-state tuition. People tell me it's a great school (and I believe them), but I also know a couple complete idiots that go there, so I think my perspective is skewed.

[20160810]

I'd pick Davis.

And on the off chance OP is thinking about living in Sacramento, Davis.

[muddywaters]

I would pick Davis over Hastings, too.

[BioLaw]

Hastings does have a lot of alumni in the state when compared to Davis, but it has more to do with the fact that our graduating class is twice as big than the fact that we're older. We definitely have a LOT of alumni in SF firms, and we also have more judges in CA from our school than from any other (if you're looking to do a clerkship at some point).

Hastings is a pretty cool place, especially if you're into a more urban setting. I really like going to law school in the city, for reasons I can't really articulate, other than it's exciting.
People tend to say that Hastings students are super-competitive also, but I haven't found that to be the case. It's right in the middle of finals right now, and everyone is still friendly.

With that said, Davis has its own appeal. A more relaxed campus (well, and the fact that they actually have a campus), a cool little college town, and a solid rep also. One thing about Davis that steered me away last year was that their library was horrible. They were planning to renovate last year, but I don't know if its done yet. Hastings has a pretty cool new library. That might be something to consider, since you spend a lot of time there.

[bobina]

Lived in Cali for undergrad. Hastings has a better reputation than Davis.

I'd choose Hastings over Davis. Despite not being a T-14, Hastings' grads make comparable salaries in SF due to alumni network.

[bobina]

While neither has a fantastic national reputation, I would venture to say that Hastings has a better rep in-state. Davis is still building its brand and it's not in a metropolitan area.

Davis is a pretty sh*tty place to live. This is what I call "drive-through" land (like flyover country, ha). No pretty geographic scenery to save it either. The campus is actually quite crappy (not sure about the law building). When I visited years ago, they used a lot of mobile home trailers for classrooms.

[muddywaters]

Lived in Cali for undergrad. Hastings has a better reputation than Davis.

I'd choose Hastings over Davis. Despite not being a T-14, Hastings' grads make comparable salaries in SF due to alumni network.

Sure, I think H v D will be argued till the cows come home (or in SF, the tofu cows). Neither is a bad choice. I live in SF now, love it here, but would still pick Davis (visited, the people students more interesting and interested...a better learning environment).

[20160810]

Lived in Cali for undergrad. Hastings has a better reputation than Davis.

I'd choose Hastings over Davis. Despite not being a T-14, Hastings' grads make comparable salaries in SF due to alumni network.

Sure, I think H v D will be argued till the cows come home (or in SF, the tofu cows). Neither is a bad choice. I live in SF now, love it here, but would still pick Davis (visited, the people students more interesting and interested...a better learning environment).

I think Davis is a better place to go to school and SF is a better place to work as an attorney. Solution: Go to UCD, work in SF. Everybody wins.

[JustWannaGetIn]

I say Hastings...but Davis does have lots of women. The male:female ratio is ridiculous compared to the national average.

[20160810]

I say Hastings...but Davis does have lots of women. The male:female ratio is ridiculous compared to the national average.

To use the oft-quoted phrase: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd."

[JustWannaGetIn]

I say Hastings...but Davis does have lots of women. The male:female ratio is ridiculous compared to the national average.

To use the oft-quoted phrase: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd."

LOLOLOL

...I've never heard that phrase before!

[20160810]

I say Hastings...but Davis does have lots of women. The male:female ratio is ridiculous compared to the national average.

To use the oft-quoted phrase: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd."

LOLOLOL

...I've never heard that phrase before!

Well, if you're talking about hotties at UCD, the other phrase you'll need to know is "Davis Goggles."

[CaliforniaLaw]

.

[bobina]

I say Hastings...but Davis does have lots of women. The male:female ratio is ridiculous compared to the national average.

Not that this matters for internet nerds who can barely get a virtual girl to wink at them in Sims...

Seriously, Hastings, hands down. Davis, California is a dump and the campus is ugly.

[matt30]

Is there a stereotype about the average Davis or Hastings student? Good or bad? Not that it will influence my decision all that much but it would be good to know.

For the Hastings ppl, is it strange to have no UG attached?

[20160810]

Is there a stereotype about the average Davis or Hastings student? Good or bad? Not that it will influence my decision all that much but it would be good to know.

For the Hastings ppl, is it strange to have no UG attached?

It means you can't hit on sorority girls, which is a con for me.

[csampson]

It means you can't hit on sorority girls, which is a con for me.

What about all the ex-sorority girls who frequent the Hastings parties and SF night clubs? I have to believe that they tend to self select into the Hastings night life.