UC Davis (King Hall) 1L Available for Questions Forum

[calilaw]

I'm only a couple weeks into the first semester, so my knowledge is clearly limited. I can answer limited questions, however - impressions of the school, classes, the building, the people, the location - and I'll remain available to you as I progress through the year. Also, if I can't answer something, I may be able to find someone who can.

[nipplehead09]

How do you like it so far? I've never been to Davis before but I've heard a little about it from past forums. It seems like most people have said that the town itself is pretty laid back. Is it the kind of place that would be necessary to visit to see if it's a good fit?

[JDndMSW]

I'm interested in this. Just curious when is a good time to visit? Month, time of week, day?

How is housing? Do you feel separated from the UG?

[calilaw]

First of all, I'm loving it. The people are great, the professors are fantastic. The building is undergoing renovations, which is a little annoying at times, but the staff and faculty try to make up for it. (for example, our classrooms weren't complete for the first week of class and we were relocated to the business school, and we got free catered coffee each day).

The town is very laid back. It's very affluent, with most people associated with the university in some way. There's a central downtown area with lots of food and shopping options (including an array of local stores plus larger chains, such as Chipotle, In N Out Burger, etc.). The downtown is very vibrant, with lots of cafes, students studying, shoppers. The areas surrounding the downtown area include housing subdivisions (typical suburbs), larger stores (a Target, supermarkets...) and "open space" which has been preserved by the City Council for aesthetic purposes.

Many people say Davis is small, or in the middle of nowhere. Unless you're used to living in Manhattan, it really won't feel that rural. Downtown Sacramento (with large malls, restaurant options, nightlife, and internship/externship opportunities) is only 10 miles away. Downtown San Francisco (and surrounding areas) is only about 50-60 miles away. And Davis itself doesn't "feel" small. There is always something happening (Kesha and LMFAO had a concert on campus a few days ago), and there's a lot to keep you occupied. We have some great bars, lots of outdoor activity options, a fantastic gym (on campus - other options exist off campus), and really anything a larger city would offer, just perhaps on a smaller scale.

I would recommend looking at Davis before moving here, but I really don't think it would be too much of a culture shock/lifestyle adjustment for most people. I would recommend having a car, or a friend with a car, if you don't want to be "stuck" in town. But really, that wouldn't be so bad.

As a college town, housing is pretty plentiful and really varies from location to location. Prices are fairly high - I'm in a 1 bedroom, 650 square feet apartment and I'm paying $900 a month (which is on the low end for Davis prices). But if you plan on sharing a place with others, you can get the price down pretty easily. Most apartment complexes cater to students, and have options which would appeal to students rather than families (for example, four bedroom/four bathroom apartments, that sort of thing).

Some apartments are brand new, others (like mine) are 40 years old. Most are in good repair. High speed internet is available everywhere, many (but not all) places have central AC/heating (something I definitely recommend). Close proximity to campus is a premium, but the bus lines are reliable and convenient.

King Hall is relatively separate from the rest of the UG campus, both administratively and in terms of location. There aren't any undergraduate classrooms nearby, and UG housing is across campus. It's next to the main administrative building, close to the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, and near the business school. Food options on campus are about a 5 minute walk from the building. The main gym (shared with the UG) is across the campus - maybe a 15 minute walk.

I really recommend checking out the Davis Wiki (note: not wikipedia) for more info about the city of Davis. There's a wealth of information, including lists of dining options, apartment complexes, and info about the campus.

http://daviswiki.org/

And if you're planning a visit, just keep weather in mind (I can't really think of any other limiting factors, as the city and campus are almost constantly busy). It's fairly wet December-February, and pretty hot July-August. Make sure to spend some time in Downtown Davis in the evening.

As far as visiting the law school, I would probably recommend a weekday (it's a bit busier), and contact the admissions office to see if they can set up a private tour.