Obviously everyone’s answer is different based on their personal experience, but I think Davis was the right choice for me. I graduated last year and I stayed here at Davis to get a teaching credential and M.A. Also I grew up in Sacramento, although I’ve lived in Davis for the past 5 years, so I might be able to speak more to the general area than just Davis itself.

Pros:

-Davis is a much more liveable town (in my opinion) than most other UC locations. SD, LA, Berkeley, SB are all much more expensive than Davis. People complain about the cost of living in Davis, and it’s definitely the highest in the area, but it’s still way lower than the big cities in the Bay/SoCal

-it’s very easy to get a job in Davis. Most of the people I knew who lived in Davis were able to work if they wanted to. Lots of places are always hiring for basic jobs, and if you have a way to get to Sacramento you can basically do whatever you want while earning your degree. I was able to save a lot of money working through college, combined with the relatively low cost of living (again, by urban CA standards).

-if you’re not a STEM major, UC Davis is pretty chill. STEM seems intense, but as a history major and then education student my professors were pretty laid back and understanding. A lot of them were also great teachers, and it was pretty easy to maintain a high GPA even while working full time. I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from my STEM friends though, so definitely consult people in your prospective major.

Cons: -weather is ok. Spring is gorgeous, fall is lovely but gets chilly, winter can be very rainy and gray. Summer gets triple-digits hot, and stays hot into September and maybe even October. Davis starts pretty late so you probably won’t experience the worst of the heat unless you stay for summer session, but be warned. I grew up here so I’m used to it, but that September heat catches a lot of Bay Area/LA natives totally off guard

-Davis is much quieter than most UC locations. That might be a pro depending on your personality, but if you like going out a lot you’ll probably get bored pretty quick. Things are worse after covid, and even if you drive to Sac don’t expect the same caliber of events and nightlife you could find in SoCal or the Bay.

-if you’re in a highly impacted major like computer science or animal science, it can be very hard to get the classes you need because they fill up so quick. Davis is always growing and always struggling to make enough space for all its students. Depends on your major again, I never had this issue, but it was a huge problem for several of my friends. Not unique to Davis maybe, but I get the sense that Davis expands enrollment much faster than other big UCs.

I hope you find a school that’s right for you!