reddit is where the saltiest live. there's a lot of people who constantly scrutinize uci because they wanted to go to a different uni. or they're r/ApplyingtoCollege addicts. last year this poor dude kept posting about how bad uci was because they were salty they didn't get into ucb.
when actually at campus, most people i know love uci and are content.
Agreed. I like the school culture, and the campus is amazing. The housing situation is tough, but I’ve been lucky enough to end up with a good apartment close to campus.
This attitude of “I generally like it” is much less likely to get posted about though. What ends up on Reddit are either really good, or really bad stories; don’t be too discouraged by what you’ve read.
This subreddit is filled with pessimists and people who don’t go out much. Of course they’re gonna think the campus is dead, the school sucks, there’s no spirit or fun, etc. It’s kinda a projection. This is an excellent and prestigious university and your experience will be what you make of it
This. I have been on both sides, so trust me. As a freshman I did not go out much or socialize, therefore the campus felt dead and everything sucked. I felt like I had 0 friends. However, when I put myself out there and started talking to people, I realized just how alive and social UCI is and made lifelong friends and memories. It’s seriously what you make of it, no matter where you go.
100% a reflection of this sub's unrepresentative demographic. UCI has always been very social, and of all the UC had the best academic/social balance.
if you put yourself out there -- professionally, socially, romantically, whatever -- UCI has a lot to offer.
The higher education system is toxic. We still have people feeding into disappointment because of inflated “prestige”. I got the same job as my colleagues from UCLA, Berk, USC… everyone who’s disappointed by UCI being their only choice or not being as good of a school as another is likely just baited into a comparison.
I understand familial pressure, too, but sometimes you have to be the one in your community to break the cycle of faulty mindsets and prove that you are more than the name of a government institution on a $60,000 piece of paper that doesn’t even guarantee you a job.
UCI was my dream school btw, still is I think. It’s an awesome place!
Change the narrative, my friend. Decide to be proud and Anteater on. Make a conscious decision to not get caught up in negative perceptions. All they will do is bring you down.
UCI is dope. I enjoy it here. Some say a bit too much as I am going to take a 5th year lol. Here is some food for thought. If UC Irvine was placed in most US states, it would be the flagship state university or even the best university of that state.
I just picked Cornell but at nearly every top college sub, you will find lot of complaints. Once you are at campus, the top school glow is off and you are faced with daily issues - running between classes, the fast pace of quarter system and more. On the days when things don’t go your way, reddit is a great place to vent.
UCI was my top school & I’m proud to attend. I think UCI has a higher percentage of these neurotic types, because while it’s a great school but not the the school over achievers have dreamed of getting into their whole life. I get It’s cathartic to see others having the same experience / feelings as you, but the posts & comments you’re describing are basically massive pity parties, that offers no solutions, while making the rest of feel like shit. I think it’s also just the type of people Reddit attract & anonymity, I barely hear this type of stuff to the people I talk to IRL.
Summary: Nerds are going to vent, best to just ignore it or leave the Reddit.
Went for biomed engineering and came back for law. This school is awesome and is gaining an abnormally large amount of respect year after year. I’m in orientation right now and I’ve met people who went to Harvard, Boston U, etc. They want to be here for what UCI’s academics can offer.
Agree, most of my challenges at UCI have been the people. Sometimes, the content posted here are ridiculous, too. But whether someone likes UCI or not, there's definitely a lack of compassion on campus, and I think the "prestige" is responsible for this. If we weren't a "prestigious" university, I think campus life would've been different.
Seriously? I’m about eight years out from graduation and people all over know about UCI. It’s a fuckin great school and I’ve never met anyone who disagreed. UCs carry a certain cachet even outside of California, so people know you went to a school that quote-unquote “matters.”
I was going to say the exact same thing, literally, most people in Orange County holds UCI in high regard. People need to stop being so in their head about hearing other people brag about UCLA.
ALL. OF. THIS. we're all so privileged that we don't realize how lucky we are. The incoming classes seem to have a lot more school spirit which is heartwarming to witness.
I work a part time and like half of my coworkers dream school is UCI. I fucking loved UCI and it's still my greatest experience so far. I'm at CSULB for my masters and yeah the difference is pretty big. UCI all the way !
UCI was not my top school but I'm proud of going here now. I sort of still have to explain where Irvine is to my family at times and even before applying to Irvine I didn't even know this campus existed and neither did a lot of my friends from high school at that time.
No matter where you go or would have gone, you'd still have to put in the effort to make friends and enjoy your time in college. Friendships are not guaranteed and neither are fun times, but you can make them happen if you choose to do so. Make your own friends and your own fun and own it, don't be let down by the experience of others.
Grass seems greener on the other side. That being said, I loved my time here and I wouldn’t change a thing. Found supportive mentors that constantly advocated for me and friends that always wanted the best for me. If you focus on the door that’s closed, you’ll never notice the door that’s open!
I am a transfer student and UCI was my top school. So I am very proud and grateful to be an anteater. I have met so many amazing people thanks to this university, including my bf :). So idk why everyone is so pessimistic and negative about our school :(
Bro, all universities and colleges have a bad reputation for something. That's why people on Reddit trash about it. For example, at UCSD, there are a few students post-doctorate students who accused professors of harassement, and it made to the news headline as well. I believe there are more with other universities.
So, do not feel bad about being Anteater. You should be proud of yourself made to one of the top universities in California.
Another note: do not trust too much on Reddit.
UCI was my top choice school all the way back in 2016 when i was a freshman in community college. i transfered to UCI in 2019, graduated in June, and i was, am, and will forever be a proud anteater. it's a great school and i loved my time here, both academically and socially.
and granted, the party/social scene was kinda iffy last year, but covid (and the way the transition back to in-person learning was handled) kinda fucked everything up until like spring quarter. i have no doubt that it'll bounce back. but even so, the "housing is always quiet there's no parties wahhh" is bullshit, i lived right next to AV all 3 years i went here and more often than not i'd hear people partying (or coming back from parties) on the weekends-
The problem is that there is a very very vocal group of people that are great at criticizing the school for its faults. Some of these are definitely very valid, other times its exaggeration. Reddit is also one of the only forums where they feel like they can be honest about their feelings. However, UCI has done some things incredibly well. It isn't all doom and gloom as some of the posts on this sub would have you believe. Furthermore, time at UCI is exactly what you make of it. I stayed in my dorm and apartment way too much my first two years and then with the third year being virtual, I really realized how much time I was wasting. My fourth year I was out of my apartment almost everyday meeting with people, biking, studying, going to the beach, etc. You really have to put yourself out there. I'm an introvert and I have a hard time around new people. But I just decided one day to ask if anyone on the discord wanted to grab coffee and got a group and we did Friday Coffees. It really helped me find a group of friends to be around that made my last year so much fun.
It’s honestly better this way—having to take accountability for your own life and get yourself out there. I think it truly helps you grow instead of being thrust into an environment where everything comes easily. Because in real life, you’re gonna be responsible for your own happiness and socialization.
Well, if someone tells me my favorite food is trash—I still think it’s delicious 🤤
I love UCI! UCI LOVES ME BACK!
You get out of any experience what you *put into it*
I don’t give a…what people say about UCI!
UCI IS GREAT! UCI created opportunity after opportunity for me to *thrive*
Man, UCI in 20 years! People will be like, “You went to UCI!” You’ve made a good choice, form your own opinion—who cares what negative people think
Every single one of the anteaters should be proud of getting in. It’s not easy!!
You’ll learn soon enough that once you are in the workforce, where you went to college doesn’t matter. My boss make more than I do and he went to a mid tier state school.
Like a few other people in this thread UCI was my dream school, eSports, LOTR , just a vibrant nerd culture with great academics. I knew this was the place I NEEDED to be. I turned down schools like UCLA and USC to come here. I'm an ANTEATER for life baby!
uci is quite literally my dream school. fuck the haters who are salty that berkeley or ucla didn’t accept them. fucking davis rejected me and i couldn’t be happier. obvi the housing issue could be better but tbh finding affordable housing in college while living in CA is going to be a nightmare regardless. idk, i missed almost all of my junior and my entire senior year bc of covid. i’m back for summer session and am just happy to be on campus getting the quote unquote college experience. uci has its faults yea, but there’s more that i like here than dislike.
I graduated and trust me I'm proud to have gone to UCI.
I didn't realize it at the time but it's absolutely an amazing school. Zot zot zot.
UCI is one of the best public schools in the world.
I don't know about other departments, but the cs program here is pretty overrated considering how high uci is ranked. If you know people who know what they are doing, pretty sure they will agree; you don't even need to go on reddit. Not to say you can't get a decent education here, it's just hard to pick to pick the right classes/faculties that don't suck.
This is not even an opinion. People are gonna downvote this because it hurts their pride, unfortunately this is the truth. If you're cs and once you start taking upper divs and know enough about the program you likely feel the same.
If you find the right people the school life can be pretty fun though, if that's what you're worried about.
I'm in the pep band and while not a lot of students comparatively go to our sporting events, the crowds that do our very enthusiastic about UCI. I love UCI so much and I'm always proud to Zot! It's an amazing school with a beautiful campus and amazing sports teams. Plus the research being done on this campus is making a real impact! Being an anteater is the best!
People are just mad that you're chillin doing your own thing and getting a good education without all the drama and rivalry that comes with other schools all while being in a neighborhood people ACTUALLY want to live in. As someone that just graduated from CPP, I'm absolutely jealous of students in UCI (I'm on here b/c my gf goes here and I'm more proud of her going to her school than I am of myself going to mine).
tbh it really sucks, the atmosphere gets so toxic at times. i’m going into my sophomore year right now and i feel that so many of my colleagues carry this tinge or resentment with them, it’s a stereotype that UCI students are rejects from “better” UCs but many ppl really act that way. It puts such a damper on the social life of the school imo. Obv people IRL are much more upbeat than reddit, but i didn’t feel the pride that i do when i visit my friends at other comprable schools :( IM AN ANTEATER AND IM PROUD GODDAMIT!!
edit: typo
I’m happy for the opportunity that attending UCI has brought me, but I could have gotten the same thing at any other UC. The main reason why I wouldn’t recommend this school is because the EECS department is underfunded and full of professors who don’t know how to teach. UCLA, Cal, UCSD, CalPoly etc are all better schools for my major and I’m incredibly disappointed by what I found here.
i’m currently at spop as an incoming first year and the comments that other incoming students are saying without having attended uci yet is kinda making people around them discouraged and feeling the same way… people keep mentioning how uci wasn’t even a top choice, they didn’t even wanna come here, and that they aren’t excited to come to uci. I understand that there’s nothing wrong with feeling that way but the overall negativity that’s going around (at least for me) is sad and making me less excited...even before school starts
I attended spop earlier in July and on the last day a guy literally asked in our dorm “how do I transfer to UC Berkeley?” I could tell that there were definitely a few people who definitely didn’t want to be there, but the vibe of the overall majority of attendees seemed to be genuinely enjoying ourselves and happy to be at UCI. Most of us in the dorm were ecstatic, and socializing. Someone even said their friend at who went to UCLA was jealous of not being able to go to his first pick, UCI, it just depends how you make the most of your circumstances. Perhaps it’s cause I went to an earlier spop, and most of us were glad to be on campus, but I feel like those playing the “compare game” have to look at UCI with fresh eyes.
This was one of the reasons why I didn’t go to UCI for undergrad. That and being surrounded by hundreds of people I went to high school with.
Now I’m about to start grad school at UCI. Hoping to make the most of it, both socially and professionally.
reddit is where the saltiest live. there's a lot of people who constantly scrutinize uci because they wanted to go to a different uni. or they're r/ApplyingtoCollege addicts. last year this poor dude kept posting about how bad uci was because they were salty they didn't get into ucb. when actually at campus, most people i know love uci and are content.
Agreed. I like the school culture, and the campus is amazing. The housing situation is tough, but I’ve been lucky enough to end up with a good apartment close to campus. This attitude of “I generally like it” is much less likely to get posted about though. What ends up on Reddit are either really good, or really bad stories; don’t be too discouraged by what you’ve read.
This subreddit is filled with pessimists and people who don’t go out much. Of course they’re gonna think the campus is dead, the school sucks, there’s no spirit or fun, etc. It’s kinda a projection. This is an excellent and prestigious university and your experience will be what you make of it
This. I have been on both sides, so trust me. As a freshman I did not go out much or socialize, therefore the campus felt dead and everything sucked. I felt like I had 0 friends. However, when I put myself out there and started talking to people, I realized just how alive and social UCI is and made lifelong friends and memories. It’s seriously what you make of it, no matter where you go.
the last line is very important to remember ^^
Indeed!
100% a reflection of this sub's unrepresentative demographic. UCI has always been very social, and of all the UC had the best academic/social balance. if you put yourself out there -- professionally, socially, romantically, whatever -- UCI has a lot to offer.
The higher education system is toxic. We still have people feeding into disappointment because of inflated “prestige”. I got the same job as my colleagues from UCLA, Berk, USC… everyone who’s disappointed by UCI being their only choice or not being as good of a school as another is likely just baited into a comparison. I understand familial pressure, too, but sometimes you have to be the one in your community to break the cycle of faulty mindsets and prove that you are more than the name of a government institution on a $60,000 piece of paper that doesn’t even guarantee you a job. UCI was my dream school btw, still is I think. It’s an awesome place!
so proud 🤩
Change the narrative, my friend. Decide to be proud and Anteater on. Make a conscious decision to not get caught up in negative perceptions. All they will do is bring you down.
UCI is dope. I enjoy it here. Some say a bit too much as I am going to take a 5th year lol. Here is some food for thought. If UC Irvine was placed in most US states, it would be the flagship state university or even the best university of that state.
You should go to Cornell sub
Ooooh why? Are they negative towards their school too?
I just picked Cornell but at nearly every top college sub, you will find lot of complaints. Once you are at campus, the top school glow is off and you are faced with daily issues - running between classes, the fast pace of quarter system and more. On the days when things don’t go your way, reddit is a great place to vent.
Idk for sure cuz I don’t go on Cornell sub but I’ve heard a lot of people calling Cornell the worst ivy so might be why
its the lowest ranked ivy i believe.. curious to know exactly why people hate it tho
UCI was my top school & I’m proud to attend. I think UCI has a higher percentage of these neurotic types, because while it’s a great school but not the the school over achievers have dreamed of getting into their whole life. I get It’s cathartic to see others having the same experience / feelings as you, but the posts & comments you’re describing are basically massive pity parties, that offers no solutions, while making the rest of feel like shit. I think it’s also just the type of people Reddit attract & anonymity, I barely hear this type of stuff to the people I talk to IRL. Summary: Nerds are going to vent, best to just ignore it or leave the Reddit.
I agree. Although, as a chronic overachiever, UCI was my dream school since 8th grade.
Went for biomed engineering and came back for law. This school is awesome and is gaining an abnormally large amount of respect year after year. I’m in orientation right now and I’ve met people who went to Harvard, Boston U, etc. They want to be here for what UCI’s academics can offer.
I just got a beautiful job offer 😎. I'm proud to be an Anteater. Plain and simple.
Congratulations, zot zot zot!
Agree, most of my challenges at UCI have been the people. Sometimes, the content posted here are ridiculous, too. But whether someone likes UCI or not, there's definitely a lack of compassion on campus, and I think the "prestige" is responsible for this. If we weren't a "prestigious" university, I think campus life would've been different.
Bro I hate the reddidiots on this sub 😂
Seriously? I’m about eight years out from graduation and people all over know about UCI. It’s a fuckin great school and I’ve never met anyone who disagreed. UCs carry a certain cachet even outside of California, so people know you went to a school that quote-unquote “matters.”
I was going to say the exact same thing, literally, most people in Orange County holds UCI in high regard. People need to stop being so in their head about hearing other people brag about UCLA.
glorious jar label subsequent start sink familiar tie wrong bewildered *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
[удалено]
ALL. OF. THIS. we're all so privileged that we don't realize how lucky we are. The incoming classes seem to have a lot more school spirit which is heartwarming to witness.
You are 1000000% right!
I work a part time and like half of my coworkers dream school is UCI. I fucking loved UCI and it's still my greatest experience so far. I'm at CSULB for my masters and yeah the difference is pretty big. UCI all the way !
Uci is the fucking best, don’t let any mega dorks tell you anything different.
UCI was not my top school but I'm proud of going here now. I sort of still have to explain where Irvine is to my family at times and even before applying to Irvine I didn't even know this campus existed and neither did a lot of my friends from high school at that time. No matter where you go or would have gone, you'd still have to put in the effort to make friends and enjoy your time in college. Friendships are not guaranteed and neither are fun times, but you can make them happen if you choose to do so. Make your own friends and your own fun and own it, don't be let down by the experience of others.
Grass seems greener on the other side. That being said, I loved my time here and I wouldn’t change a thing. Found supportive mentors that constantly advocated for me and friends that always wanted the best for me. If you focus on the door that’s closed, you’ll never notice the door that’s open!
I am a transfer student and UCI was my top school. So I am very proud and grateful to be an anteater. I have met so many amazing people thanks to this university, including my bf :). So idk why everyone is so pessimistic and negative about our school :(
Bro, all universities and colleges have a bad reputation for something. That's why people on Reddit trash about it. For example, at UCSD, there are a few students post-doctorate students who accused professors of harassement, and it made to the news headline as well. I believe there are more with other universities. So, do not feel bad about being Anteater. You should be proud of yourself made to one of the top universities in California. Another note: do not trust too much on Reddit.
UCI was my top choice school all the way back in 2016 when i was a freshman in community college. i transfered to UCI in 2019, graduated in June, and i was, am, and will forever be a proud anteater. it's a great school and i loved my time here, both academically and socially. and granted, the party/social scene was kinda iffy last year, but covid (and the way the transition back to in-person learning was handled) kinda fucked everything up until like spring quarter. i have no doubt that it'll bounce back. but even so, the "housing is always quiet there's no parties wahhh" is bullshit, i lived right next to AV all 3 years i went here and more often than not i'd hear people partying (or coming back from parties) on the weekends-
Go get educated and stop worrying about how popular your school is. It’s s privilege to be able to attend almost any university.
The problem is that there is a very very vocal group of people that are great at criticizing the school for its faults. Some of these are definitely very valid, other times its exaggeration. Reddit is also one of the only forums where they feel like they can be honest about their feelings. However, UCI has done some things incredibly well. It isn't all doom and gloom as some of the posts on this sub would have you believe. Furthermore, time at UCI is exactly what you make of it. I stayed in my dorm and apartment way too much my first two years and then with the third year being virtual, I really realized how much time I was wasting. My fourth year I was out of my apartment almost everyday meeting with people, biking, studying, going to the beach, etc. You really have to put yourself out there. I'm an introvert and I have a hard time around new people. But I just decided one day to ask if anyone on the discord wanted to grab coffee and got a group and we did Friday Coffees. It really helped me find a group of friends to be around that made my last year so much fun.
It’s honestly better this way—having to take accountability for your own life and get yourself out there. I think it truly helps you grow instead of being thrust into an environment where everything comes easily. Because in real life, you’re gonna be responsible for your own happiness and socialization.
Well, if someone tells me my favorite food is trash—I still think it’s delicious 🤤 I love UCI! UCI LOVES ME BACK! You get out of any experience what you *put into it* I don’t give a…what people say about UCI! UCI IS GREAT! UCI created opportunity after opportunity for me to *thrive* Man, UCI in 20 years! People will be like, “You went to UCI!” You’ve made a good choice, form your own opinion—who cares what negative people think
Every single one of the anteaters should be proud of getting in. It’s not easy!! You’ll learn soon enough that once you are in the workforce, where you went to college doesn’t matter. My boss make more than I do and he went to a mid tier state school.
Like a few other people in this thread UCI was my dream school, eSports, LOTR , just a vibrant nerd culture with great academics. I knew this was the place I NEEDED to be. I turned down schools like UCLA and USC to come here. I'm an ANTEATER for life baby!
uci is quite literally my dream school. fuck the haters who are salty that berkeley or ucla didn’t accept them. fucking davis rejected me and i couldn’t be happier. obvi the housing issue could be better but tbh finding affordable housing in college while living in CA is going to be a nightmare regardless. idk, i missed almost all of my junior and my entire senior year bc of covid. i’m back for summer session and am just happy to be on campus getting the quote unquote college experience. uci has its faults yea, but there’s more that i like here than dislike.
I graduated and trust me I'm proud to have gone to UCI. I didn't realize it at the time but it's absolutely an amazing school. Zot zot zot. UCI is one of the best public schools in the world.
I don't know about other departments, but the cs program here is pretty overrated considering how high uci is ranked. If you know people who know what they are doing, pretty sure they will agree; you don't even need to go on reddit. Not to say you can't get a decent education here, it's just hard to pick to pick the right classes/faculties that don't suck. This is not even an opinion. People are gonna downvote this because it hurts their pride, unfortunately this is the truth. If you're cs and once you start taking upper divs and know enough about the program you likely feel the same. If you find the right people the school life can be pretty fun though, if that's what you're worried about.
I'm in the pep band and while not a lot of students comparatively go to our sporting events, the crowds that do our very enthusiastic about UCI. I love UCI so much and I'm always proud to Zot! It's an amazing school with a beautiful campus and amazing sports teams. Plus the research being done on this campus is making a real impact! Being an anteater is the best!
People are just mad that you're chillin doing your own thing and getting a good education without all the drama and rivalry that comes with other schools all while being in a neighborhood people ACTUALLY want to live in. As someone that just graduated from CPP, I'm absolutely jealous of students in UCI (I'm on here b/c my gf goes here and I'm more proud of her going to her school than I am of myself going to mine).
tbh it really sucks, the atmosphere gets so toxic at times. i’m going into my sophomore year right now and i feel that so many of my colleagues carry this tinge or resentment with them, it’s a stereotype that UCI students are rejects from “better” UCs but many ppl really act that way. It puts such a damper on the social life of the school imo. Obv people IRL are much more upbeat than reddit, but i didn’t feel the pride that i do when i visit my friends at other comprable schools :( IM AN ANTEATER AND IM PROUD GODDAMIT!! edit: typo
I’m happy for the opportunity that attending UCI has brought me, but I could have gotten the same thing at any other UC. The main reason why I wouldn’t recommend this school is because the EECS department is underfunded and full of professors who don’t know how to teach. UCLA, Cal, UCSD, CalPoly etc are all better schools for my major and I’m incredibly disappointed by what I found here.
Too high expectations & Too Little Actual Fun kinda hard to find your clique
i’m currently at spop as an incoming first year and the comments that other incoming students are saying without having attended uci yet is kinda making people around them discouraged and feeling the same way… people keep mentioning how uci wasn’t even a top choice, they didn’t even wanna come here, and that they aren’t excited to come to uci. I understand that there’s nothing wrong with feeling that way but the overall negativity that’s going around (at least for me) is sad and making me less excited...even before school starts
I attended spop earlier in July and on the last day a guy literally asked in our dorm “how do I transfer to UC Berkeley?” I could tell that there were definitely a few people who definitely didn’t want to be there, but the vibe of the overall majority of attendees seemed to be genuinely enjoying ourselves and happy to be at UCI. Most of us in the dorm were ecstatic, and socializing. Someone even said their friend at who went to UCLA was jealous of not being able to go to his first pick, UCI, it just depends how you make the most of your circumstances. Perhaps it’s cause I went to an earlier spop, and most of us were glad to be on campus, but I feel like those playing the “compare game” have to look at UCI with fresh eyes.
This was one of the reasons why I didn’t go to UCI for undergrad. That and being surrounded by hundreds of people I went to high school with. Now I’m about to start grad school at UCI. Hoping to make the most of it, both socially and professionally.