2.2) What are the prerequisites for admission to an academic program at U.C. Davis?
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This article is from the U.C. Davis FAQ, by David F. Prenatt, Jr. netesq@dcn.davis.ca.us with numerous contributions by others.
2.2) What are the prerequisites for admission to an academic program at U.C. Davis?
It depends upon the academic program. See Section 3 for a complete
list of the Educational Programs Available at U.C. Davis. Some
programs have very strict academic standards and prerequisites and
other programs have open enrollment. Many people believe that the
raison d'etre of U.C. Davis is undergraduate education, but this is
only part of the educational mission of U.C. Davis.
The educational mission of U.C. Davis is a constant topic of
debate (i.e., research, teaching, etc.). Whatever the educational
mission of U.C. Davis is, even more people argue about what the
educational mission of U.C. Davis should be. However, to the person
seeking admission to one of the academic programs at U.C. Davis, the
exact nature of U.C. Davis's educational mission is not as important
as whether U.C. Davis has an academic program to help that person
achieve his or her personal academic goals.
Before someone can achieve his or her academic goals, one must
know what those goals are. Many of the people whom I meet who are
enrolled in academic programs at U.C. Davis have no specific academic
goals. These people did not make an informed decision about why they
wanted to attend U.C. Davis. Rather, that decision was made for them
by someone else.
Many people who complete an academic program at U.C. Davis, with
all of the trappings of academic success, did not belong at a
university in the first place. They listened to traditional wisdom
and applied to U.C. Davis simply because the opportunity presented
itself. Once admitted, they selected from the menu of classes and
completed the requirements for graduation simply because they felt
that it would create better opportunities for them. However, for many
of these people, better opportunities were not forthcoming, and thus
many of these people would have been better off at a junior college or
a California State University (CSU).
Most junior colleges and CSUs are friendlier and more affordable
than U.C. Davis. Moreover, U.C. Davis readily accepts transfer
students from junior colleges and CSUs. These transfer students
typically have higher Grade Point Averages (GPAs) at U.C. Davis than
they would have had if they had started attending U.C. Davis as first
year undergraduates. Thus, those who attend U.C. Davis simply because
they can do so are at a distinct disadvantage when they become
juniors, seniors, or graduate students at U.C. Davis.
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