Where would you rather live...OC, SF, LA, SD, Sac?

[WillHague007]

Hey guys,
Just wondering...out of all the UC Med locations, where would you ratherh live for the next 4 years (apart from any school criteria factoring into the equation)...OC, SF, LA, SD, Sac? I guess anyplace would be better than any other place in the country.

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[crazy250]

La

 

[TwoLegacies]

here's my 2 cents:

OC is kind of bland, although i haven't been there much so i can't say.
LA has a load of stuff to do but too many people.
SD is beautiful, great weather and fun. not as many cool things to do as LA or SF.
SF is amazing all around, except not so great weather.
and Sac, well... kinda boring. but davis is great if you like a small town. it feels safe and clean and it's charming IMO.

 

[TwoLegacies]

oh yeah, and i'd choose SF or SD.

 

[bkmonkey]

anywhere other than southern california...i guess that leaves ucd and ucsf

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I grew up in the Sacramento area, have visited SF and LA more than 30 times, and am currently a 4th year at UCSD... If I had to pick a UC solely on location, it would definitely by UCSD. San Diego is beautiful, with pleasant weather year round and a good club scene. My last pick would be UCD - the central valley sucks ass, nothing worth seeing/doing there. Choice two would be UCSF - the bay area definitely has its down sides (cost of living a big one, congestion), but it has much more character than the paved jungle that is LA. LA and OC has been overhyped and glamorized by hollywood. If you live outside of Santa Monica or Long Beach, you'd probably be hugely let down by LA.
You ought to visit each of those cities if you're fortunate enough to get to chose between the schools. Chances are, you wont have 5 options.

 

[WiscoFan14]

I'd rather live in New York. Get over Cali, there is a whole country out there.

 

[BenzML320]

Have you spent much time in California?

I'd rather live in New York. Get over Cali, there is a whole country out there.

 

[sockandmittens]

SF- its perfect and you won't die early from smog like in la

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I'd rather live in New York. Get over Cali, there is a whole country out there.

Might as well get over the whole country while your at it! I hear they have great medical schools in Mexico. There is a whole world out there...

 

[bigbaubdi]

SF - IMHO, the best city I have visited in the US. Except for Baltimore

 

[CalBeE]

Definitely Northern Cali--SF
I really like the Sea Village feel of certain parts of SF...and I find the foggy weather rather romantic
Also, SF is more hilly, which I like.

 

[Gleevec]

Sd

 

[Gleevec]

SF - IMHO, the best city I have visited in the US. Except for Baltimore

Wait, so are you saying SF is the second WORST city in the US then if Baltimore is first

 

[calstudent]

i'm from cali all my life; but, i kind of want to go back east to see what it's like, even if only for 4 years...

 

[Garuda]

I was in LA about 3 years ago. I have to say that I was pretty dissapointed with it overall. It's just not that great of a place. With the exception of a few wealthy neighborhoods, it seemed like the vast majority of the city was just dusty, bland, and ugly. The squalor there seemed to stretch for miles and miles; it was almost 3rd world ugly.

I visited San Diego about 6 years ago, and I thought that city was much nicer.

San Fransisco is a spectacular place too. Very nice.

All things considered though, I wouldn't want to live anywhere in Calif., because it is too expensive. Also, I prefer the Northeast.

 

[gildas]

Sd

 

[LoneCoyote]

San Francisco, no doubt.

Davis/Sac is kinda boring but I like that it is going to be cheaper to live there than it would be at any of the other UCs. So I think it won't be a bad place to spend 4 years in school. And it's only about 75 miles from my favorite city

 

[Jalby]

San Diego, followed by Los Angeles. But next week I'll be living 11 blocks from the beach in Santa Monica, so Los Angeles might retake the lead for good.

 

[Violinrose]

San Francisco, no doubt.

Davis/Sac is kinda boring but I like that it is going to be cheaper to live there than it would be at any of the other UCs. So I think it won't be a bad place to spend 4 years in school. And it's only about 75 miles from my favorite city

I have to agree with you there. Plus, the traffic ain't so bad between the 2 cities (non-rush hour, of course).

From my opinion, Irvine is just as uneventful as Davis/Sac. Although I have only been there twice. And I just got back from LA...the smog was horrible. Luckily, we don't have smog in nor cal, for the time being, woohoo!

Don't know about SD.

 

[rjb]

whoever said that LA is like a 3rd world ugly is an ignorant fool. i have grown up here my whole life and there is so much to offer... yes there are very nice neighborhoods (bel air, brentwood, bev hills... etc..) and there are crappy neighborhoods.... so stick to the nice ones and there is no club scene in the world like hollywood. i guess it is very objective: if ur a dork, u'll like doing nothing in SD, if you like horses (dont ask) go to davis.... anyone who would turn down going to UCLA is an idiot. you pre-meds need to think outside the box and live life.

B

 

[samurai_lincoln]

there is no club scene in the world like hollywood.....

anyone who would turn down going to UCLA is an idiot. you pre-meds need to think outside the box and live life.

Dude, anyone who thinks that Hollywood is home to the greatest club scene _in the world_ needs to live life. LA has pretty mediocre nightlife overall, and pathetic compared to places like Chicago or NYC, much less Stockholm, Prague, etc.

 

[rjb]

maybe i was being hyperbolic... but LA is a nice place. my brother goes to UCLA med and class was not very difficult. i hear that SD is killer... irvine is gorgeous. but it all depends on the person; whether you want to surf, go clubbing, get married, etc.

B

 

[Jalby]

Dude, anyone who thinks that Hollywood is home to the greatest club scene _in the world_ needs to live life. LA has pretty mediocre nightlife overall, and pathetic compared to places like Chicago or NYC, much less Stockholm, Prague, etc.

Maybe you are not getting into the right places.

 

[WillHague007]

Hey guys, what about OC...it's got everything that show portrays and then more. Home to probably the most beautiful people on the planet not to mention some of the most gorgeous beaches and surf around...it's also about 45 minutes from winter skiing, you get the best of both worlds. LA and SF are nice but a little too crowded. SD is also nice but not as good as the county. I've lived here all my life with a 4 year hiatus in Baltimore (yay inner harbor) and I turned down schools in NYC, Chicago, and DC to come back home.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

There are few places in the state that are worse to live in than the OC. OC defines urban sprawl and lack of community, while maintaining superficial hollywood values. on Orange County.
But I'd take Irvine over Davis anyday of the week! (because the central valley is one of those worse places to live in CA)

 

[angstrom55]

Won't anyone give any love to the OC? I like it just cuz i'm asian and can get good vietnamese food down there....hehe Nothing like a hot bowl of pho.......

 

[ZOT! ZOT!]

Won't anyone give any love to the OC? I like it just cuz i'm asian and can get good vietnamese food down there....hehe Nothing like a hot bowl of pho.......

hahah, yeah Pho 1-54 all within a five mile radius! I take it you've been to or live in Garden Grove/Westminster? I've always wanted to try that damn Lee's sandwiches place, but that place is ALWAYS busy!! Try the Peking Gourmet on Garden Grove Boulevard and Magnolia - That right there is the best Chinese!!

 

[BenzML320]

I'll give props to the OC, I've only lived here for 21 years. It may be hard to understand unless you've lived here, but I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

It has all the good qualities of LA like the weather, beaches, amusement parks, diversity, and proximity to outdoor activities (not to mention world-class shopping and dining and beautiful people). It is also less crowded and consistently has better air quality than LA. I think people are narrow-minded when they say UCI is boring; a 3 or 4 mile drive off campus will put you at the beach, in the harbor, at Fashion Island, on Balboa Island, in Crystal Cove, or at South Coast Plaza. A little longer drive and you can be in Little Saigon or Laguna Beach. There are tons of new clubs opening up in Costa Mesa too, in addition to all the bars in Newport.

Do I have a skewed view of the world having grown up behind the Orange Curtain? Probably. I'm the first to admit I am vain and superficial. Is it expensive to live here? Hell yes. Are there good reasons why it's so expensive? That's up to you to decide.

 

[Violinrose]

I think people are narrow-minded when they say UCI is boring; a 3 or 4 mile drive off campus will put you at the beach, in the harbor, at Fashion Island, on Balboa Island, in Crystal Cove, or at South Coast Plaza. A little longer drive and you can be in Little Saigon or Laguna Beach.

That is just it. You need a car to do anything down there. I tried the bus and taxi cabs - not so efficient. Plus, what the heck is up with toll roads?

At least in SF, you will have lots and lots of access to public transportation and davis/sac is only a train ride away from the sf bay area.

 

[BenzML320]

That is just it. You need a car to do anything down there. I tried the bus and taxi cabs - not so efficient. Plus, what the heck is up with toll roads?

At least in SF, you will have lots and lots of access to public transportation and davis/sac is only a train ride away from the sf bay area.

You are absolutely right, that is something that people coming to LA or OC or SD have to expect and get used to. You simply can't survive without a car. People who live here, including myself, take that for granted.

The toll roads just make commuting quicker for some people. There are ways to get to commmunities served by the toll roads without taking them, though. The toll road on the way to Vegas before I-15 really cuts down the drive time, though (although that is in the 909 and not OC).

 

[ItsNotATumor]

That is just it. You need a car to do anything down there. I tried the bus and taxi cabs - not so efficient. Plus, what the heck is up with toll roads?

At least in SF, you will have lots and lots of access to public transportation and davis/sac is only a train ride away from the sf bay area.

Right... the Muni is probably all you could afford after paying the outrageous rent on a shoebox sized in-law in SF. After spending a few years in the Bay Area, I have to say that the OC is quite a bit different, but you'd need a car either at SF or anywhere else if you're a med student for those pesky clerkships. With car, I'd have to say the OC is the best place in CA to be, so many diversions are so close, you're smack in the middle between LA and SD, no fog, no crime, and an extremely diverse community. I still love the City, but I realize that there is big ol' world outside the bay area.

 

[supersunny]

There are few places in the state that are worse to live in than the OC. OC defines urban sprawl and lack of community, while maintaining superficial hollywood values. on Orange County.
But I'd take Irvine over Davis anyday of the week! (because the central valley is one of those worse places to live in CA)

i think san jose and it's surrounding areas are far more boring than OC but that wasn't the question asked so...

SD!!!!!

lived in LA for 20 years before heading down to SD and i love it. there's definitely less to do but it all depends on what makes you happy. plus, i pay less rent and live in a far nicer area(compared to what i can get in LA) down here.