Is UC Davis or Princeton better for undergraduate research opportunities?

Princeton is usually the more undergraduate-centered place for research access, especially if you want close faculty mentorship early and a campus culture where independent work is built into the academic experience. Princeton is a smaller university, it has a senior thesis requirement in many departments, and undergraduates are a central focus. That often translates into easier faculty access and a clearer expectation that students will do substantial original work.

A student who wants structured pathways into research may find Princeton especially appealing. In the humanities and social sciences, Princeton also stands out because research is not limited to lab sciences; the independent junior papers and senior thesis culture make original scholarship a normal part of undergraduate life.

UC Davis is excellent for a student who wants a huge range of research areas, especially in biology, environmental science, agriculture, animal science, engineering, public health, and related applied fields. Davis is a major public research university with extensive labs, institutes, field stations, and research tied to California issues, so the sheer breadth of projects can be impressive. If you are proactive, comfortable navigating a larger campus, and excited by big-university scale, Davis can offer a lot.

The difference is often less about whether research exists and more about how it feels to access it. At Davis, there may be more competition within large departments and more need to email widely, build relationships over time, and advocate for yourself. At Princeton, the smaller undergraduate population and stronger built-in emphasis on independent work can make the process feel more personal and more intentionally designed for undergrads.

So for undergraduate research specifically, Princeton has the edge in mentorship and ease of entry, while UC Davis shines for students who want expansive options in certain STEM and applied research areas and do not mind taking more initiative to tap into them.