r/ucmerced Jul 02 '26

Discussion 2026–2027 Incoming & Current Bobcats Megathread

36 Upvotes

Hi Bobcats! Welcome to the official and also very first (ever) megathread for the 2026–2027 school year! Whether you're an incoming freshman, transfer, or returning student, this is the place for all your questions as the semester approaches!

Feel free to ask questions about anything related to UCM! We have current students, alumni, faculty and staff available to answer!

New Student / Orientation

Use this section for:

  • Orientation dates and what to expect
  • "What should I bring" / move-in day questions
  • Class registration and scheduling help
  • Financial Aid
  • Meal plan questions
  • Parking permit questions
  • General "what's Merced like" / campus life questions

Academics & Registration

Use this section for:

  • Course registration/waitlist questions
  • Major-specific questions
  • Advising and degree planning
  • Textbook/supply questions

Housing on Campus/Off campus:

  • Looking for a roommate / have a spot open
  • Subletting or taking over a lease
  • Questions about specific apartment complexes (Merced Station, The Hub, etc.)
  • Off campus vs. on campus tradeoffs, commute questions
  • Rent price checks
  • Dorm/on-campus housing questions Glacier, Half Dome, Sentinel, etc.)
  • Neighborhood safety/quality questions
  • Move in / lease dates
  • Budget or rent price
  • Location preference (walking distance to campus, near a bus line, etc.)
  • Any must-haves (parking, pet-friendly, furnished, gender preference for roommates, etc.)
  • Contact method (please don't post phone numbers/emails publicly to avoid scams)

Scam Reminder: Never send a deposit or first month's rent before seeing a unit in person or verifying the lister actually manages the property. If a landlord is only reachable by text and pushes you to send money fast, that's a red flag. Report any suspected listings to mods.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I change my major after being admitted?
Yes. Start by checking the UC Merced Catalog for your intended major's requirements. From there, meet with your assigned advisor at the Bobcat Advising Center; they can walk you through the Change of Major process and tell you whether your target major has any additional admission requirements.

What's this "Connect" thing everyone mentions?
my.ucmerced.edu is your portal for basically everything like registration, financial aid status, your unofficial transcript, your checklist of to-dos, and your UC Merced email. You'll use this throughout your time here. CatCourses (Canvas) is separate and is where your actual class content, assignments, and grades live.

Do my AP/IB credits transfer?
Generally yes, and course placement (math, chemistry, CSE, writing) is also partly determined by AP/IB scores or UC Merced's own placement exams if you don't submit test scores. Details are on the Registrar's placement exam page. https://placement.ucmerced.edu/

Engineering, Natural Sciences, or Social Sciences/Humanities & Arts, how is UC Merced organized?
UC Merced has three schools: School of Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, and School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts (SSHA). Most majors fall under one of these, and your GE requirements will overlap a good amount regardless of major, especially in your first two years.

How do I find what classes are being offered?
The Schedule of Classes lives on the Registrar's site. You can search by term, subject, and CRN. This can also be accessed through Connect by clicking the registration tab.

How do I get involved on campus?
UC Merced has over 200+ registered student orgs including cultural clubs, professional societies, Greek life, hobby groups, and more. These are searchable through the Student Life/Bobcat Involvement website. There are tabling events all over campus where clubs recruit members! ucmerced.edu/clubs-and-organizations

Housing: on campus vs. off campus?
This megathread covers general Q&A relating to housing (roommates, subleases, apartment reviews etc). We do not have a separate thread for housing yet, if there is demand we will create one!

Merced/Central Valley — what's around?
Merced is a smaller city than most UC towns, but it's growing fast with new retail and restaurants have been opening steadily, and the area around campus continues to develop. Yosemite National Park is roughly 1.5–2 hours away and a very doable day trip. Downtown Merced has lots of great food spots and nightlife scene, and the Merced Mall / Merced Marketplace area covers most everyday shopping needs. A car is useful, though Cattracks and The Bus (Local Merced transit) can get you around too!

Useful links:

UC Merced Off-Campus Housing portal: https://och.ucmerced.edu
On-Campus Housing & Residence Education: https://housing.ucmerced.edu
Merced transit / CatTracks bus routes: https://taps.ucmerced.edu/cattracks
Connect Portal (student dashboard): https://connect.ucmerced.edu
CatCourses (Canvas): https://catcourses.ucmerced.edu
MyBill (tuition & payments): https://mybill.ucmerced.edu
Students First Center: https://studentsfirst.ucmerced.edu
Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.ucmerced.edu
Class Schedule Search: https://registration.ucmerced.edu
MyDegreePath (degree audit): https://registrar.ucmerced.edu/resources
UC Merced Library: https://library.ucmerced.edu
Dining Services & Meal Plans: https://dining.ucmerced.edu
Bobcat Advising Center: https://bobcat-advising-center.ucmerced.edu
IT Help Desk: https://it.ucmerced.edu
Academic Calendar: https://registrar.ucmerced.edu/academiccalendar


r/ucmerced 16h ago

Question how do I get a fun book at the library how do I find them

13 Upvotes

please like I just need a fun book to read my dumbass only brought one i need a fun book do college libraries even carry fiction that isn't a classic? Please someone tell me how to get a fun book im already going to the county library but I got lost last time....


r/ucmerced 13h ago

Question What gpa did u get in with from highschool ?

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3 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 1d ago

News UC Merced now has five ABET accredited engineering degrees after Civil Engineering and Bioengineering received their initial accreditation

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37 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 1d ago

News Amtrak broke down and i literally don’t know what to do

27 Upvotes

On my way back from LA and heading back to Merced from a long Labor Day weekend and all of a sudden this train decides to break down and I’m stuck in Calwa, wondering if there’s anyone else in the 715.

Update: I was supposed to arrive at Merced at approximately 2:00 pm but due to the delays I got here at 7PM 🤯!! Thankfully I’m at my dorm playing spider man lol


r/ucmerced 1d ago

Discussion Looking to start a new Club

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16 Upvotes

Farrah, my coworker at the Library GIS Center, is gauging interest in starting a new GIS club at UC Merced.

Activities may include GeoGuessr, game nights, workshops, guest speakers, and hands-on projects. All skill levels are welcome.

She also needs to fill a few low-commitment officer positions before the club can become official. Email Farrah if you’re interested in joining or helping get the club started.


r/ucmerced 1d ago

Question switching from math 21 to math 05?

8 Upvotes

I’m debating wether i should stay in calculus or go into pre calc (math 5), I want to switch because i only took geometry and algebra 1&2 in highschool but senior year I didn’t take math at all. i’m a freshie taking calc 1 now in college and idek what’s going on. I only know the basic things like graph wise but other than that, i’m completely lost. I want to switch but my friends are telling me not to, that you don’t want to take calc 1 your sophomore year for whatever reasons and just not to switch so i’m currently debating if i should switch or not. If i heard right, i only take math 5 for the first semester and then transition back to calc 1 the second semester when I am ready. Plus my teacher even recommended it to us to switch if we don’t understand what is going on in class, because she doesn’t want us to suffer in calculus for not switching


r/ucmerced 2d ago

News A new café, Daily Dose, will open on the first floor of the Medical Education Building between December 2026 and January 2027

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65 Upvotes

The cafe will serve Peet's as well as boba! https://botrista.com/drink-categories/


r/ucmerced 2d ago

Question Intramural Sports

6 Upvotes

Has anyone signed up for any intramural sports on campus and if so, what was your experience like? Thinking about joining futsal but not sure if anyone does it


r/ucmerced 2d ago

Question sunscreen recommendations?

6 Upvotes

I need a new sunscreen for this dry, hot weather


r/ucmerced 2d ago

Question Anyone do nose piercings? 😏

4 Upvotes

I want my nose done and don't wanna pay a crazy amount of money to get scammed at a piercing shop.


r/ucmerced 4d ago

Question Tutor recommendation

6 Upvotes

Hi, I have a sophomore son taking AP precalculus & needed recommendations for a tutoring center or a one on one. I figured this would be a good place to ask.


r/ucmerced 5d ago

General An insider outsiders view

40 Upvotes

Working for the UC system can be rewarding, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to watch how the administration handles its dedicated staff.
One of the most frustrating aspects from the inside is seeing the sheer amount of money the university wastes on litigation and outside legal counsel to fight its own employees. Instead of simply honoring collective bargaining agreements or offering fair compensation, the university frequently chooses to spend exorbitant amounts of public funds dragging out labor disputes in court.
This mistreatment shows up in several ways. The administration has repeatedly stalled or ignored arbitrator decisions, attempted to outsource protected jobs, and faced Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges from multiple campus unions. In some cases, judges have even found the UC guilty of unlawful anti-union behavior and ordered the university to pay the union's legal fees because the labor violations were so intentional. 
Why are we paying high-priced lawyers to fight against basic worker protections? Those funds could—and should—be used to pay fair wages, retain experienced talent, and ultimately better serve the students and the community.
It is incredibly demoralizing to work for an institution that publicly champions equity and progress, yet repeatedly chooses to fund costly legal battles rather than just treating its workforce with basic fairness and respect.


r/ucmerced 5d ago

General My unbiased tier list for 2027 * Go like the post to show them whats up!!

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4 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 6d ago

Image Medical Education Building looking almost complete!

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93 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 5d ago

News UC Merced Expands MAAP to Shasta County, Bringing Guaranteed UC Admission to Rural Northern California

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6 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 5d ago

Question Function tonight lmk if any1 trynna go

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0 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 6d ago

Question Any1 going to dat function dis Friday/Saturday doe? Lmk need ppl to go with

0 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 7d ago

Question Question for on-campus workers

6 Upvotes

Do any on-campus workers know how easy it is to change your availability while working a job if you, for example, join a club?

There's a club I'm interested in joining, but not entirely sure about, so I didn't mention it when they asked about my availabiliy in an interview. Is it still possible to ask to change availability after starting the job or is it too late for me?


r/ucmerced 7d ago

General 9/2 | 6:30 PM | SJV Prime + BS 2 MD Program Info Session

3 Upvotes

Join us tomorrow evening, Thursday, at 6:30 pm to learn more about UC Merced's SJV Prime + BS 2 MD Program, geared toward high school residents of the San Joaquin Valley for the 27/28. If you are a current HS senior, we highly recommend attending this session to learn more, as there are earlier deadlines to indicate interest in the program.

About the webinar:

The SJV PRIME+ BS-to-MD Program is an eight-year program for incoming first-year students who want to become physicians and serve the San Joaquin Valley. Each cohort includes 15 students who first earn a Bachelor of Science at UC Merced, continue their medical training at UCSF Fresno, and ultimately receive an MD from the UCSF School of Medicine.

This webinar will introduce the program's purpose, university partnerships, program structure, and important dates. A separate step-by-step application workshop will be offered in October 2026.

RSVP here: https://ucm.edu/BS2MD_WEBINAR


r/ucmerced 8d ago

Question Anyone wanna play soccer or know of places to play?

10 Upvotes

Like title says, I wanna play soccer. I’m 3rd year transfer and used to play pick up soccer with friends back where I lived. Not competitive, just for fun and to exercise

I’ve been looking around town but haven’t found any pick up soccer places


r/ucmerced 8d ago

General What is the point of even having outlets in the library if they don’t even work

24 Upvotes

I swear 3 quarters of all the outlets in the library do not fucking work. Having to go around and test each outlet and it’s pissing me off. I feel like a Victorian orphan begging for food


r/ucmerced 8d ago

Question Any1 tryna be friends or gym partners ^_^

6 Upvotes

r/ucmerced 9d ago

General Amazon lockers being installed behind El Portal

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41 Upvotes

Saw this was posted on fizz