The Impact of a UC Davis Pre-College Program

“Thank you so much for helping to create such an intriguing, interactive and fun experience,” wrote high school student Taylor to UC Davis Professor Amy McLean. “If I have the opportunity to attend UC Davis, I hope to be in one of your classes, as I really want to dive deeper into the concepts we touched on in the program.” 

Envisioning the Future 

Taylor spent two weeks of her summer in a pre-college program learning about equine science and picturing herself as an animal science major at UC Davis. It was an eye-opening experience for Taylor, who lives in Washington, to be able to experience college life first-hand and explore a potential major. 

“The Pre-College Equine Science Program gave me the opportunity to experience lectures and labs similar to those in the Animal Science degree, which allowed me to get a sneak peek into what my time at college could include,” she said. “I felt like a college student surrounded by a community of young scientists with similar passions.” 

Experiencing University Life 

Providing high schoolers with an immersive experience at a Tier-1 research university is a unique benefit of the UC Davis Summer Pre-College Programs. For students considering animal science or veterinary medicine, this is an ideal place to explore your interests further. UC Davis is ranked #1 in the nation for veterinary science by QS World University Rankings and #2 in the world for plant and animal science by U.S. News & World Report. 

Lectures in the Pre-College Program: Equine Science cover a broad range of topics such as physiology, behavior, nutrition, disease and reproduction of equine. Students also get hands-on lab experience at the UC Davis Animal Science Horse Barn, observe vets in action at the Center for Equine Health and meet the UC Davis Equestrian team. 

“The program allows the students to go through a 10-week upper division equine science course in two weeks, experience labs and see all that we have to offer at UC Davis,” said Professor Amy McLean who teaches the pre-college program. “I hope it helps students find a path and opens their eyes to a world of opportunities studying and working with equine,” added Amy. 

“I felt like a college student surrounded by a community of young scientists with similar passions.”  Taylor Smith

According to Taylor, that’s exactly what the program did for her. “The program allowed us to participate in experiences that sparked our interests in what category of equine science we may like to specialize in post-graduation,” she said. 

Taylor also shared that the most valuable aspect of the program was the lab experience. “It allowed us to be hands-on with some of the work done by students and professors at UC Davis,” she said. “Professor McLean’s monumental work with mules and donkeys has inspired me and shown me that it is possible to receive my Ph.D. through graduate school instead of vet school, allowing me to participate in research sooner.” 

Guiding Future Scholars 

Helping high school students find their path in life is extremely rewarding for Professor McLean, who finds her pre-college students inspiring and energizing. “They ask questions and see content in a new and refreshing light!” she said. “They test my teaching skills and help make me a better instructor.” 

Looking ahead, Taylor is hopeful that she’ll be returning to UC Davis as an incoming freshman in 2026. “This summer program has immersed me in the academic strengths and inclusive community of UC Davis, showing me that the school holds similar core values to my own,” she said. “It has made me even more excited to apply.”  

UC Davis Summer Pre-College Programs are designed to give high-achieving incoming freshmen to graduating seniors a hands-on introduction to college. We offer several distinct "majors" for students to choose from, including Environmental Toxicology, Chemical Engineering with Coffee, Equine Science, Pre-Med, Forensics and more.