There's a big arts scene at UCR, which I loved and participated in.  There are lots of cultural events, concerts, and publications to get involved in and bump up your resume.  I wrote for and led several organizations, which would never have been as easy if I had gone to a big-name university. 

UCR isn't considered super prestigious, but that's because it used to admit students who were rejected from other UCs.  Now, the university is way more selective and our rankings are climbing every year. 

The surrounding city is not as pretty as the campus.  UCR has a lot of trees and a very park-like feel, and there is a village center down the street with a theater and plenty of places to eat.  After the village, though, the ghetto part of Riverside takes over for a bit until you get back into Downtown Riverside.  So, it's a mixed bag.  People complain about smog and homeless people.  I've never seen a homeless person on campus in my entire 4 years here.  The main city of Riverside is smoggy, yeah, but so is LA.  So Cal is smoggy.  There are lots of trees and a botanical garden surrounding the campus, so the smog is limited to the metropolitan part of Riverside. 

In short, do some research for yourself and visit campus.  I'm really proud to be a Highlander and I'm excited for the future ahead of me.  I've gotten into a big-name law school with my philosophy degree, and UCR provided me with the opportunities and experience I needed to become a truly effective student and human being.  People who complain that UCR is “UC Rejects” haven't been on campus in decades and haven't heard all of the cool stuff professors and students are up to these days.