University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

UCSB is definitely a party school. I didn't realize it until i visited friends at other UC's. But i didn't feel like i was at a huge party school at first, i just felt like it was a place where a good number of people like to have fun together. UCSB is full of people who know how to have fun but know, also, how to get work done. Everyone i run into that knows i attend UCSB they are like, "whaaaa you go to UCSB? Isn't that a party school?" I tell them how crazy it is, just to mess with them. But to me, it's become normal, even though when you take a step back you see a unique and bizarre community.

In general UCSB is a pretty good university. It's ranked 35th in the Top 500 World Universities, so that's not too shabby. Despite the party reputation and to some extent, it's reality, the school does a great deal of research and has some amazing professors. It's also a beautiful campus and has great weather, and there are students from all over the world attending.

I love going to UCSB, I can honestly say I wouldn't want to go anywhere else. I wish we had more support for the athletics though. When I say that I go to UCSB, most people say that I am so lucky to go here with the beach but also usually make some comment about the party aspect. Isla Vista, where everyone lives, is awesome, you can walk or bike to school and all the parties..no drunk driving!

i think the thing i would want to change most would be the class size. it would be amazing if a professor remembers a students name. i miss that aspect of high school, which you could find if you went to a smaller school.

UCSB and the adjoining college town and immigrant hovel Isla Vista is it's own entity. The close proximity of a community of college students to a university is unique to UCSB alone. As a result of this congregation of young minds class, gender, race, religion, and other categories are much less pronounced here. Everyone is laid back and gets along in close proximity to very diverse peoples. And no where else will you find a campus where you can bike to class. UCSB is just that laid back.

I absolutely love the friendly atmosphere of UCSB. Another great thing about the school is that the greek life here is not as big as it is in other colleges. You don't HAVE to be in a frat or sorority be able to party. Although it's very convenient in meeting new people and always having events to go to, you don't have to be involved to have fun here at UCSB. Another positive thing: the beach. The school is right on the beach, it doesn't get better than that. There's not much school pride here, mostly due to the fact that there isn't a UCSB football team, but the basketball and soccer games are a good replacement. The partying every weekend does get old, but it's always fun to see all the out of towners on Halloween.

UCSB is the perfect size, not too big, not too small, and everyday you see new faces. When I tell people i go to UCSB I get the "I'm so jealous" response everytime. There is no place like UCSB, between the beach being literally 3 minutes away from my room and Isla Vista and all the opportunities there are on campus and off of campus. Downtown is only a bus ride away and is just about every physical activity you could imagine to do in Santa Barbara. I spend most of my time outside on the lawns either playing frisbee or sleeping or doing work, whenever its nice out I will be outside. Then there is Isla Vista, personally, I could not imagine living int he dorms for more than one year, I am so glad that there is somewhere i can get my own place and pick my own roommates/housemates and I can buy my own food and not pay for parking. It is really unique that we have IV. It also great to have a place that is just college student so we do not need ot worry about bothering other residents and for th emost part people are pretty respectful of each other. And there is alot of school pride within UCSB because we simply live in the best place i the US.

Everybody is smiling. The weather is beautiful - the landscape refreshing. Lots of green; grass, trees, flowers....and OCEAN! Isla Vista is conveniently located right next to campus so transportation is super easy by bike, skateboard, or foot, and I get to go home for lunch everyday. Also, downtown Santa Barbara is less than an hour ride down the bike path (on a road bike) or a 20 minute bus ride, and state street serves as a healthy (potentially expensive) vacation/escape from studying. Not that much school pride because of a lack of football team I think...but definately a lot of individual pride and confidence. Happy people go to UCSB. Happy and driven people find that they belong.

I LOVE UCSB. I do wish that we had a football team but hey what can you do. I also wish that there was specifically a sales or marketing major but nothing I can do about that either. The school is a great size and everyone is so chill and laid back. Lots of people are jealous when I tell them that I go here because of the amazing campus next to the ocean, others look at me like I'm a ditz and all I do is drink and party. I spend most of my time on campus in class, at the bookstore or at the Arbor. I always go to the beach. I love UCSB's administration team, they are amazing. The college town of IV is wonderful and it is definitely one of a kind. There is lot's of school pride. Halloween's here are out of control and it is definitely the place to be.

I really enjoy UCSB. The location couldn't be better. I have an ocean view from my dorm room window! When I tell people that I go to UCSB, I get one of three reactions. 1. "Wow! That's a really good school." 2. "Isn't that right on the beach?" 3. "That's a huge party school." Overall, I'm very satisfied with the school.

I love the weather of UCSB. I wish we had a D1 football team. The school is just the right size. People often widen their eyes and seem jealous I go to UCSB. Most of my time on campus is spent in the mechanical engineering buildings. The administration here is well run. I've definitely enjoyed my time here.

The best thing about UCSB is all the opportunities available and that are easily accessible. And just about all the professors are great! The academics are challenging and you are never bored! I think the size of UCSB is just right--not too big, not too small. UCSB is definitely located in a "college town," and I think everyone has a lot of school pride, but not so much because of academics or sports, but because of our "party-school" reputation.

UCSB is great because it's right on the beach, wonderful weather, nice campus, and good classes. The credibility is a little tainted because of its 'party' reputation, which is unfortunate because most everyone works really hard and does the work to get good grades.

the setting/the people/rowing is amazing/would change some classes to include more interesting class topics and more majors/school is just right size and would change our school pride so that we actually have it/all over campus/college town is very important part of our lives here if you live off of campus and even if you don't it is where everything goes down/non existent school pride/good administration/the biggest contro that i remembered was when a rental company in the college town threw our a bunch of very poor mexicans so that they could tear down their apartments and build large expensive ones geared towards students-lots and lots of protests/floatopia- floating isla vista, we all bring anything that floats to the beach and kind of connect them and you get drunk wth all your friends at the beach and move around on the floats- it's amazing

The campus is gorgeous and the location is unbeatable. i like that there are so many people but i wish there was a way to get to know people more in large lectures. it's very laid back. it's a very respectable school, but people know how to have fun too.

great school. beautiful. very friendly students and staff.

The faculty indoctrinate rather than teach. Some exceptions exist, but they are few.

UCSB is a beautiful campus. The landscape is relatively flat so mostly everyone bikes their way around. Anywhere on campus is usually nice to hang out. Most of the professors leave a good impression, but make sure you do your research before signing up for classes. I think we have a lot of pride in a lot of our sports because be don't have some crazy football team like some other campuses. Many students definitely like to voice their opinions. So there are a lot of opportunities to get involved whether its speaking before administrators or holding up a sign at a rally/protest. One thing I'll always remember... In one of my lectures these two guys randomly took off their shirts played music from a boom box and went up to the professor and started dancing up on him... and then the professor joined in and started dancing with them.

the campus and the world around it are great. i would take out all the stupid people who made college life not or less fun. iv foot patrol are a bunch of busters that can't figure out that they're in a college town where people are doing college things. buddies getting busted for carrying bud, a few m.i.ps, just let it slide. the school, faculty and student body are all liberal, these are the only people that ever gave me any guff. the school itself is good, its right on the beach and i think that's pretty cool. cooler than most other schools. i tried to limit the time i spent on campus, but the bathrooms on the 5th floor is where i usually went so i didn't wreck the ones where everyone else was using. i'm bored about writing about this.

I love the laid back environmnt at UCSB. The school itself is very acaemically competitive but without so much stress. and it helps that faculty is the same way towards students for the most part. when i say i go to ucsb, people say, "oh thats a big party school'. it definately has some negative stereotypes, but anyone who knows of the academic prominence our school has would think twice. most recent controversy is a rap assault by a former mens soccer player from the national champ team. there is TONs of school pride. all sports events are full of students as well as the community and alumni. the entire city takes pride in having ucsb in santa barbara. i work at a grociery store, when i tell people i go to ucsb and work they are impressed with me and my ability to work and go to school at the same time.

UCSB is located right on the beach with miles of bike trails and running paths that wind around the area. Mountains in the background filled with hiking trails that are utilized by freshman seminar classes. Chancellor Yang is amazing! He is very personable and an active presence on campus. School pride comes out at soccer games where people sport sombreros and throw tortillas. The school is uniquely located adjacent to Isla Vista, a square mile of private rental housing that is almost entirely college students. Great community and very college-centered.

The best part about UCSB is the environment that exists in IV. Everyone here will tell you that they never want to leave for a few reasons. 1. We live right on the beach, I personally live a block away from the sand and the weather can't be beat. 2. Most of the student body lives right next to each other, everyone is social and it is amazing how many people you can meet. 3. The overall attitude of Santa Barbara is laid back but people still know when to party and when to study. I think that the school size is just about right, everyone finds their own niche here even though we have a large student body. Isla Vista is a perfect college town. There is a lot of school pride here, especially with soccer and other sports. We were national champs in soccer last year. Some experiences I'll never forget are all the random things we would do in the dorms. I'll never forget pledge quarter in Sigma Nu and all of the fun things we put together. One of the common student complaints is that rent here is way too high because it is, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else during college so I'm willing to pay it.

Best thing about UCSB is the location (by the beach) and the college town feel and parties in Isla Vista. I would change the student fees and book costs, but that applies to all schools I'm sure. The school is quite large and might be hard to deal with for some people, but I find it fine. People are always jealous and excited that I go to UCSB, mostly because of the party reputation. UCSB has a lot of school pride, especially the Gaucho Locos!

I remember reading a book on student opinions of colleges back in high school. It said that the only common complaint about UCSB was that it should have "moving sidewalks." Now, this place is pretty amazing but it also has its flaws. This is a research University... if you don't want to research go somewhere else... you'll be happy you did. Every teacher wants you to go into academia, and because of that the system of instruction (knowledge for knowledge's sake) becomes tiresome when you realize that you can't do anything with your degree directly. That being said, if you just love your topic you will find more to love than you thought possible. Also, Santa Barbara/Goleta/Isla Vista is such a college town that you often forget there is anything else in the world. I only live and hour and a half away, but I never go home because I feel like the drive is too long. The experiences I will remember most all revolve around the oppression that is Chem 109B - Organic Chemistry. The friends I made sitting in the lab, praying that something would come out of this reaction so I could just go home, are my best friends on this campus. When it all came together (after failing the class twice) I found myself enjoying the final exam so much I started laughing as I handed it in. I am pretty sure the professor thought I was going to kill everyone in the room.

You'e kidding right? Its on the Pacific Ocean. On a good day you can actually surf to class. The academics are on par, if not better than, UCLA or Cal. Isla Vista is the best college town hands down. There is always something to do in that place. The administration as usually, are a bunch of idiots. The greek advisor, and the majority of the admin could care less about the students. They spend the majority of their time trying to convince the world they are not a party school. While I laud them for their efforts, they usually just come off as jerks to their students.

The best part about UCSB is the location. You can't beat being able to take a short walk to the beach in between classes. If I could change one thing, I'd definitely wish there was more school spirit and a higher interest in sports. When I went to visit other colleges, I would walk on the campus and feel the school spirit. Here? Not so much. The fact that we don't have a football team kills me. I guess it wouldn't be a big deal if you aren't into sports, but I am, so it is. When I tell people I go to UCSB, people usually respond by saying, "Oh, you'll have so much fun down there!" (probably because they assume I'm going to party), or, "Oh, it's so beautiful down there!!" I wish people would say less superficial things (maybe along the line of academics), but at least they have positive reactions. I guess the nearby town of Isla Vista is our college town...a very trashy, overly-priced, place-I-would=never-want-to-live town, but whatever. Trying to get around campus is insane! TONS of people pack on the bike paths every day, and there's always insults being thrown from one biker to another, and bike accidents are bound to happen every day. I've been in one, and it's definitely not fun. Even if you don't bike, just trying to avoid being clobbered by a biker is a skill that definitely has to be perfected.

Great Experience. I wouldn't change a thing

Most days, UCSB is sunny and beautiful. Most people bike to campus, but I have started to walk instead because such a beautiful place deserves to be seen and appreciated. You wouldn't think that this makes much of a difference, but people are happier on sunny days than they are on rainy or cloudy days. Most of the time, Santa Barbara delivers on this front.

I love the environment, everyone is easy going, but yet still serious about school. When I told people I was going here, they were like ISLA VISTA, big parties. I spend most of my time hanging out with my friends at our appartments. There is a lot of school pride especially with the gaucho locos at soccer games.

The best thing about UCSB is the huge variety of classes offered-you really get a chance to explore. I've taken classes in art history, religious studies, also ballroom dancing, pottery and yoga through our Rec Cen, just for the fun of trying something new. If I could change one thing, I would have the academic and career advice be more uniform. There are multiple resources, which is good, but they all say different things, which isn't. The school is just right as far as size goes. People who hear I go to UCSB immediately start asking about parties and are surprised when I say I chose it because it has a great linguistics department. They aren't used to taking it seriously. I spend free time on campus in the UCen or the Honors Study Center, or just sit outside if the weather's nice. Isla Vista and Santa Barbara are both college towns....

The best thing about SB is the location. If you live in Isla Vista, the beach is no more than 10 minutes walking time from wherever you're at in IV. The scene is beautiful and the college life is highlighted by the tight and enclosed college town of IV. One thing that I'd change about SB is to have it have a football team. It would give me a reason to like college football and buy more UCSB gear. I think that our college is just right. I often think that it may actually be smaller than most college campuses. When I tell people I go to SB, they say "So do you party hard??". I spend most of my time on campus only in the classrooms for lecture or in the library to study. Most of the time I'm at my apartment. College town is Isla Vista. I'm not too familiar with the administration here. But I take it since our newspaper doesn't mention any scandals or controversy relating to it, our administration must be doing something right. Our most recent controversy on campus was a conflict between the campus police and protesters against a conference hosted by UCSB. Four arrested protesters claim that the police used excessive force, and the matter is being reviewed by our Associated Student Body currently. There is not so much school pride. We don't have a football team, and football teams are usually the source of enormous school pride. The closest thing we have to football is our Men's Soccer Team. They draw only a decent number of fans. Not too many unusual things about SB. When you get here, you may find the drunken people wandering around campus or IV to be a bit odd, but you eventually adjust to the college life. I will always remember the outings my friends and I would have in IV. The most frequent student complaints are the rent prices in IV for what the apartment unit offers. The apartment units have the basic essentials, but is overpriced. This is due to being so close to the beach.

The best thing about UCSB is it's own community of multi-cultural groups. Each group is very tight and open to anyone in the community but secure in its little corner. The school is just right I think. When I tell people I go to UCSB I get comments about the party scene and Halloween. I spend most my time at the UCEN or Rob's gym practicing my dancing. College town. The UCSB's administration seems very very corrupt, period. Biggest controversy is the Eric Frompong trial, because it's a real attack against the legal safety of minorities especially blacks in SB. I'm still looking for the experience I'll always remember.

The best thing about UCSB is the fact that we are not an Urban campus. There is plenty of open space of recreation, beaches, mountiains to go hiking in, the environment is gorgeous. When I tell people I go to UCSB the first thing they assume is I party all of the time. I actually spend most of time on campus in various places like the library, university center or the Student Resource Building hanging out with friends or studying. Isla Vista is the neighborhood next to the school all the students live in and it definitley is a college town full of young college kids crammed into 1 square mile of apartments. The UCSB Administartion espeically those inovled with Student Affairs are amazing, the really advocate for the student body and look out for our best interests, especially the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Young.

BEST thing about UCSB: THE VIEW. Gotta see it to love it. One thing I'd Change: Better facilities in the Music department. Things are getting old and worn out... The size of the campus is just right People think I must've changed into a party animal when I tell them I go to UCSB---wrong. I spend most of my time on campus in class IV = college town. Very conveniently located. It's quite awesome The administration and I guess "controversy" as well: they care too less about the music department, which is typical in most universities I guess. But it's such a shame because our music department faculties are really good here (I heard it from others and it's from my own experience thus far). There's really a big contrast when you see the engineering/science buildingS when comparing them to THE music building. Pride: Go to a soccer game and you'll see. Gaucho pride fills up stands. Unusual: 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} beautiful weather. memorable experience: 1st party @ Lambda's frat house. Very chill and not like what I've heard about for frat/sor. parties. Not shady at all.

The best thing about UCSB is being able to ride your bike on campus (or walk) and say hi to at least 10 people that you know. UCSB is not as big as it seems. You can get from one end of the campus to the other in 10 minutes (on a bike, of course). Although our school is big on politics, there is not much school pride here. We do not have a football team, but I hear our soccer games are the most fun. We have a lot of hippies here. Sometimes you can see people walking around barefoot to class.

The variety and diversity of both the classes and the people. I think that the size is just right; you can be comfortable in a community of people that you know, but at the same time, you can always meet someone new! The atmosphere of the campus and Isla Vista is great; everything you need and want is right here, and fun!

The best thing about UCSB is the weather. I love how it is always cold up here. Also, i love the Christian fellowships on this campus. I have made life long friends here because I put myself out there. One thing I would change is to show people that not everyone parties. That there are A LOT of people here that enjoy hanging out without drinking, without partying, and without all the drugs,etc. The school is just right. I like the size of our school. It does get a little crowded on the bike paths, but it is not that bad at all. I love it here because I can skate board! People do not react a certain way when I say I go to UCSB. Some say "oh you go to the party school, do you party?" and I say no and they get weirded out. But its great because then i get to tell them how great my school is without it, and then they are all wow! thats awesome. I would also change this school so we could have a marching band. personally--i was a band geek in high school, and i miss it a lot. I spend most of my time in the Student Resource Building. It is the building that has comfy couches, nice chairs, and a lot of study space. It is so nice there! and the people who work there are awesome! UCSB is surrounded by a college town called Isla Vista (IV) It is a mile by mile housing/apartment square, where about 10,000 people live. there are banks, tattoo places, shops, parks, ocean roads, freebirds, food shops, starbucks, a market, name it, and IV tries to provide it. The administration here at UCSB--i do not really have an opinion. I never have had a problem with them, and I really love my school and how the people here run it. i would not have gone anywhere but here. and i am thankful for the people in charge. Yes there is a lot of school pride when its about sports. our soccer team is really good, and I am not sure about the rest. I wear my sweatshirt with pride and i take pride in the fact that i come here. I love it here. Anything unusual? Yes. There is a very diverse group of people here. even if there is a lot of Caucasian people or Asian people, if you get deeper into what out school is about. there are a lot of different people; transfer students, students that you would never hang out with, but you suddenly have something in common. Also, we do not have a football team. So, thats really weird. The biggest recent controversy? The War in Iraq. People were protesting it, and it was this HUGE ordeal, and there were police here, and cops, and everything. So it was cool to see our students come together, but some of the people at our school are very set in their ways. For example, if I said "i am for ___" and another group disagreed with me, they would fight with me till the end about it. So it is good to have passionate people here, but there is also a need to here more than one side to things. Oh! And we're a huge bike school! people ride their bikes everywhere and its very popular. One experience ill remember--coming to the Lord through Real Life and because God was pursuing me for so long. and getting into my first bike accident going through Pardall tunnel. The most frequent complaint, that the bike paths are too crowded. which they are, but there has been some students trying to change that, so maybe that will change.

The best thing about UCSB is its location. I've been to a lot of other colleges around California and none of them are as beautiful as Santa Barbara. And we know how lucky we are to be here. There is so much pride around the fact that we go to a school where we can watch the sun set over the ocean any day.

the best thing about ucsb: the location. perfect spot right on the beach, perfect spot in california-close enough to vegas, close enough to LA, close enough to tahoe, close enough to san francisco...but cool enough to never have to leave to go to those places. one thing i'd change: school spirit...its there, but not unified...it would be nice to have had a football team, or at least some kind of tradition that everyone joined in on for basketball games or soccer games at least. people's reaction when i told them i went to ucsb: either "ohh party school" or just total jealousy. seriously. something unusual about ucsb: the gauchos. and i dont mean the mascot. the local families that live in Isla vista and collected all of our cans for money. definiitely a sad reality, especially since there are so many of them, but they definitely are a part of what makes iv what it is...one of the many interesting aspects that gives it character.

The one thing about UCSB I'd change is the staff at the Daily Nexus...or the "Bottom Line" alternative newspaper that is ridiculously liberal and unnecessary. It's not like we go to a conservative school and they need an outlet for their voice. The school population is pretty large, but coming from Southern CA where my high school graduating class was over 700 at a school of 3000 kids makes it something I'm used to. I'm not sure how people react when I tell them I go to UCSB; the company I intern at loves it- they have hired a number of UCSB interns and grads over the years. I think people are probably pretty surprised because I like to think I have my head on pretty straight, and considering the stereotype of the typical student, I don't fit that profile, so it surprises people. Last quarter I spent all my time in Ellison Hall, in the film office, but this quarter I spend pretty much every spare minute in Program Board. There's just always one more thing I have to get done at work. There is definitely a college town-feel to Isla Vista, but more so for the partying. IV is basically a ghetto. Rent prices are ridiculously high for the crappy quality of living arrangements we are forced into. My opinion of UCSB's administration is fairly neutral; I think Finance Board should put a little more effort into researching what student groups are asking for funding for (i.e. the Russian Club receiving nearly $20K for the t.A.T.u. show then running to Program Board, crying for help because they didn't know how to run the show). There are a lot of levels of bureaucracy within the administration, but I've always accomplished what I need to get accomplished fairly quickly considering all the levels things have to pass through. I don't know what the biggest controversy has been recently; my world on campus is small: Program Board and Film Studies. Our Program Board controversies tend to revolve around the limited coverage our events receive by the Nexus. I think the student pride is seasonal- it peaks during soccer playoffs. There are a lot of unusual things about UCSB! I think the fact that our newspaper has a weekly sex column and weed-smoking column is pretty unusual. One experience I will always remember is the trouble we caused and got into on our ASPB winter retreat! I probably can't repeat what occurred. The most frequent student complaint is the rising tuition costs, and the new rule that passed by Leg Council approving the 15-unit-per-quarter change.

The best thing about ucsb is the sense of community. everyone is a part of the school, everyone has an identity of some sort, everyone is pretty familiar with what sb has to offer. That being said, the isla vista community breeds a love hate relationship with ucsb students.people love the proximity to the beach, to each other,etc. It is rare that so many students live so so close to each other. Complaints are the noise, the landlords, the trash on the weekends, and the somewhat redundancy of the isla vista party scene. However, I believe that there is nowwhere like it and as an alum looking back in retrospect, it was an extremely unique place to live.the size is just right and I have always (without fail) found the administration helpful and friendly. I never felt treated like a number as ucsb once!school pride is inconsistent..it comes out when we are succeeding, I.e when we won the national soccer championships! However, if you do have a lot of school spirit, there"s a lot available to you (teams, gaucholocos,etc).as far as unusual elements, the setup of the ideal college town strikes some as unusual.one thing I really love about ucsb is that there are always familiar faces everywhere. You really have a lot of opportunity to get to know the members of your class. The option of living in downtown santa barbara is great as well.

The best thing about UCSB is that its right on the beach. The internet does not always work and that needs to be fixed.The school is pretty small. When i tell people that i go to UCSB they just look at me and say "oh thats a party school!" I spent most of my time in the library. Most of the administration are nice. There is some pride but not much.

ucsb was like paradise for college students. everyone just wanders around iv like it's their own private little utopia. it was such a fun place to go to school, but i can see how all the partying would distract people from their studies. the best part is being able to go to the beach between classes spring quarter.

The ability to have a complete college experience of academics and fun. More diverse. Too large. They say "oh, party school". My dorm room. College town. Friendly administration. Police force at anti-war rally. YES! No. Gunther concert. High university fees.

The best thing is that it is a great school in an awesome location with really good professors and opportunities. I'd probably update some of the buildings, its not fun having class in the old military temporary buildings. The school is just the right size. People tend to react with, "oh, party school" but then move on to remarking how it is a good school and how many good things they've heard about it. (and the number of people they know who go there or have gone there). I spend most of my time at the UCen or on the UCen lawn. I like that IV is a college town, and it is so very much. I don't really have much of an opinion on the UCSB admin. We dont really have a lot of controversy on campus, the only thing i can think of is the anti-war protest they had a couple weeks ago. I don't know anyone who doesn't love UCSB, so yes, there is a lot of school pride. Its probably unusual how well students are able to balance work and partying. Students complain mostly about big lectures like the ones in Campbell hall and the old classrooms.

The best thing about ucsb is the beautiful campus. Something about the laid back great atmosphere makes it easier to relax and get your work done. If I had to change anything it would be that the beach was cleaner right near the campus. Our school is a good size because the big classroom and small discussion atmosphere allows for both learning styles to get what they need. People usually think I am an alcoholic when I tell them I go to UCSB but alot of the people I know back home know that the school is a great research school for science majors. On campus I spend most of my time at the library. Ucsb has a definite college town, it makes it alot easier to get involved.

The location! people would study more. just right. they say, "oh, it's beautiful there." the ucen. "what college town" dont know much about the administration. ? not much school pride. it's on the beach. awesome runs on the beach. ?

The best thing about UCSB is the sophistication/intellectual strength of the institution being coupled with its proximity to the sea-side student community of Isla Vista (being a square mile of apartments; 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of which are occupied by students). This dynamic of an excellent institution being readily available to a town that is exclusive to the preferences of college-age people, (all the while looking over the Pacific!), is what truly makes University of California, Santa Barbara like no other institution of higher learning in the world. I would change the distance that UCSB's campus is from downtown Santa Barbara. Isla Vista is relatively isolated from the rest of the world, often making partying and drinking the seemingly sole choices of recreation in the evenings. Being closer to downtown would provide more options for recreation and leisure to the students. UCSB's size is just right. The way someone responds to finding out where I go to school depends on what kind of person is asking. If it is some snob from Cal, he will probably think that I didn't get into his grungy school and am only attending SB as a last resort: WRONG: I got into Cal, and like many fellow students, chose SB over it.\ On campus, I spend most of my time in class or at the library. Go figure, huh? UCSB's administration is a bunch of older people with scholarly credentials that consider the welfare of students next to the importance of the vitality of their pensions; just like every administration at every campus. The most recent controversy on campus was the UCPD excercising excessive force on a group of students protesting at a nuclear weapons conference held on campus. There is school pride, but it is not grounded in our sports teams. It is pride in the best thing about UCSB, which I already explained. I will always remember the UCSB Gaucho Men's Soccer Team winning the NCAA D-1 national championship over UCLA. The community was electric and the soccer goal was thrown off the cliffs and into the ocean! There was dancing, laughter, and even nudity in the streets.

I think the best thing about UCSB is the combination of a great location, great people, and a great academic institution. The weather is pretty moderate all year round, I live on the beach, and there's nothing quite like Isla Vista. You have all of your best friends within walking distance, and there's always something going on. I think that they size of UCSB is just right, not too big and not too small. Friends I have the visit me here are always like, "I could NEVER go to school here! How do you do it?" UCSB kids do party pretty hard, and everyone knows it. The library is great to study at, most kids go to the fourth floor. I really only go on campus to get studying done or to go to class. Isla Vista defines 'college town'. All the local businesses rely on student, and cater to them accordingly. Lots of food specials, happy hours, etc. The administration is alright, I can't complain. Nothing major has gone wrong with my experience here with the admin., but of course you have your shitty professors here and there. I'm not personally into the school pride thing, but there are a lot of people who are. You can for sure get into it if you choose to. Unique things about UCSB- Our campus is literally on the beach, lots of construction going on in IV and on campus, which tells me the school is really growing.

The best experience I have had at UCSB was freshman summer start program. With a limited number of people in the dorms, everyone knew each other- it was a real bonding experience and the summer here is awesome. It was a great way to ease into the school. The only problem was fitting in once the real year began, because you just want to stick with summer start friends, and not meet people on your new floor. It's a big population in a small area, but there are plenty of ways that it gets divided up so it's easy to make a lot of connections. Frats and sororities are not necessary to meet people and party-there are parties no matter what and you don't need to be confined by the Greek system. It's a college town, definetly, so there are no restrictions holding you back from experiencing anything-granted there is a sturdy police system, so don't do anything dumb in the streets, but there is plenty of freedom and leeway in the community. On campus, I spend the most time in classrooms or outside. There are plenty of beautiful places to sit outside and read, relax, and enjoy the beach weather. Biggest recent controversy on campus was the war strike-very interesting. A few people got arrested. They are trying to bring back the hippie movement, but there's not really a big portion of people like that here, so it seemed a little rediculous. School pride is a high school thing, I think we're past that here, plus it's too big a community to have a lot in common with everyone who shares the school, so it's hard to be proud together. The most frequent student complaint I hear is "I can't study"- this is because there is often a conflict of interest with partying. I say take a couple of quarters easy, get it out of your system, and then sink into some real school work once you know what you're interested in. You can avoid the party scene if you want, but it's one way to get to know yourself and unleash your wild side.