University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

Professors do not know my name. I feel like TAs may, or they may not it depends on the class. Some students study consistently throughout the year, but those who are here for more than just education study when it comes down to the wire. although since we are all such brilliant students we can pull out As and Bs when we cram. Students are very competetive. We always want to do better than our friends in the class. Some of the GEs are reallllllly boring. especially since its not a subject tht im interested in. I wish there was another way around that. I have had two VERY good teachers in my bus.econ classes. Professor Anderson and Professor Harmon. I feel that they are interested in our understanding of the class and the material, they want us to succeed and have a good time doing it.

Classes are boring but i go to all of mine and get good grades. I like my major and am currently getting really involved with my minor, speech and hearing, which is overwhelming right now, but interesting. The professors are cool, most don't know me by name but if i wanted them to (went to office hours, made myself known, etc) than i'm sure they would.

I wish students at UCSB took their studies more seriously, however, I know that many individuals on this campus double major and take graduate classes.

Unlike several universities, most classes at UCSB are very large. However, visiting your TA's or professor's office hours is highly recomended for getting acquainted on a more personal level and for receiving assistance on the material. As for teaching style, each class differs. Some teachers promote class involvement and leave time for Q & A. In contrast, some teachers spend the entire class lecturing. UCSB's academic requirements are a positive way to built incentive to study and go to class. In addition, the GPA requirements for getting into the major of your choice promotes a competitive environment that I like to be a part of. Not only do I challenge myself to work hard despite the many distractions, I learn more and do better in my classes. As you probably know, UCSB is a research university and offers many hands-on classes for the sciences. For this department, education is more geared towards learning for its own sake. On the other hand, my major is Bussiness-Economics and there are a number of opportunities available for networking within the firms and going through the interview process on campus.

I love all my classes so far. I really enjoy my Spanish classes because the are smaller and more intimate than large lecture halls. Some of my professors know my name and all my TA's know me by my first name. I think i am learning things that i will be able to apply to my life in the future and it think it is amazing.

In the lower division classes you are in classes sized anywhere from 200 students to 700. This does not make for a very intimate environment, but we do have discussion sections that meet once a week to clarify the lectures or readings. If you're lucky, you'll get a good TA, but every once in a while you will get a TA that is totally unqualified to teach the course (whether it be inherent stupidity, a language barrier, etc.). If this is the case, take advantage of your professor's office hours. And make sure to go to your professor/TA's office hours. They are not as scary as they seem and TA's will grade you easier if they know you and professor's will be more likely to change your grade in case of a dispute if they know who you are. Upper division classes are great! The class sizes are much smaller (anywhere from 35-150) and there are no discussion sections so professors really try to engage you in class participation (at least in my majors, Political Science and History). Sometimes it may be difficult to get a class you want, but if you email a professor before the quarter starts they will usually put you at the top of the wait list and you'll get in. UCSB offers a wide variety of classes. Everything from History of Surfing to Geology of Antarctica and Sports Psychology is offered. There is something for everyone here. If you come in with units then you will definitely graduate in 4 years as long as you take at least 12 units and 16 units once a year. It is not difficult.

My favorite class is the only one in which my professor knows my name. I don't like the class because of that, in fact sometimes it makes it a little more stressful to know that when i talk he knows exactly who i am and can relate it to papers and assignments i have done. It is my favorite class because it is one in which i have no stress of midterms or finals, but only have to read novels and write about my personal responses to them. in class i get to hear what others had to say and also discuss my point of view. My least favorite class was one in which the professor was impersonable and unchanging in his opinions. It is very hard as an english major when i am supposed to look at things from multiple points of view and attempt to get out different meanings to have someone tell me that there is truly only one possible meaning, and everything else is wrong. I had a class last quarter which i will never forget because the teacher was such a genius she made absolutely no sense when she spoke. I thought i was going to fail it because i couldn't even follow a single sentence of her lecture, but in the end i learned that i just needed to broaden my view points and learn that in english you have to be a little crazy because sometimes that's how you get the best interpretations of something. I love the english major, once i got past the prerequisites and into the upper division class it got so much better. I like having smaller classes, even though there's no ta, i feel as if i have more freedom with what i do and the class is so much more personable. i myself have no idea what i am going to do after college, so from my perspective, education here is simply about learning about what's out there and gaining knowledge which will help you, but for other's who know what they want to do, they are easily able to find classes geared toward aiding them in that direction.

the honors program is amazing. i love being able to have time with my professor and just a few other students to meet and discuss the course. it is really helpful when you have a lecture of 400 kids and it seems easy to get lost. i feel like the classes here are definitely challenging and even though it may seem like we are more academically relaxed everyone here is actually a good student and the professors seem to be genuinely interested in teaching. i would definitely recommend the french department as well, my classes have all been incredibly small just ten or fifteen kids and you really get to know your classmates and your professor.

I have really gotten a well-rounded and valuable education here at UCSB. I have taken a broad spectrum of classes that are applicable to my actual life, from the history of surfing to nutrition to sexual politics in America. I love my classes, both my Gen Ed ones and my sociology major ones. My education at UCSB has truly made me a more intelligent person, someone who will be competent and capable in whatever career I choose, as opposed to just being 'booksmart.'

Classes-ROCK. CLAS has saved my life, our Comm department is one of the best in the state and almost everyone you ask is a Bio Major. And yes, I've had many a three-some with Mr. Davidson.