University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

I like that UCSB is it's own environment. Because campus and IV are separated from Santa Barbara, it gives campus more of a small town feel where you know people wherever you go and everyone hangs out at the same places. I think that most people are pretty laid back and nice and don't mind helping someone out. Most people are here to focus on their own studies and have a good time at college.

People complain about actually having to go class, there is drunken school pride, I never see/experience UCSB's administration and I will always remember rushing the week before school started. When I tell people that I go here, they always assume it is because of the party atmosphere. But really, it's not. I swear.

the best thing about UCSB is the atmosphere-everyone is friendly and laid back and there is not the sort of academic pressure/competition that occurs at UCLA or Berkeley, but everyone is smart. I would change the amount f people that are here...i love going to a big school but it frustrating not always being able to get into the classes you want. Crashing works sometimes but not always. When i tell someone I go to UCSB, they usually say "oh wow thats a great school", but they do throw in the fact that it a party school. but it is normally acknowledged that it is an academically tough school. I spend most of my time in IV, not on campus...but when I'm on campus I hang out in the UCEN since it is has a gorgeous view of the lagoon and it is a good study area. Isla Vista is our college town, and it is amazing...I love our college town, everyone here has a lot of pride about going to UCSB. 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the people here absolutley love it. There are a lot of college parties always, especially on Del Playa, our party street. I will always remember my first time walking down DP on a friday night and being overwhelmr by how cool it was. Biggest complaints are not getting into the best section time. Biggest recent controversy? Sigma Chi getting their charter taken away

I believe that my school is just right. It's perfect here. Since I've been here at UCSB, I've felt a dramatic growth within my own personal life and lifestyle. I am more open, more out going, and best of all more knowledgeable of the world which I live in. I have become more involved in certain movements like protesting the war and being involved in campus related activities. I love UCSB and all that it has to offer. The people here are friendly, approachable, and kind. Yes, there are the occasional mishaps, but overall I feel blessed to be here. I am here for one reason and one reason only: to further myself in education and in doing so accomplish all that I have ever wanted to do; thus in the end I will make my parents proud.

It feels like a college town yet there are thousands of students. Surprisingly you still run into people you know on campus all the time. Outsiders looking in judge us a lot on our "party" name and they assume that we're dumb, but when you're here you realize thats not the case. Almost everyone that comes here LOVES it. even the kids who aren't big partiers (like my roomie). Isla Vista is unique but unfortunately the community is going to give it a "face-lift" that many students are against. It looks fine and it will cause SB to lose its' beachy feel. That sucks. coming to SB was the best decision i ever made.

People don't respect UCSB enough when you tell them where you go - I wish the school would become more selective in accepting applicants and try to elevate the SAT and GPA needed to get in. I feel like a lot of people in my classes aren't up to the university level.

UCSB has probably the prettiest campus EVER. From my dorm room, I have a beautiful ocean view that I am going to be really sad to leave at the end of the year. It is a fun school that always has something going on. Having IV right next to campus is so nice since everything is then in walking distance. Being right on the beach isn't too bad either.

the best thing about ucsb: the people, everyone is laidback and chill. isla vista is ALMOST perfect, but it's not a college town per se. ucsb's administration is okay, but they could use some work for sure. juicy campus was sort of controversial.. there's not a lot of school pride, no one really cares about sports.

I LOVE UCSB. UCSB has the ideal location, the perfect size, an amazing atmosphere, and great academics. When I tell people I attend UCSB, they automatically assume I spend all my time at the beach, when in reality I spend most of it at the library or doing other things, I stay quite busy. I spend alot of my time equally in Isla Vista and on campus, for class and extracurricular activities and socializing. So far, UCSB administration is fine. I am not really familiar with them however, I haven't had much interaction with anyone on faculty other than my professors and TAs. I think there is lots of school pride, especially in sports, mainly in soccer. I wish more people would go to more of the other sporting events (myself included) but all in all I feel UCSB is represented rather well in spirit. I love that there is always something going on. If you're bored or not happy at UCSB, something is wrong with you. I think you have to actually TRY to be bored here. UCSB is unique in it's amazing location, awesome atmosphere, while still maintaining UC prestige. One experience I will always remember is joining a sorority - definitely one of the best decisions of my college career. I did not come to UCSB with my close friends, so the Greek system definitely helped me branch out, come out of my shell, and I have met some of my best friends for life through the Greek system.

UCSB is the smartest party school out there. Our incoming freshman have 4.2 high school GPA's and can still go out/drink more than any SDSU student, hands down. Our students are as dedicated to drinking as they are to their studies, and you can find the same person pulling a late night on Sat and in the library all day on Sunday. If you ask me, UCSB is the ultimate balancing act. We do nothing in moderation and have the best experience ever as a result.

The school is bigger than I expected, but not so big that you don't see people you know when you are on campus.

The best thing about UCSB is the college environment. It is purely a college town and Isla Vista is one of the only places where 13,000 students can live together in a square mile radius. The one thing I would change about Santa Barbara is for our school to have a football team and more school pride in sports. I wanted a school with a huge football team and to attend those weekly games, but UCSB does not have this. I wanted to a big school so i think that Santa Barbara is the perfect size for me. Most people react the same way when I tell them I go to UCSB. They usually laugh and ask me how Isla Vista and Halloween are. On campus I spend most of my time in the bookstore in between classes because you can sleep in the couches inside the UCEN. The administration at UCSB is fine. I do not really here too much about them. There is some school pride on campus, but it is dedicated mostly to our soccer team and thats it. I wish that there was more school pride. One experience I will always remember is meeting my best friend on my floor the first week here and ending up joining the same sorority. The most frequent complaints about UCSB is the lack of diversity on campus.

The best thing about UCSB is that the whole environment. Isla Vista is a great little town where all the kids live. Its great being able to walk around the town and see people in the same situation as you are. Most people laugh when I tell them I go to UCSB, especially the kids my age. Adults usually wish that they had come here when they were in college. They think all I do is party and that is not true. I don't think that the school has a major amount of pride in the traditional sense that we are all united under a specific sports team but everyone is always happy to be going to school here. One of my favorite memories is from the night I met my best friend. We were walking down the stairs during a fire drill and everyone was complaining about how we were missing America's Next Top Model. This girl from my floor was walking down with us, and so we started talking about the show. We were both in our pajama's and she was eating Cup of Noodle. After the drill was over, she came up and watched with me and my roommate. We've been inseparable ever since.

Great location, school spirit and pride, laid-back and a lot of fun

UCSB's campus is beautiful...it has a good amount of people who attend and is fairly diverse but i wouldn't mind seeing more diversity.

UCSB is a laid back school on the Pacific Ocean. Consisting of around 18,000 students, UCSB is large, but not small enough to see familiar faces on campus. The school is known for partying and its laid back atmosphere. Isla Vista, where most of the campus resides, is a wild town full of students ready to kick back in the sun with a beer. Besides enjoying life to the fullest, most students are academically talented and motivated to do well in school. I was attracted to the school because of academic prestige, and the reputation to party.

UCSB is located between the mountains and the ocean. What is better than that?! We are a broad scope of people- Nor Cal, So Cal, Cen Cal (!!) surfers, bros, yay-area-ers, hippies, nerds. Its amazing here, and really diverse in activities, opinions, and people.

In my opinion UCSB is the perfect size and iv is the definition of a college campus.

UCSB is the perfect size. We are right on the beach and have the most amazing weather anyone could ever ask for. People think i am a partier when i tell them i go to UCSB, and they are right, i am, but iknow how to balance my work :).... I only go to class and then get off campus, mostly spend my time in my sorority house or on the beach. AMAZING college town. UCSBs staff is pretty laid back, just like the atmosphere. The biggest controversey on campus was JuicyCampus.com but its sizzling down. We dont have football team but there is school pride in many other areas. UCSB is the most amazing school, every night is a unforgettable memory here. I go running for excercise and always see dolphins swimming right next to me. who could ask for more!?

Everything at UCSB is amazing! I have an a amazing dorm with an ocean view. I jog on the beach a few times a week. Classes are amazing and not that hard to get into. We have a lot of fun but the campus also has very good resources for tutoring and things like that. It is the best college town you could ever as for! Everything is in walking distance. Housing is a bit pricey because of the towns beach front location but it is well worth. Sorority and Fraternity housing can be a bit cheaper. Associated Students is very involved on campus and a lot of people come out to the sporting events. One thing I will always remember is buying some books in town (Isla Vista) at the start of fall quarter and walking through town on a warm day looking at the ocean with bikers cruising by. It just made me realize how lucky I am to have this experience.