University of California-Santa Cruz Top Questions

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I love it here!! Where else could you wander through the woods to get to a midterm? It's great. The atmosphere is relaxed, the foods amazing (compared to other schools at least) the people are nice and excepting.. I mean yea it's a little more liberal than an average school but the student body is diverse enough you'll find ppl perfect for you

I love nature and this school seemed to be the perfect fit. Seeing the deer right before your eyes is simply amazing. I love it and I am so glad I came to UCSC. The people, professors and staff are great!

I love that UC Santa Cruz is up on a hill and kind of secluded from the city. It makes the campus another world from the city. It's warmer up here than in the city where it's foggier and windier. It's cool that it's in the forest, but it also has some open spaces and some great views of the city and ocean. It's only a 15-20 minutes bus ride to the beach however, which is great for warm, sunny days. If you live on campus, you tend to spend a lot of time there because it's so convenient. We have a great gym and many places to eat, and lots of activities so you don't need to go off-campus until the weekends. It's a college town though which is cool. Lot's of students live downtown and everyone knows where the students hang out. I think that it's great that it's such a large school so you never run out of people to meet, but since it's divided into 10 colleges, you get to know people from your individual college really well, which makes the school seem smaller. I wish we had a football team or more pride for the basketball team, but people do go to rugby and lacrosse games. I think that having a football team would bring more pride to our sports though. I guess what unites our school instead is protests, which is why we're considered hippies. People think it's really relaxed here and everyone just goes to the beach and smokes weed, but really it's a UC, which means it's still tough, we all work really hard, and we study a lot. It's a big commitment just like any other University.

The one thing I tell people when they ask me about UCSC is that unless I was traveling the world at that moment, I could not imagine spending my undergraduate career anywhere else but Santa Cruz. The community of the school is very welcoming. The people are nice and the weather is beautiful. I am physically and mentally a happier person when I am in Santa Cruz and at UCSC. The UCSC campus isn't the easiest campus to walk across. There are many hills and bridges that traverse large gullies. I often tell people about how crazy it is the first time you walk from one class to the next and you look back and can't see where you came from because of how thick the redwood forests are. As a student living on campus most of one's time is spent at his or her respective college. UCSC has ten colleges which students create an affiliation with upon entering the university. Your affiliated college is the place where you live, eat, and often hang out with friends. One of the great things about living on campus is the access one has to nature. From any given point on campus one must only walk ten minutes in any direction and be completely immersed in towering redwoods. There are many mountain biking and running trails through the woods that are spectacular. Since moving off campus I would say that most of my time is spent in class or at various study areas or libraries. The city of Santa Cruz is definitely influenced by the presence of the university. Many students participate in the economy of Santa Cruz via working in markets, cafes, shops, etc. Every first friday of a new month there is an art walk throughout the city of Santa Cruz. During the art walk many galleries and stores open their doors featuring works by local artists and sometimes pieces by UCSC students. The administration on campus is very involved in the student life on campus. One thing I would change in regards to administration would be to standardize a punishment system that is university wide. While living on campus I often witnessed punishment being given in what many students felt was an unfair manner. While we do not have a very big sports following at UCSC our school pride is still large. This is evident in our notably unusual mascot, Sammy the Banana Slug, a native to the redwood forests that cover UCSC. While it may seem a weird mascot, Sammy is quite unique in that he has no known natural predators. One thing I will always remember is giving a kiss to the first banana slug I ever saw. This UCSC tradition/superstition is said to bring good luck and great grades for the rest of college.

The one thing I tell people when they ask me about UCSC is that unless I was traveling the world at that moment, I could not imagine spending my undegraduate career anywhere else but Santa Cruz. The community of the school is very welcoming. The people are nice and the weather is beautiful. I am physically and mentally a happier person when I am in Santa Cruz and at UCSC.

To me, UCSC is the perfect school. First off, it is beautiful in the middle of the red woods and next to the ocean. I love the fact that we are the banana slugs, and while there isn't a lot of sports enthusiasm, the students have a lot of school pride and are proud of our mascot. I enjoy the walk between classes, and studying in the cute cafes at each college. I work in the McHenry library, which has juts re-opened and has a delicious cafe as well. I live right down town on Laurel Street, an while there are a lot of homeless people, I like my location a lot. All the Santa Cruz houses are cute and funky, my house is purple, green, blue and turquoise inside. I am in front of a bus stop, a ten minute walk to the board walk and around the corner from Pacific avenue. There is always something fun going on downtown, live music, art shows, concerts at the Catalyst. Its a young and quirky town. My dad always exclaims: "look at all these characters!" when he visits, but those "characters" are very interesting and nice people!

My favorite part about UC Santa Cruz is that it is located in a beautiful forest, but also just 5-10 minutes away from the beach and the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Of course another great thing is all the friends I have met here and how friendly students and professors are. If I could change one thing, I wish that it did not get as cold and rain as much here -- but that is just because I am from sunny San Diego. I think the size of Santa Cruz is just right. It is a very spread out campus, but it is awesome to walk through the forest to get to class or see the amazing views of the whole city and ocean when you are on the field. People react positively when they find out I am a student at UC Santa Cruz, but there is often a remark about being the banana slugs, which I find rather funny. When I am on campus most of my time is spent in the library, since as a senior my work load is a bit heavy. Santa Cruz is an adorable town full of old Victorian houses, the boardwalk, lots of good places to eat, go out, and an awesome feel to it. Santa Cruz is in northern California and subsequently very liberal. The most recent event on campus was protesting the current UC tuition hike -- a great cause. There is a lot of school pride because we are the Banana Slugs!!

I was very nervous about going here and didn't know what to expect. I absolutely love this school now. The view from campus is just truly magnificent, nothing beats it. Another thing I like about it is that the people here are extremely nice. This is the best decision I've made so far in my life.

Overall, the school is beautiful and friendly. There are views of the ocean, forests and farms. The people, overall, seem friendly and accepting and full of slugpower. Teachers, as well, are friendly, helpful and experienced. The school also offers a wide array of majors to choose from and the advisors are highly useful and available. Complaints may be mostly walking distances between classes. Places to check out in this vast campus are the bookstore, the dining halls and cafes and the gym. The gym is big and has a gorgeous view.

I honestly love my school. The best thing about UCSC is the really laid back, "chill" atmosphere we have on campus. We're surrounded by redwood trees, which really helps give this ambiance of peace. The view of the Monterey bay is one of my favorite things about my school. Regardless of how long you've been at the school, it will always awe you. The school is a little bit on the large side; getting to classes usually takes around ten to fifteen minutes, and there's a lot of people so you tend to meet someone new everyday. The town of Santa Cruz definitely has the college town feel; most of the residents near the base of campus are college students, and downtown is really small, but fun. The administration of UCSC definitely sides with the students; they do their best to accommodate all student needs despite the budget cuts. There is a lot of school pride. One of the complaints students have is the bus system; they lag and its hard to get around sometimes but for the most part there's not a lot of negativity on campus.

My opinion of UCSC couldn't be better! My parents, brother, and I have all attended UCSC and loved it. The reasons I chose to attend UCSC rather than another UC still remain some of my favorite aspects of the school. These reasons are: 1) the college system, and 2) the physical beauty. I'm a huge fan of UCSC's college system. What this means is that UCSC is divided into 10 residential colleges. I, for example, am affiliated with Cowell College. These 10 smaller colleges are where you live in the dorms for at least your freshman year, attend a core writing course with other students from your college, and often make your closest friends! They are not divided by major; you choose your college solely based on what it looks like and the theme of the core writing course. The college system gives you a small, close-knit community within the large university, and makes UCSC feel just the perfect size. The other reason I mentioned is the physical beauty of the campus. Santa Cruz is a truly unique place because it includes both the ocean and the forest. The campus is set on top of a hill so there are amazing views everywhere around the school. This also makes UCSC perfect for many outdoor activities including surfing, hiking, climbing, and biking. Santa Cruz also has a very nice downtown area that includes shopping, restaurants, and occasional concerts just a short bus ride from the campus. Between going downtown, hanging out at the beach, hiking around the trails on campus, and attending events on campus like open mic nights and movie screenings, there is always plenty to do at UCSC!

The best thing about UCSC is the location! You simply can't beat the gorgeous campus settled in the redwood trees. No other college campus in the country compares to the gorgeous views, hikes and photo opportunities at UC Santa Cruz. The campus, while cozied into the forest, has breathtaking views of the Pacific ocean. It is famous for it's field which over looks the whole Monterey bay! I love the opportunity to hike one day, explore creeks and climb trees and then run down to the ocean the next day. There you can enjoy surfing great swells from the North and great views of the ocean from West Cliff. For me there is nothing better than the simplicity and natural beauty of Santa Cruz. After a stressful day of classes a soothing walk around campus puts everything into perspective. Coming from Los Angeles, I looked forward to a more laid back and non rushed city. In Santa Cruz I get just that. People in town are enjoying life, not rushing around in it. There are always people walking around and talking, playing music and taking in what the city has to offer. In my opinion you couldn't ask for a greater location for a UC campus!

Okay, the big picture. Santa Cruz is a big university with roughly 14,500 undergrads, but it based on a residential college system modeled after Oxford's. After you're accepted, you select from one of ten colleges to be affiliated with and live in your first year - these aren't based on majors, but on a "theme" or message, like social justice, international issues, or environmental awareness. Each of these colleges has its own vibe and you'll take your first 'core' class with about thirty people from your college, which is really great way to get to know people you'll be closely surrounded by. Budget cuts are the biggest problem the University is facing. Departments, faculty positions, TAs - they've all been cut back severely. It's important to note that this is not UCSC's fault, per say, but the result of a poorly run UC system, and you're gonna see similar cuts at any UC or state school. Unfortunately, however, bigger schools like UCB and UCLA have a lot of private funding, as well as revenue generated through sports, to fall back on, so it's fair to say UCSC is feeling the impact more than other UCs.

--Scenery is absolutely beautiful --Academics in sciences and engineering are top-notch --Parties are good, social scene is very healthy. plenty of people to meet --if you are into music, that is good. there are plenty of musicians looking to jam.

I would have liked it if there wasn't nso much protesting going on. People deciding to skip class in order to make a statement seemed ridiculous to me considering how much we pay for that education. I think some of the students need to focus a lot more on their studies. I liked the size, although it would have been very annoying if there were not buses around all the time to get you to your next class quickly. They ask if I'm a hippie. People are also impressed sometimes (I think its mostly because its a UC). I spent most of my time on campus in class..... Many of the residents don't really like the students...or so it seemed to me. They were annoyed by them. I hated that an A- lowered your GPA a little but then an A+ Didn't raise it!!! I have always thought an A is an A and its not fari that a stupid little minus next to it should lower my GPA!! I was there for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years and there were several big controverseys during that time. There was a large protest when the regents came during my first year there, which resulted in students running around screaming "police brutality!!" when they themselves had gotten out of hand. I think the biggest one though was over winter break 2007 (or simetime around then) when people decided go live in the trees on campus to protest a new building that was being planned. Many of those people were not even students at the UC.... totally ridiculous!! (and a little funny) Yes, I'd say there is a lot of school pride even though sports are not a big thing there. The people there are unusual.... The first time I experienced the "first rain" with people running through the campus naked at night in the rain!! That was quite unexpected... Tuition costs are complained about a lot (and the costs of books).

UCSC is one of those nearly big UC's that fell like a small town liberal arts school. Minus the small town gossip, minus everyone knowing who you are, where you are from and everything about your daily life and definately minus the harsh presence of the stereotypical "college" environment, such as frats and sororities. For those whom love and live for the outdoors, such as surfing, sailing, biking, hiking and camping it provides a plethora of activities as well as breath taking views and scenery of redwoods and the Monterrey Bay. The most common complaint I hear of UCSC is the lack of appreciation, funding and spotlight given to athletics at UCSC. Athletics is a big thing on most college campuses, and although a lot of students UCSC are in fact athletes, every year more and more athletic programs find themselves being cut or in desperate in need of funding. The second most common complaint that I hear from students is the lack of parties. Although I completely agree with the first complaint, this one is far from the truth. Sure, parties at UCSC may not live up to the college parties portrayed by the media (except for those Bonny Doon parties that I hear of) but good parties are never in short supply here at UCSC. UCSC is a great college to attend, and in my two years at UCSC my experiences completely reinforce my decision to attend one of the UC's that is usually under appreciated and valued by most people.

UCSC is a progressive, active university. i very much enjoyed my time there, but wish the campus wasn't so spread out. the individuals who attend this school, for the most part, seem welcoming, fun, and open- minded. all the staff is very kind and the atmosphere is conducive to learning in all way, shapes and forms.

I loved the UCSC campus with all its beautiful redwoods and vastness leading to the potential to find new unique places. Everyone is very friendly and one gets to know each college well. The biggest recent controversy was the planned cutting down of Redwoods but it did not have too big an effect.

The best thing about UCSC is the Natural Beauty. I get to see dear walking casually around my dorm every day. I've seen birds and plants that I had never seen in L.A. before. Oh, and the stars are AWESOME. Unfortunately though, a big portion of the beautiful woods will have to be cut down in the name of development and competitive growth. But the good thing about that is that more students will get accepted into UCSC. So instead of being just the right size, it's going to grow into a larger school. We have pretty awesome professors and staff members though. They're generally all pretty friendly and understanding. You can tell they care for us But one of the most recent controversies, beside the half-wanted and half-unwanted UCSC expansion plans (the LRDP: the Long Range Development Plans), is the issue with unfair contracts for some of our workers. Many of our workers (like the maintenance crew, janitors, and cooks) are getting paid less than the workers in the City College nearby. They're not getting a good living wage or fair benefits, even though the UCs make more money. The workers were gonna strike for two days, but the UC brought in a whole bunch of expensive, Union-busting lawyers to try to "negotiate" (used as a tactic to just buy some time to eventually come up with a legal contract so that the workers can lose their legal right to strike unless they want to lose their job or get fined. Crazy, huh? Therefore, I think many people have lost pride in the whole UC system as a whole, because there are a lot of monetary profits involved. We spend so much money trying to acquire a good education in order to do some good in this world, but meanwhile, we're doing it in a corrupt system. But I think most people are at least happy with their UCSC college experience because of the general atmosphere. Many people are really accepting and open-minded. Like if you want to do something crazy here (as in dress up every day as if it's Halloween or walk bear-footed), you can because, after all "it's Santa Cruz." Unfortunately though, there seems to be an influx of people who don't seem to understand that mentality.