<p>UCI, UCSB, and Washington are all tied for 2nd on my list. Has anybody visited all 3 campuses (or at least two of them), and if so how would you compare the 2/3? I'm not planning to visit any OOS schools until I receive all of my decisions (so early April).</p>
<p>Yup, been to em all. UW has the best reputation of all three, it has the greatest sports following, and nicest campus (and I live in CA, btw). UCI is a commuter school, though it is a rapidly progressing school, and has a solid rep in SoCal. UCSB is a great education with an awesome on-the-beach campus, but you have to deal with the party rep. A lot of people will dismiss the education to criticize you for that. UW is the whole package, if you can deal with the rain!</p>
<p>Thanks. I have a feeling that it will come down to these three (hopefully I get in) cause my #1 is a reach. Right now I would have UCSB/Washington slightly ahead of UCI and Maryland at #6.</p>
<p>Yeah, UW has a better rep than UCSB even in CA, IMO.</p>
<p>I've lived in SoCal my entire life. I live really close to Irvine, and actually go to the Campus center to hang out occasionally. UCI is decent but like earlier stated, very commuter oriented. UCSB, in my personal opinion, isn't anything spectacular, i've visited at least 5 times and still am not impressed. UW on the other hand is (also stated earlier) much more prestigious in comparison to the other UC's. I applied to UCs and UW and would take UW over any UC other than UCLA / Berkeley.</p>
<p>UW and UCSD are, IMO, in many ways similar. I liked how kids are allowed to subtly change the orientation of their major at UCSD. Not sure about "reputation" and whether it matters. As others have stated, I personally would take UW over UCSB any time of day. D was accepted at UW and has applied to UCSB, she is somewhat of a beach bum at heart, I am not sure she will make the same choice, but heck, it is her life :-(</p>