<p>I'm from SoCal and since I can't afford to go to private schools I'm limited to UCs. I'm a current CCC freshman and I was wondering how the social scenes at UCSD, UCSB, and UCSC are and how their English/Lit. programs are. Oh I should mention I'm a regular surfer and so if anyone has info on their surf clubs that'd be much appreciated, and on a side note I spent a semester at Humboldt State and was bored out of my mind and I've heard UCSC is very similiar, can anyone confirm or deny this? Thanks for any responses, I realize it's not the most organized post.</p>
<p>I’ve been to all three campuses (taken classes at UCSD and attending full time this fall, I have a cousin at UCSC and visited UCSB a number of times.) </p>
<p>UCSD has a really good surf team and I think they won some sort of title a couple years ago. UCSB/UCSC have good social scenes, with UCSB being the better of the two. UCSD is decent, but not a great social scene. It’s literally right on La Jolla shores though, so you can walk with your board down to the beach. </p>
<p>Don’t really know much about the English/Lit departments.</p>
<p>Santa Cruz has the number one surfing in the west and maybe even all the states. San Diego is near San Onofre which has great trestles. Santa Barbara is so-so in terms of surfing. They’re all great for lit. SB has a more festive vibe however. SD is more urban. SC is most college town like of the three. As far as SC being boring, I have heard the opposite. It is located about half an hour from San Jose and roughly an hour from San Francisco and such. Lot to offer and any school will be what you make of it. </p>
<p>Regards</p>
<p>Just wondering… Why doesn’t anyone include UCI on lists of coastal schools. I mean it’s literally a five minute drive to Balboa and Huntington and 10 mins to Corona del mar and Newport. This past summer when I went on my UC road trip, I only remember UCSB being on the sand with UCSD pretty close and UCSC about as far from the sand as UCI. Just curious. I know Irvine doesn’t have that beachy feel but I’ve never heard it refered to as a coastal school.</p>
<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe UCSC has the #1 Literature department in the nation. Cal is #1 for English, but I think UCSC is tops in Lit.</p>
<p>UCLA is only like 15min away from the santa monica beach. I wouldn’t walk there, but it’s definitely super easy to get their with a car(10min)/bus(20min).</p>
<p>i’d imagine there’s a decent surf community in LA too. You’d probably find it at venice beach though (a little farther, but not by much)</p>
<p>i don’t think UCSC is ranked #1 for lit. I couldn’t find it listed like that on USNWR rankings, or even on their wikipedia page.</p>
<p>Santa Cruz: voted best surf in the continental United States by Surfer magazine. Period. Plus, you can’t beat the view of the bay from the campus, and I’ve always liked that the school is sort of hidden amongst the redwoods on the hill. Some folks don’t like it, and granted, I’m a local, never went there except for a summer course, but its a good school with good people. Plenty of stuff to do in town, good music scene, good bars, good times.</p>
<p>for surfing and English Lit…UCSB then UCSC</p>
<p>@UCIhopeful I live down the street from UCI in Newport and yeah the surf is reallly good in Newps and HB(I surf 56th and river jetties all the time), but I don’t really like UCI as it’s pretty boring and I’d like to move away, but if you do like the beach and are going to UCI definitely look into renting a place in Newport with some buds, the more chill area with rentals is also where the best breaks are/Irvine is super boring.
@santacruzstefan Thanks for the input on the social scene in SC, that puts a lot of my fears to rest.
Thanks to everyone’s input, btw answered a lot of questions.</p>
<p>I’m also a Lit/English major and I think that UCSB is the best beach school. It even has a beach incorporated with the campus. If I choose UCSB I’d be the third generation in my family to attend. UCSD is gorgeous, especially being right by La Jolla. UCSC is a much smaller/intimate scene with some great views of the coast. I like that someone pointed out UCI, it is super close to Newport Beach but I prefer Laguna Beach. My mother lives in Irvine so I’ve spent a lot of time on campus.</p>