<p>Has anyone toured the dorms? What are your thoughts about the pros/cons of the various halls? I've heard Francisco Torres is good if you want to have a car on campus, but it's farthest from the main campus. Any other factors to be considered?
Thanks!</p>
<p>i have no idea, i went to the housing website and tried to get some information but i couldnt get much... do you know if you can sign up for housing before you decide to go to sb? i know other uc's do that...</p>
<p>Francisco Torres (FT) is the farthest from campus and you're going to need to take the bus or a bike to campus. The rooms are generally agreed to be the largest on campus and one bathroom is shared between two rooms.</p>
<p>San Nicolas and San Miguel are the high-rise dorms and are also good places for the dorm living experience. They are closer to the center of campus (shorter commute times to most classes).</p>
<p>Anacapa and Santa Cruz are pretty close to the ocean and you may be able to get a room with an ocean view. Santa Rosa is also part of that cluster. These dorms are also relatively close to most of your classes as well.</p>
<p>San Rafael is generally not open to first year students. </p>
<p>Manzanita Village are the newest dorms and some people find them to be the most desirable. The rooms are generally larger and there are bathrooms for every 4 people. The bathrooms are not attached to the rooms like they are at FT, but they can be locked. However, Manzanita Village is probably the furthest away from campus of the "on-campus" dorms. Expect to ride your bike or walk for 10+ minutes if you want to go to the other side of campus. In addition, Manzanita Village is usually known for the lack of a social life/activities and generally are not really recommended for people who really looking for that "first-year" experience. Most of the residents at Manzanita are not first-year students.</p>
<p>You have to submit your housing preferences online, then put the confirmation number that you get onto the housing contract (paper) which you then mail to Housing and Residential Services.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help, everyone! I'll pass along your comments to my son.</p>
<p>FT is the farthest from campus. It used to be a private dorm and was bought by ucsb a few years ago. If it were me I'd try to get one of the on-campus dorms so I could walk to class. As for a car, you don't really need one at ucsb since its a residential campus and everyone lives right there; you can take a free bus into SB when you want.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Manzanita Village are the newest dorms and some people find them to be the most desirable. The rooms are generally larger and there are bathrooms for every 4 people. The bathrooms are not attached to the rooms like they are at FT, but they can be locked. However, Manzanita Village is probably the furthest away from campus of the "on-campus" dorms. Expect to ride your bike or walk for 10+ minutes if you want to go to the other side of campus. In addition, Manzanita Village is usually known for the lack of a social life/activities and generally are not really recommended for people who really looking for that "first-year" experience. Most of the residents at Manzanita are not first-year students.
[/quote]
Hardly 10+ minutes (unless you're walking, plus, you can bike to Costco in roughly 10 minutes from San Miguel). More on average of 3-5 min -- I lived in Manz for Sophomore year.</p>
<p>Does anyone recommend living in Tropicana Gardens?
Is it easy to make friends?
How is the food and living arrangements like?</p>
<p>Tropicana Gardens were beautiful, I toured there during the Spring Insight on the 4th.
It had good food “unlimited” they say
a cardio gym-but wasnt that big
furnished suites, 1 or 2 bathrooms, a living room, a couch bed desks,ect
housekeeping comes twice a month
wireless internet
swimming pool, 28 laundry machines</p>
<p>But my only concern is that its about $3,000 more than Santa Barbara dorms
and from what I observed its not diverse</p>