<p>I got accepted to UC Santa Cruz and UC San diego and I seriously cannot decide and the deadline is may 1st! i live in monterey, 45 minutes away from santa cruz and 8 hours away from san diego. i don't know if im ready for that huge change to san diego and i figure i can transfer in two years there if i end up wanting to. i want to major in some type of biology, but i'm also interested in Santa Cruz's astronomy prgoram. so, if anyone has any opinions about either or both...the environment, dorms, classes, majors, programs, and anything that would help!</p>
<p>I attended UCSC for a year, so I can say a little bit about that.</p>
<p>As you probably know since you live so close, SC is BEAUTIFUL. The campus is separated from the city, situated on a hill in a small redwood forest with great views of the ocean. </p>
<p>I never lived in the dorms so I can't say about those, other than that some are in more convenient places than others and you will probably want to research the residential core program that goes with the one you choose. Every freshman lives on campus and must take a 1-2 quarter core class on a dorm theme; it's required for graduation. Luckily, it often satisfies one or more GE requirements.</p>
<p>I took Chem 1B with Lab and Calculus (Math 11A) in the fall quarter. The lab, though only two units, is INTENSE. I spent way more time on this than any other class (and most classes are worth 5 units). You have to do pre-lab exercises, lab experiments, and a formal lab write-up, in addition to exams. The other two are easy if you have a firm background in the subject. If you qualify for them, I HIGHLY recommend ACE sections -- I can't believe how helpful they were! </p>
<p>I began as an MCB major and switched to English in Winter Quarter just because I disliked how many classes the MCB major required (and I'd been leaning English-ward anyway, just couldn't justify it). The professors are very helpful, but I do have to say I never went to office hours. They don't require as much out of you in terms of writing as Berkeley does, I've noticed (in fact, the Shakespeare course I took at UCSC didn't transfer because they didn't require enough writing), but it's not like you won't learn anything and you don't have to study.</p>
<p>It is very much what you've heard it is: a campus full of liberals, druggies and party kids. That is the prevalent culture. This DOES NOT mean that if that isn't your thing you won't find people to click with or that there aren't conservatives and teetotalers (and everything in between!). It does mean that you will have to deal with protests, being randomly approached in the dining halls for a hit, and having to deal with one or more of your dorm-mates' drug habits -- the peripheral environment, all of which I and others I spoke with/befriended had to deal with.</p>
<p>The great thing about UCSC is that you will have a ton of opportunities to shine. Their programs are rising stars, quite a few already very highly regarded, and there is a place for everyone. They have openings in various departments for non-majors -- for example, I got a chance to work at the Main Stage theatre as a technician despite not having any theatre courses in college (though I did have high school experience). The professors are VERY approachable and friendly. Your fellow students are pretty sociable as well. I had ten times the random conversations and friendships that I've found at Berkeley. It has a small town feel, perhaps because it's separated from the city, but you still have access to a major mall via free bus, and there's plenty to do downtown.</p>
<p>I chose SC over SD because of the environment. If you're going to be a science major, you have some decisions to make: does the relative "prestige" mean anything to you? Would you prefer the challenge of cut-throat pre-meds at SD or the more laid-back style of SC? Does your desired concentration in biology exist at either campus? Where do you think you'd have the best chance to do the research you want to do? Is the price difference a factor?</p>
<p>Personally, I'm not a big fan of San Diego as a city so I didn't give it much of a chance to wow me before I decided on Santa Cruz. Obviously your own mileage may vary. Good luck deciding!</p>
<p>UCSD hands down. Visit both campuses for yourself, as they're totally opposites (or close to it).</p>