<p>Is this just a hopeless dream I can never achieve? Or is it actually do-able going to college on the other side of the country. </p>
<p>Can you guys give some insight on what its like going to school far away? How is it packing all your $hit and flying home for the breaks and holidays?</p>
<p><em>NOTE</em> I do not get home sick, every chance I get to be away from my house, I take it. </p>
<p>I just need to know what its like, and if I can still go to UCSB. I'm not giving up on my dream school just because its a 6 hour flight away. So please help.</p>
<p>I am also from CT, and I go to school in MN. It’s a little tough sometimes bringing clothing back and forth - break was challenging, because we have a 6-week break and sweaters are bulky, so packing was interesting - and sometimes it feels a little lonely because a lot of people live within driving distance (MN, Wisconsin, Chicago, etc.), so their parents could come to our soccer games or come up for the weekend. Flying is also fairly expensive, so sometimes I buy plane tickets waaaay in advance so I can get them cheaper.</p>
<p>That being said - I really like going to school far away. I was a tiny bit homesick, but that was more because I initially missed my high school friends for the first few days. I got over it in about three days and haven’t really missed home ever since. I love the fact that I came here and I really like the independence that comes with being far away and on my own.</p>
<p>fyi- some points you should know-
there is no airport near SB, so if you want to fly home non stop, you’ll have to fly in and out of LAX, which will add at least 2 hrs of time to your trip home.
you’ll be paying OOS tuition which costs about 30,000, and that is likely to go up a lot due to the financial crisis in Calif, plus the cost of living in SB is not cheap.
Only 7% of UC students are from OOS, so realistically, your chances are about as good as trying to get into a top-tier IVY.</p>
<p>I have another option, I have relatives in the LA area (Woodland Hills) who would possibly let me stay with them for one year, giving me In State Tuition to save money for travel. </p>
<p>And I thought there was an airport in Santa Barbara?? Guess not haha.</p>
<p>There is an airport in Santa Barbara, it’s practically next to UCSB. However, it is not as easy as you think to establish California residency so you may want to rethink your “strategy”</p>
<p>UCSB is expensive for OOS students and due to continuing state budget woes, fees will continue to rise and you’ll be getting less for more (fewer classes, furloughed instructors). I understand that it takes an average of about 5 years to get an undergrad degree at a UC these days.</p>
<p>If you qualify for lots of merit scholarships/grants, the cost may not be a concern.</p>
<p>Here’s more info on establishing CA residency for tuition purposes. It’s not just establishing an address or physical presence in CA or intent by getting a CA driver’s license, paying taxes, registering to vote, etc. You must also prove financial independence.</p>
<p>“Financial Independence: Students who will not reach age 24 by December 31 of the year in which classification as a resident is requested, and who are not dependent upon a natural or adoptive parent who satisfies University requirements as a resident for tuition purposes,will be required to satisfy the University’s self-sufficiency requirement in addition to the 366 day physical presence and intent requirements. It should be noted that this requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates who do not have a parent domiciled in California to qualify for classification as a resident at a University of California campus.”</p>
<p>Damn, my mom was fine about the idea, even if I had to pay OOS. Everyone here thinks I’m making a bad choice about this. I still don’t know what to think.</p>
<p>“Everyone here thinks I’m making a bad choice about this.”</p>
<p>no, everyone here does not think this is a “bad choice”. We are just letting you know
1] the REALITIES of what it will really cost your parents for you to go to UCSB [ there is virtually no chance of you getting instate tuition- every year OOS students ask how to game the UC system and every year they find out its virtually impossible to do so] a
2] how hard it likely will be to get accepted and
3] that travel back and forth to CT will not be a walk in the park- you would need to either connect to other flights from SB[?]or drive to LAX in order to get home.
UCSB should not be your first choice college, or the only one you would really like to go to.</p>
<p>^jloco428 can have whatever university they want be their first choice. And your 7% statistic doesn’t mean that the acceptance rate for out-of-state students is 7%.</p>
<p>UCSB’s domestic out-of-state admission rate is around 50%. However, their domestic out-of-state yield rate is shockingly low, barely above 10%. Any guesses why?</p>
<p>To directly answer your question, I go to school in New Hampshire and I’m from California. I fly into Boston and have to then take a 3 hour bus ride to get to school.
Is it easy? not really. Is it worth it? Completely.</p>
<p>The logistical difficulties might mean moving in will be a little rougher, but its completely doable. You’ll probably want to look into storage in the area for long breaks, as you wont be able to haul things back and forth, but you should be able to find storage for the summer if you are on top of things.</p>
<p>The only other thing you might want to keep in mind is that you might not be able to go home for shorter breaks, particularly Thanksgiving. I’m a sophomore and I’ve never gone home for Thanksgiving becasue the break is so short and so close to winter break.
But even that hasn’t been a huge issue: I’ve just gone and stayed with friends on the east coast for thanksgiving and had an amazing time both times.</p>
<p>UCSB is beautiful, the people I know there are having a great time, and there’s a surprising amount of academic opportunities available given the party school rep it tends to have on places like CC. If you can work out a few little kinks, and things like finances are all okay, then go for it.</p>