Should I take a trip to see the school or not?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>I live about 180 miles away from UCSB in Riverside County. I want to visit UCSB tomorrow for its Spring Insight Open House. I want to check out the campus, ask some questions, etc. The problem is my Mom doesn't think checking out the campus is the best decision. She says that all I really need are the pictures. She is willing to drive with me down there. It is just that she thinks it is going to cost me $150+ to get there and back. I just calculated the gas mileage my Mom's car gets with the distance and the cost of gas. I totaled it to cost around $60. That is with traffic being in my favor. The chance traffic is heavy, it may cost around $80.</p>

<p>What should I do? Should I spend the money to see the school? I've seen great pictures of it. Do you all think pictures do it justice? I have questions about the honors program, creating a academic plan, the EAP program, summer transfer session, graduating, etc.</p>

<p>Another problem for me is study time. My Mom made me do her taxes for her today. I seriously need to catch up on my academic work. By going down to check out the school, it will take another day out of studying time. If I wait any longer to check out the school, it will be time for me to study for finals and finish my term papers.</p>

<p>What I am thinking is that if I end up deciding to go to UCSB, I can check it out once I finish this semester. I still am unsure if I will attend UCSB. Right now, it seems the mostly likely option for me. However, if UCLA or CAL admit me, that is where I am going. The thing is, if UCLA or CAL don't admit me, i'm going to UCSB. Visiting it right now seems like it will just cost me time that I don't have (I'm lucky I can find time to go on here. The time on here is usually my free-time o.O)</p>

<p>From those of you who have visited these colleges, what do you think? Should I visit the school while costing me a day of studying or wait till summer?</p>

<p>I'm sure I can always e-mail or call UCSB about my questions of their programs if need be.</p>

2

<p>I would say most definitely visit in person if possible. Pictures never do a school justice. You need to be in the environment to truly experience it.</p>

<p>…but wait till you hear from UCLA and Cal before you plan the trip</p>

3

<p>It is still early in the admissions game. Also, it sounds like you answered your own question. UCSB is gorgeous in pictures. I’ve only visited the campus once in high school and actually being there was really different from the pictures. The scenery is breathtaking. Anyways, visiting campuses is very important because that way you can get a brief, but more real feeling of what the environment is like. I say you wait it out until Cal and UCLA decisions are out. That way, if you are admitted to one of those, you didn’t waste gas/money/time. If you aren’t admitted, you still have the opportunity to visit the UCSB campus and it sounds like if you aren’t admitted to Cal or UCLA, you’ll be going to UCSB anyways.</p>

4

<p>i’m going up SF if i get in Cal :D</p>

5

<p>It’s nice to have clarification. Thanks guys :)</p>

6

<p>If I am you, I definitely will go to the campus and take a look. However, I wouldn’t be go there for that early. I would wait until all the decisions have made. Probably go there in summer!</p>

<p>P.S. Ask your friends who plan to attend UCSB to car pool with you, it saves money and also, you won’t feel boring.</p>

7

<p>yeah, i’d have to agree with everyone else. i mean, this could be the campus you spend the next two years of your life at. so sacrificing a day to visit the campus, even though it sounds like you’ve been pretty busy, is definitely worth it. but like everyone else has stated, i’d wait until you hear back from cal and ucla.</p>