<p>the languages and study abroad programs at Dartmouth are one if its strengths; finaid is great there, too. I know a kid who turned down his dream school, Notre Dame, for Dartmouth bcos the $$ was much more attractive in Hanover. </p>
<p>But, mamenyu is correct, the Greek influence is big at Dartmouth as it is at Duke. But, disagree about UCLA being a commuter school now. It definitely was at one time since local, available housing was minimal. However, in recent years they've opened more dorms and nearby housing options, so a LOT more kids stay on campus.</p>
<p>fiskelove,
My d is in exactly the same boat as yours in terms of the Regent's offer at UCSB and the Regent's candidacy at UCB. Cal has long topped her UC list but when she read the UCSB letter, well let's just say her eyes got wide, and she is definitely interested.</p>
<p>I thought you might be interested to know that while she was in her Cal Regent's interview last weekend, one of the current Scholars mentioned to the kids and parents sitting at our table that the RCSA was trying to work out "priority registration" for future Scholars. He actually said "we're trying to get that for you guys." So, at least they are talking about making that happen. Whether it will or not, or what the timetable might be, is anyone's guess.</p>
<p>Well yes (and it is a beautiful ride, I have done it before) But a 30 min Bart ride beats a 9 hour train ride when you want to come home for a weekend.</p>
<p>Garrity -- Your comment about Oberlin and Davidson being an unusual combination prompts me to ask for more info. Obviously, both are great liberal arts colleges. I graduated from Oberlin so I'm quite familiar with its liberal culture. We've never visited Davidson. Other than the obvious difference of location, how does Davidson differ from Oberlin? Have you visited or do you know anyone who goes or has gone there? I read about Davidson somewhere and encouraged my daughter to apply because of its high academic ranking, merit aid and location in an area with a healthy economy. I grew up in Ohio and ended up leaving in part because of economic slowdown and lack of job opportunities. When I last visited a year ago, two old friends -- both very smart women and college graduates -- were struggling financially. One had lost her graphic design business after Sept. 11 and was waiting tables at the Olive Garden!!</p>
<p>We have had experience with both schools. There is no doubt that Berkeley has the big reputation and is more competitive. However, UCSB has it's share of Nobel prize winning faculty and excellent professors. Both schools will provide an excellent diverse undergraduate education. </p>
<p>Both schools have a party atmosphere if your kid is a partier........we know plenty of kids at both schools who party and plenty at both who don't. </p>
<p>They are both large schools but Berekely feels MUCH larger; getting classes at Berekely is MUCH harder for freshman. This year, the freshman are living 3 kids to a 2 person dorm room. Berekely feels very impersonal. For a school the size of UCSB, we were surprised how much attention and care they provided. If they want your daughter, and are taking the time to recruit her, that is worth a lot. At Berkeley, no one gets special attention for anything. </p>
<p>As a campus, Santa Barbara can feel very detatched from the rest of the world. Students there, tend to be less interested in the world at large and less politically aware. Berekely is definitely in the thick of things and has more going on politically. Because of it's isolation, UCSB is more comfortable socially and may be a better fit for a shy kid.</p>
<p>We attended the UCSB presentation in SF for high achieving applicants and it was impressive (this from a Cal grad & parent of a Cal grad who loved it) -- terrific speakers, a charismatic chancellor, a good film presentation -- and packed with an attractive, diverse bunch of students. They begin by telling the kids that they've been admitted and then saying they want to convince them to come. The message to parents was: your kid will be safe and cared for, that there are multiple Nobel scholars and other professors who teach undergraduates. The Honor's Program looked good -- in larger classes, there is a session weekly with the professor for the honor's students. They had over 40,000 applicants, average GPA 3.98 (this is the UC weighted GPA). Something to think about.</p>
<p>I have a D at Cal, I see a huge effort made to hook up the freshman with great profs. They offer Freshman & Sophomore seminars from amazing profs like Filipenko in Astronomy. They sent a book by Stephen Hawking to every single L&S freshman and arranged seminars and classes around discussing he book and gave Frosh tickets to his talk this week. The Cal campus gives free season tickets to Cal football (not Stanford & 'SC games :D) to freshman. </p>
<p>The do a lot to help your student get involved and exposed. My D at Cal is not shy, but she has easily made good connections with several profs, just by being interested & curious, they all seem willing to talk if you go to office hours.</p>
<p>How about an overnight visit for your D to see where she is more comfortable. Having had a D at another UC, I think Cal makes more of an effort to act like a "real" "big-time" school. They also mail parents letters and have an online parent advice board, etc.</p>
<p>So there are resources.</p>
<p>My D, outgoing and on a sport team, still felt the need to rush a sorority to make a smaller group of friends. It is a big school and you have to make yourself a bubble in which you survive and achieve.</p>
<p>Since Dartmouth is one of your daughter's top choices...</p>
<p>My nephew recently graduated from Dartmouth, which has a quarter or trimester type of arrangement, anyway it's not your standard semester setup.</p>
<p>UCSB must have a matching system, as he spent a winter term at UCSB, along with dozens of his Dart teammates. This is an arrangement that's been going on for a long time between the 2 schools.</p>
<p>N and his friends absolutely loved UCSB. None of them wanted to go back to NH (understandable given the winter weather differential!). We spent a couple weeks out there visiting and I must say the SB campus is striking, not so much the architecture as the setting. </p>
<p>BUT...I mean no disrespect to UCSB but the D kids commented how easy the classes were, at least compared to D. My N worked hard to get basically B's at D but got 3 easy A's at UCSB. He's econ major, perhaps he and friends took "easier" courses so they could play more, I don't know so perhaps the observation is unfair but I thought I'd put it out there. I wonder if your hard-working daughter might be better suited academically for UCB or most of the others on her list.</p>