I cant decide between these two great universities. Berkeley is better known, and having a degree from UCB will likely help me while finding a job. On the other hand, after visiting both schools, I’ve found that Santa Barbara has the campus “vibe” that I desire. At Berkeley students were friendly, but evidently stressed. They appeared to be slightly less sociable. However, at Santa Barbara, students seemed happy, relaxed, and very sociable. Both schools are in ideal locations ( though Santa Barbara beaches are hard to pass up) and have a great “college town” feel (Isla Vista and Telegraph street). Another reason why I am hesitant to go to Berkeley is the tough competition. If I intent to go to graduate school, Santa Barbara may be the better option. If i were to select Santa Barbara, I would enter (with the lack of a better phrase) as a highly competitive student. On the other hand, my GPA and standardized test scored would be subpar compared to the average Berkeley admit (I believe my essays allowed me admission into Berkeley). I can’t choose one of these schools over the other; one day I am committed to becoming a golden bear, the next a gaucho. My intended major is statistics, though I will likely explore other majores before declaring.
Thanks for any opinions.
I’m definitely in the same boat as you, @UCSantaBerkeley!!! I visited Berkeley last year, and while I loved the surrounding area, I found the campus to be somewhat boring. I visited SB last week, and the campus and setting is hard not to fall in love with. I also visited Isla Vista to get the feel of the college town vibe over there and it was super relaxed, compared to the hustle an bustle of Berkeley. My friend who stayed overnight at Berkeley also got the feel that the students weren’t so friendly, and very burrowed in their books.
Also, are you on UCSB’s Schools App? I’m somewhat leaning towards UCSB because the people are so friendly! Not only did I feel that on the campus tour but also on the app, I’ve talked to other admitted freshmen and I’ve met an AMAZING (possible) roommate for UCSB, in the event that I decide to go there.
I’m also unsure because of the prestige and better rankings of Cal. I loved UCSB but Cal has always been my dream school and it’s better known and more prestigious. My dad also thinks that a degree from Cal will be more valued than UCSB but I think otherwise… I’d like to think that the things I do in college would matter more than the school’s name but i don’t know… I’m also afraid about GPA deflation and the difficulty of classes at Cal! I’m an aspiring pre-med and needless to say, the competition at Berkeley is tough, so i’ve heard. I’m also with you on the getting into Berkeley… I have no idea how I got in.
After talking to some people who’re set on UCSB though, I’ve heard that it’ll give you the more “college experience.” My possible roommate at UCSB also toured SB last week and told me that her tour guide also had to choose between Cal and UCSB, and ended up choosing SB because he liked the lifestyle there compared to Berkeley.
I’m not sure if my answer is any help but just thought I’d share my opinions and debate since I too am deciding between these two schools! SO INDECISIVE. 
@UCSantaBerkeley I also forgot to add… the surrounding area of Berkeley is also amazing, with its own share of great eateries and stores. It is also in close proximity to the city of SF and everything is easily accessible through public transportation. No beaches though, haha.
What do you think of the semester vs quarter system? Maybe that could be a deciding factor since Cal is on a semester system while SB is on a quarter system.
And whats the distance of either school to your home? For me, Berkeley is about 6 hours away, while SB is only 2.5 hours away. I’m from the LA area! I always wanted to be far from home (aka Berkeley) but after visiting UCSB, I’m strongly considering it…
Sorry for my long commentary! Hope it helps and hopefully we can both decide where to go lol.
I replied in your other thread that location is one factor of looking at a college.
But I also want to point out that while the location of the college will have an impact after college, how you feel and comfortable about the college will determine how well you do during college. The college that satisfies both requirements would be the best-case scenario.
The observation you saw that Berkeley students appear more stressed is pretty true after visiting several other colleges myself. College is all about learning, learning about yourself, and learning about yourself what you like to do and if UCSB has a more supportive environment to reach that, then certainly go for it.
I know one person myself who came to Berkeley grad from UCSB undergrad and she has a very positive attitude and just smart. Similar to you, she felt that same vibe from UCSB and decided to go there and came to Berkeley when it’s really time to study in grad school and she’s just killing it.
I think one of the smartest thing an individual can do is go with what they want despite what those rankings and prestige reports have to say.