<p>If you were admitted to both these schools, which one would you attend? </p>
<p>I'm really having a tough time making this decision..and any input would be very very helpful!</p>
<p>you have time to decide. Visit both, overnite if you can -- if you know anyone from your HS who goes there, people are usually ok with letting you spend a nite on the couch floor in a sleeping bag. Get a feel if you'd be comfortable; see what type of students each school attracts, how friendly they seem, go to some classes and see what you think, wander around the community and see if you'd be happy for 4+ years in that environment. Get meals in the cafeteria and see how approachable people are.</p>
<p>I got into both, and I'm going to UCSB. But the decision was easy for me because SB has been my top choice since I was 9. I haven't spent any time in Irvine, but I've spent a lot in SB and it is my favorite place to be. Isla Vista is a true college town, which is important to me, coming from a college town. Also, the actual city of Santa Barbara, about 10 minutes away, is beautiful with a fun downtown. And I don't know how close the ocean really is to Irivne, but it is RIGHT there at UCSB. A house of DP means the beach is your backyard. And the weather? Perfect. But don't take my word for it...visit. Open house, April 9th.</p>
<p>Depends on what you're looking for. UCSB is a notorious party school, there's no denying this fact. However, it is slowly rising in academics. UCI is however, very "undiverse" in its extraordinarily high asian population (~60%?). I believe that UCI has more challenging academics, but the campus is ugly and pales in comparison to UCSB. UCI literally looks like candyland with all their...flavored block inspired buildings.</p>