<p>Hello, I was accepted into UCLA and UCSB for fall '11 as a transfer but I cannot decide where to attend. I have visited UCSB and I loved it and was unexpectedly accepted into UCLA as well. I'm a poli sci major and am thinking of minoring in economics, but for now it remains just a thought. I'm a very outdoorsy type of dude who loves the beach, mountains, and just kicking back with some steaks on the bbq. UCLA is obviously a much superior university from an academic standpoint but I am deadlocked on a decision nonetheless. What do you kids think?</p>
<p>I think youd be verry happy at SB. LA is cars cars cars… and you seem to already like SB. If la wasn’t so superior, would you have second guessed it? on the otherhand, if you go sb, hope you have good self control!</p>
<p>UCLA, it’s way chill. food is good there, area is awesome, the prestige is amazing (people usually acknowledge you as a bright individual when you say you go there), academics are pretty dam good there (although you might run into some classes with 50+ that are taught by TA’s), everything is pretty much awesome there.</p>
<p>About the prestige thing, not that going to any other UC doesn’t have prestige, but UCLA and UCB are known around the world. Many people have not heard of even UCSD/UCSB/UCD/UCI/UCSC/UCR outside of California, but most will at least still recognize the UC label. But in my opinion, UCLA should be your choice, many think that going there for undergrad is no big deal, but that really depends if you are going to grad school or not.</p>
<p>Are you kidding? You got to be a moron to pick ucsb over ucla. Do you know how many people want to be in your position being accpeted to one of the prestigious universities in the country? Serously UCLA has everything UCSB does except the beach. Go to UCLA dude, you will thank me in 10 years.</p>
<p>Your education is more than just the academics, it’s also about what you learn/experience outside of class. Santa Barbara is beautiful; it’s most of the good parts of LA without all the pressure/congestion/etc. The location and atmosphere is stellar. Everyone is carefree and good-looking. It’ll be hard not to enjoy yourself.</p>
<p>So, is UCLA that much better for your major that it’s worth the traffic, and faster-paced lifestyle? If so, go for it. LA is great too. But if the difference in your major is marginal and you’re just concerned about school reputation - go where you’ll be happiest. And there’s always grad school for a different experience.</p>
<p>Congrats on being accepted!</p>
<p>Go where you will be happy. Plenty of people pick UCSB over UCLA. One of my best friends goes to UCSB and she cannot say enough good things about it. She is the outdoorsy type and they always go on hiking excursions with big groups, camping, surf at the beach, and it’s super chill. I get a little envious when she tells me about it. I think you’d really like it. </p>
<p>UCLA is a great school too. But again, it’s about what’s more suitable for you. I don’t know if you’ve visited UCLA before but it’s a completely different vibe from UCSB. Everything moves much more quickly (besides traffic, har har har). But yeah, think fast paced environment and lots and lots of people (and pollution). </p>
<p>Up to you but I think UCSB is a better balance of your interests and academics.</p>
<p>You sound like you would be a great fit for UCSB, but if you are a political science major/econ minor UCLA is definitely a far superior school in general and also in that field. If you are planning on only getting your B.A. you would be way better off going to UCLA. However, if you are planning on going to law school or graduate school in the future it may be more beneficial for you to go to UCSB, have fun, and have a better chance of achieving a higher GPA in less competitive classes since in the future it won’t matter what undergraduate school you attended.</p>
<p>ucla. hands down. yeesh, and i thought ucla vs. ucsd threads were silly. doesnt ucla have a beach just 20-30 min away? if u like to hike, get a treadmill facing a window and put it on incline…or just find a nearby place to hike (i’m sure there are places within an hour if you just looked). lastly, you will find chill people everywhere, so that’s a silly thing to worry about.</p>
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<p>I’m from LA, love LA, spent like, 6 months in Santa Barbara and have never ever forgotten the PERFECT weather, HOT bodies, and just the wonderful EASE of it all. UCLA’s beach is 6 miles away yet it takes 30 minutes to get there because of traffic. Then you’ve gotta park. You can walk to the beach in Santa Barbara. It’s 72 degrees every day. Everyone’s all…cheerful.</p>
<p>If you’re a highly neurotic, road-raging, cutthroat ambitious type who can curse out the guy who just cut you off, while weaving in and out of traffic in your Mini Cooper without spilling your latte on your way to an indoor gym – like me – then by all means choose LA.</p>
<p>If you’re relaxed and outdoorsy and plan to spend retirement lounging on a beach instead of taking high blood pressure pills – choose SB.</p>
<p>I’m kidding! Mostly. But no really.</p>
<p>Go to UCSB if you really like it. I know plenty of people from wayyyy more obscure universities than UCSB making it big in life. In fact, most people I know that go to places like UCLA for undergrad don’t ever do better later on (for grad school). Prestige in the undergrad level is good but UCSB is high enough up for you not to worry and the competition for grades would be slightly less (more to your advantage). I’m already thinking of going to UCLA but that is only because I visited many UC’s and this one really appealed to me in terms of the area and look of the campus but even now, I might consider UCSD or Davis over it. My dentist friend today even recommended that I choose UCR or UCI over UCLA just because my opportunities for recommendations, research, and cost would be significantly better but I’m just not feeling those schools.</p>
<p>Make sure you really are sure though that UCSB is right for you because it’s not worth letting UCLA go if you aren’t absolutely sure UCSB is right for you (you seem sure though so i’m not sure that’s an issue).</p>
<p>Couple of things here. I’m from The Bay Area(San Jose), moved down to LA to attend SMC and transfer to UCLA. I moved down almost 2 years ago, and let me tell you just how much my perception has changed. While UCLA is the better school, it is in one of the worst spots of LA. I live a couple of miles from Westwood. Let me tell you - westwood sucks. Really bad. Pollution. Traffic. NO PARKING. If your idea of fun is going to yogurtland, then you will enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong - UCLA = amazing professors, amazing classes, amazing education that is second to Cal. But the location is so incredibly BAD that it makes you want to kill yourself. That’s just me. I would rather go to USC than UCLA b/c USC actually feels like a community. UCLA is just in the middle of a big city. Doesnt have a college type feel town like Davis or the small town feel like SB. At the end of my first year @ SMC, last place I wanted to go was UCLA. I’ve been accepted to SB and SD for pre-economics, denied from UCLA.</p>
<p>SB is an amazing school. It is the 4th best UC ranked(tied with Davis at #39), so you can’t go wrong with it. However, UCLA is #24 and is the better school. That’s a fact. But like I said, if the location is going to hinder your happiness like it would for me - i wouldn’t go there. </p>
<p>P.S. I hate streets like Landfair and Gayley - I just hate westwood. sorry.</p>
<p>Wow look at all these bitter people rejected from UCLA trying edge him into not going there. Please, UCSB is just a ordinary university that nobody really cares about. UCLA is world known, you can fly over to the middle of Turkey or India mention UCLA and they would know what it is. Its the school that politicians, successful business people, top lawyers,doctors and even famous movie stars/ artists go to. Choosing ucsb over ucla because of the LOCATION is probably going to be one of the biggest mistake of this guys life. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>^ Um, actually I got into UCLA, with a 4% admit rate to boot.</p>
<p>I’m giving him realistic advice. No point in going to a world class institution only to get lost because you hate it. I thrive on stress, thus, I will go to UCLA and be prepared to rip someone’s head off in order to get the most out of it.</p>
<p>Everyone is different.</p>
<p>I got into UCLA too. It’s a great school, like I said earlier. I’m just forming an opinion based off of the info that the OP is giving me about his preferences. I’m being honest about the environment. Whether or not he picks prestige over happiness is his decision, not mine.</p>
<p>I know what you’re going through OP except I’m torn between Davis and LA. Nobody can make this decision for you, you just have to think about what’s really the most important thing for you, amazing academic opportunity at UCLA or an environment that is more comfortable and fun for you. It’s not like UCSB is a bad school either, just take some time and maybe visit both and make which ever choice feels best.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would chooose UCSB. Sure UCLA might have more prestige to it’s name, but is it worth your time and money if you don’t even like it? You don’t sound like the kid who’s highly competitive(academic-wise) with his peers that’ll go great lengths to make sure you get the A and not the kid sitting next to you. You sound pretty chill and laid back. Go to UCSB (if you want) because the environment is more laid back, it’s next to the beach, you can hike,etc., and you’d probably get a higher GPA since it’s less competitive & a less pressure environment. Don’t choose a campus just because it’s name it’s bigger, even though you had no intentions of initially going there. Thats like choosing a career for the money and actually hating the job. Even though a lot of people replied on your thread, go with your gut man.</p>
<p>@twistnswif. No one is bitter over being denied from UCLA buddy. He’s asking for opinions. If I had to choose between UCLA and UCSB, would I choose UCLA? Sure. What about UCLA or USC? I would choose USC. These are opinions. You are not required to agree with them. There are many aspects that make up the college environment. No one is ruining his college career LOL, he came on this board ASKING HIMSELF what people thought. </p>
<p>You may think UCLA’s location is fantastic. I may think its horrible. We both agree it’s the 2nd best UC. The guy can obviously decide for himself.</p>
<p>We’re missing out on some crucial info. To OP, what exactly do you plan to do with your poli sci/econ minor? Recruitment opportunities, research opportunities, etc. can make a lot of difference or none at all depending on what career you want to enter. If OP isn’t particularly sure then it’s more of a decision of what matters most to him, the college experience or an academic experience.</p>
<p>And can we please stop with the petty ad hominem attacks and self-defensive remarks? It’s not helping the OP.</p>
<p>Yeah can we please not attack a school either by saying no one cares about it. That’s false. How can it be ranked so high in the world and nation and no one care? Get real. </p>
<p>I’d suggest UCSB. You be getting a world class education at both but everythinh else at sb seems to fit you better.</p>