<p>I am deciding between these 2 schools. I have been to both twice and loved them both. I am leaning towards SB and want to accept it, but I keep thinking what if at Cal Poly. Basically can someone just make a list of all things good AND bad at UCSB. I want to know everything about (Academics, students, campus, party scene, greek life, etc.) I am going to be an econ major and if i accept am planning on Santa Catalina...thoughts on that dorm as well. Thank You!</p>
<p>good: THE BEACH, the weather, beautiful/chill people (people here are not competitive at all and i find them all really friendly and happy), closer to a bigger city than SLO (SLO is a really nice place but it’s even smaller and more sheltered than SB-I would feel so isolated there. SB is bigger and a lot closer to LA. also UCSB is literally ON THE OCEAN and you’d have to drive if you went to cal poly), greek life isn’t huge (which i think is a good thing-I love how here you can easily have a social life without being greek unlike so many other schools. I don’t know much about greek life at SLO though), party scene is great-halloween/deltopia are awesome (you can walk to any party in IV since IV is so small-don’t have to worry about driving. they’re also really easy to fine. also partying is way better after your freshman year when you actually know people who live in IV/you live in IV), I didn’t live in FT but my friends who did really liked it. it’s a totally different experience than the other dorms-you’re very isolated over there but it’s also way crazier. the other dorms are much quieter and closer to class/the beach, which i liked. the campus is pretty nice, the buildings aren’t that pretty (but i think that’s the same for cal poly) but the gorgeous mountains on one side and the ocean on the other make up for that.
there aren’t many negatives, my only ones are that I hate my parents’ friends/family judging my school as a party school and acting like I don’t work hard at all-but I’ve mostly gotten over that and am now proud that my school is so much fun! all my friends at other schools are jealous. I also would have preferred to live in a bigger city than SB.
anyways you should definitely choose SB!!!</p>
<p>thank you for the info! one major concern i have with SB is that i hear professors dont teach its mostly TA’s. What has your experience been with professors and TA’s?</p>
<p>I’ve never had a problem with that, almost all my classes have been taught by professors. Professors lecture a few times a week in the bigger lecture halls and then you have TA’s for sections or labs that meet once a week with a smaller group and they grade your papers. I’ve never had a class entirely taught by a TA. If you want to have professors also teach your sections try becoming honors after your freshman year and then you can enroll in honors sections taught by professors.</p>
<p>I am in the EXACT same situation as you! Right down to dorm choice and major! It’s a really tough choice.</p>
<p>I’m on my third quarter now at UCSB and I’ve never had a TA teach a lecture. TA’s usually only teach the sections of general education courses. These are like small, review sessions that encourage participation. Not every professor even has a TA. I don’t anyone who has had a TA teach a class.</p>
<p>I’m on the same boat…I can’t decide between SLO or SB. I went to polycultural and I loved it, but I haven’t visited SB and I probably won’t be able to. I’m a biology major and I’m leaning a little bit more towards SB, but I’m not sure. Any suggestions?</p>