<p>i got accepted into UCSB for the East Asian Studies major, and yesterday i was accepted into UCD for the International Relations major. i'm interested in going to a college where they offer opportunities to study abroad and learn other languages, especially Japanese. I'm still unsure whether or not I should study international relations because i've heard that it's hard to make a career out of it. still, im interested in it, and i would like to try it out. but i would just like to hear your opinions regarding the environment and the types of programs available at UCD and if it would be a good match for me :) </p>
<p>right now im leaning towards Davis...</p>
<p>also, im from orange county, so i was wondering what would be the easiest and cheapest way of transportation because i would like to come back during the holidays >.<</p>
<p>I’ve been scouring CC looking for the same answer since I am also in the same position as you. However, the major I chose are both top-notch and respected(Chemical/Biological engineering at Davis and Economics/Accounting at SB). I actually visited Davis today, and I have to say that visiting in a must. The environment is laid-back and I mean that in a good way. People are nice, weather is not as bad you would think it would be, food is amazing, dorms are pretty nice, and the girls are actually cute there. Overall, Davis is truly a college town and school spirit there is certainly not lacking. However, the campus is huge and this can be both a plus and minus. For me personally, I loved the big college campus feel but I did not have a bike today and walking back and forth can be a nuisance. Now to UCSB. Don’t let UCSB’s reputation fool you, the kids there will get down and dirty(no not that way) when they have to get their work done. Academically, the two are ranked the same (see USnews 2011 ranking). I don’t know much about SB other than the stuff I alrdy heard. But from what my friends at Davis said, it’s campus is a lot nicer than Davis’ campus(which is saying a lot since the campus at UCD was amazing). SB’s environment is more revolved around parties while laid-back at the same time and there are a lot of rumors that there are kids there are stuck up(i’ll have to see for myself when i visit). Both campuses are known to be extremely bike friendly and to be honest, both UCD and UCSB are great schools. But I’m pretty sure you have heard all of this before. Since the two are ranked equally, I’m sorry that I can’t say which school is better. These two schools require visits in order to find out which environment you’ll fit in best. Good luck! I’ll come back to this in a week after I decide which two to attend and send my SIR. </p>
<p>PS- i rejected SD. Although its tier 1 and its academics are slightly better, the environment was very uptight and it didnt seem that the students there were happy since they were too busy studying and what not. Also, the lack of school spirit really shows how much the atmosphere was at SD. This is, of course, my opinion and others may love SD, but from my visit, I have to say that a good majority of kids there are socially introverted.</p>
<p>I just visited SB this weekend, and its has a huge campus. i was actually rather taken aback by the school. i did hear the rumors about the school having stuck up people and how it was a party school, so i was kind of worried. but once i visited the campus i met a lot of really nice people who helped me out. the environment is pretty laid back, but it wasnt such a big surprise since the beach is practically right there. i didnt get to see the dorms, but there was a display of how big the dorms were and they seem really small to me. i hope the dorms at UCD are better >.<
but overall, i agree with u about visiting being a must. before, i wasnt really considering UCSB as an option, but now im actually considering going there. however, im still leaning towards UCD…the only thing thats pretty much stopping me from turning in my SIR is the fact that UCD is so far away from my home. im from OC, so SB is closer to where i live…
Im planning on visiting UCD sometime this week or next week so ill probably make my decision sometime after that…
did u have a chance to look at the dorms at UCD? if u already visited UCSB, which dorms would u say are better?
also, did u make ur decision? if u havent, then good luck!
and thanks for helping me out ^^</p>
<p>Definitely plan a visit. While both are great schools, it’s where you, as an individual, fit best. Putting academics aside, visit and see for yourself where you think you’ll be most comfortable at. I did both college tours. Yes, Davis’ campus is huge, however, the atmosphere is awesome - seems like a more mature atmosphere with the College town feeling that most colleges today are lacking. The city of Davis, while small, is very quaint. For a bigger city feel, Sacramento is 20 minutes away. Bus shuttle between UC Davis and Sacramento airport is free - so traveling from Sacramento Airport to Orange County shouldn’t be an issue (try Southwest). Between flying from Sacramento and driving from Santa Barbara - the commute time might be the same. </p>
<p>thank you DidiHolly and friscoman10!
yea visiting both campus did make a difference. UC Davis was a bit different than what i expected, but it was still an amazing campus nonetheless. i think it offers me a lot more opportunities than ucsb does, and i liked the campus and atmosphere, so i chose uc davis
good luck making a decision!!!
i hope u guys have a wonderful time in whatever college u decide to go to ^^</p>
