<p>My son has chosen to attend UCSB despite getting accepted at both Cal and UCLA. Just curious if there are many others out there who have made a similar decision. I am proud of him of for choosing the school where he felt he would fit in best. He simply ignored those who are hung up on "prestige" and rankings.</p>
<p>I’m facing the same issue! Well I got rejected from UCLA which is fine because I didn’t want to go there. UCSB has always been my dream school, like it’s so perfect to me. And today I just got into Cal and now I have no idea what to do! Like i really can’t pick between the two.</p>
<p>One of my close friends chose UCSB over here. I know of at least 3 people on my floor alone that also did, and another that turned down Stanford. And that’s just on my floor.</p>
<p>I know two people who chose UCSB over Berkeley</p>
<p>One of my close friends chose UCSB over UCB, UCLA and UCSD. Now he is attending medical school at UCSF.</p>
<p>My son just finished his 2nd quarter at UCSB and absolutely loves it there. Today he was accepted into the honors program and can’t wait to get back to school. He loves the intellectual culture of the campus. He’s thriving and it sounds like you son will too.</p>
<p>Yeah, I also know some people who turned down Cal and UCLA. There’re a lot more undergraduate research opportunities at UCSB than Cal and UCLA, since UCSB has the least amount of graduate students among all UC’s and its primary focus is undergraduates.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son on some very fine acceptances.</p>
<p>While UCSB has always been a very good school, I think that its student population has evolved for the better–greater academic gravitas and intellectualism, for sure. And, I know many success stories of UCSB grades.</p>
<p>For some, the seductive environment of the beach and the water is a great pull and that is a legitimate attraction. </p>
<p>UCLA and UCB are great schools, but it really doesn’t matter, does it, if your child left his heart in Santa Barbara. Listen to your kid–sounds like he knows himself and is impervious to hype and reputation (even though 'SB has very good rep). And he may find more intimacy with his professors/classmates/administration at 'SB.</p>
<p>And, as an aside, one of the most supremely intelligent and intellectual students I know–a real Univ. of Chicago type, frankly, a fascinating soul who thinks big thoughts)–enrolled at 'SB after being bullied by parents to stay in California. The student has found real intellectual and academic joy and social peers who are his/her people at 'SB. </p>
<p>(By the way, Choroidal, are you an ophthalmologist? Just wondering.)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the positive responses. I feel really good about my son’s choice, but it is nice to have some affirmation from the general community.</p>
<p>And yes, I am an ophthalmologist.</p>
<p>Can anyone recommend a dorm at UCSB for a non-partying only child, that just wants to get an education and not used to commotion?</p>
<p>
They don’t really exist. They enforce quiet hours in the dorms, and a person who is not interested in parties can meet plenty of like-minded friends, but if you think there is a college dorm that is going to be filled with people talking in subdued voices and not playing music you are probably mistaken.</p>
<p>Here is what they say in the dorm handbook
</p>
<p>Although I will say that Manzanita Village would be a better option than the Channel Island 5 of Santa Catalina. Less people per floor and because it’s a new building the rooms do a good job of keeping noise out. I lived in Manzanita Village when I transferred (albeit a 2nd year and above building) and it was pretty much silent 100% of the time. I hated it and sought most of my entertainment outside…</p>
<p>yeah manzanita is the most quiet and maybe even boring with i think santa catilina being the opposite,</p>
<p>Funny enough, I had one friend who went to Cal straight out of high school, and another went to UCLA. Both had really liked UCSB but felt like they should go to Cal/UCLA because of the reputation there. Both my friends ended up hating where they were and transferring to UCSB. They both did great academically, both of them were extensively involved in research at UCSB, and they both are VERY happy that they transferred to UCSB.</p>
<p>As far as dorms go, Manzanita is pretty quiet, but it borders on the verge of downright boring. The dorm experience is just part of college You can’t shelter yourself/your children from all disruptions in life. I would never want to live in a dorm ever again, but the experience really made me mature a lot. I was used to an impeccably clean, quiet house with a lot of privacy growing up. The dorms really brought me back down to earth/reality.</p>