UCSB/SBCC: What is Tropicana Gardens like?

<p>Hey Guys!</p>

<p>I'm going to go to SBCC from out of state with the goal of TAGing into UCSB as a business major. I might toss an app towards Haas as well. My problem is I'm probably going to live in Trop Gardens, and from what I've read it seems like it could distract me. Is it quiet enough during the week to study? Also what are the three bedroom suites like? Do I get to choose my room? I'd like to get "C" or "A" bedroom in one of the three person three bedroom suites. However, I am mainly concerned about getting study time during the week w/ out jeopardizing my social life.</p>

<p>Also, my friend who was accepted into UCSB will try to live in Trop as my room mate, and he's concerned that he'll be isolated from other UCSB kids. He also wants to know about the quality of the rooms.</p>

<p>One of you has to know someone that lives in Trop Gar!</p>

<p>Trop Gardens is pretty nice, the rooms are pretty big and there’s a living room attached. There’s a lot more 3 bedroom / 6 person suite than 2 bedroom / 3 person suites, and those are only A and B bedrooms, no C bedrooms. If you sign up early you can pick your room, but if you sign up late you have to pick from what’s left. SBCC lives at Trop Gardens and UCSB lives at Trop Del Norte. I don’t know if UCSB students really live at Gardens by choice. My friend lived there, but he was there because Del Norte was full and there was overflow at Gardens. He had a pretty good time and met a ton of people, but he got to know a lot more CC kids than UC kids. There’s a study lounge at Gardens that was pretty nice. I lived at Del Norte, but I liked the Gardens Study Lounge better because its a lot bigger. And there’s free printing there too, which is nice.</p>

<p>Can the noise from DP be heard in the rooms? And how difficult is the commute to the CC?</p>

<p>If I recall correctly DP is at least 5 blocks from Trop so I wouldn’t worry about that. SBCC is about 10 miles from isla vista, most students either drive or take the bus. If you’re planning on driving be warned the parking situation is god awful and I often waited 20+ minutes at peak times, anywhere from 9am to 1pm. The bus is free but very crowded but at least you don’t have to deal with parking.</p>

<p>If the noise is distracting you could always bicycle onto the UCSB campus and go to the library.</p>

Tropicana Gardens received literally the worst Yelp reviews I’ve ever seen of any business anywhere–but clearly they don’t jibe with the moderate to favorable reviews shared above. Does anyone have more recent favorable impressions? Negative impressions? Any sense of why Yelp generated such passionately negative reviews?