UCSB Spring Insight open house for admitted students April 12, 2014

<p>I could have sworn the web page used to say Spring Insight was at 1 pm but now it says 9 a.m. - 3. I may have just gotten it wrong, but in case they changed it, I'm mentioning it. Here is their program: <a href="https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/docs/default-source/PDFs/spring-insight-program-2014_for-web.pdf?sfvrsn=10"&gt;https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/docs/default-source/PDFs/spring-insight-program-2014_for-web.pdf?sfvrsn=10&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>and here is where you register to attend: <a href="https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/visit-ucsb/open-house"&gt;https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/visit-ucsb/open-house&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I told someone I’d report on this event, but to be honest, if a hundred different people went, they would have a hundred different events. You picked and chose what you wanted to attend off the schedule, with many, many different possible selections. In a sense it was a madhouse because so much was going on, if you also wanted to check out the clubs (that path was sort of the mad house part. If you went one path up, you found the typical serene UCSB campus with students avoiding the more crowded pathway.) My sons were NOT interested in seeing the Marine Labs and touch tanks, which was a disappointment, but their view was that they had touched starfish before…</p>

<p>They met a few of their friends there, and the panel on pre - law at UCSB was very good, and the Professor giving a talk on Ulysses was quite good (and SOOOOOOO enjoying his subject matter…). Since we also wanted to check out the housing fair and the clubs and wanted to have lunch in IV, we ended up missing the Letters & Sciences presentation, but we had gone to the two parts of it that mattered most to us, and the pre-law panel had actually gone over a bit of the letters and sciences subject matter. In any event, there simply weren’t enough hours in the day. However it was an excellent event, the students were very friendly, as always, and both my boys say they are likely to go there, after the event. I am going to revisit Davis with them as well, however. (If only because there is really something to be said for twins not going to the same school…) but if they both want to go there, I think each could be happy at UCSB.</p>

<p>We went yesterday and now my D is even more excited about attending. College of Letters and Science presentation was very informative with students providing insight into campus life, research and the overall program. Campus tour was a bit of disappointment as we didn’t see much nor really informative (provided wrong info as to when the library renovation will be completed - Dec 2015 is the target date). Also tour guides seem to have been briefed to downplay recent events in Isla Vista ( I heard one guide say that 90% o the students involved were non-UCSB students…which is incorrect). The RA we met during the Housing fair gave us great info into Dorm life, the programs and activities that they put on. I only concern is the lack of doubles that are available…triples are the norm in the dorms. We had lunch in the IV at Blaze Pizza and it was great. All of the eateries and shops around Blaze (Freebirds, The Habit, Starbucks) seem like cool places to hang out. However, I’m not really a big fan of the rest of IV. I will be fight hard to keep my D living on campus during her next 3-4 years there. </p>

<p>Transportation around town seems pretty easy. Buses meet on campus at the Bus loop and its a 10min trip to a nearby shopping center (Hollister and Stoke) with places to eat, shop and movies. Amtrak is also right up the street so I feel good about letting her ride the train.</p>

<p>Overall academically I think UCSB will be great for a D and is probably the best fit compared to the other UCs. I kinda disappoint that as a Biology major she can’t use her AP Bio or AP Chem for credit for the into class in each subject. I’m hoping that the beach, shopping downtown and other campus activities will be enough to keep her busy when not studying. I’n not a fan of the IV lifestyle and hoping she doesn’t get influence by others as UCSB can be a great place to learn and hopefully a launching pad for Grad school and beyond.</p>

<p>Actually, 91% of those cited were non UCSB which is accurate. <a href=“Fewer than 10% cited, held at spring break riot are tied to UCSB”>Fewer than 10% cited, held at spring break riot are tied to UCSB; And I know at least some of those student citations were for playing music, which doesn’t leave many. </p>

<p>A guy in the prelaw panel also said that the UCSB folks hate people coming in and trashing the place and leaving the students to clean it up. He sounded convincing at least regarding the people he knew, although I am sure he didn’t poll every student. UCSB Associated Students has called for a Civil Grand Jury to look into it, though.</p>

<p>I do hope they prevent what happened last week from happening again, but since that is the first time in 40 years anything like that has happened, they have other successful events to draw from. I understand last Halloween the town, including students, the police and all stakeholders had pre meetings before the party, and nothing like what happened last week occurred. In fact, the closing down of the party when the time came was quite amicable between student, partiers, and the Isla Vista foot patrol –> <a href=“Closing Time cover IV Foot Patrol Halloween - YouTube”>Closing Time cover IV Foot Patrol Halloween - YouTube;

<p>However, my niece who graduated there (pre med) a few years ago wasn’t into the party scene and had plenty of students to socialize with who would prefer an evening bbq at the beach. There are all sorts of flavors of social life there. I am sure your daughter will be able to find the sort that suits her best.</p>