<p>I'm from Florida, planning on studying psychology.
Because of financial aid and scholarships, UCSB & Tulane come out to about the same price for me.
I've visited both campuses and liked them equally.
They seem close in academic rankings and overall student happiness.
I noticed at Tulane that the faculty seemed more flexible and gave students more attention. I also loved the New Orleans atmosphere. However, I'm hesitating because I think big schools like UCSB can have their advantages too and I've wanted to go to college in California for a long time.
Thoughts?</p>
<p>I loved UCSB and my niece (now graduating medical school) loved it more recently. The bioPsychology department there in particular seems extremely interesting. Students are happy, you are near on the beach, and it is about as close to the ‘going to college in California’ daydream as I think a real place is going to ever get.</p>
<p>I also am aware of the ‘public v private’ divide in terms of ‘frills’, which are sometimes very helpful things like EXCESS staff so counselor appointment are pretty much immediate, and policies seem more flexible (although where there is a will, there is often a way, at publics, as well.) I went to public and a private high school, and public universities (including UCSB) and a private graduate school. I decided it was the ‘buffer’ of the state taxpayer paying much of the public expense and the more direct to ‘consumer’ accountability of privates. I may be way off base, but that is a conclusion I haven’t seen any reason to change in later life. Privates feel different, to me. More plush.</p>
<p>I still recommend UCSB, but I don’t know Tulane, and can’t compare them directly. UCSB is ranked 40 in the nation for their psychology department and Tulane is 101 by US News, if that means anything to you. <a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings/page+5”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings/page+5</a> As important to me would be that UCSB has quite a number of other majors rated in the top 50 in the nation in case you decided to be an English major (26) a Sociology major (31) an Economics major (32) etc etc etc. That is where the ‘benefits of the big schools’ and their resources come into play in a big way for me.</p>
<p>Good luck on whatever you decide!</p>