<p>I'm stuck between UCSC & UCSB. I plan on visiting UCSC on 4/13 (by car) and UCSB on 4/14 (by plane -- any other suggestions? $500 is a lot for roundtrip) during spring break and see which one I feel more comfortable living at. Any positives/negatives of the two? Which has a better biology major? better graduation rates? better food? better housing? </p>
<p>I'm new here at CollegeConfidential, so please help me out! :]</p>
<p>I gotta say I am totally biased here, though I didn't attend either one. I think of both as places where you can get distracted and easily not live up to your potential, if you don't keep your focus. So keep your focus. Having said that, UCSB just seems so much more fun. And UCSC seems to be kind of a burnout, pot-head kind of school even though the campus is really beautiful. I normally don't just come out and bash a school like that. As you said you were going to do, go and check out the schools and see which one feels better.</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as you and just got back from visiting both campuses last week. </p>
<p>First off the only other suggestion for transportation to and from UCSB is car, but that depends on your distance. </p>
<p>Secondly there are of course positives and negatives for the two schools just like any others. UCSB is ranked slightly higher if you care about such things but in my mind it'll all come out about the same in the end. As for location they are both near the beach but UCSB is actually right on the beach front overlooking the pacific whereas UCSC is set back up on a hill in the red woods (still not far though and there is a bus). UCSB from both my personal experience and from what I've heard has more of a partyish type atmosphere versus a more relaxed lets just hang out and maybe smoke atmoshpere. Of course it depends on who you know and associate with. There both big schools and I'm sure you can find people who are into whatever it is that you are into if you look. </p>
<p>As for better biology major I couldn't tell you because that is not my intended area of major, I'm more of a social sciences kinda guy. I'm sure they are roughly equal though. </p>
<p>Graduation rates are as follows. For UCSB Four Years: 50%, Five Years: 72%, and Six Years: 77% vs. UCSC Four Years: 42%, Five Years: 61%, and Six Years: 65%. This is according to the one or two year old college p rowler books for the respective schools. </p>
<p>As for food I'm sure they are about equal with UCSC probably having a slight edge. </p>
<p>On-campus housing looks better at UCSB than UCSC but only marginally. Also my understanding is that your only guaranteed one year of on campus housing at UCSB vs. two years at UCSC. Off campus housing is supposedly better and cheaper at UCSC in regards to price and quality, but again the difference is very small. I don't know about UCSC but for UCSB pretty much every body who lives off campus lives in IV (Isla Vista) which is literally right next to campus so you'll be living right next to all your friends and the college, which is awesome. </p>
<p>All in all I got a much more favorable impression of UCSB but you may find that you hate it so definitely follow through on your plans and visit both campuses and let me know how it goes. Either way I'm sure neither of us can go wrong.</p>
<p>Ive lived in Santa Barbara all my life, and i grew up doing summer camp at ucsb and swiming in the pool and everything, so i know the campus pretty well if you have any questions, or questions about sb in general. id say the best thing about ucsb over ucsc is that ucsb has IV which is like the college student town, where everyone lives and theres tons of food and stuff like that. if your not into the big party scene then you wouldnt want to live in IV because its pretty ridiculous, but fun if your into that. Santa cruz just doesnt have that college area right next to it with stores and food ( eat at freebirds when your at ucsb, best burrito in the world)
I would have to disagree with TKpro, the ucsc housing, depending on the college, looks WAY better than santa barbara. some dorms at sb are nice, like manzinita, but a lot of freshman live in FT which is a huge like 12 story high rise about a mile away from campus.
also, beach wise, sb has, for the most part, better weather, more sunny warm days, and the beach is RIGHT there, not like sc where its a 15 minute bus ride away.
I would probably have gone to UCSB if i didnt grow up here, but Im going to UCSC and im glad ive decided to do that.
if you have any more questions about ucsb lemme know!! good luck</p>