Hey, I was accepted to UCSC under a Computer Engineering Major, and I really want to go to a school near the coast. I’m still waiting for UCSD, but i’m not keeping my hopes up. Could anyone tell me about UCSC? Does that school have a good reputation? Along a scale, where do you believe it ranks between the other UC Institutions? Do you know if it has a good engineering program? Anything to do up there? I would really appreciate some info. from other ppl who have experienced UCSC first-hand or even something close to that. I really know very little about that campus, so i’d appreciate some comments! Thanks.
<p>how did you find out that you were accepted??</p>
<p>Okay, just to lay this down once and for all... if you get into a UC, any UC, the quality of education will remain topnotch. UCSC has a very good reputation, particularly among science majors with a focus on marine biology; the campus has the Monterey Bay Aquarium at their dispense and they've done a lot of joint research projects. I see their boats near the shore whenever I go to the beaches close to the aquarium.</p>
<p>Engineering program, I'm not so sure about. But according to hearsay, it is good. It should be, it's so close to Silicon Valley. I stayed there for 4 days over the summer and had the chance to use the computer labs. Excellent Macintosh systems, if G5s mean anything to you.</p>
<p>PLENTY TO DO UP THERE, DON'T BELIEVE OTHERWISE. You go there, you're a 1 1/2 hour drive from San Francisco. San Jose's close, too; lots of concerts at the HP Pavilion there. Gilroy, city of garlic and renowned for its outlet center, is 45 minutes away from there. Maybe even less than that. Santa Cruz is a very diverse city, so if you're feenin' for some Mediterranean food and whatnot, there are cafes close to the campus. I'm not forgetting the beaches and surfing, too. YES, it has a whole lotta surfers. Almost forgot to mention the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, but opens in the first half of the year... close to the summer time. Maybe it opens in spring, too? I'm not sure. Weather's nice and flip-flop slippers worthy; being close to water keeps the temperature balanced. Right now we're getting a lot of sun.</p>
<p>When you wake up in the morning, at around 6 or so, open the windows. It's really peaceful. Come fall, when the fog rolls in, the campus buildings look almost ghostly and surreal. So you're getting some topnotch landscape, too. And would you believe it, during my stay, I had the opportunity to stand a mere 10 feet away from a doe and her offspring.</p>
<p>If the campus wasn't so close to home that I could commute, I would go there. But I'm going to decline their offer as soon as I start narrowing down my college campuses choices.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>UCSC's reputation has been greatly improving as of late, especially since the university started giving out letter grades instead of performance reports only. They used to be known as the tree-hugging hippie UC, much like Humboldt State out of the CSUs. With more competitive college admissions in recent years, the student body is changing for the better.</p>
<p>The UC hierarchy is roughly as follows:
1. UC Berkeley
2. UCLA
3. UC San Diego
4. UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine
7. UCSC
8. UC Riverside
9. UC Merced</p>
<p>blind1595, did you apply to the 3/2 Engineering program?</p>
<p>I agree with the above posters, except im_blue simply because 'ranking' colleges always ends in bad feelings. ;)</p>
<p>I'm a current UCSC first-year (Literature, though, with some science classes -- no engineering here), so I can answer most of your questions about campus from my experience, too, if you have them. Just PM or AIM me.</p>
<p>dude, I too have gotten into UCSC for computer engineering... I too am also waiting for UCSD but yea... lol anyway, go here:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=41135%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=41135</a></p>