<p>Hey guys, just a quick question on where I should attend for a better acquirement of my intended major chemical engineering. I heard that UCSB has a very good chemical engineering program, but it seems like UCSD is not bad too. Help me choose plz</p>
<p>i heard SD is highly competitive, so lots of pressure? SB is more relaxed and social. but i believe sd is supposed to be better for bioengineering</p>
<p>SB is much more known for its chemical engineering. this is from a chemical engineer. I think SD is more bio stuff.</p>
<p>If you go to UCSB you get better internships.</p>
<p>If you check US News you can see that UCD loves to emphasize in writing surprisingly out of the UCs. So no matter what major we all still must do our best in english.</p>
<p>Personally Id take Davis over UCSB anyday. I am actually going to make the decision between UCSD and UCD but I may lean more towards Davis for the Biology and life there alone. The social scene at UCSB has the party atmosphere where alot of the kids were hungover when I visited. </p>
<p>UCD IS as nice as the pictures show you in fact i think its better in person. The gym is by far the most incredible gym Ive seen in any college Ive visited including east coast schools.</p>
<p>However UCSB is right near the beach and has a nice beach town for its surrounding. Personally Ive lived near beach all my life and Im not into the whole surfer dude with beach blonde hair scene.</p>
<p>Visit Both schools for sure. (if money is a factor, Davis offers free transportation to the airport and back along with other free transportation packages thrown in I am not sure but there may be one for visiting SF too)</p>
<p>The cost of housing at UCD is also significantly less but the quality is better.</p>
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UCSD or UCSB
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<p>You misread OP, it's not UCD vs UCSB.</p>
<p>I was responding to the poster above me.</p>
<p>I was referring to that poster.</p>
<p>I'm actually in the exact same situation... I was accepted under Chemical Engineering at both UCSB and UCSD, and am currently trying to choose one of the two. I've been to both, and I prefer the UCSD campus, however I was really put off by the social scene. I stayed with a friend (in a dorm) for a week, and quite literally never saw anything exciting happen. It was depressing.</p>
<p>I've been to UCSB twice, and once was for their infamous halloween celebration in isla vista...so that wasn't really an accurate representation of the school. My biggest qualm with UCSB is lack of an urban environment. I prefer city life, or at least access to one nearby, and LA is a bit far.</p>
<p>Education matters to me, but social life is equally important. I'm going to go visit both a second time next week, with the sole intention of seeing how much fun I can have at each campus. Anybody have any suggestions??</p>
<p>My daughter attends UCSB and has found that she has access to the city , LA is but 1 1/2 hours away ( 95 miles)and she and friends have gone to concerts, to visit friends at other schools etc. Santa Barbara as a city has
alot going on and UCSB has alot of fun activities, especially if you like the out door life. She has managed to not get into the party scene big time. I am not naive and we recently had a conversation about this, last time she partied was at Halloween. Like ALL colleges, no matter if they are small liberal arts schools , big universities, Stanford or Chico, you can find a party if you choose- it is about your choices and your college experience and what you decide to do with it.<br>
I am a independent college advisor and one big difference my students have shared with me who attend UCSD and UCSB is that San Diego is much larger and feels more impersonal; simply because of size. Even tho the college system is set up to counter this, the impersonal feeling still still exists.</p>
<p>Remember you are going to live, eat, sleep, play, study,travel etc. with the students at the school you attend. Make sure it is your kind of place, with your kind of people. Happiness matters, go where you will be happy.</p>
<p>Both UCSA and UCSB are currently on spring break - go when students are present.</p>
<p>it's not only you, but too many students are falling into the too hard situation of choosing between ucsb and ucsd, this year and last year, perhaps earlier years as well...</p>
<p>visit the campuses in person, focus on your majors, if still too hard, then perhaps you can think to make decision by throwing a coin. choose either one. you can't go wrong...</p>