I’m going to be applying to UCSC next year and I’ve been seriously considering which college I will be attending if and when I am accepted. I was just wondering if you guys could help me better understand which college is ideal for me.
So here is some information about me: I am a member of the class of 2016. I am white female who is very interested in social justice, particularly as it pertains to gender and racial equality and LGBTQIA+. I don’t mind stoners but I do mind hippies. I have no dietary preferences or needs (ie vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free). I’m a pansexual and an active member of the LGBTQIA+ community at my high school. I’m interested in graphic design, gender and ethnic studies, as well as medicine. I have uncertain aspirations of being an OB/GYN. I would love to be a resident of a college that is diverse and accepting, and that possesses a friendly, intelligent atmosphere. I don’t have preferences for living spaces, but I’m accustomed to living in pretty spacious areas. I want to be as near to nature as possible (particularly the coast), while still being able to easily access an urban area. Sorry if this a lot to consider. I really appreciate any advice alumni or students could offer me.
I would also like to add that I currently I have a 4.1 GPA and a 1910 SAT. And that I am an Oregon citizen. I was wondering what is the likelihood for me to receive significant financial aid? My family, though upper middle-class, won’t be able to shell out the out of state tuition
UC’s give little to no financial aid for OOS students. You are looking at paying at the minimum $23K/year for OOS tuition along with your EFC up to the full pay at $55K/year. Also be aware that a new UC budget has been proposed that could increase OOS fees 8% over the next few years. If you need FA, the UC’s should be crossed off your list. I suggest you find out exactly how much your parents can pay. EFC will be determined on their income and assets regardless of what they really want to pay for your college.
Check out the net price calculators of each school you are considering for a general idea of how much schools can offer you in terms of financial aid
As long as you can afford it, UCSC sounds like a good fit for you.
Crown because they have $900 research fellowships that anyone in crown can apply for at any time.
You might be a good fit for Santa Cruz but the OOS fees of $55K are not cheap and you cannot gain instate residency if you come to California for educational purposes.
GuilloQueen, I am applying to UC Santa Cruz for FTF Fall 2016 as well. It seems like a good fit for you and if you go there just ignore the hippies.
Since money is a problem, I do highly recommend looking at a school called Humboldt State (I am applying there as well) and in terms of the student body and life, it is very similar to UC Santa Cruz. The main reason is because if you live in Alaska, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Oregon, Montana, or Idaho - you can get a pretty good scholarship (WUE) where you only have to pay 1.5x the state resident tuition instead of twice or more. Humboldt State’s WUE profile - http://wue.wiche.edu/profile.jsp?id=34 The only problem that it is not close to a major city…
But like other posters have said, being an OOS student at a UC is not a good idea unless if you have the money. Check out the privates (there are a lot) in California or WUE institutions if you live in the states I mentioned before. Stanford also has been consistently ranked as one of the top accepting accepting LGBTQ schools in the nation but it is sadly very hard to get into. Still apply to UCSC just to see what happens, but I would not bet on you getting a significant amount of financial aid.
Also, try to go to a school by the coast in California. For some reason, the more you go away from the coast, the more non LBGTQ the schools are.
Good luck. 
Thank you so much for all of your kindness and consideration. I really appreciate all the information I’ve gathered from this thread. Big thanks to elefish92 in particular for their careful answer and the resources they provided :x
It’s not hard to ignore the stoners here, but difficult to ignore the hippies as @elefish92 said. The hippie vibe is one of the best parts of the school. (I’m a current student)
Also, I would recommend Merrill for you if LGBTQIA+ is a big part of your personality. It’s up a hill, but convenient to the Cantú Queer Center.