<p>I’ve only been to Cal, UCSC, and UCD (I’m attending UCSD this fall though). Out of those three, I liked UCSC the best, then UCD, then Cal. </p>
<p>I really didn’t like Cal’s campus, mostly because I really dislike the area (Berkeley).</p>
<p>Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love the Cal campus. I love the trees, stream, view, interesting architecture, and the hilly campus. The view from the tower is amazing. I find UCLA has too much brick for me. Santa Barbara is gorgeous and eclectic. I’m not very found of UCSD. It’s too beige for me. I love Davis. I think it is a really pretty campus and the Robert Mondavi building is awesome. My order would be Cal, Davis, Santa Barbara, UCLA and UCSD a very distant last place. Funny how I liked the northern California campuses. I’m a Southern California girl! :-)</p>
<p>I like UCLA, UCSD, UCSC and UCI.</p>
<p>I have attended 3 of them and have visited all of them, except Merced, and without question the prettiest/most beautiful UC Campus is UCSC.</p>
<p>Visited UCSD today…campus was pretty boring. Not nearly as nice as anything in the surrounding city of La Jolla. Disappointed!</p>
<p>^Really? I really like the UCSD campus. It’s probably my favorite of the ones I’ve seen.</p>
<p>Well, I’m down in La Jolla for summer…maybe it has to do with the fact that I’ve found La Jolla so drop dead gorgeous and amazing. Tough to live up to that, haha.</p>
<p>I take it back! UCSD is freaking gorgeous! I had only really driven through the other day and hadn’t seen the nice parts. But man, the whole place is like up on a hill, and there are so many beautiful views and nature shots. UCSD goes near the top of my list! </p>
<p>Check out this awesome picture: <a href=“http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/259962_2179298285954_1351800775_32707898_8176613_n.jpg[/url]”>http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/259962_2179298285954_1351800775_32707898_8176613_n.jpg</a></p>
![http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/259962_2179298285954_1351800775_32707898_8176613_n.jpg[/url]](http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/259962_2179298285954_1351800775_32707898_8176613_n.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>I heard that UCSB is so pretty that it’s distracting.</p>
<p>^ I really honestly do not think UCSB is that nice of a campus… I mean I did like it, but in my opinion, the only thing it really has going for it is the beach (and I’ve seen better beaches.) The scenery and architecture are kind of plain. Oh, and Isla Vista is disgusting (I realize that’s not part of the campus, but it takes away from the school’s appeal in my mind.)</p>
<p>I’ve only been to Cal and UCSC… and UCSC wins by a mile. Not sure why, but I never felt at ease when I visited Cal.</p>
<p>I’ve been to all UC campuses and like UCLA the best. Beautiful buildings that complement each other, spacious grounds, an organized layout, and a well-maintained campus. Lots of green. Scenic view of the mountains in the background. Plus its Westwood location (it’s “Movie Premiere Central!”), surrounded by Beverly Hills, Bel-air, and Brentwood is just superb!</p>
<p>Although the campus itself is nice, UC Berkeley seems disorganized to me, plus it’s in “Ghetto Central” (particularly that infamous Telegraph Ave.) much like the University of Southern California’s location in south-central Los Angeles.</p>
<p>UCSC is great for those who love “natural” beauty (forests, hiking trails, and all that), but since I’m biased toward the “clean, suburban” feel, I feel the whole place needs to be landscaped (it’s “too natural” for my tastes).</p>
<p>UC Santa Barbara is in a great beach location (and Isla Vista is a great party town), but some buildings are showing their age.</p>
<p>UC Davis, being the agricultural campus, has tons of space and a relatively new performing arts center (it’s grand!), but it’s in the middle of nowhere – same as UC Merced, which should look better as it develops.</p>
<p>I love UC San Diego’s location and library design, but the buildings are so eclectic that there’s no “unifying” feel to them.</p>
<p>UCI and UCR are okay, but they’re too far inland for my tastes.</p>
<p>So many of you seem closed minded on this thread about UCSB…like your mind is already made up even before ever having been there. It ain’t all about the beach I hate to say. Newsweek didn’t mention that ‘if there’s a more beautiful campus than this one on the edge of the Pacific, we haven’t seen it’ for nothing. And yes, there are some slow/low rollers off of Campus Point (yes, I said CAMPUS Point), but give me a break…there are 3 break points right off of campus. IE - you can see them from your dormroom. How many of you can say you have walked out of your house to study in the sand, just above the break, on your campus? And seriously?? It’s ‘see-weedy’?? Wow. That’s because it’s the ocean and the Channel harbors some of the most diverse life off the west coast of the U.S. in its Kelp Forests. The campus, overall -as compared to Davis, above - has over 15,000 students commute to and from class on their bicycles, skateboards, or on foot. IV is NOT that disgusting. Get off of DP, where I’m banking most of you spent your time, and it’s really not that much different than any other true college town that’s run by students. Davis is a rural town with families intertwined and half a nightlife. In IV…thousands of students live within 5 x10 blocks of each other. Hence, the ease of making your way from one party to the next and meeting throngs of people…if that’s what you’re into. Downtown SB is a 5-10 minute cab, car or bus ride. About as far as it is from UCLA to the beach. Pick your poison. </p>
<p>And yes, some of the buildings on campus are a bit older, but there have been at least 10-15 new ones that have popped up in the last decade or so with plans to completely change the layout, update the library and surrounding quad, etc., within the next few years. Yes, UCLA has a beautiful campus, UCSC has the greenery, UCB has the traditional, yet nasty and urban feel, but all the UC’s are amazing schools in their own right. UCSB definitely ranks at the top, though. Aside from a decent-to-beautiful-in-some-spots campus, the surroundings are unreal, the people are some of the most well-rounded I’ve ever met (by the time they graduate), downtown SB is NOT that far (plenty of students live, work and play there) and the opportunity to find one’s niche at this university is endless.</p>
<p>It’s been a number of years since I’ve posted on this thread, but I think this topic deserves another round of discussion. I’ve now visited every campus multiple times, sometimes for days. My rankings are as follows…</p>
<p>1)Cal. Cal clearly deserves the top spot. With the graceful beaux-arts architecture overlooking the bay, Berkeley is picture-perfect for any movie. While the interiors of some of the most historic buildings are old and antiquated, nothing beats the overall atmosphere of the original UC. Overall: A</p>
<p>2)UCLA. The only campus that gives Cal a run for the money. Mostly composed of brick and stone, the campus has a strong Norman-style feel. Simple, neat, and thematic, the adobe colored buildings contrast nicely with the well-manicured greenery and other surroundings. UCLA is the cleanest, most well-taken care of campus and the interior is generally quite modern. Overall: A</p>
<p>3)UCSC. Nestled within a redwood forest, this campus reminds me of many of the works by Frank Lloyd Wright. By blending in with the trees, the campus is truly the most unique in the UC system along with UCSB. Overall: A-</p>
<p>3)UCSD. A lot of brutalist architecture and cold gray buildings, but a lot of sci-fi futuristic structures as well. Almost as well-manicured as UCLA, the fact that the campus overlooks the beach is a nice addition. Overall: A-</p>
<p>3)UCSB. Tied with UCSD, this campus is even closer to the Pacific Ocean. The buildings are similar in appearance to those at UCSD. Overall: A-</p>
<p>6)UCD. Pretty much a widely spread out campus, UCD is noticably less impressive than its sisters ranked above. While everything is modern, this is the first campus that approaches a business-park feel. Overall: B-</p>
<p>7)UCI. Some modern architecture, but a lot of brutalist buildings and lack of a unique surrounding lowers the aesthetic quality of the campus. Overall: C+</p>
<p>8)UCR. No debate here, this business-park is located in a polluted, non-inspiring “metropolis of trailer parks and fast food joints”. Overall: not passing</p>