<p>So, if I get lucky I will be accepted to UCSC in 5.5 hours...Fingers Crossed! Those of you who have experience attending UCSC; which college will best fit me?!</p>
<p>-bio/marine bio major
-from central California
-love surfing
-backpacking, hiking, climbing, exploring nature are things I do
-I'm a good student, taking a rigorous AP load senior year
-Don't mind social events, however I don't drink. Some good Ganja's fine though ;)
-Decided against UCSB due to rumors excessive alcohol consumption and party mentality.
-Strait white male, but I embrace all orientations and ethnicity
-I want to meet a variety of people, and find a group of really good friends who share some of my same interests
-I want to balance the social aspect and educational side of college. (no "sterile" Merill)</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for any help you can provide! I realize there is not the "perfect" college for everyone, and I'm sure I'll create opportunities wherever I end up, though it would be nice to find a place I could fit in.</p>
<p>I got in 
Any UCSC students with some info on the colleges…?</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance. I’m a mom but my D is a freshman now in Stevenson. You will find endless threads on colleges here at CC and some are very humorous. My D and I just discussed her college choice the other day. She agreed that 1) she picked the safe choice (kids most like her athletic, suburban self), 2) the seminar focus was secondary, 3) the seminars weren’t actually that interesting to her (tho she notes others really liked them), 4) that maybe she should have picked a college with kids UNLIKE her (Porter comes to mind because she was worried it might be filled with ‘weirdos’, a concept her more mature mind now laughs at).</p>
<p>So as you read all the other threads, think about who you are, not your major. We conceeded she could have just pulled a name from a hat and had a fine experience.</p>
<p>PS. She’s really happy she chose Santa Cruz over her other UC options, Irvine and SB. Her only rejection was at SD, and she wasn’t actually all that interested.</p>
<p>Thank you! Your advice seems well-founded; like you say I’ve heard seminar focus and major are less important than the type of experience you want. Porter seems like a good choice. I’ve heard it has a social atmosphere due to the central quad, proximity to the meadows and forest, and its artsyness…not to mention its eclectic inhabitants :). I’ve also heard good things about Cowell…
Looking forward to a great four years!</p>
<p>Congrats on getting in! You’re in for a great four years(: </p>
<p>Every college has something different to offer. When I was deciding I was looking at (in this order):
-The physical location on campus (I had heard on a couple tours that most of my classes as a Ecology & Evolution major were going to be on science hill so I wanted to be relatively close to them. Some people choose based on what view of the city/ocean they can get)
-The theme of the college/core course (really isn’t all that important when you really think about it…you take the one, sometimes 2 quarter, class and if you don’t like the theme you don’t really have to do much else with it at that point)
-What types of people I thought would be at the colleges (I admit I made a lot of assumptions here, which I always advise people to avoid…I looked at the theme of Crown thought it would fit in with my love of science, figured everyone there would be super nerdy like me and I went with it)</p>
<p>I’m really happy with my choice. I’ve met some amazing people, some with similar interests/backgrounds as me but even more that are completely different. I agree with you, there is no “perfect” college. And I don’t think there is a place for everyone to “fit in.” You fit in where you want to fit in. Make the college work for you. As much as I joke about the “sterile Merrill” stereotype with my friends, it really isn’t true. Every college has a nice little balance of everything, social and academic. They also all seem to have a good balance of people despite what they may be known for. </p>
<p>If you have the opportunity to go visit the different colleges before the housing application is due I would definitely recommend doing so. That’ll give you a chance to put yourself “in” the college and see if it feels right. Crown felt right for me, but I know that it’s not for everyone. Porter is awesome and everyone I’ve met from Porter is super nice (but I don’t think I’ve met anyone at UCSC that wasn’t haha). I really like that they’re more artsy…everyone I’ve talked to that’s from Porter seems to have this completely different sense of “down-to-earth-ness” that a lot of Crownies don’t have. And being that close to Porter meadow is a huge plus…its beautiful out there(:</p>
<p>There’s also a facebook page for new students if you wanna check it out: <a href=“https://www.facebook.com/groups/252923218131920/[/url]”>https://www.facebook.com/groups/252923218131920/</a></p>
<p>Try finding some people from Porter and just ask them about their experience to see if it would be a good choice for you. I’m sure they would be able to give you a much better feel for it than a Crownie like I would :P</p>
<p>Thank you! Great advice, and I’m looking forward to it!!</p>