<p>I’m looking at the lowest and stoneriest of colleges in California (Humboldt State and UCSC) and I try not to take any of this at heart. Do they have a reputation as hippie stoner schools? Yes.</p>
<p>But they also have a proven track record in excellence in the field I’m interested in (biology, leaning marine) and access to a plethora of research opportunities that are very important to me. </p>
<p>And they are both schools that I can afford to attend and am likely to be accepted to. </p>
<p>So I don’t care if some of the lovely folks here (who seem to have a slightly skewed view of reality) tell me these are lower-tier, useless colleges. I just take that to mean they won’t be applying and I won’t have to deal with their superiority complexes while I’m enjoying my educational experience.</p>