I’m trying to decide between a few universities, one of which is UC Santa Barbara. Why would you choose Santa Barbara?
I’m wondering the same thing…
Have you visited? It’s a unique campus, isolated and very So Cal. It was by far my son’s favorite campus that we visited. Might not be for everyone. His girlfriend thought it was “way too much palm trees, red roofs and beach”. My son did not like UCSD because of the sheer size of it. It has a good academic reputation as well. What major are you?
For one, the campus is mind-blowingly on the beach. Views of the ocean all over the place. Far more undergraduates than grad students compared to some other UCs. Excellent engineering programs with smaller program sizes than other UCs. The administration is more personal and friendly in our experience. You walk across the street and you’re in IV which has fun places to eat - not all UCs have something so close and walkable. I could think of a lot worse places to spend 4 years. CCS is a unique program that trumps most for those majors. To do well you will have to work hard, but there are a lot of fun things do do around there to keep your sanity that you’ll have a great time. Just like any school though, it’s not for everyone. You should visit if you can and see if the vibe is for you.