University of California - Santa Barbara
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Although each department might have its monotone, sleep-inducing professor, most of the instructors are experts in their fields, excited about what they teach, and very accessible. UCSB is unique in that it has very few graduate students, so teachers are focused on their undergraduates. They have more time, teach almost all of the classes offered each quarter, and answer e-mails quickly. In the first two years of college when students take their general education classes, they don’t necessarily get to know the professors—lectures involve around 100 people and a teaching assistant runs the weekly section and grades. But later, as students advance in their majors, classes thin out to between 35-45 people.

The UCSB academic program has made a concerted effort to shed its“party-school” image and prove that the professors and students take academics very seriously. UCSB sometimes gets lost behind UCLA and Berkeley, but the latest statistics prove that Santa Barbara is working on a new reputation. The thing to realize about academics at UCSB is that each student decides whether he or she is going to take the easy classes and never get to know the professors (which plenty of students do), or alternatively, help with research, take hard classes, and participate in the honors program. One of the reasons the student quotes are so varied is because there are a lot of partiers who do not go to class, and there are also a lot of serious students who spend most of their time studying and researching. It’s up to you to decide how you will spend your time and what college life means to you.

UC Santa Barbara Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Academics at University of California - Santa Barbara

cjsrhkcjs

'15

Biology

4.2

A-

Chemistry

Overall, the chemistry program in UCSB is rather straightforward. You do the work, you breeze, and if you don't, you suffer. Almost too straightforward. The professors are reasonable in their tests and grading.

Jan 10, 2012

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Academics at University of California - Santa Barbara

hellonikki

'15

Sociology

5.0

A+

Sociology at Its Best

At the moment, I'm a pre-sociology major at this college. When I found out that I was admitted to this UC as a pre-soc major, I was wondering if I had made the right choice. Luckily, I had. The prerequisites are not difficult to complete and the expectations for grades and GPA are not out of reach. I might just be a freshman barely exploring what UCSB has to offer me, but as far as I have experienced, being a sociology major at this college can take me far.

Jan 05, 2012

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Academics at University of California - Santa Barbara

alubey

'15

Language Studies and Linguistics

4.6

A

Research Institution

The professors know everything there is to know about their subject. Some, however, aren't the best teachers. But their interest in the subject is obvious. I even got to meet some famous people from history because of it. It's awesome.

Dec 28, 2011

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