University of California - Santa Barbara Reviews

The food is quite edible but not...

The food is quite edible but not very interesting. It took me less than a week to start to get tired of it.

The bus system is extremely...

The bus system is extremely useful. It's free with your student sticker, and you can go virtually anywhere. The 24x is the most used by students. It quickly takes people downtown, to the edges of Isla Vista, to the dorm Santa Catalina, and to a nearby marketplace.

The varsity sports aren't that...

The varsity sports aren't that big, other than soccer. A lot of people really like intramural sports.

The sports are generally pretty...

The sports are generally pretty strong, but there isn't much strong school spirit. Our soccer team is good, and the Gaucho Locos are a recognizable force on campus.

The sports scene is not as big at...

The sports scene is not as big at UCSB as it would be at a powerhouse Division I school. UCSB is Division I, but the teams are not as good as other top schools. However, our soccer team is excellent, and games are really fun. They are always a national championship contender. The basketball team is competitive in their division and games are fun to go to. Intramural sports are big here, with different leagues for different competition levels.

The SBMTD is great for getting to...

The SBMTD is great for getting to downtown Santa Barbara, and IV is so small you can walk or bike everywhere.

The public transportation is...

The public transportation is convenient. The city bus is free to UCSB students and runs seven days a week.

You can get a bike here at a used...

You can get a bike here at a used bike auction for really cheap. Bikes are a way of life here.

The weather’s mostly beautiful and...

The weather’s mostly beautiful and sunny, but we’re right on the ocean, so it gets cold and windy at night. Winters are usually only different because of the rain.

I don’t even think of pot as a...

I don’t even think of pot as a drug anymore. Every job I have had here, my co-workers and employees smoke. Half of my friends’ parents smoke. Seriously, I forget that it isn’t legal.

You can get away with a lot in...

You can get away with a lot in Isla Vista. The basic rule is that if you’re using common sense, you’ll be fine. They won’t come into a party to break it up unless it’s causing a huge disturbance or if they see trouble brewing.

Drugs are available if you want...

Drugs are available if you want them. I am not into the drug scene, but I have friends who have done anything from pot to ecstasy to cocaine. If you want it, you can find it.

As for drugs, if you like them,...

As for drugs, if you like them, then UCSB is the place to be. In Santa Barbara, it just seems a lot more convenient. For instance, in my household alone, there were four dealers. And on my street, there were at least six or seven other houses you could’ve gone to. If you want ecstasy, crack, or anything at all, I can’t imagine it to be too hard to find. With that said, there were a couple of drug busts in my neighborhood.

There are definitely a lot of...

There are definitely a lot of good-looking people at this school. Most of them are really down-to-earth and mellow.

It’s not very diverse here, but...

It’s not very diverse here, but diversity is one of the University’s goals. They seem to be constantly working towards that.

The guys here are definitely hot,...

The guys here are definitely hot, but honestly, they’re jerks. The single mentality is pretty much the one that dominates here. Guys here make great friends but awful boyfriends.

The only problem with attractive...

The only problem with attractive people everywhere is that a lot of people are full of themselves, and therefore not very fun to be with. And I wonder how many of these attractive people are actually hurting themselves to be that way.

On-campus dorms are good because...

On-campus dorms are good because you can wake up two minutes before class, whereas if you live in Santa Catalina, you have to make a 10-minute bike ride to class. But I still loved living in Santa Catalina because the rooms are bigger, I only shared a bathroom with three other people, and there are so many freshmen living there it didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Santa Catalina is a freshman experience all on its own.

Santa Catalina has the best deal....

Santa Catalina has the best deal. Don’t be swayed by its distance from campus—you’ll get a good workout from the bike ride. Because everyone lives somewhat farther away than the other freshmen, everyone living in Santa Catalina has the opportunity to bond. The rooms are spacious, and each one has a sink in it. Plus, only four people to a suite have to share one bathroom.

It’s not hard to get housing in...

It’s not hard to get housing in Isla Vista, but if you want a cool place, you have to be persistent.

Dorms are great. There are...

Dorms are great. There are off-campus dorms in Isla Vista, as well as the on-campus dorms; both are great. It doesn’t really matter which, but I think it would be better to be on campus.

Tropicana and Fontainebleu are...

Tropicana and Fontainebleu are cool because they have apartment-like setups that are incredibly fun. On-campus places are very crowded but close to school.

UCSB is not very diverse. It’s a...

UCSB is not very diverse. It’s a white majority. The publicity and general knowledge of multicultural events is not very good either, but that’s always changeable.

This school is not very diverse at...

This school is not very diverse at all. It’s definitely a predominantly white school.

The gay community is pretty active...

The gay community is pretty active on campus, and is pretty well-tolerated.