University of California - Santa Cruz
- Academics

Quick Stats

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

The overall view of most students about academics at UCSC is that it varies from program to program and person to person. There are great teachers, great classes, and great majors—you just have to get off your butt and find them. This sometimes means talking to upperclassmen, crashing lots of classes, or discovering what your interests are through trial and error. UCSC professors are, for the most part, friendly and approachable, but in larger lecture classes, you may need to rely more on teaching assistants (TAs) to help you one on one. No matter what type of classes you take, however, there are plenty of people who offer help if you take the initiative. At UCSC, there are great educational opportunities available, although most students will tell you that you’ll get as much out of your academic experience here as you put in. It is common knowledge on campus that most UCSC departments have a number of wonderful professors and top-notch programs to boot. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that you are going to love any random class you may take, even if it is within your major.

Students here also agree that each department has its good and bad professors. The biggest tip would be to find out who’s who before registration. Take advantage of the knowledge of the Internet and UCSC upperclassmen. They know more than they realize, and you may be able to avoid a potentially horrible class by asking a few simple questions, and if you’re not enrolled yet, it’s a quick way to make a friend or two before you begin your college career.

UC Santa Cruz Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Most RecentMost PopularHighest GradesLowest Grades

Academics at University of California - Santa Cruz

riaperson

Visual Arts '14

3.5

B

Art Major

The art facilities at UCSC are old and unsightly but the professors are knowledgable.

May 29, 2012

Comment actions: Rate

12345

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Academics at University of California - Santa Cruz

ericawest25

Psychology '14

4.6

A

Better Than I Thought

UCSC might have a reputation for being a "stoner" school but the academics here are actually amazing and it's a challenging school. There's a large science presence, especially with electrical engineering and astronomy, but every department is great. I'm a Psych major and the Psych dept, although always busy, is great and so are the professors.

May 11, 2012

Comment actions: Rate

12345

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Academics at University of California - Santa Cruz

rpgoldbe

Art History '13

4.6

A

Call Me Biased...

I have to say, I truly do love UC Santa Cruz, but the overwhelmingly amazing experience I have had thus far. The winning combination of it's location (location, location!), the thorough and innovative professors, truly interesting courses (in my area of study, at least), incredible people and laid back but open-minded atmosphere is unbeatable. The only real problem with the University these days seems to be the ever encroaching dubious fate of student debt, and the politics of the UC as a whole, which is really nothing to do with the TAs and professor availability, and unfortunately is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the corporate takeover of public institutions of this country. Oh well.

Feb 10, 2012

Comment actions: Rate

12345

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

What do you think of your school? Register to submit reviews to let others know what it's really like »

First

Previous

Page 1 of 18

Next

Last

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate your school’s professors on the following topics

Rate your school’s academic environment on the following topics

Facts