Login Register

University of California - Santa Cruz
- Campus Housing

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

We will attempt to notify this
school of your interest.

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Listings
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
University of California - Santa Cruz - Campus Housing - Campus Housing - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Campus Housing

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Housing rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Housing Grades:

Quick Stats

On-Campus Housing Available? Yes
Campus Housing Capacity 7,920
Undergrads Living On Campus 47%
Number of Dormitories 10
Best Dorms
  • College 10
  • College 9
Worst Dorms Crown College

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

It’s very hard to say which dorms are the best or worst for student living because they are all so different. All dorms are set up around residential colleges, of which there are 10. This means that there are a group of dorms in one area, which also usually has its own dining hall, café, and classrooms. Each college has a sort of theme based around what is taught in the college’s core classes, which all freshmen need to take. For example, Porter is the arts college and Crown is the science college. This doesn’t mean that you must be an art or science major to go to these places, but it may play a personal role in your experience. The main way to choose dorms is to try and figure out which one has the best atmosphere for you because they are all unique.

Each college comes along with a stereotype. While these generalizations may contain a grain of truth, they do not hold true for everyone in a particular dorm. Cowell may be known as the jock or preppy dorm and Kresge may be known for its eccentric hippie residents, but a new student can still find their niche wherever they stay. The major problem with housing at UCSC is that there is not enough of it. Students have two years of guaranteed housing, but on-campus housing can be quite crowded and most students choose to move off campus as soon as possible. The benefit of having the residential college system is that it is easy to build a community. It makes a big university seem a little smaller, which gives new students a huge advantage when making new friends and finding their comfort zone.

 

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

UC Santa Cruz Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Campus Housing at University of California - Santa Cruz

lnmedran

Health Care '15

5.0
A+

Extremely Natural and Friendly Environment

Everyone is really friendly and passionate about something on this campus. Free spirits, unique personalities, and out of the box thinkers are all over campus. My favorite part is the diversity and housing that has themes. I live in Oakes, which is welcoming to young students of color. Being Mexican I feel right at home even on campus.

May 08, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Campus Housing at University of California - Santa Cruz

tatibradley

Biology and Biological Sciences '15

3.8
B+

Dorms Are Well Kept.

The dorms at UCSC are well kept for the most part and decently sized. If there are any problems maintenance is happy to help and quick to respond. The view is beautiful of either the forest that surrounds the campus or for the lucky ones a view of the ocean.

Apr 30, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Campus Housing at University of California - Santa Cruz

cbyrneba

Anthropology and Archaeology '15

3.5
B

On Campus Living

I live on campus, and its not what I expected. The people are nice, but sometimes really disrespectful. They play music loud at nice, make the bathrooms dirty, and are loud in the hallways and louge late at night. However, I have made some good frineds in my dorm and most of us are really respectful to each other. The dorms make college accessible and make it easy to fit into college as a freshman

Feb 29, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 12
User rating for University of California - Santa Cruz - Campus Housing is 4.6 out of 5 based on 36 user reviews.

Photos of University of California - Santa Cruz's Campus Housing

College Students:
Register now to upload photos of YOUR school and show what it is really like!
University of California - Santa Cruz - College 8 DormsCollege 8 Dorms
Photo by MissMaggie91
College 8 Dorms College 8
Link to this photo
Photo by MissMaggie91
University of California - Santa Cruz - Natural SurroundingsNatural Surroundings
Photo by heelliot
Natural Surroundings The Kresge apartments are situated in a grove of redwood trees. The entire campus is full of wildlife and natural plants, which is probably where the nickname "UC Summer Camp" came from.
Link to this photo
Photo by heelliot
University of California - Santa Cruz - Squiggle (aka the Porter Wave)Squiggle (aka the Porter Wave)
Photo by heelliot
Squiggle (aka the Porter Wave) This sculpture is a hot spot on campus and usually makes it onto campus brochures, too. It's located in the Porter Meadow very close to College 8. It is very typical to see students watching the sunset, catching some rays, or just hanging out on the Squiggle most days and nights.
Link to this photo
Photo by heelliot

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus housing on the following subjects

Facts

Room Types
  • Apartments (Kresge College)
  • Doubles
  • Quads
  • Singles
  • Suites
  • Triples
Bed Types Twin extra-long
What You Get
  • Bed
  • Bookshelf
  • Cable TV
  • Closet
  • Desk and chair
  • Dresser
  • Trashcan
Also Available Other options for non-freshman are the Village and on-campus apartments. Off campus, there is University housing at the UCSC Inn and the University Town Center (UTC).

Available for Rent

Nothing

Cleaning Service

Yes, janitors clean the halls, staircases, lounges, and bathrooms in all dorms.

DormitoriesWhat's This?

College 10
Floors: 4 in each of 3 buildings
Number of Occupants: 360
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples, apartments
Special Features: Social Justice and Community Theme; Dining hall, multipurpose hall, auditorium, laundry

College 8
Floors: 4 in each of 8 buildings
Number of Occupants: 360
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Environment and Society Theme; Dining hall, College 8 Café, West Gym, study lounge, laundry, computer lab

College 9
Floors: 7 in each of 3 buildings
Number of Occupants: 360
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, apartments
Special Features: International and Global Perspectives Theme; Dining hall, laundry, bar, Namaste lounge

Cowell College
Floors: 4 in each of 7 buildings
Number of Occupants: 675
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples, quads
Special Features: The Pursuit of Truth in the Company of Friends Theme; Library, study lounges, laundry rooms, dining hall, computer lab, Cowell Coffee Shop

Crown College
Floors: 2 in each of 8 buildings
Number of Occupants: 480
Bathrooms: Community
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: Science, Technology, and Society Theme; Dining hall, laundry, computer lab, Banana Joe’s café

Kresge College
Floors: 2 in each of 11 buildings
Number of Occupants: 300
Bathrooms: Private
Coed: No
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Apartments
Special Features: Cultural Intersections Theme; Laundry, Ping-Pong, Kresge Café, Town Hall Performance Center

Merrill College
Number of Occupants: 400
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: All classes
Room Types: Singles, doubles, apartments
Special Features: Cultural Identities and Global Consciousness Theme; Dining hall, computer lab, laundry, lounges, study center, nearby restaurant

Oakes College
Floors: 3 in each of 6 buildings
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: All classes
Room Types: Apartments, singles, and doubles
Special Features: Values and Change in a Diverse Society Theme; Laundry, computer labs, learning center

Porter College
Floors: 4–5
Number of Occupants: 400
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Residents: All classes
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples, and quads
Special Features: Arts in a Multicultural Society Theme; Study center, cable TV lounges, laundry, dining hall, Hungry Slug café, computer lab, darkroom

Stevenson College
Floors: 4 in each of 8 buildings
Number of Occupants: 480
Bathrooms: Community (coed)
Coed: Yes
Residents: All classes
Room Types: Singles, doubles, and triples
Special Features: Self and Society Theme; Dining hall, coffeehouse, study center, lounges, laundry, Ping-Pong

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Alexandra Iorfino
Hometown
Huntington Beach, CA
Major
Politics and Psychology

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Buy the eBook "University of California - Santa Cruz 2012: Off The Record"
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoogleSmashwords
Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Search College Prowler

Company

How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.