Of these California schools, which would you choose based on LOCATION only and why?

[Anonymous]

UC Irvine
UC Davis
UC Santa Barbara
San Diego State
CS Long Beach
Cal Poly in Pomona

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

UC Santa Barbara - beach, nice campus
San Diego State - beach
UC Irvine - beach but a bit further and cookie cutter
CS Long Beach - beach, blemont shores is nice, but not the surrounding areas
UC Davis - farmland, but close to Tahoe
Cal Poly in Pomona - too far inland, and too much air pollution

[Anonymous]

Depends on the personality/needs of the student.

But in general I would say San Diego State or Santa Barbara.

I went to 2 of those schools (Davis and Long Beach.)
Long Beach was more of a commuter school and doesn't have as much of a "typical college" experience. That was fine for me and my personality at the time, but it's not what everyone is looking for.

[Anonymous]

Santa Barbara (BUT housing for students is a real issue right now) — beach and mountains, airport and train station. Worth knowing that it’s not in SB though — it’s in Goleta, one town over).

[Anonymous]

Side note about Irvine (not my first choice) — excellent bike infrastructure, decent bus system, very convenient airport. There are more interesting places nearby to live/visit than Irvine itself. Lots of good (not expensive) things to eat and it’s easy to shop there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Side note about Irvine (not my first choice) — excellent bike infrastructure, decent bus system, very convenient airport. There are more interesting places nearby to live/visit than Irvine itself. Lots of good (not expensive) things to eat and it’s easy to shop there.

I'm not the OP, but I grew up very close to Irvine (Mission Viejo.) "Back in my day" it was a commuter school--mostly students with very strict immigrant parents who wouldn't allow their kids to move out of the house. Is it still like that?

[Anonymous]

Santa Barbara, then Davis (it’s a nice town!), then San Diego, then either of the others. My whole family went to UCs and I always loved visiting my brother in Santa Barbara.

But of the UCs, Santa Cruz definitely has the most beautiful campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Santa Barbara, then Davis (it’s a nice town!), then San Diego, then either of the others. My whole family went to UCs and I always loved visiting my brother in Santa Barbara.

But of the UCs, Santa Cruz definitely has the most beautiful campus.

Santa Barbara, then Davis, then San Diego, then none of the others.

[Anonymous]

It’s not what you asked OP, but the Cal State schools are not in the same league as the University if California schools snd certainly not worth traveling across the US for to attend.

[Anonymous]

Davis??? AYKM??? Have you ever been there?

Other than being able to drive to the Bay Area and Tahoe, there is little to recommend the location.

[Anonymous]

UCSB is not near actual (lovely) Santa Barbara. Not bikable or walkable. The adjacent town is absolutely overwhelmed with homeless people, to the point that the city has turned over the main parks and green spaces to permanent encampments. With outdoor kitchens, dozens of portable toilets in rows etc

All 5 minutes from the campus edge and literally in the center of the student commerce (pizza, bars, cvs off campus housing!)

The ocean is undeniably breathtaking but so is the stench of feces and piss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side note about Irvine (not my first choice) — excellent bike infrastructure, decent bus system, very convenient airport. There are more interesting places nearby to live/visit than Irvine itself. Lots of good (not expensive) things to eat and it’s easy to shop there.

I'm not the OP, but I grew up very close to Irvine (Mission Viejo.) "Back in my day" it was a commuter school--mostly students with very strict immigrant parents who wouldn't allow their kids to move out of the house. Is it still like that?

Currently, 80% of freshmen live on campus, there’s guaranteed on-campus housing for the first 2 years if you want it, overall 42% of undergrads live in university housing.

I grew up in Irvine (I’m guessing I’m older than you are) and took classes at UCI while I was in HS. My parents still live in Irvine and a close friend teaches there.

Back in my day, there were fewer dorms and students routinely commuted to campus. But not always from their parents’ home. Lots of group living arrangements off-campus in apartments and, to a lesser extent, in rented SFHs. Don’t know whether Newport Beach is still viable for that (it used to be popular and well-connected by bus). Have seen that arrangement still in Irvine. UCI has its own bus system (Anteater Express/free) and the campus is also served by OCTA ($169 year for students, unlimited use of the system).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UCSB is not near actual (lovely) Santa Barbara. Not bikable or walkable. The adjacent town is absolutely overwhelmed with homeless people, to the point that the city has turned over the main parks and green spaces to permanent encampments. With outdoor kitchens, dozens of portable toilets in rows etc

All 5 minutes from the campus edge and literally in the center of the student commerce (pizza, bars, cvs off campus housing!)

The ocean is undeniably breathtaking but so is the stench of feces and piss.

What? I was in SB and Goleta this summer and didn't see any of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not what you asked OP, but the Cal State schools are not in the same league as the University if California schools snd certainly not worth traveling across the US for to attend.

I didn't ask because I know that. We'll be living in SoCal and will be in-state.

But big thanks to everyone else, for all the insights on the actual schools I do mention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side note about Irvine (not my first choice) — excellent bike infrastructure, decent bus system, very convenient airport. There are more interesting places nearby to live/visit than Irvine itself. Lots of good (not expensive) things to eat and it’s easy to shop there.

I'm not the OP, but I grew up very close to Irvine (Mission Viejo.) "Back in my day" it was a commuter school--mostly students with very strict immigrant parents who wouldn't allow their kids to move out of the house. Is it still like that?

Currently, 80% of freshmen live on campus, there’s guaranteed on-campus housing for the first 2 years if you want it, overall 42% of undergrads live in university housing.

I grew up in Irvine (I’m guessing I’m older than you are) and took classes at UCI while I was in HS. My parents still live in Irvine and a close friend teaches there.

Back in my day, there were fewer dorms and students routinely commuted to campus. But not always from their parents’ home. Lots of group living arrangements off-campus in apartments and, to a lesser extent, in rented SFHs. Don’t know whether Newport Beach is still viable for that (it used to be popular and well-connected by bus). Have seen that arrangement still in Irvine. UCI has its own bus system (Anteater Express/free) and the campus is also served by OCTA ($169 year for students, unlimited use of the system).

That's great that it's become more of a residential campus! Thanks for the info!
Not sure if you're older than me, I graduated high school in 1993.