DS just got off the waitlist for UCSB

[Anonymous]

Great option to have! Congrats!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also he might have to find off campus housing for freshman year, too.

This is based on what, the student has not missed any housing deadline yet.

The UCs generally don’t guarantee freshmen housing

UCSD guarantees two years of housing, UCLA guarantees four years of housing. UCSB guarantees freshman if you file by the priority deadline, which is May 15. They may have provisions for waitlist kids. I would be worried about UCSC housing and be prepared to pay a lot around Berkeley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to get on a plane and visit and tour the campus before deciding. It's a great campus, but not for everyone. So do NOT change on a whim unless you visit. And visit on a school day if possible.

+1. My nephew from a MCPS school was accepted off the wait list last June. He hadn't visited before applying Oddly enough we had a visit scheduled there for a few days later so we were able to visit the the campus and surrounding area. I told my sister that there were some pros and cons to the campus and SB (I know a lot of people really love it there but we aren't quite as enamored by it during our visits vs other CA coastal cities) and that they really needed to visit. They flew out and looked at the school but my nephew decided to stick with his original plan and stay on the east coast. I really think it could have gone either way but I know my sister's family is glad they visited rather than just making the switch blindly. Good luck with your decision.

[Anonymous]

UCSB is the most beautiful campus I’ve ever visited! Academics are excellent too.

[Anonymous]

Both are amazing places, but very different. Your DC will likely have a preference for one after visiting based on their very different locations. Let us know what DC chooses!

[Anonymous]

Whew that’s tough. Definitely have to visit but that doesn’t give you much time to visit and decide. Sounds stressful. Maybe just stick with Pitt at this point.

[Anonymous]

It was my dd’s favorite uc of the ones we visited (UCSD, UCLA, UCSB). The ocean is visible and a short walk from some of the freshman dorms. Isle Vista is a true college town, and Santa Barbara itself is a 10 minute ride by free public transport. Lots to love. Quintessential Southern California.

[Anonymous]

I went to UCSB in a different century, so I wouldn't want to comment too much on the academics, although I expect they're at least as strong. The campus setting nestled between the mountains and the ocean is simply gorgeous. There are thousands of bikes on campus, making it an interestingly different experience from most places. Beach right on campus, amazing weather all year long (I know one guy who never wore long pants the entire four years), easy access to a very nice city, not too far from LA when looking for internships. Isla Vista is a bizarre experience in hindsight, with over 10,000 students living in close proximity off-campus without much supervision.

I'd do it again, but it's probably not for everyone, so I agree that a visit is in order. Definitely very different from Pitt, although both are great places to get an education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you visit, book your ticket thru LA and have a car rental waiting so you can drive if your flight to SB is cancelled. Or just fly to LA to begin with. Don’t go thru SFO. Too many cancellations.

+1 A friend had to be in SB last week and got stuck in Phoenix. Ended up rebooked to LA and drove from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you visit, book your ticket thru LA and have a car rental waiting so you can drive if your flight to SB is cancelled. Or just fly to LA to begin with. Don’t go thru SFO. Too many cancellations.

And, it's important to note, it's a 5-hour drive from SFO vs 2 hours from LAX.

[Anonymous]

No need to go all the way there for 2nd tier UC OOS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No need to go all the way there for 2nd tier UC OOS

+1 Unless you have the money in a 529, I'm not sure most UCs are worth the ridiculous OOS prices for a large state school experience (500+ in classes, fighting to just get the courses your need for many stem majors) cannot imagine paying $70K for that experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No need to go all the way there for 2nd tier UC OOS

+1 Unless you have the money in a 529, I'm not sure most UCs are worth the ridiculous OOS prices for a large state school experience (500+ in classes, fighting to just get the courses your need for many stem majors) cannot imagine paying $70K for that experience

OP is a DC resident. Us DC residents look at this differently than many because (1) we have no great in state options and (2) we get 10K/year towards the cost of OOS tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No need to go all the way there for 2nd tier UC OOS

May be 2nd tier but still higher than most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No need to go all the way there for 2nd tier UC OOS

+1 Unless you have the money in a 529, I'm not sure most UCs are worth the ridiculous OOS prices for a large state school experience (500+ in classes, fighting to just get the courses your need for many stem majors) cannot imagine paying $70K for that experience

OP is a DC resident. Us DC residents look at this differently than many because (1) we have no great in state options and (2) we get 10K/year towards the cost of OOS tuition.

OP. We actually don't qualify for DCTag so that is something we take into consideration in this decision as Pitt is approx 15k less.