The Gaucho Tour Association (GTA) was established in 2003 to encourage students’ interest in leading tours for UC Santa Barbara. The organization recruits and hires new tour guides every year during fall quarter. To become a UCSB tour guide, applicants must complete an informal meeting with reserve staff, review information provided in the Tour Guide Manual and reserve documentary film, attend a tour as a participant, or co-lead a tour with a current tour guide.
To get involved, applicants must register for all presentations and tours, which can be limited to two additional guests. There is no waitlist or waitlist for applications. To become a Gaucho guide, applicants must determine their desired job and skills, as well as the type of guiding job they want.
Some of the guiding job requirements include improving public speaking skills, showcasing the university, and joining a diverse group of students. Most tour guide roles require high school diplomas as the minimum qualification, but other tourist guide jobs may require other qualifications.
To learn more about becoming a UCSB campus tour guide, attendees can attend one of the info sessions at 6pm in Corwin Pavilion on either Tuesday, October 11th or Friday, October 9th. Applications for the Fall 2023 cycle open on Handshake and close on October 9th. For any questions, applicants should contact [email protected].
📹 Ultimate Guide to the UC Schools 2023
Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:13 UC System 00:54 UC Tier List 03:44 UC Berkeley 04:36 UCLA 05:28 UC Santa Barbara 06:12 …
How do I become a UCLA tour guide?
New Cub Tours Guides are required to attend a weekly meeting on Thursdays from 6pm to 7pm, give a 90-minute tour per week, and attend a weekly virtual tour training meeting until a tour evaluation is completed. The training time and length will depend on guide availability. Cub Tours guides impact the lives of Kindergarten through sixth-grade youth in the greater Los Angeles area and beyond, serving as a great résumé builder and a space to display leadership. Candidates must be energetic, passionate about higher education, and have a strong interest in higher education.
How do you become a tour guide around the world?
While international tour guides are not typically required to possess formal qualifications, they are often required to complete on-the-job training under the guidance of experienced professionals. Nevertheless, there are avenues for voluntary certification pertaining to particular countries, cultures, sites, or tourism zones.
How can I be a tour guide?
To become a tour guide, one must first obtain the requisite training and a work permit. The majority of positions in this field require a high school diploma, though some may necessitate a degree, such as a college degree in a relevant museum program.
Is it hard to be a tour guide?
Tour guides face challenges such as long hours, demanding guests, and the need to work in peak season heat. However, the job offers numerous benefits, such as serving others, making new connections, and getting involved in the community. The best tour guides have a heart for serving others and strive to advance in the tourism industry by researching and learning to be a successful guide. Being organized, punctual, and dependable are essential qualities of an effective tour guide, as they ensure smooth check-in and check-out processes for guests. These qualities make them a valuable asset to any tour company.
How much do UCLA tour guides make?
The average base salary for a Campus Tour Guide at UCLA is $22 per hour, with an additional pay of $3 per hour. This range includes cash bonus, stock, commission, profit sharing, or tips. The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor’s proprietary machine learning model uses user and government data to make pay predictions. Your input helps refine these estimates over time.
What is the best career in tourism?
The travel and tourism industry offers a wide range of career opportunities, from tour guides to travel agents, transport officers, travel writers/bloggers, sustainable tourism managers, destination marketing, hospitality managers, and travel photographers/videographers. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the demand for skilled professionals in this field is growing. From capturing breathtaking landscapes to crafting unforgettable itineraries, these careers present a gateway to adventure and personal growth.
One of the top careers in the industry is becoming a tour guide. As a tour guide, you can meet people from all corners of the world, have enlightening conversations, and share the love and passion of travel. Your role is to provide knowledge and information about a destination, helping tourists have memorable experiences. This career can be a rewarding and fulfilling one, as it allows you to connect with people from all over the world and share your passion for travel.
Are blue badges easy to get?
Certain benefits entitle the holder to a Blue Badge, which can be applied for without driving unless the applicant has arm problems. To renew your badge, please refer to the instructions provided on this page, as expired badges are invalid for use. It is advisable to submit an application for a new badge as early as possible, and to ascertain from the relevant council the optimal time for renewal. A Blue Badge can only be obtained from the relevant local council or the UK government. United Kingdom.
Which degree is best for a tourist guide?
Those wishing to become a tourist guide may pursue a diploma or certificate program in a range of relevant disciplines, including tour guiding, hospitality, tourism management, cultural studies, history, and language proficiency.
How to become a blue badge tour guide?
Tourist guide training can be found through local associations or major tourist attractions. Guide London offers blue badge training, which typically takes 18 months. Heritage organizations like York Minster also offer their own training courses. An outgoing personality, speaking a second or third language, and experience in public dealing and presentations can help in job applications. For more information, visit the Institute of Tourist Guiding.
Where do tour guides make the most money?
The cities in the United States with the highest average salaries for tour guides are Baltimore, Maryland; Memphis, Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Chicago, Illinois.
What is the highest paying tour guide?
Individuals employed as high-paying tour guides may be found in a number of different roles, including those working as fishing, museum, outdoor, river, vacation, and hunting guides. The salaries offered to these professionals range from $32, 000 to $33, 000 per year. Other potential avenues for employment include roles as river guides, vacation guides, and hunting guides.
📹 Everything You Need to Know About the UC Schools
In this video, I talk about everything you need to know about the UC schools. I cover topics such as admissions, rankings, UC tier …
I am a high school dropout with a cumulative GPA below a 1.0. After getting my GED, I spent a few years in CC and graduated with a 3.9 GPA, earned multiple AA’s and got accepted into Cal, UC Irvine and UC Davis. Community College gives everyone the opportunity to reinvent themselves, to mature, and to find direction in life. I did not have a goal of transferring to a four-year university when I entered CC but destiny had other plans. I am now currently finishing my first year at Cal and have loved every minute of it. Please do not fall into the stigma of chasing a “dream school”. No matter which university you are led to, know that, that is where you were called to go and everything will work out!
to any high school seniors bummed out about their decision results: dont be afraid of community colleges! there’s a stigma against CCs.. but if I could go back in time to choose between university or CC, I’d choose community all over again. i hated it at first but only because i pressured myself into feeling like i should have gone to a CSU or UC. there’s no wrong path! it doesn’t matter how long you take. CC’s helped me save money, the classes were smaller and I could be more personal with the professors. finally it was much easier to get into the universities I wanted due to the transfer system! CC transfers are given priority over high school graduates. Out of high school I pretty much got waitlisted and rejected from every place I applied even though I took AP’s, had great grades and extracurriculars. This year as a transfer applicant, I got into all the schools I got rejected from and even into schools I thought I wasn’t good enough for! whatever you choose, its okay that its not the plan you had! be kind to yourself, i know i wasn’t to myself back then 🙂
Santa cruz is amazing. It just doesn’t get the recognition because it isn’t as prestigious as la or Berkeley. I transferred here two years ago after getting into to ucla, sd, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Santa cruz. Ucla was my dream school but I just couldn’t get over the fact that people there so so stuck up. Sure they got a high ranking but in the end it doesn’t matter. I’m now getting ready to graduate and have zero regrets. All the professors I’ve had are truly amazing and have made my experience even better. And this school is truly underrated. Once you stroll among the redwoods on your way to class, or have unlimited views of the ocean you will truly never get tired of that school.
My dad went to UCLA, my brother Cal. I got rejected by all besides UCR when I applied. I was distrauct and thought my life was over. This is so silly now looking back. I ended up appealing and going to UCSC which I later regretted and transferred to UCSD even though all my counselors told me it wasn’t possible. In my entire experience every counselor told me my dreams or goals were impossible. Never listen to the opinions of others and follow your own path. You’ll be amazed where you end up. UCSD was the best experience and I’m so glad I gave the “socially deaf” campus a chance. Thanks for the memories
I graduated from Davis! You made some good points. I’d like to add from my experience, If you’re pre-health(pre-med,pre-PA,pre-nursing, pre-public health) there are tons of hospitals internships and other opportunities. For STEM folks in general, there’s lots of research positions available, too. I was able publish my first research project from working in one! Tech wise tho, like you mentioned, I’d agree, I didn’t know very many folks who were in that sector I’d also say it’s not as quiet as you’d think. Davis has a fun small townish vibe with weekend farmers markets that people love, but also if you were into frat life those day parties existed too.
Here after being rejected from UCI lol. Still waiting to get back from UCLA, UCD, UCSD, AND UCSB. I’ll update when I hear back. Best of luck to everyone waiting for their admissions! Edit Update: Waitlisted at UCSB. colleges decisions be roughhh haha I rly wanna get into UCSD but like oh well. Edit Update: I GOT INTO UC DAVIS!!!!! Edit Update: Waitlist at UCSD omllll YAYYYYYY it was like a 5% acceptance rate this year… 118000 students applied and only 6200 got in. The fact I was even considered is a celebration within itself haha Edit: UCLA rejected haha was expecting it so all good Y’all if you got rejected from your dream schools, just know we are all in this together. The college admissions is a total crapshoot and if you’re lucky, you’re lucky there’s nothing you can really do about it. This year has been crazy for all of us and it’s even worse because it’s more people than normal applying. Wherever you go I’m sure you’ll be happy! Prestige doesn’t decide your worth! <3
I mean, Santa Cruz definitely got the most culture, i can say that. Loved my experience there. Being from SoCal(SB area), i can definitely say that the open-minded atmosphere, living in the forest, and having hella hiking/beaches within a 2 -mile radius made my college experience much more laid back and memorable. Going to grad school and looking back, i definitely feel like the small class sizes really gave me a chance to connect with professors, which got me into research and letters of recs, etc. Idk, overall, rankings are a pretty antiquated way at looking at college lol Definitely go where you feel you belong and where you can be yourself. Enjoy the journey y’all. Peace.
UC Merced has established a medical education department, and is working towards opening a medical school within the next few years. As a university located deep in the Central Valley it has regarded itself to sustainability and community development. During my undergrad, they were able to open 10 new buildings! (Housing, classrooms, research buildings, and more) If you have time, I highly recommend coming to see the campus!
i got accepted to ucla and berkeley but ended up going to santa cruz because they were giving me a full ride, and im super happy i did. the campus is beautiful, but the best part for me is the relationships you get to forge with your professors. ive been given so many research opportunities that i know i wouldnt have gotten had i gone to a bigger school like ucla.
graduating from uc davis in spring and i agree with all your points! the agriculture and vet facilities are world-class and even if you’re not in those majors you can take cool classes like wine and beer making, if you like the small-town feel also i would recommend to come here, it’s close enough to sacramento and sf that you aren’t in the middle of nowhere but it’s a nice chance of pace imo 🙂
hey ! so i’m currently a first year at UCI and honestly there’s a pretty good social life. i feel like the old UCI rep has been up keeping this idea, but in reality, it’s pretty social ! it’s obviously not like UCLA or something, but we still have a good amount of greek life, plus it’s a super nice environment. most to all students will actually help u in class and their mostly all rly friendly ! good luck to everyone who applied to UCI !!
im currently a first year @ UCSD & i genuinely love it so much. the campus is so beautiful and it’s definitely not as “socially dead” as people think. it really just depends on who you’re friends with honestly and based on your preferences. a lot of the freshman are super social and everyone ive ever talked to is always down to make friends. and yes la jolla is a pretty expensive place BUT there’s so many other places to live in San Diego and SO much to do and see!
Riverside student here. Another thing I love about our campus is it’s scenery. There’s still a lot of open space on campus, most of the fields are grass but it’s better than nothing. We’re right up against the mountains on one side, if you like the desert than you’ll love the trails around the school and the city. On the flip side it is very hot here, Summers are easily over a 100 degrees Fahrenheit most days. I haven’t been to all the UCs but it feels much less intimidating to me than schools like UCLA or UCSD with their sprawling campuses and giant buildings. And if you’re going into entomology like me, the faculty here are some of the best
UCSC student here! A cool thing about the school is their residential colleges. UCSC was built with the idea of being a large university with a small college feel. There are 10 residential colleges all across campus. The colleges are where students dorm, meet with advisors, and other stuff. Each has its own theme and you can pick whichever one you want (meaning it doesn’t depend on your major). You’ll still be taking classes all over campus. I’m only a freshman, so I haven’t been on campus, but all of my professors so far have been great and everyone I’ve met has been really nice and supportive. Anyways, go slugs!
I went to UCSD thinking “ehh it’s not Berkeley or UCLA”. Do not go in thinking that. UCSD kids are smart as hell and they put the work in. Geisel Library has a 24 hour section and I’ve been there at 4-5 am and seen it still packed with people. UCSD is a great education but they will make you work for it. EDIT: I’ll also add it wasn’t listed as a con but the campus is way too overcrowded. I think all UCs are really like this, but I watched UCSD go from 33k to 40k undergraduates in just five years, and we had some new buildings come up but not nearly at the same pace. The dining halls became so crowded at lunch time that I would either get food elsewhere or eat lunch at a different time.
Love seeing UCSB move up the ranks. As an alum, moving up the career ladder takes a lot of soft skills (presentations, listening, speaking with management). You really have to learn to be a people person if you want to move to management and so forth. If you do your part in socializing (talking to people, partying, connecting with people) this will really help your career. So don’t just think it’s all about technical skills and the major. The great thing about UCSB is that you are only surrounded by other college students, so it forces you to be in that position all the time. But don’t party too much. Still put in the work to learn your academics. Technical Skills + People skills will be able to help you advance in your career.
I think there are some perks you’re missing about UCSC and I say this as a UCLA student. First of all Santa Cruz is just the most amazing town in such a beautiful area. For some reason this seems to be a bit of a polarizing topic, but I personally believe they have the third prettiest campus out of all the UCs aside from our North Campus area and UCSB. I’d imagine UCSC students could have the best overall mental health of the UCs. Someone correct me if I’m wrong though.
I would honestly say that this is pretty surface level stuff when it comes to the actual experience of attending any of the UCs. It is a lot of information that’s definitely valid and true to the UC campuses I’ve spent time at, just know it will probably only amount to a small part of your potential story at that school. The best way to get the full picture is to talk to and ask your own questions to people who have actually attended, rather than getting lured in by a campus’ marketing strategies (which, make no mistake, is the primary motivation for ranking campuses nationally or worldwide). A massive chunk of your experience attending any of these schools is also going to depend on your major and it’s department’s attitude towards students, such as the empathy that professors would tend to have or how much bureaucratic bs they have on them telling them to teach two terms’ worth of info in a single term, etc. Another key bit of info to consider as well is the type of city your school is located in (and somewhat consequently the type of people your school could attract). I won’t make any generalizations here because people are their own, but know that there are definitely some consistent demographics you can expect in a more conservative city vs a more progressive city, or a quieter town vs a busier city. Expect corresponding attitudes and levels of courtesy from potential future roommates.
I am about to graduate from UCSB so I was curious about your article… I got accepted into numerous UCs so I was worried about which to choose… but after attending UCSB I have to say I have zero regrets about selecting it. You summarized it pretty well, the other students were all so nice and always down to party/hang out, some departments are more flexible than others, and the location is the best out of any campus I have been to. You’re right though… if you come here expect to live in a double or a triple unless you have a good amount of money.
I definitely agree with Davis having so many unique majors and classes! I graduated in Animal Biology with a minor in Entomology and if you wanna do anything with animals, plants, or nature in general, Davis is perfect. Just off the top of my head, different majors that you can have studying animals are: animal biology, animal science, wildlife fish and conservation, marine ecology and organismal biology, Entomology, Evolution Ecology and Biodiversity, animal science management, and more! And the research labs are top notch so it’s really easy to get into doing undergraduate research. Now I’m starting my PhD at UCR so we’ll see how that goes!
I’m a second year undergrad at UC San Diego and i love it!!! i got into UCSB, UCI, UCD, UCSC but i’m so glad i chose UCSD. i’m not sure why everyone says it’s socially dead, i went to parties every single weekend and sometimes even during the weekdays on school nights (before covid of course). it is a competitive school but if you are a STEM major definitely come here, there are so many opportunities for you and you will not regret your decision. also UCSD is in a very large city (san diego) so there’s a ton of local opportunities available for us as opposed to some other schools that are in the middle of nowhere (like davis). come to ucsd !!!!
As someone who currently goes to UCM we have so many opportunities but a con that is not mentioned is the EXTREME LACK of majors + minors. Yes we got one of the best growths, but understand you probably can’t take a Greek language course. We only have 4 languages not including English, and we don’t have an international studies program (I went abroad and learned about it and wow …i wish we had this). HOWEVER being new is SO many opportunities. I could not have gotten to where I am if it weren’t for Merced. The community of Merced is beautiful and the people are inspirational. I was an extremely anti-school-spirit and bad student in high school, and went from that to being an internal vice president for the student body, created my own organization, studied “abroad” in DC and interned in Congress + campaign committees, and got into a research lab. As someone who never knew the college process and was so lost in high school with zero connections (none of my friends from high school went to UCM), I would encourage people who are willing to put themselves out there to go to UCM. You will absolutely flourish. If anyone wants to know more about UCM please email me. I was the 2020-2021 Internal Vice President for student body n let you know the real deets.
People should not immediately reject the community college route. Did not kill it in HS because you didn’t see the point? Now see the point? Go kill it in CC and the transfer rate into UCB, UCLA, UCSD, etc. is quite attractive and very doable. You see all the UCs build a very large CC transfer number into their metrics for how many freshmen to admit to allow room for the CC transfers two years later. I’m talking thousands of transfers from CC into each school. I’m talking about getting into UCB and UCLA whereas you couldn’t get into UCI and UCSB out of HS.
Transferred to UCI last year out of CC and I would definitely recommend my route to everyone. It gave me more choices in terms of where I could go to school, as well as save me a lot of money, which I’m sure many of us would love. I got into Cal Econ, UCSB Econ, and UCI Business Econ. I was waitlisted to UCLA Business Econ, eventually rejected. Although I got into Berkeley under one of its most impacted majors, I did not see myself there and I hated the idea of having to sacrifice my last two years of college being stressed out by the breakneck pace of the students at the school. Like I always say to people I know, community college really gave me the confidence I needed to thrive after I transferred and I sometimes look back at the fond memories I made during my times there. Keep ya head up if you got rejected from your dream school, UCLA sure did break my heart.
UCSD student here, absolutely loved the experience, although it was brief, as an undergraduate as I transfered from a community College. I graduated in December 2021 with a bachelor’s in science (Biochemistry), and I will be returning to campus this summer 2022 for Graduate studies (Master’s in Clinical research). Great article 👏
Aside from the stats pesented, you have to look at the majors offered and whether or not you vibe with the campus. My daughter was accepted at UCSan Diego, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara. We re-toured some campuses after she received her acceptance letters, and for her UCSB was the clear choice.
i committed to uc davis as a transfer, i wanted to stay in norcal despite getting into socal schools. it’s not as highly ranked as other ucs i got into like sd etc., but i think the thing to remember is rankings are just a number (especially in undergrad). it’s more important to choose a school that you’ll genuinely feel happy attending. a lot of kids i went to hs went got really caught up with prestige bc we had a pressure cooker culture, but honestly, any of the ucs are great schools. sure we have high/mid/low-tier, but that’s in comparison to each other. you’ll still have a great education no matter which campus you pick. 🙂
Wow, that was very well done. One thing to keep in mind is that “school reputation” is driven quite heavily by graduate programs, both professional and Ph.D. This is an area where UC Berkeley led UCLA by miles until the past 15 years or so, and still quite a distance now. In fact from 15 years prior to now, and going back about 40 years, Berkeley was ranked overall the top graduate University in the world across about (memory failing me here) about 20 academic disciplines. This of course means ranked over Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, etc. etc. Of course averages don’t mean much when you’re studying a discipline where the faculty and funding are not anywhere near the top, but reputations tend to go by averages.
US News rankings is subpar imo. They down rank public schools for inconsequential reasons that have nothing to do with academics and research, as well as placing the UCs inner ranks based on stupid reasons. Like UCSB suddenly jumping in ranking and UCSD the opposite. Look at other rankings like Shanghai, Times, and Q2, much more objective. Those are better rankings. UCB and UCLA are top 10-15 in the world, top 10 in the nation. As well as UCSD and Davis should be a step up from UCSB and UCI. The “UCSB is on the rise!” thing is a false house of cards. It is obviously and excellent school, but the whole idea that they are better than the other mid UCs is wrong. Really good article though
I don’t go to UC Davis but it is a 20 min drive away and I’m always around the area. I’d say a good pro is everything is in walking/biking distance. I take the bus to UC Davis (it was only $1 to take the public bus idk if it’s changed recently) but after being dropped off at the campus I would just walk by to the local cafes and restaurants. Davis as a whole has a really high Asian population so if you enjoy foods like Sushi, Pho, Ramen there’s a lot of good places. I always go to get sushi at either Mikunis or Hukus Japanese Bistro.
To anyone who got into the top 3 schools and is wracking their brain on which to choose – the school’s notoriety should not outweigh your mental health and ability to do well. I got into UCLA, Cal Berkeley, and SB for political science and though I should theoretically choose UCLA or Cal, it would greatly affect my overall health to go to a school so intense. Sometimes it is NOT about whether or not you can accomplish a degree from the top-rated schools but rather if it’s even worth it. If you got IN, there is no doubt you will graduate. Don’t let a school’s reputation force you to believe you haaaave to go there, it is absolutely vital to your health and future to choose a school that makes you feel challenged WHILE ALSO feeling supported (not to say that Cal and UCLA aren’t supportive but that they are (speaking from firsthand experience) truly as intense as you think they will be).
I am from Santa Cruz and interned at UCSC in stem building in the middle of redwood forest. The research is amazing in STEM and competes against the best. It just isn’t prestigious. Went to UCD and it was actually a ton of fun. There are always parties you can go to, but it is not a party school. For the most competitive school without the competitive feel go for UCD.
A few more things on merced, the ‘aesthetic’ buildings all have dirty windows because no one cleans the outside, there are ugly exposed and patchy rebar holes in all of the concrete, and almost every building being exposed concrete really gets demoralizing. Also the food should be listed as a con because the food provided in the pavillion is so ass I wouldn’t give it to max security prisoner.
As a California native, I would try to avoid UCs if at all possible. The UC system has a lot of issues, and the amount of applicants that they get just enables them. Issues include mis-handling of student protests ( UC Davis pepper spray incident), to abusing adjunct professors by paying them nothing, to break housing not being a thing on most campuses. Depending on your major as well, I would be weary to apply to these schools since it would take a few semesters to let you take any of your major specific courses. Im not saying don’t apply, but I am saying each campus has its own issues
I was accepted by 11 universities including UCLA but I chose UCI. At the beginning I was not sure if I made the right decision. But now, I know I couldn’t have made a better decision as people always judged by decision, just follow your heart but also do what’s best for you regardless of the tittle or recognition of a school.🍾
The rankings are subjective. You didn’t even mention what the methodologies are. UCLA jumped to number 1 public uni in part because they had more alumni donations. That’s not an indicator of rigor and global prestige at all. UC Berkeley is the globally famous university, not UCLA although UCLA is great too. This is weak research. All you did was show us the US News List LOL
I just realized I got into all of the B-tier schools, that’s kinda funny. I was waitlisted at LA, but tbh I’m happy with the ones I got into. I also got waitlisted at Cornell, so lines up in rankings I suppose. I’m not even upset at not getting into my top schools, I’m starting to realize it doesn’t matter that much to me and I think being waitlisted at them was enough to be uplifting. I’m not even sure why I’m perusal this when I already chose one, but its still nice to see, and its very thorough!
My dream school was UCLA, I live in LA… Therefore, I took the “guarantee” route… Out of all my classmate I was the one of two to go to UCLA except that I transferred from my local City College… There must have been close to 20 from my school that applied and didn’t get in ..Plus both at CC AND UCLA completely FREE for me
I got accepted to UCSD, UCR, but waitlisted to UCI. I decided to go to UCR, but was disappointed that my circumstances prompted me to to go there because UCSD is relatively a better campus. However, I’ve come to terms that the name of a university doesn’t define your academic success. Nor your intellectual ability. I hope no one is too discouraged by rejections or the tuff decision to choose between universities. ( ╹▽╹ )
Two things you missed. UCLA and Berkeley are capped by the legislature because there is no where they can grow any further. Riverside and Merced, on the other hand, have vast acreages to grow into so in the coming years they will be a lot easier to get into simply because they have room for you. And if you will be the first one in your family to attend college, Riverside is THE place. That campus specializes in students like you.
so basically ucsb academics are okay, depending on your major. mine is film and media and im mostly doing random ge’s for my first year. the weather is so nice during summer the culture of school is really relaxed and chill, sometimes boring and sometimes really fun, the parties are always there (the first week is so fun but slowly partying and drinking every weekend can get tiring). Also as a latina, the hispanic/latino demographic has to be a lie because compared to the rest of the majority pop (white) there are barely any people of color on campus
Some more things to consider about UC Santa Cruz: campus is completely separated from the town so you have to take a bus or drive to get off campus. The campus is also not always very accessible to bikes or walking but during class hours the public transportation is good but often crowded. Santa Cruz itself is not a college town; housing (and really everything) is very expensive. The academic programs are in general very good but the faculty can be difficult to deal with and labor disputes are common. The remote nature of the campus can make electricity unreliable especially during fire season.
Awesome article!! Random question (I really need help with this one). I was recently admitted to UCSB as a transfer student, I am transferring from UCI. Is it worth it to change UCI for UCSB? Specially considering that I will have to start the two year program from zero, and that I am scheduled for Graduation on 2022. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, Thank You!
Does anyone know which school is better for CS out of USC, UCI, UCD, and UCSD? I got accepted into CS for Davis and Irvine, Data science for SD, and physics/CS for USC. I have been trying to figure out which of these schools is better suited for me. I did two years of dual enrollment courses, so even though I am a freshman I will have over 100 quarter college credits to transfer. Does anyone know which uni is more flexible at transferring credits as I am from out of state?
Santa Cruz would be higher if there wasn’t a black cloud over the school the past few years…. the houses around the school are *stupid* expensive, causing people to leave the school, exacerbate the terribly bad homeless problem in santa cruz, cause massive teacher’s strikes… not to mention there is no parking at all. If you’re there, you’re stuck there. There’s no markets or restraunts on the campus, and food delivery is VERY high because of how far away the school is. During covid, this wasn’t even an option, so everyone was forced to go “home”. It’s very disheartening, and the chancellor is hardcore shelling money while the teachers and TAs starve. It’s all politics, its very unfortunate.
I’m trying to transfer from elcamino college to a school in the bay area using their transfer programs. My major is computer science and honestly, your articles have been helping a lot. Still have to decide which one to shoot for but so far UCSC and Berkely are looking to be my top 2(one reach and one target). Any advice or suggestions from people who are around the area or have been would be much appreciated ^-^
UCI and UCR have the hottest Asian girls, but I’d give the edge to UCR since it’s a little less of a commuter school and it’s generally hotter all year long. Most ppl live near campus, so it’s easier to Netflix & Chill (though I concede Irvine has more dating spots). UCSB has the hottest white chicks, and the party scene is probably only second to ASU.
Why are you just using US News’ rankings? Their methodology is suspect. UC Berkeley (i.e., Cal) will always be the jewel of the UC system. Just because UCLA was ranked by US News as #1 public university does not mean it’s “better” than Cal. An average of all rankings, which might be a better barometer, puts Cal always at #1 within the UC system. In fact, US News’ Global University Rankings ranks Cal higher than UCLA (i.e., #4 and #13, respectively). So think about that for a moment…these 2 UC schools are ranked higher globally than nationally. Stupid right? LOL.
UC student here. Rankings like the ones you find online mean NOTHING. Brand name means NOTHING. Where you do undergrad means (almost) NOTHING. Look for schools with programs and professors that excel in your areas of interest. Not just the handful of pros/cons associated with the school’s name. It’s the professors that make your education, not the school. Because at a high enough level, most undegrad programs teach the same stuff. If you go to UCLA, your computer engineering class isn’t going to give you some secret high level lessons that UCSB won’t. The basics are the basics. And that’s what undergrad is until maybe the last two years. Before you get set on a name. Do serious research into what departments get the most funding. Are professors actively publishing quality research? How many full-time professors does the department you’re interested in have? Don’t go for the brand name. Because it doesn’t exist. If a University has a reputation it’s because of the Grad program. The actual undergrad curriculum is pretty similar.
Lifelong Californian perspective on the UC’s: UC Berkeley: Best school despite what stupid rankings say. Most prestigious. Bay Area is more expensive than LA for a reason: better place to live if you can afford it. Hardly crime filled; even Oakland is expensive as heck to live in. Super competitive; pumps out tech bros. UCLA: Amazing school. Located in the most expensive part of LA; think Beverly Hills. Student population is ginormous; more students than most small towns in the US. Campus is basically a town in and of itself. UCSB: Small beach town not far from LA which is where rich retirees live. Super posh school where rich people send their kids. You might feel like a loner since unless you’re rich, you won’t be “in” with the in-crowd. UCSD: San Diego is one of the best cities in California, just with a slightly less vibrant job market. It’s probably tied with UCSB, although it’s arguably slightly more prestigious. UC Irvine: Non-Californians might not know where Irvine is. It’s right next to Newport Beach, the richest city in the country. Irvine is basically elite Orange County, located in part of Orange County where the ultra-wealthy live. UC Irvine is full of spoiled kids who live in perfect suburbia. Irvine itself has a ton of suburban amenities; Newport Beach is right next door, which is a super posh beach city. UC Davis: Cow country. Closest city is Sacramento which is a bleh city; rural. Good in rankings, but it’s honestly not a place you want to live in. Being located in cow country will forever hold this school back since obviously it’ll never compare to the beach city universities.
It does not matter if you have a degree from any university. Schools are there to milk your pocket and some are just there for the prestige which most gullible students are willing to pay. If you are intelligent, resourceful and productive, you will have a promising life and profession. Think out of the box and do not be a robot which most schools do to enrollees…traditional schools indoctrinate for the most part. Also, there are great colleges and universities outside the United States for 1/3 the cost. For example, I have a doctor who is practicing at a very top notch hospital system in America attended one of the oldest colleges in Asia. Went back to America to pass the board exam and now a respected doctor in his field. I asked what made him go to the schools he did. He basically said, “It’s a great school and I only paid 1/3 of what I would have paid in America.” I know people who even went from Harvard to the UC system, they just ended up in debt doing something totally different from what they majored in. I agree with one of the comments, Community Colleges are under rated. Take advantage of the community colleges in America. Be practical. It’s what you know, your talent, skills and of course connection counts. My prediction is that eventually, universities will be a thing of the past. It will be replaced by specialized schools focusing on a specific field, almost like graduate schools without the booolsheeeet bachelor courses slavery.