University of California-Santa Barbara Reviews

"Santa Barbara is one of the best cities in California. Unfortunately, the cost of living there is not very college friendly. Certainly a lot of better-off students attend this university. I had a grand time there, the environment is very friendly and fun! I did not feel unsafe walking around the community, which as a young adult woman is definitely an important factor!"

"I enjoyed studying at UC Santa Barbara. In terms of academics, I found my course of instruction to be sufficiently rigorous while not being overwhelming or too fiercely competitive. I enjoyed learning from many of my professors. I found my undergraduate skills to carry over well to the industry I now work in."

"I look back at my time at UCSB with fond memories. The professors are very personable, the work-life balance is manageable, it is a blast living a couple blocks away from all your friends, and the overall environment is much more relaxed than most college campuses that I've visited."

"My experience at UC Santa Barbara was an incredibly special time in my life. Over the course of four years, I went from a quiet and unmotivated kid to an outgoing and incredibly determined young man. I attribute this to my fellow students and the culture of UC Santa Barbara. We had a work hard, play hard mentality that valued human connection and having a good time as well as succeeding in life and in your career goals. UC Santa Barbara is also a respected school in California and has opened the door to my first job out of college. I'm hoping I can use my alumni network to grow my career moving forward.Read Less"

"UCSB was a fantastic place to learn about the world. I got a nice well rounded education and was able to take classes for my major but also towards things that would benefit me as an adult in our world. I learned about various religions and races and climates etc. My major was great and I learned all the basics there. I do wish the school would have prepped me more for my future career. It’s definitely more liberal arts and less “hands on” learning."

"I thought both of the programs were very weak. I was accepted as a math major, and I was struggling. I like art, but in reflection with my student loans that I still have, I don't think I really learned anything striking. Teachers sat back and maybe one global studies class was interesting that I still remember. I did not find all of that information to be true, so I was stuck on the biases being spread in lectures."

"I attended UCSB for 4 years. Overall once I found a good group of friends my experience was great. I was born and raised in a hispanic community, went to a predominantly hispanic high school therefore moving to Santa Barbara, CA and being immersed in a predominately caucasian environment was a little bit of a culture shock. It would be great to see more diversity amongst the student population and faculty. As far as faculty goes, I had a great experience with all professors. UCSB Is very large school therefore it is hard to create a good relationship with professors unless you consistently go to their office hours. My favorite professor by far was the Sociology 1 professor. I was a biopsychology major, loved all my upper division courses. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved with research. As a science major, I appreciated and loved the C.L.A.S. program offered for free on campus. CLAS are tutoring classes led by graduate students, they greatly contributed to my success as a science major student. Adjusting to college level courses was a little bit difficult for me. I received 2 C's first year. I started college wanting to go to medical school, I knew the Cs on my transcript were not good however I knew I still had time to make it up by working hard and receiving good grades in the rest of my med school prerequisites, the counselors did not see it this way. Of about 4-5 counselors that I went to see all but 1 were very discouraging of my chances of getting into any PA or medical program. Instead of saying "it might be a little more difficult, but here is what you can do to improve your chances" they all told me to find another career path. I start PA school in two days. My advice is that no matter who you are getting advice from take it with a grain of salt and continue to work hard towards your goals. Good luck in college! Enjoy every second because it flies by!Read Less"

"UCSB was a great school with an amazing library and array of classes. The weather was always great and it was a safe and friendly environment to learn in. Global Studies as a major in itself was a broad field and allows for a variety of jobs and sectors afterwards. Overall, UCSB was a chill school with a beautiful campus and atmosphere."

"University of California Santa Barbara was an incredible school to attend. Like any school, you get what you put into it. If you take your classes seriously, work hard, and utilize office hours/TAs for your classes, you will get a lot out of them. I found that the professors were very informative and cared about their students. CLAS tutoring for science classes is FREE and honestly saved me in Biology and Organic Chemistry. CLAS is an incredible resource so definitely use it. The library was great, with its textbook reserve where you can rent your class textbooks for a few hours at a time. There were plenty of classes that I didn't buy the textbooks for (being a broke student and all) and instead used the library reserves. This school has a lot of resources for students to be involved with the community, get the support they need, and overall have a great experience. My specific degree was fantastic. The counselors were very helpful in making sure I was on the right track and the classes I took for this major were very interesting. Biopsychology at UCSB is a degree that is under the Psychology Department, which had incredible, supportive counselors. Unfortunately, I also spoke to a counselor in the Biology Department who was very condescending and unsupportive, so it depends on the department you are a part of at this school. Overall, it seemed like most of the faculty was great though! UCSB is also a very highly renowned research university, so take advantage of this and see if you can join a professor in any research projects that may interest you.Read Less"

"Great program! The teachers provide ample office hours and there are plenty of additional sessions led by TAs and upper division students for any help. I personally built very close relationships with each of my professors and they have been supportive in my career and making sure I received all the resources I needed for my education."

"The transition from high school to college is more than just academics. It is a mental/emotional transition as well. The process of acclimating to a new environment is, in my opinion, one of the hardest to do especially if you feel out of place. Coming from the diversity of the Bay Area to a small, secluded, and more conservative area was definitely a culture shock. The campus' social and political climate was sometimes difficult to navigate, but I am forever thankful for the experience because it forced me to step up and become a leader and activist. The professors I had (especially in the Sociology department) were great. They opened my eyes and gave me the tools and language to describe my experiences as a black women in a system not built for my success. They exposed to me social injustices and forced me to analyze and critique "traditional values". More than that, they allowed for me to grow and discover my passion. For students of color, especially Black students, interested in pursuing their degree at a PWI, I would say it is important to establish your campus support network early on because often times it is easy to get lost in the shuffle and feel like you are in it alone. But you aren't, there are multiple services and people on campus there to support you in reaching your goal.Read Less"

"UCSB is a beautiful campus. The English and Classics departments were adequate with a few truly exceptional professors. The community of Isla Vista can be overwhelming in its apathy. There is certainly space to work hard and put forth programs that could really benefit the community and set you apart from the average student."

"The University of California-Santa Barbara is a fantastic school. It is one of the top-ranked public schools in the United States, and it has a lot to offer to students. From my experiences, the professors are always will to help in any way possible and will gladly meet with students during office hours. The education offered at UCSB is superb! Besides the quality of education provided at this school, it is also a great place to be in with scenic views of the ocean. Personally, this was the selling point for me; I love having the beach on campus where I can go between classes.Read Less"

"UCSB is a great school for an undergraduate experience. I recommend it due to the highly social aspects of it and the strong faculty and programs it has. UCSB is great for undergraduates as it is open, collaborative, and a great place to be. Everyone is looking out for one another and contributes to each others success."

"UC Santa Barbara is an amazing school. From the campus to the faculty. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the athletic department as well as the music department. The academics are strong and the faculty cared a great deal about the students' education. I was able to utilize what I learned into my graduate studies. I highly recommend UCSB in all facets!"

"UCSB is a wonderful school if you are the type of student to succeed here (social, hard working, and most importantly, self-disciplined). Academics are extremely rigorous in the Economics and Accounting curriculum to many peoples surprise, so be prepared to work extremely hard. The bell curve puts you against the brightest students, which are aplenty. Also, take care of your mental health, as a competitive environment can cause you to burn out or be discouraged. Since the university has so many students, it can be hard to feel a personal connection with your professor, and some can come across very cold. The nature of the industry of accounting causes this in people, is what Ive observed after being in industry for several years. Overall, top notch education that definitely made me much more intelligent and efficient at critical thinking, especially. I am pursuing a graduate degree and finding my quantitive and critical thinking skills much better than before I attended UCSB.Read Less"

"Unfortunately there were doctoral level programs on campus which were fledgling and the professors had little experience with advising dissertations and were uncertain about what the specific requirements should be. They also notoriously did not know the rules of graduate division and on their part thought they could break any rules they wanted with a care to how it might affect the student. The classes themselves were fairly mediocre but that goes without saying. The teaching experience you received also depended solely on what was convenient for the department at the moment and not what would help build your CV and skills. A lot also depended on who your adviser was and not merit. Always check carefully the track record of your adviser.Read Less"

"Unfortunately there were doctoral level programs on campus which were fledgling and the professors had little experience with advising dissertations and were uncertain about what the specific requirements should be. They also notoriously did not know the rules of graduate division and on their part thought they could break any rules they wanted with a care to how it might affect the student. The classes themselves were fairly mediocre but that goes without saying. The teaching experience you received also depended solely on what was convenient for the department at the moment and not what would help build your CV and skills. A lot also depended on who your adviser was and not merit. Always check carefully the track record of your adviser.Read Less"

"UCSB changed my life. Over four years, the school encouraged me to obtain three majors, study abroad in London for a year, and grow as a leader. The beautiful campus and its warm weather encouraged great discussions with faculty and friends. Plus as a California resident, the cost was affordable and the location close to my family. I would go back to UCSB in a heartbeat."

"Undergrads partied a lot, but graduate school engineering is top notch."