UCSB is a really nice place to go to school, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level. It has a reputation as a party school, but it also has a number of good departments, and its reputation is constantly improving as an academic institution.

When I was there as a grad student in social and developmental psychology, the psychology department was truly concerned about providing a good education to its undergraduate students. Many of the Labs were taught by T.A.s (graduate students), but we met with the (big name) professors, and they put a good deal of effort into teaching as well. I was impressed. As graduate students, we took classes, conducted research, and assisted undergrads in the learning process. We also often went "whale watching," which was code for partying on the beach. It was a lot of fun.

Overall, the feeling of UCSB was "kick back," with people from various areas (both geographically and academically) sitting around and swapping ideas. Most people seemed to be in a good mood there most of the time, making UCSB very different from Berkeley, for example.

An important aspect of the UCSB environment is the beach which surrounds the campus. I took many long walks and runs on said beach, contemplating Piaget's theories of cognitive development, planning Labs I had to teach, and, of course, taking in the "scenery." For many, the beach provides a welcome escape from academics, aggressively contemporary haircuts, and other daily bothers. The water is warm enough for swimming, body surfing, and surfing without a wetsuit for much of the year. You have to look out for beach tar, though, because the stuff sticks to your feet and can only be removed with baby oil or (in severe cases) gasoline.

Isla Vista, the student ghetto, has to be experienced, but it can be a bit much if you're not into wanton partying. Rents are absurdly high, but that seems to be a part of college life in much of California.

The town of Santa Barbara, overall, is a bit yuppie, but also fairly friendly, in spite of the LA influence (Santa Barbara is about 100 mi north of Los Angeles). Santa Barbara also attracts major musicians (David Grisman, Richard Thompson, REM, James Taylor, etc.) to play concerts there, in spite of its relatively small size. It also has some of the best Thai restaurants I've ever visited, including Your Place, down on Milpas street. Be sure to order a "hot pot" of Tom Kha Gai! Santa Barbara is not a cultural vacuum.

Another nice thing about the Santa Barbara area is the Santa Ynez mountains, readily accessible, and affording good hiking opportunities. There are some Indian cave paintings you can hike to just south of West Camino Cielo Road, but just how to get there is a bit of a secret, passed on from one generation of local hikers to the next. If you run into me on the beach when I'm visiting, and earn my trust, I'll tell you how to find them. ):-)

Overall, UCSB (and the Santa Barbara area) is a really enjoyable place to spend a few years. I would especially recommend it to individuals who might be described as "balanced," enjoying the outdoors, a bit of culture, and a fairly competitive academic environment. If you're a pure academic type, you might prefer the more austere (bit hip) Berkeley environment. If you're a pure partier or surfer dude (or dudette), you might check out Santa Barbara City College, which offers a good education for two year school.





Recommended: Yes