Student Profile
Jill
- Class: Senior
- Major: Psychology
- Gender: F
- High School: Aliso Niguel
- Transfer Student: N
Big Picture
Academic Life
Professors at UCSB dont know your name unless you make the effort to introduce yourself. The classes, especially lower division, are usually pretty large, however the upper division classes usually become a little smaller. In all classes, upper and lower division professors and TA's have office hours. Nearly every professor I had were very receptive to adding extra office hours, promptly answering emails, and answering questions before or after class. Im a psychology major and have taken some great classes with great professors. Everyone in the department is really friendly and inspiring. My favorite class was a psychopathology class. The professor had is PhD in reserach as well as his own clinical private practice. Beyond the text book or his own reserach he had numerous stories to share, which really brought the class and what we were studying to life. My least favorite class was one I took for GE. It was a Chicano studies class and the professor was extremely boring, diorganized, and confusing. The great thing about UCSB students is that they are both charismatic, social, and very intelligent. UCSB is becoming increasingly more difficult to get into. Students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class, but it is met with a balance of lighthearted conversation. A professor once said at freshman orientation that "UCSB students are just as smart as Berkley students, they just don't act like it." I sort of interpret this as UCSB students are more balanced than some other students. We are 18-22 years old, why be so serious? We work hard and are very driven, but we also play hard and have a fun time being young adults. I have been involved in research with professors in the psychology department for the past two years and am also the treasurer of Psi Chi, the psychology club on campus. These two experiences have given me an opportunity to spend time with professors outside of the lecture hall.
Student Body
Racial, religious, LGBT, and other groups are very visible on campus. I think they are respected and supported. Although I am not involved with any of these groups I have attended events they have put on. Students on campus that may feel out of place are those we choose not to drink or 'party'. Unfortunately, many of the social gatherings revolve around alcohol. Most students wear flip-flops and shorts. The weather is nice year round, with the exception of a few rainy weeks here and there. For the most part, the dress is very casual and laid back, despite a few girls who think they are coming to class straight off the runway. In the dining hall the only division, if any, would be halls sticking together or dorm buildings. There is absolutely no "nerd" or "athlete" tables. The only exception to this is that there are special interest floors in the dorms, there is an Asian and African American special interest floor. These halls may sit with each other, but I think its because they live with each other, just like other non-special interest floors sit with each other. Most students are from California with an affluent background, relative to the entire population in States. College is expensive, therefore most students who attend have parents or family who can support them. Although there are scholarships I dont think they are awarded enough. I think that most students are predominantly left or center. Our campus has a moderate amount of political activity, but not as much as you may see on other campuses. At one time UCSB in teh 60's and 70's was known for its political activism, however today it is far from that.
The Best Things
The location
The Worst Things
Biking to class in the rain, no parking on campus, and no cheap parking on campus
