bananaslug

hear hear bbbf!

all i want is to avoid anyone gettin me down. so cali, what you said makes me feel pretty good about the dorms. im not all that worried. I picked porter as my first choice and i dont think ill change it anymore.

Cali Trumpet

What I wrote was taken the wrong way. I was mostly hoping to make people feel better about UCSC itself, because most if not all of the students were very friendly and chill. There were not any strong sterotypes within the campus. And to make you feel good about Porter, bananaslug, my tourguide was a porter student for two years and she seemed very nice. She talked very highly of the dorm rooms and the dorm life at Porter and recommended her college over the others. She said that some people started at College 9 and 10 because they were new, and ended up transferring to Porter their sophomore year because they made better friends there. I am sure you will enjoy this college.

joshz123

What's the porter people like? I'm into business, I like entrepreneur thoughts, are porter people the laid back type? I'm thinking about 9 and 10, then 8 and then stevenson

emma111

Is there any strategy for avoiding being assigned to a Triple?
Does UCSC actually honor your preferences? Also, is it first come, first served in terms of when you submit your SIR?
Finally...which colleges involve hiking up hills?

Cali Trumpet

Emma - I cannot answer all of your questions. However I do know (according to my tour guide) that colleges are not first come first serve. Those who have priority such as sophomores get to choose first, and then Freshmen get what is left. I guess after everyone submits their SIR, they house the students the best they can. My tour guide said that you will usually get your first choice but 99% of the time you get your top 3. Also, if you request a specific floor such as substance free or single sex, they must give you what you request.

Hiking up hills? Crown has a big hill, but I do not think that should make your decision for chosing a particular college as each and every college is easy to get to via bus.

bananaslug

um isnt the entire campus hills?
but remember your college is for your full 4 (or 5) years not just the first few years of it.

KFblade

But bananaslug, can't you request for a transfer?

bananaslug

yeah but dont ya wanna get it right the first time?

Cali Trumpet

^ that is my problem. I am over thinking this whole choosing college thing. I just want to get it right...

See my problem is that I am going into the Social Sciences (economics/politics) and I like how 9 and 10 are right next to the social science building. I also think it would be cool to be close to the international center. But I am afraid most people only choose those colleges because they are new and there might not be the sense of community that I am looking for.

I think College 8 has one of the best atmospheres (very open like Porter and Kresge) and I like the theme, but it is kind of far from my classes and the gym, which I'd like to go to for the really nice view a couple times a week.

Crown looks good because I liked the dining hall atmosphere and the college theme, but I am afraid since the college is so focused on the sciences, that I might be a little left out.

I don't know what to do

bbbf

cali trumpet, agreed with the 9/10. It is now my first choice because of the core course, but I wonder how many people actually take core course into consideration (or just look at location, etc.). My friend's sister went to porter and said the one thing she regretted was choosing porter without looking at their core course (she hated it).

bbbf

*I meant 9 is my first

bananaslug

i know the general colleges i want to live in (porter kresge and 8). the problem is the core course...
porter is Writing across the Arts, which is cool, i love art, but im not artisitic myself. besides, i hate writing haha.
kresge i am soo down with their core course, but i dont want to live in an apartment. i want to have the real dorm experience!!
8- the theme is environment and society. Im an environmental major, so id like to know more people than those in the env. program.

i kind of wish there was a quiz you could take that told you where you would best fit.

Cali Trumpet

For what it is worth, I talked to a couple UCSC staff at the various colleges about the core themes. Both women told me that all of the courses are basically the same, they just differ a little in content. All the classes are supposed to get students into the 'college way of doing things.' Your going to have to do a lot of reading and writing, and discussing in class, regardless which core class you take.

I also understand the core class is probably the least interesting class you'll take during college. One lady told me that you really should not choose colleges by the core class, but only avoid core classes that you have no interest in. For example, if you are a very moderate to conservative guy, you probably do not want to go to Merrill, because Merrill's core course is especially liberal and quite controversial.

So I am with you bananslug, kinda lost as to where the right place is for me. UCSC really does not help us admitted students much as to choosing colleges. I kinda adopted the "don't worry about it" idea because whatever happens, I am sure I will be happy. Worse case scenario, I'll change dorms after my first year.

ZeroK

lol, trumpet. Go to Cowell with me =]

bananaslug

oh thats a cute fling
yeah. i keep going through this cycle of severe anxiety and then utter apathy towards this subject.
right now im at apathy, but tomorrow who knows?

wait whats so controversial about merrils core course??