Hi! I posted the following on a different thread for someone with a similar question: “ My son is a freshman in CCS this year. He lives in the CCS LLC (housing is guaranteed the first year as long as you get your application in on time.) He has made a lot of good friends in the LLC, and next year, he and 3 of these friends have a 2 bedroom apartment in IV. They started looking a little before winter break and signed a lease toward the end of January. You can get campus housing after the first year, but I think on 30-40% of the students who apply get it. And it helps to start looking for off campus apartments early.”
Was housing a factor in your student decision? My son is thinking a school that offers housing four years is a big plus. I’m a little worried he isn’t seeing all the advantages of the CCS program and community and weighting those over the housing issues of Santa Barbara.
I was just thinking about how a student and family’s perceptions of this issue can change dramatically during the transition from high school to college. Looking at it when the student is still in high school and living at home, four year housing sounds pretty good! But once students are in college and start being more independent, I think many (or most) may prefer moving off campus and having the amenities and freedom of a real apartment… even though it may involve some hassle and uncertainty, and because of cost they may still need to share a bedroom. We were just talking about this on the UCB thread, where a parent was talking about their UCLA student (where 4 years ARE guaranteed) and how most students still prefer to move off campus. Of course, I don’t know what the specific housing market is like in SB / IV, but it can’t be worse than in Berkeley?
Yes, this is what I am wondering, if the lack of on campus housing guarantee is as big an issue as we are perceiving it to be. And if the search for Isla Vista off campus housing (after the first year with the CCS dorm) is hard or stressful.
He was deciding between UCSB and Cal, where housing is also an issue, so it didn’t play into the decision. Finding the apartment for next year was a little stressful, but it worked out and he and his friends did it on their own (other than us parents just filling out forms when they asked). So, I think it was a good life skill lesson.
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Is it difficult to switch from Letters & Science to CCS for Physics before school starts or in the first semester?
Applying to CCS: How to Apply | UCSB College of Creative Studies
For continuing UCSB students applying to CCS, including committed incoming freshmen, applications to CCS are considered quarterly on a space-available basis.
Please be advised that not all programs will have space open, and programs may pause reviewing new applications at any point within the year. In this case, submitted applications may take longer to review.
I do not see any data on the web site about how competitive the CCS application process is for recently admitted / continuing students.
It looks like you can email info@ccs.ucsb.edu for more info about the process.
That’s helpful, thank you!
L&S has approximately 20K undergrads
COE has 1550 undergrads
CCS has 385 undergrads
CCS is a very elite program.
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Thank you!. They were accepted into the Physics program, which is top notch, but also i understand a very (understandably) tough major. sorry, i somehow missed your post originally, thanks for responding.
@lkg4answers @tamagotchi @linda298 @CAparent2 @EAL5 to further illustrate the eliteness re: Physics in CCS versus L&S (my S24 applied for Physics in L&S only) see Fall 2023 data UCSB Third-Week Registration Reports | Office of Budget & Planning - Table 8 is CCS (1st screenshot - Physics in red box) and Table 12 (2nd screenshot - Physics only as the entire table is too big) is L&S Math, Life & Physical Sciences.
I – as a parent – do not have any insight why enrollment fluctuates year over year in CCS or L&S. As an aside, I do not understand how UCs, who do not admit by major, plan for this fluctuation.
Edited to Add: I surmise that L&S Junior & Senior year #'s are higher than Freshman & Sophomores for transfers, but cannot find that info.
We plan to attend the UCSB Open House - Physics L&S this weekend to compare against UC Davis Physics L&S.
If you are referring to the varying number of students in each “Class Level” column, I would guess that students are being classified by the number of total units completed (including AP, etc). Many students are coming in with 1-2 years’ worth of AP/IB/DE credit, so there are going to be more students with a junior or senior class level even though they still have years left on their degrees.
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We recently visited UCSB and spent about 30 minutes one-on-one with a CCS student / ambassador. (daughter interested in physics CCS)
It is an amazing program, and if your kiddo is admitted to CCS for physics I would jump at the opportunity.
The CCS facilities are run down and not very nice. But the program sounds amazing, and the students get a chance to have an actual LAC experience at one of the best physics programs in the country.
It is unquestionably a difficult program. The CCS student we spoke with was talking up the amazing study abroad opportunites through CCS/UCSB but then said she doesn’t know any physics majors who actually did it because their class schedule didn’t permit it.
We talked to her about housing, and she stayed in the CCS housing the first year and then started sharing an apartment off campus with 6 girls - she said it was a 10 minute bike ride away and it didn’t seem to be a huge deal to find a place.
If you can go and speak to the CCS folks before you decide I highly recommend it.