<p>I’ve been on College Confidential for a long time, and I’ve had a chance to read many posts from prospective students interested in the UC system and specifically UCSB. Occasionally, I’ve seen some misconceptions and incorrect assumptions about the school. I just wanted to create this post to set the record straight on some issues, as well as providing some trivia, history, and interesting points about my alma mater! </p>
<p>Did you know…?</p>
<p>1) UCSB has [5</a> Nobel prize winners](<a href=“http://www.ucsb.edu/nobel/index.shtml][b]5”>http://www.ucsb.edu/nobel/index.shtml) currently on it’s faculty? This compares well with the 7 at UCB and UCSD, 5 at UCLA, and 2 at UCI. Other impressive faculty members include Shuji Nakamura of the Materials department, who was the inventor of the Blue LED. Some famous alumni include NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao, olympic Gold Medal swimmer Jason Lezak, musician Jack Johnson (who mentioned dining commons DLG in his lyrics!), actor Michael Douglass (who donated money for a new Film & Media center), and founder of TMZ.com Harvey Levin. </p>
<p>2) The land that UCSB currently sits on used to be ** [Marine</a> Corps Air Station (MCAS) Santa Barbara](<a href=“ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs”>ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs)** during WWII? (Left is 1943, right is present). Previously, the campus (known as SB State College) had [two</a> locations](<a href=“http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/events/department-news/583/in-the-beginning-ucsb-and-the-department-of-geography/]two”>http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/events/department-news/583/in-the-beginning-ucsb-and-the-department-of-geography/) near downtown. The current location, occupied after WWII, was nicknamed “Slough U” after the Goleta Slough which borders the north of campus. [Here’s</a> a close up](<a href=“http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/Marine%20base.jpg]Here’s”>http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/Marine%20base.jpg) of the central campus ring that you see above. In this [1960</a> photo](<a href=“http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/ucsb_1960_oct_27_480h.jpg]1960”>http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/ucsb_1960_oct_27_480h.jpg), if you look above the lagoon past the tree line, you can see the first dorm, the snaking Santa Rosa, built in 1956 and predating most campus buildings!</p>
![http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/Marine%20base.jpg]Here’s](http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/Marine%20base.jpg%5DHere's){kind=link}
![http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/ucsb_1960_oct_27_480h.jpg]1960](http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/img/news/2009/ucsb_1960_oct_27_480h.jpg%5D1960){kind=link}
<p>3) UCSB hosts a [highly</a> rated](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33045-d262318-Reviews-Santa_Barbara_Family_Vacation_Center-Santa_Barbara_California.html]highly”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33045-d262318-Reviews-Santa_Barbara_Family_Vacation_Center-Santa_Barbara_California.html) retreat called the [Family</a> Vacation Center](<a href=“http://www.familyvacationcenter.com%5D%5Bb%5DFamily”>http://www.familyvacationcenter.com)? That’s right, families pay thousands to spend a week in the San Rafael dorms! Not only will you be getting a top notch education, you’ll be living at a vacation destination! SB itself provides many opportunities to explore. You’re next to the beach, 10 minutes away from great hiking in the Santa Ynez mountains, and 15 minutes from downtown and it’s world class restaurants, great museums, and cute little zoo. There’s even an 18+ Indian casino 45 minutes away!</p>
<p>4) UCSB has a NCAA Division I champion soccer program? Although UCSB isn’t well known for athletics nor has football, students (and [Gaucho</a> Locos](<a href=“http://www.gaucholocos.com%5DGaucho”>http://www.gaucholocos.com)) still rally around our teams, especially men’s soccer, national [attendance</a> leader](<a href=“http://img.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/v65/togepi35/Picture004.jpg]attendance”>http://img.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/v65/togepi35/Picture004.jpg) in 2007 and 2008. The team made the final game in 2004, losing to Indiana on PKs, but rebounded in 2006 and won it all against interstate rival UCLA in St. Louis. To celebrate, students in IV took the goal post from Harder Stadium and [tossed</a> it in the ocean](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/nfn8jd]tossed”>http://■■■■■■■.com/nfn8jd) at 6600 Del Playa. Because of UCSB’s success, the NCAA [awarded</a> the College Cup 2010<a href=“soccer” title=“final four”>/url</a> to SB. This will be huge, especially if UCSB is in.</p>
![http://img.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/albums/v65/togepi35/Picture004.jpg]attendance](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/togepi35/Picture004.jpg%5Dattendance){kind=link}
<p>5) UCSB is one of the most diverse UCs? According to [url=<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2009/froshsirs_table3.pdf]Fall”>http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2009/froshsirs_table3.pdf]Fall</a> 2009 data](<a href=“http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/051409aaa.html]awarded”>http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/051409aaa.html), the freshman class has the 3rd highest percentage of under-represented minorities in the entire UC system (after Riverside and Merced), and ranking 2nd in % of Native Americans, 3rd in % of Hispanics, and 4th in % of Blacks in the UC system. The fall 2009 freshman class breakdown is as follows:</p>
<p>White: 44.7%, Hispanic: 24.9%, Asian: 20.7%, African American: 4.0%, American Indian: 1.1%</p>
<p>Also, I constantly hear people say that UCSB is filled with rich kids, so I ran a StatFinder query to find out the truth. Here is a list of the Fall 2008 class, and the % indicates the amount of students who’s combined family income is $79,999 or less. As you can see, UCSB has students from all kinds of ethnic and financial backgrounds!</p>
<p>UCM: 59.2%
UCR: 58.3%
UCSD: 51.5%
UCD: 46.9%
UCSB: 41.8%
UCI: 41.3%
UCLA: 38.8%
UCSC: 38.7%
UCB: 36.3%</p>
<p>6) UCSB is a very politically active campus? This year, UCSB got a free concert by Death Cab For Cutie for winning the [Ultimate</a> College Bowl](<a href=“http://ultimatecollegebowl.com/canvas/?appParams={“tab”%3A"scoreboard"}]Ultimate”>http://ultimatecollegebowl.com/canvas/?appParams={“tab”%3A"scoreboard"}). That’s right, UCSB registered more voters than any school, both in total and proportionally. According to [some</a> reports](<a href=“http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=17349]some”>http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=17349), UCSB has the highest proportion of registered voters IN THE NATION! Despite this, people of all political leanings get along. UCSB is one of the few schools to host a joint [Israeli</a> Palestinian Film Festival]( <a href=“http://www.ipffsb.org/]Israeli”>http://www.ipffsb.org/) organized by groups as opposite as American Students for Israel and Students for Justice in Palestine. It is reportedly the only student run join Israeli/Palestinian film festival in the country. </p>
<p>7) Isla Vista is the most unique student community in California? There is no other place where you have the majority of students living in a small area. Although IV is primarily known for it’s Halloween celebrations, there are many other events and festivals throughout the year, including the Earth Day and [Chilla</a> Vista](<a href=“http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=19150]Chilla”>http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=19150). During spring quarter, UCSB puts on [Extravaganza[/url</a>], which brings many top acts to UCSB as is FREE for students! For those that prefer not to drink, UCSB hosts a [url=<a href=“http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/OSL/afterdarkcalendar/]After”>http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/OSL/afterdarkcalendar/]After</a> Dark](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extravaganza_(Music_Festival)]Extravaganza[/url”>Extravaganza (music festival) - Wikipedia) program full of fun events. Some notable events include $4 movie nights by [Magic</a> Lantern Theatre](<a href=“Facebook Public Group | Facebook”>Facebook Public Group | Facebook) and [FREE</a> Tuesday night movies](<a href=“http://www.as.ucsb.edu/aspb/films.html]FREE”>http://www.as.ucsb.edu/aspb/films.html) by ASPB, both at Isla Vista Theatre. Also be sure to check out [Improvability[/url</a>], a comedy show, Friday nights at Embarcadero hall.</p>
<p>For those that choose to partake, IV has an incredibly active social scene. Del Playa Drive hosts many open house parties during the weekends. For the older crowd, IV has two bars and more beer places. My favorite is happy hour at Giovanni’s, nothing like cheap pitchers and pizza with friends! For those tired of IV, hop on [url=<a href=“http://www.myislavista.com/bill’sbus]Bill’s”>http://www.myislavista.com/bill’sbus]Bill’s</a> Bus](<a href=“http://www.sbimprovability.com/]Improvability[/url”>http://www.sbimprovability.com/) to the clubs on State St., especially “College Night” Thursdays (cheap drinks). Bill’s Bus is free Wednesdays to Goleta’s Zodo’s (for bowling) and Old Town Tavern (for karaoke). And no, [not</a> everyone has an STD](<a href=“http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=4961]not”>http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=4961). I’ve also felt very safe living in Isla Vista. Did you know that during Halloween, only about [10%</a> of arrests]( <a href=“http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=16992]10%”>http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=16992) came from UCSB and SBCC students? Most problems are caused by out-of-towners, hence the move to [“keep</a> it local”](<a href=“http://www.as.ucsb.edu/halloween/]"keep”>http://www.as.ucsb.edu/halloween/).</p>
<p>8) UCSB has the highest alumni giving rate among the UC system by far? US News’ America’s Best Colleges 2009 listed alumni giving rates (defined as % of alumni who donated to the school from 2006-2007). As US News explains, “The percentage of alumni giving serves as a proxy for how satisfied students are with the school.” Almost 1/5th of UCSB alums donated, a full 5% higher than the next highest UCs. Here are the rates published by US News:</p>
<p>UCSB: 19%
UCB: 14%
UCLA: 14%
UCI: 13%
UCD: 12%
UCSC: 12%
UCR: 8%
UCSD: 8%</p>
<p>9) UCSB ranks nationally in many programs? We all know we rank 44 among National Universities and 12th among publics in US News. Graduate programs are also top notch. The Physics program is ranked 10th. Engineering program is ranked 18th nationally. Earth Sciences is ranked 21st. Chemistry is ranked 26th. English is ranked 29th. For undergrads, UCSB has the College of Creative Studies, a “graduate school for undergraduates” that is unique in the UC System. The [average</a> SAT scores students admitted to CCS]( <a href=“http://bap.ucsb.edu/IR/08-09/cp2008.pdf]average”>http://bap.ucsb.edu/IR/08-09/cp2008.pdf) was about 50 points higher than [Berkeley</a> and UCLA](<a href=“http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2008/freshman_admit_profile_2008.pdf]Berkeley”>http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2008/freshman_admit_profile_2008.pdf) admits in 2008! Though UCSB students are stereotyped as taking a long time to graduate, this is far from truth. According to my [StatFinder</a> queries](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062497784-post9.html]StatFinder”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062497784-post9.html), UCSB has the third highest 4 year graduation rate (after Berkeley and UCLA) and the fourth highest 6 year graduation rate (after Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD).</p>
<h2>10) Your UCSB degree will continue to gain value after you graduate? Ok, this one is subjective 
UCSB is committed to staying a small, undergrad focused campus, and estimated to grow to [25,000</a> students](<a href=“http://evc.ucsb.edu/strategic.academic.plan/Academic_Plan_2007-2025.pdf]25,000”>http://evc.ucsb.edu/strategic.academic.plan/Academic_Plan_2007-2025.pdf) by 2025. While the economy has kind of put things in flux, the aim is still only too add about 3,000 undergrads to the total population. This is smaller than most other UCs and means that admission to UCSB will continue to be very competitive. UCSB has many exciting construction programs ongoing, such as the new Carsey-Wolf Center set to open this fall and the new [Marine</a> Science center](<a href=“Public Affairs & Communications | Institutional Advancement”>Public Affairs & Communications | Institutional Advancement). Isla Vista will be undergoing many [many</a> exciting changes](<a href=“http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/rda//deir.asp]many”>http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/rda//deir.asp) to make it a beautiful seaside town consistent with the rest of Santa Barbara.</h2>
<p>I hope the new students entering this fall are excited, and I hope that prospective students applying in the future consider UCSB!</p>