UCSB seems great to me. It’s close to home but doesn’t mean you can’t grow up there- it’s a big place and you won’t see your parents any more (or less) than you want to. I wouldn’t choose 2 years at CC if I had UCSB as an option. I don’t know whay your friends don’t love it but don’t go into it with a prejudice- dive in and get involved.
@cptofthehouse All CA public schools are very affordable for me because of my family’s 0 EFC on the FAFSA, so UCLA would be no problem. I was only accepted to UCSB and UCI, however, and I have already ruled out UCI.
I got substantial aid at UCSB, and only have to take out about $9k in loans per year. This is no big deal for me because I already have around $20k saved from working.
The draw for the CC route is that I would save that $20k for the first two years and probably have enough to graduate from UCLA with no debt if I transfer there. Also, my CC is the highest ranked in the nation and is often regarded as having better teaching than UCSB in my town, because UCSB professors generally focus on research.
I’m not sure if I would commute to UCSB or not because my family’s housing situation is uncertain right now with rent, and we may have to move to a cheaper town.
I know UCSB pretty well having grown up near it, and I’ve never enjoyed the campus or heard great things about it from my friends that go there. I know it’s not a bad school, but it’s not at all what I’m looking for in a college experience, and that’s why I’m disappointed.
Californians I know think highly of UCSB. Most kids I know would tall rather go off to college, especially one like UCSB rather than go to CC from home if they can swing it. Things happen—like this year, and you might not get to go to UCLA after two years. As I said, UCSB is a bird in hand.
A neighbor is my brother has one despondent kid who could just taste going to Berkeley. Did the CC route as you had planned. No idea what happened but Berkeley didn’t.
You seem to know the rules and chances of all of this very well, certainly better than I do, so not appears that you are making informed decisions. I sympathize that things did not work out the way you had hoped but with the way you are researching the alternatives and assessing them is impressive. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you well, and you look like you are on your way to do well.