<p>UCSC used to specialize in experiments with alternative lifestyles but that seems to be fading out as entering classes increase in GPA and SAT/ACT scores. It is becoming much more normal in terms of student life.</p>
<p>The City of Santa Cruz, on the other hand, remains pretty weird. Two years ago, when my wife and I had taken our two UCSC children to breakfast on Pacific Avenue, we watched a Gay Pride parade roll down the street. The spectators far outclassed the paraders in weird.</p>
<p>My son, who graduated last year, and daughter report that the on-campus food quality nose-dived last year. It still seems to be poor and even the dorm students are subsisting more on microwaveable foods.</p>
<p>The best thing about UCSC is absolutely the gorgeous campus and local area - that is what makes it stand out from just about every other university. Some smaller schools are very good here too, but none have the geographic area of UCSC.</p>
<p>Otherwise its strong points are pretty much those of quite a few other schools - lots of on-campus activities, a supportive local area, extremely convenient local bus transportation, etc. The most uniquely UCSC aspect is that it is most definitely an undergraduate friendly school - professors are accessible, there are minimal adjunct faculty, and undergraduates are expected to have major responsible roles in almost all on-campus actiivities, notably the performing arts.</p>