The University of California - Santa Cruz

Date: Feb 13 2008
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
I came to UCSC as a transfer student from New York City. Half way through my first quarter I realized that UCSC doesn't live up to the quality of education from my previous school. What a deception!

I would consider the campus to be one of the most beautiful in the country, the natural setting I mean. The only only building exterior I like is Oakes College.

You might find some good professors. I did find one, just one. For most part, I thought professors didn't teach science courses well. You better pay a graduate student to tutor you on the side if you want to get good grades. Coming from another school I had the privilege of knowing what a good professor is like. If you are the kind of student who gets impressed by a professor's ability to say a joke or be relaxed in class then fine. I come from NYC and I am used to old people being way more interesting that. I went to high school abroad, and most of my teachers had doctorate degrees in their field, so I am not all that impressed by professors just because of their PhD.

I found that the chemistry and biology departments aren't very helpful. It is almost like the school's staff are isolated from the rest of the world.

I see that many students here mention that UCSC will prepare you for graduate school. I'm not so sure about that, unless you're interested in pursuing a research field.

The town of Santa Cruz will bore you to death. Yeah, living by the beach is nice. If you can rent a place close to the beach. Nature is really the only positive thing about the town and UCSC.

The school makes very difficult for you to develop an independent major now, and the major offerings aren't very interesting, SJSU and SFSU have many more interesting options. I also found that many classes that are pre-requisite for majors are only offered once a year. I don't get that. If you mess up in that class and need to drop it of fail, you need to wait one whole academic year to take it again.

The school is very homogeneous, and lacked people from urban areas. Traveling around campus is very inconvenient because of the hilly terrain.

I guess UCSC is good for a student who is fed up with the real world, who wants to be very close to nature, and doesn't mind getting mediocre education.

Oh, by the way. If you do decide to go to UCSC try to take the Human Genome class. The instructor is the best professor at the school. good luck