UC Santa Barbara

[Glossed]

I've been accepted to UCSB's English department and looking for fellow admits (to any department) who know a bit about the area or are planning to attend an open house! Thanks!

[noxrosa]

Hi Glossed, I'm your fellow English admit. I won't be at the open house, but do know the area fairly well if there's anything I can weigh in on?

[Glossed]

Hey Noxrosa,

Wonderful! I'm definitely heading out there for the open house and will be doing a bit of apartment hunting as well (assuming all goes well with the meet and greet). Do you have any advice as to which neighborhoods are best (good mix of safe, cheap, etc.)? This will be my first trip to SB, so I am completely unfamiliar with the area. Thanks!

[noxrosa]

Hey Noxrosa,

Wonderful! I'm definitely heading out there for the open house and will be doing a bit of apartment hunting as well (assuming all goes well with the meet and greet). Do you have any advice as to which neighborhoods are best (good mix of safe, cheap, etc.)? This will be my first trip to SB, so I am completely unfamiliar with the area. Thanks!

You've probably seen this already, but just in case it snuck by you:

(I think there's a second thread on the cities forum as well, but I couldn't find it when I just looked)

It's probably ultimately more helpful than I am

One thing I know for sure is that as a grad student, Isla Vista probably isn't where we'll want to be! I've know lots of people who lived in Goleta and were really happy with it for price/proximity.

It looks like there are good, reliable bus routes through the city, so I'm planning on looking for places towards downtown but near the bus personally--I've spent over a decade living in cities and I'm not quite ready for the suburb experience of some of SB's neighborhoods.

[stopcallinmesqrlboy]

I've been accepted to the CS PhD program at UCSB and I'm also trying to figure out my living situation. I'm wondering if I should go all out and room with 3 others in the San Clemente grad apartments for a year or if I should try and find my own place off campus. I feel it'd be easier to meet people living with roommates and being around a community of grad students as opposed to living in a studio in Goleta or something similar. But then again, I'm kind of tired of sharing a kitchen with two or three other people.

I'm traveling from Connecticut, and I will have no furniture with me, in addition to no friends in that area . I've always had a lot of friends as an undergrad, I think I like being around people more often than being alone. I suppose San Clemente seems like the most practical option-- is/was anyone else in a similar situation that can cast some insight?

Edited March 28, 2011 by stopcallinmesqrlboy

[CogEdPsych11]

I've been accepted to the CS PhD program at UCSB and I'm also trying to figure out my living situation. I'm wondering if I should go all out and room with 3 others in the San Clemente grad apartments for a year or if I should try and find my own place off campus. I feel it'd be easier to meet people living with roommates and being around a community of grad students as opposed to living in a studio in Goleta or something similar. But then again, I'm kind of tired of sharing a kitchen with two or three other people.

I'm traveling from Connecticut, and I will have no furniture with me, in addition to no friends in that area . I've always had a lot of friends as an undergrad, I think I like being around people more often than being alone. I suppose San Clemente seems like the most practical option-- is/was anyone else in a similar situation that can cast some insight?

I'm in a similar situation. I'll be going to UCSB for the Psych PhD program, and I was thinking the same thing regarding housing. I'm pretty sure that I'll go with San Clemente for at least the first year, just to get settled and meet some people. SB is obviously really expensive, and like you, I'd be coming from far away (Florida), with no furniture and without knowing anyone. I think that the grad student housing is probably the best way to go in terms of price and meeting other graduate students. I'd be curious to hear what you decide, as it'd be nice to meet other people in the same boat .

[stopcallinmesqrlboy]

I'm in a similar situation. I'll be going to UCSB for the Psych PhD program, and I was thinking the same thing regarding housing. I'm pretty sure that I'll go with San Clemente for at least the first year, just to get settled and meet some people. SB is obviously really expensive, and like you, I'd be coming from far away (Florida), with no furniture and without knowing anyone. I think that the grad student housing is probably the best way to go in terms of price and meeting other graduate students. I'd be curious to hear what you decide, as it'd be nice to meet other people in the same boat .

Cool! Get in touch when you arrive in September if you'd like .

Edited March 29, 2011 by stopcallinmesqrlboy

[Cashmere]

Anyone else headed to UCSB? I just got back from visiting Santa Barbara a couple weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I'll be entering the Anthropology PhD program in the fall.

[acetylcoa]

Hi everybody!

I'll be starting my M.A./Ph.D in Hispanic Linguistics with the Spanish/Portuguese Department in the Fall. I am also thinking of living in San Clemente Grad Housing. I already visited the campus and fell in love with the faculty and the university.

Let's definitely keep in touch, guys! It would be nice to join a new university with a good group of friends .

- Acetylcoa

[flotsam]

Just about everyone I've known who have gone to UCSB and lived in Isla Vista either ended up in rehab or should have ended up in rehab. It is a complete party atmosphere almost guaranteed to lower your GPA and brain cell count. Look elsewhere for housing if you are serious about getting the best out of your academic life and if you still want the parties, you can always find them.

My2centsworth.

[psychology2011]

Does anyone know if the grad school (or any of the departments) has any sort of roommate matching program for finding potential roommates for San Clemente? Maybe I've been spoiled by being able to pick my roomies for the past few years, but I'd rather pick my roomie than be randomly assigned to someone.

[stopcallinmesqrlboy]

Does anyone know if the grad school (or any of the departments) has any sort of roommate matching program for finding potential roommates for San Clemente? Maybe I've been spoiled by being able to pick my roomies for the past few years, but I'd rather pick my roomie than be randomly assigned to someone.

Yea, I was trying to figure this out, too. I was under the impression that one could specify if they were at least smokers/non smokers, clean/messy, etc. However, there is nothing like that on the copy of the contract I have. Does anyone know if it's found elsewhere?

I guess I overlooked this part before. When starting a new application for San Clemente it says at the bottom:

• Within a few days of returning your contract, you will be sent an email with a link to our online 'Personal Preferences' form. You must complete this form as part of your contract process.
• The Personal Preference form allows you to specify a requested roommate, indicate medical conditions and provide us with emergency contact information, as well as other preferences pertaining to your housing accommodations.
• After submitting the Personal Preference form online, you will receive a confirmation email with the information you provided on that form.

Edited April 18, 2011 by stopcallinmesqrlboy

[anōnumos]

I've been accepted to the CS PhD program at UCSB and I'm also trying to figure out my living situation. I'm wondering if I should go all out and room with 3 others in the San Clemente grad apartments for a year or if I should try and find my own place off campus. I feel it'd be easier to meet people living with roommates and being around a community of grad students as opposed to living in a studio in Goleta or something similar. But then again, I'm kind of tired of sharing a kitchen with two or three other people.

I'm traveling from Connecticut, and I will have no furniture with me, in addition to no friends in that area . I've always had a lot of friends as an undergrad, I think I like being around people more often than being alone. I suppose San Clemente seems like the most practical option-- is/was anyone else in a similar situation that can cast some insight?

Going to UCSB in the Fall. I'll probably go there with my spouse, so living in the San Clemente apartments is not an option. Though, if I were going to live there as a single grad student, I would definitely choose living in a 4-bedroom apartment primarily because the off-campus housing costs in the region are just going through the roof.

Mr. Anonymous

[FelixFlamingo]

Going to UCSB in the Fall. I'll probably go there with my spouse, so living in the San Clemente apartments is not an option. Though, if I were going to live there as a single grad student, I would definitely choose living in a 4-bedroom apartment primarily because the off-campus housing costs in the region are just going through the roof.

Mr. Anonymous

Did you get yourself on the wait list for family housing? I know its still close to campus but considerably less expensive than the rest of the area (~800/month for a 1 bedroom, NOT a studio). I am starting the mathematics PhD program in the fall, and I am hoping the family housing works out for me. Right now, given my situation, the wait list isn't so bad (and by situation, I mean there are absolutely no children involved).

With regards to other topics, is anyone on here entering the mathematics program? With the individual visits thing, I met a lot of awesome current grad students, but no prospectives for my year

[anōnumos]

Did you get yourself on the wait list for family housing? I know its still close to campus but considerably less expensive than the rest of the area (~800/month for a 1 bedroom, NOT a studio). I am starting the mathematics PhD program in the fall, and I am hoping the family housing works out for me. Right now, given my situation, the wait list isn't so bad (and by situation, I mean there are absolutely no children involved).

Hi Amanda,

I am on the waiting list for the Family Student Housing (which is the only option for me to cope with the housing costs at Santa Barbara), but I expect to be on this list for a long time -- I submitted an FSH application quite recently.

Mr. A