University of California, Santa Barbara

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Communication
Minor: Technology Management Program
Student Self Identifies as: Jamaican and Cuban Heterosexual Male

Summary

I’m a student-athlete, I’m in a fraternity, and I’m part of Greeks Go Green and the Surfrider Foundation, which are environmental clubs

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Jamaican and Cuban – I’m pretty mixed looking and have a caramel complexion
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

High School Experience: Public high school in Long Beach, CA with about 1,000 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Communication
Minor: Technology Management Program

Extracurricular Activities: I’m a student-athlete, I’m in a fraternity, and I’m part of Greeks Go Green and the Surfrider Foundation, which are environmental clubs
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
Greeks Go Green and Surfrider help me be more aware of what goes on in our environment here and I think a lot of people appreciated when students, and especially students in Greek life, give back to the community.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
Since we’re on the quarter system, it goes by pretty quickly. Around Week 4 or 5 we have midterms and then a quick turnaround for finals on Week 10. Those exams are what make up the bulk of our grade for the Communication classes. The week to week work is mostly preparing for class and the exams, so it’s always good to stay caught up on your books every week.
Is there anything you feel that your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
It’s a really big major and it’s really hard to get into because there are only four prerequisites and in those classes you have to get a 3.0 GPA at minimum, which is the highest GPA requirement to get into a major on campus. I think that’s kind of difficult. I wish they didn’t set that bar so high because it can be stressful at times. In terms of positives, there are really well-trained professors and they do a really good job teaching the material. [In 2017, 389 students graduated with a Communication degree.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I think it’s collaborative. People don’t try to make sure that they get an A and you don’t. Everyone helps each other here. It’s common to study in groups.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re very accessible. Every professor has office hours that we can go to once a week and our TAs also have office hours once a week. If I have a problem in a class, I typically go to the TA first, but you’re more than welcome to go to the professor too. I go to the TA because, usually, it’s a more personal relationship, but, depending on your professor, the professor will also try to build a personal relationship with you.
Do you feel people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
I think so. When people have a different opinion, nobody responds in anger. Everyone accepts what another person thinks and there is usually friendly debate.
How is managing both your sport and your coursework?
It’s challenging but definitely doable. I did similar things in high school, so I’m used to balancing my time. But, with everything, sacrifice comes into play, so as long as you time manage well, you’ll be able to handle it.
How was transitioning as a first-generation college student? Were there any resources in place that helped you adapt?
There’s the [Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)], which is good for first-generation students. I didn’t need to use it as much because it wasn’t that hard of a transition for me. But, for other people, I think it would be very beneficial.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
Yes, I’m happy with my choice. I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I know that I’m a business-minded individual and since we don’t have a business program, I figured the best thing here for me would be Communication and the Technology Management Program.
How do you like the quarter system? How has that impacted your experience?
I like it a lot because sometimes it can be stressful, but if you don’t like a class it’s pretty easy to get it over with because it’ll be over in 10-weeks. I prefer the fast-paced classes.

Reasons to Attend

1) The location is magnificent.
2) We have a great social scene with genuine people.

Reasons Not to Attend

I can’t think of any reasons to not attend. This is my dream school and I found out it’s my dream school by coming here.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Santa Catalina Hall with two roommates and two suitemates that we were connected with.
Sophomore: I live in my fraternity house with one roommate and about 26 other people are living here.
How was transitioning from Long Beach, CA to Santa Barbara, CA in terms of location?
It wasn’t too bad since Santa Barbara is also in So-Cal. It’s by the beach and I love the water, so it wasn’t too bad for me at all.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I feel 100% safe. I’ve never felt unsafe.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
We go to a lot of concerts around here and a lot of time go into the ocean which is a lot of fun. We have parties at fraternity houses and off-campus houses associated with fraternities or parties at friends’ houses who aren’t in fraternities. We also do a lot of hiking to viewpoints around the area. It’s a big community thing to watch the sunset here because it’s always so beautiful. The nights when parties happen are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday depending on the week.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife at UCSB?
You don’t need to be in Greek life to have fun here. It is a plus though because it helps you meet a lot of people and it’s a strong community, so I would suggest it. But, if that’s not your vibe, you don’t have to feel pressured into doing it. I personally didn’t know if I wanted to be in a fraternity, but I came out for rush and met a lot of cool guys so I gave it a shot and now I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I met a lot of good guys that I know will be my friends forever.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
A lot of times we go camping in the mountains right behind us, which is a lot of fun. Other times, since it’s pretty close, we go to concerts in the San Luis Obispo area or L.A.
How happy are you with the weekend options at UCSB? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
There’s nothing I would change.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Through Greek life, I met my closest male and female friends. The freshman dorms also had a part to play in it too because Santa Catalina is kind of its own community, so you meet a lot of people in that dorm. But, a lot of people in that dorm also join Greek life.
How would you describe the overall social scene at UCSB?
Active. There’s a lot of volleyball and sports being played here. Intramurals are a good way to meet people. We party a lot, but we also study hard when it comes down to it.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think everyone’s really open to it and with making friends it doesn’t matter about race or sexual orientation, it’s more so just if you like that person. If you like the person and get along with them, you hang out with them.
How would you describe the Black/African-American community? How strong is it?
There are African-Americans in my frat and also in the sororities we hang out with. But, there aren’t too many African-Americans here and I hung out with a lot more in high school. Here, I hang out with a big mix of people whether they’re White or Black – it doesn’t matter much to me. I’m not part of that community as much here, only because there are not a lot of African-Americans here. [About 2.2% of students at UCSB are Black.]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
If you’re in Greek life and you have friends who aren’t in Greek life, they’re allowed to come to your parties, so it’s more based on what they’re doing and what you’re doing. They mix a lot. I think everyone has friends outside of Greek life – some people have more friends than others – but everyone has friends because in your classes and study groups you meet friends.
How do you like the size of UCSB? How has that impacted your experience? [UCSB has about 23,000 undergraduates.]
It’s a big school and I prefer it that way. I don’t think it’s impacted my academic performance because, for me, I don’t think that affects my performance. I personally prefer bigger schools, but, even with the big school, we have a sense of community here so sometimes it can feel small, which is nice.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
Yes, definitely. That’s one of the main reasons I chose to join a fraternity other than me just liking the people. We have a lot of connections outside of the school that have helped me.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I haven’t really used the career office too much only because I’m a sophomore and I’m still making sure I can get into my major.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I have not yet. I personally just try to learn that stuff on my own.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy is the office to work with?
Yes, I used financial aid and it’s very easy to use. They’re open and on campus so you can walk in, or you can call them and they’re very understanding and helpful.