Alejandra

Event Date: 

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - 12:00am

Event Date Details: 

Student Information

NAME: Alejandra

MAJOR: Psychology

MINOR: LGBTQ Studies

CLASS STANDING: Senior

What helped you prepare for transferring to UCSB?

I was part of a transfer-motivational program called Puente. This program provided academic advising (whom the advisor so happened to be a UCSB Alumni), a guidance course that discussed the eminent challenges that I would face at the university level, an accelerated English course, and the opportunity to visit many CSU's and UC's here in California. Being a part of this program helped me get to UCSB. 

What is the classroom culture like? How important is it to be punctual? Can you eat/drink in class?

The classroom culture for the most part is very laid back. Depending on the instructor that you have, being punctual, attending every lecture, eating/drinking, using laptops/cellphones in class varies. However, this could be a challenge for some students when you have a "chill" class. It can be a distraction. For me, I enjoy classes with strict policies because it forces me to be on top of my work. Except for eating. When you're constantly running around campus, sometimes you don't have time to sit down and eat. You're always on the go. 

What is your take on UCSB’s “Party School” reputation? 

I'd like to say that it isn't accurate, but the "partying" is definitely prominent, especially in Isla Vista. However, I see it as, a "work hard, play hard" norm because majority of the students that I know are very intelligent, super dedicated, fairly involved, and ambitious. These same people also may enjoy going out occasionally, going to the local bar for a few drinks, or going downtown to let loose. I don't see it as a bad reputation to have. After all, we are the happiest campus in California! 

Which housing options would you recommend?

I would recommend that students start networking with other transfer students prior to transferring/submitting a housing contract so that they have the option to house with people that they know. For most transfers, the first year is uncomfortable because you end up living with strangers which is not necessarily a bad thing however, getting to know people ahead of time before committing to a year long commitment may provide the opportunity to address things like apartment maintenance, overnight guests, respect for late night studying, etc. If living with other transfers is a must for future transfers, off-campus University owned apartments like Sierra Madre, San Joaquin, and Santa Ynez have the highest concentration of transfer students. 

What are the options for transfer students and dining? Do you have a meal plan or do you cook your own meals?

All students have the option to do a meal plan (meal plans vary on how many times a week you want to utilize the dinning commons). However, for myself, I enjoy cooking and having full autonomy over my meals. The only down side to not having a meal plan is that you need to grocery shop/meal prep. Since I do have a car, my main obstacle is packing lunches and setting time aside to cook which can be time consuming/ inconvenient for someone who is always on a tight schedule.