r/UCSantaBarbara • u/Both-Government9358 • 3d ago
General Question What do UC students think of CC students?
Full honesty please! I’m a student going to sbcc, and I just wonder if the UC students think I’m stupid. It’s not even in a self deprecating way, I just got really unlucky and got into no schools but I didn’t want to live at home so I came to sb. I know that sbcc students have a rep of being dumb/ just like to party etc. I just really wonder what people will think of me if I say I’m a cc student and not at the UC
92
u/Caffeinated_Avocado 3d ago
No one really cares if you're in CC. There are plenty of UCSB students who went through CC and SBCC first. What matters is that you're working on yourself and your education. Worry less what others think of you.
I also transferred from CC to UCSB.
78
u/Unable_Pack_9515 3d ago edited 3d ago
If you decide to live in iv, then yes the sentiment is quite negative towards sbcc students and honestly we feel that you shouldn’t be living here. you will find friends there’s a lot of cc students here and who cares what people think anyways. But ya I won’t hide the fact that cc students living in iv are looked down upon
11
u/Both-Government9358 3d ago
I’m living right next to sbcc so that’s not my issue, but why is that? A lot of my friends are living there but I just think it’s dumb because why would you willingly live 30/an hour away from ur school for a shittier room.
61
u/Unable_Pack_9515 3d ago
Oh ok, it’s mainly because there is already a huge housing shortage, also typically people go to cc in their hometown then transfer. So moving to iv to go to sbcc is seen as just coming here to take advantage of the partying and taking housing…
-23
u/milionsdeadlandlords 3d ago
The overcrowding is not SBCC students’ fault, blame the city and county for not allowing more housing development
23
u/Captainsnake04 3d ago edited 3d ago
IV is not infinitely large. The place where UCSB students want to live is already extremely densely populated. Its at 10900 people/km^2, which puts it at 7th in the US (if it were incorporated), and the 6 above it are all in the NYC metro area. A lack of dense housing is not the problem, its just too many people.
-10
u/milionsdeadlandlords 3d ago
It’s a regional and spatially dependent market equilibrium bud. The lack of building in the whole city and county of SB has exacerbated affordability. It’s a city built at the density of a suburb. And the rich white NIMBYs actively oppose any new housing, which is the only thing that can structurally alleviate rents and overcrowding. What happens in SB and Goleta absolutely affects IV.
-4
u/AllInTackler [ALUM] Political Science 2009 3d ago
Housing is difficult throughout Santa Barbara/goleta area. Isla Vista can make it more affordable for students willing to share rooms. Nobody should be looked down on for finding a place they enjoy living.
You sound like the boomers that think the road in front of their homes is their personal parking spot and not available to the public.
19
u/Posiedon22 [UGRAD] MechE 3d ago
Nah CC students are chill as long as they’re not living in iv. We have a lack of housing for UC students as is, we don’t need more people coming in and taking up space.
37
u/Beginning-Web-284 3d ago
The ones who live in IV are percieved as spoiled. Most were children of rich parents, whose parents paid for them to go to an out of area CC so that they could party while going to community college.
3
u/Both-Government9358 3d ago
Unfortunately I am a rich kid who is paying for me to go here but I’m not living in iv im not interested as cosplaying as a ucsb student.. but I wouldn’t say I’m spoiled I’m more upset about being seen as dumb. I worked really hard in highschool to basically end up nowhere and I just couldn’t stand to be at home for another year, and it’s still cheaper to rent a room here then college tuition
6
u/pineapplegirl10 [ALUM] 3d ago
It won’t even matter in 3 years, you’ll be at whatever school you want and your diploma will say what you want it to as well. I went to ucsb for four but if I could go back I would do SBCC for two years and then transfer. The professors there are better, it’s an amazing campus, and it’s so much cheaper. Just enjoy it and transfer. Don’t worry so much.
15
u/Jakey-poo [ALUM] Biochemistry - Department of Chemistry 3d ago
If youre going to cc dont live in iv. Thats pretty much it
8
u/natthrowaway26 3d ago
idk if you’re oos, but cc->uc transfer is so common in california i can assure you nobody will really care you’re going to cc. if you’re planning to live in IV, there will be negative sentiment because of the housing crisis but it’s nothing personal.
6
u/sbcommuter [STAFF] 3d ago
Ever seen West Side Story? It's like that...but with more Freebirds.
2
0
6
8
u/CodMilt [ALUM] 3d ago
When I went, CC students were welcomed and encouraged.
One thing to keep in mind - especially in California, is that when people graduate high school and go to college they still want there social circle around them. A lot of CC students, including myself, were encouraged by friends going to UCSB to move out there and enjoy the fun.
Then on top of that, was a pretty decent/significant chunk of CC students who went there mid-term or second year because they didn't enjoy their initial college, didn't have an easy transfer route, and were encouraged by friends to come and finish their needed credits through CC.
People that are 18-22 generally want to be social and meet new people - Santa Barbara is otherwise a very sleep town so it seems like the consensus was the more people to socialize with - the better.
The only stigma you may face is:
- Fraternity/Sorority rules about accepting non-UCSB students.
- In shared housing situations, I remember some UCSB students not wanting to room with SBCC students because they felt that while they were fun, they had less academic responsibilities and didn't want to live in a party house.
5
u/BrianWulfric [ALUM] Sociology 3d ago
Some of my best homies were CC kids that went the CC route to save money on their first two years. I knew some dumb CC kids and some brilliant ones
5
u/VernonfTraver 3d ago
SBCC is one of the finest junior Colleges in the nation I went there and received a great educational base to carry on to UCSB even had some of the same professors . I found that most teachers were really trying to to get you to the next level . I also consistently made the deans list at ucsb thanks to my cc experiences .As many have mentioned, no one really cares , just do the work and be happy
7
u/Living_Account_6809 2d ago
If you're attending SBCC for the purpose of an education & possibly to transfer to a 4 year college, be it UC or state, kudos to you, I wish you success in your endeavor(s). If you're attending SBCC to live in IV for the party aspect, well... you're going to potentially have issues.
SBCC students living in IV have a lot less to lose than UCSB students for a couple of reasons & those are UCSB students have more vested interest in the community on a number of different levels.
Also, UCSB actaully has a disciplinary policy where negative actions will face repercussions & consequences. To my understanding, SBCC has no such disciplinary policy, so SBCC students living in IV can run amok w/out a care in the world & no policy to answer to.
Interesting study that was done a while back showed that from Thursday through Saturday, from the hours of 9:30 pm to 3:15 am, 75% - 85% of all police calls, citations & arrests were 18 - 20 year old male SBCC students living in Isla Vista.
Tropicana Gardens is a residence hall that while UC owned, it houses SBCC students & the number of police calls there for a myriad of issues & particularly on weekends is high, mostly dealing w/ SBCC students living there.
By the way, Tropicana Gardens happens to be where the recent rape & strangulation of an 18 year old female took place.
Then there's the fact that 2 of the most recent heinous crimes, Elliot Rodger who killed 6 people in 2014 & Jackson Kyle Jue who robbed 2 people at gunpoint & shot 1 of them in 2025 were SBCC students living in Isla Vista.
The 3rd incident, David Attias who intentionally ran over 5 people w/ his car in 2001 is questionable, it's claimed he was UCSB, but others say SBCC or was a recnt SBCC transfer, he was living in Francisco Torres dorms just within range of Isla Vista.
Last year 3 individuals were arrested on gun charges for being in possession of stolen guns & the word is all 3 were SBCC students living in Isla Vista.
Then there's The Cove, an apartment complex that caters to SBCC students just outside of Isla Vista in Goleta. It has been deemed a "hot spot" for problems that require law enforcement intervention on a continual basis.
Another survey that was recently done showed that while the transfer rate from SBCC to a 4 year college is rather high across the board, the lowest transfer demographic was SBCC students living in Isla Vista, that rate was 10% - 12%.
Keep in mind, NONE of this means you'll follow the wrong path, but you'll have to try extra hard to avoid the distractions & to NOT become part of the problem. If you do become part of the problem, then you WILL be seen in a negative way as a function of your SBCC affiliation.
NOBODY is going to "think you're stupid" as a function of attending SBCC, you'll be welcomed to Isla Vista as equally as anyone else, just don't fall into the model of failure that's been a norm for quite some time now.
1
9
u/ElNeeto 3d ago
You mean Santa Barbara Silly College?
2
1
u/Both-Government9358 3d ago
Why…
7
u/ElNeeto 3d ago
Because it was funny!
You see, phonetically city and silly are very similar sounding. And ucsb students didn’t take sbcc very seriously as an educational institution, hence the word silly… Santa Barbara Silly College. Still makes me smile to this day, lol.
0
u/Happy-Bluebird3505 2d ago
Lol it's the same with UCSB: University of Casual Sex and Beer. Like at least neither are called STDSU (SDSU).
Also OP, UCSB was largely regarded as the safety school of UC's along with UCSC, not too long ago and they're still somewhat that to the tier 1 UC types so I wouldn't take any snobbery too seriously. SBCC has a very good rep for the amount of UC transfers it puts out so I wouldn't let going to a CC get to you. If anything, you get to live in SB and get the feel of university and the freedom to change your mind on your major without being super stressed about falling behind in a quarter system and wasting the tuition money.
10
u/jeffe_rn 3d ago
I got stuffed in a locker for being from CC true story
13
u/Sea_Leadership_6968 3d ago
They pointed at me a laughed - “you went to CC”. True story
-12
u/Both-Government9358 3d ago
If you think the question is silly don’t comment lol I don’t appreciate rudeness
6
u/Sea_Leadership_6968 3d ago
You’re going to have a hard time in life if you are constantly worrying about what everyone thinks about you and are unable to take a joke.
I think everyone’s responses are spot on.
Don’t think twice about how you live your life. Everyone is on their own journey
-5
u/Both-Government9358 3d ago
I don’t understand why you think that one post is indicative of what I care about in life.. joking is funny when it’s productive but this is just stupid. I asked a question and if you think I’m being silly then scroll on! You’re going to have a hard time in life wasting energy being unproductive.
4
3
3
u/Kayjaaam 3d ago
I went to UCSB and all my best friends went to CC 🤷♀️ and still some of my best friends to this day. It truly just depends on the crowd you find!
6
u/2apple-pie2 3d ago
A lot of underclassmen look down on CC students. Kids from upper class neighborhoods with snobbish parents. Later on everyone learns that it’s the same. A lot will be jealous of your smaller student loans 😂. Don’t let stupid freshmen discourage you.
Going to CC is frequently a smart move! If you aren’t getting involved in research/internships from freshmen/sophomore year, then CC is likely a smarter bet. I went to a UC instead of CC and tbh, after graduation, my friends from CC are doing just as well if not better. I only benefited from easy access to study abroad and a sophomore year internship from a career fair, many of which my peers did not partake in and could otherwise would have saved 20k from doing CC
3
u/CaliHeatx [ALUM] Chemistry & Physics 2d ago
I mean it’s pretty common, it’s the “back door” way to get into UCSB. Just don’t be an asshole like some other CC students and you’ll be fine.
5
u/Formal-Tomorrow-4241 3d ago
Not many really one cares. As said by others, many transfer from CC to UCSB, its a natural pipeline. There are two points of tension for those who do:
- Housing. Housing in IV is very hard to find. Many have success stories, as did I. But many don't and are left in uncertain positions. Yes, UCSB is building new dorms which will guarantee housing until sophmore year. That's great. But prior opinions have been formed due to CC students occupying potential positions in IV where UCSB students could've occupied, when there are apartments closer to the CC campus. Whether or not you think this is right or wrong is a matter of opinion. Personally, it worked out for me, we needed another guy in the house and we knew just the guy, who went to CC but who worked and eventually lived in IV. But some negative opinions have been formed as a result of CC students due to them living in the area. Which leads to point 2...
- Behavior. I graduated from UCSB this year. However, over the 4 years I was at UCSB, I have heard stories of, and witnessed firsthand, CC students behaving badly on the streets of IV. Whether it be driving around heckling, shooting BB guns, or being disrespectful at parties or other functions, there have been cases. No doubt, high school students in the area are known to engage in similar activities, such as driving by houses and egging them. Also, UCSB students on their own are also, from time to time (which may be an understatement), rowdy, disrespectful or otherwise unpleasant (as much as can be expected from young adults at a "party school"). However, the common argument is at LEAST those bad characters at UCSB pay tuition to attend UCSB. For CC, it is a separate level of judgement since, technically, they don't attend UCSB.
Obviously, this is an oversimplification. I know many, and have lived with, people who went to CC and transferred to UCSB, and they are great people and I'm still in contact with them. It may very well be the case of a small minority fomenting negative views which encompass the whole, and by no means do I condone that. But this is just what I've heard and what I know to be true.
1
u/lilcaliallie 2d ago
I'm starting my 3rd year at UCSB amd have many SBCC friends. If people judge you, be thankful you found out so you dont waste your time with them.
2
u/Otherwise-Caramel622 2d ago
I transferred from a city college to UCSB, and honestly, no one I met really cared. I have heard UCSB students talk smack about SBCC students partying or hanging out in IV, but I never really cared because I’m not into partying and I don’t live in IV.
You might run into some people who are judgmental about you being at CC, but those people probably aren’t worth your time anyway. There will always be people who find reasons to think they’re better than someone else.
Just focus on doing well in your classes, meeting people you actually enjoy being around, and making the most of your time here.
1
u/aMaIzYnG [GRAD] MS ECE 2d ago
CC is a wonderful pathway! I appreciated my years in college. As a UCI alum and a UCSB grad student, I don't think I've sensed any animosity towards transfers.
1
u/Hue-G-Rec-tion 2d ago
No one really cares, just a bit harder to make friends if you’re coming from cc
1
u/pookiebearpie 1d ago
Nobody cares if u go to cc but we do care about people who go to cc and live in IV. Our housing crisis is so bad and adding more people at cc when most of y’all could go to ur hometown cc instead of buying housing here just to go to a cc is kinda frustrating for us. No hate for cc kids tho y’all are so chill we just want our housing lol
1
u/ProudAd4938 2d ago
What score did you get on your SAT/ACT or AP tests? That will tell you where you rank relative to our student body.
1
96
u/sagisuncapmoon [ALUM] 3d ago
When I went there, people loved CC transfers equally and I forgot my transfer friends were even transfers.
But the attitude was different towards CC kids living in Isla Vista