What They Don't Tell You About UC Santa Cruz | The Cons of UCSC

[@memphisgrizzlies3398]

im def liberal but ppl being so intolerant of other opinions makes us look bad

[@SerenoTrevor]

I'm pretty left-of-center and growing up in OC people thought I was a radical leftist, but when I went to UCSC people thought I was conservative.

[@liamsaucedo44]

@@SerenoTrevor dang lol

[@MisanthropicMeanderer]

I graduated class of ‘14 from UCSC. I still have dreams of foggy mornings in the forest, walking to class and seeing deer along the path. I’d be hard-pressed to imagine a more magical campus than Santa Cruz. I remember taking Psyc and Religion with Professor Quinn (if my memory serves me well) and he said, “I’ve met thousands and thousands of students during my time here, and the only lonelier students than religious believers are Republicans”. I grew up republican and religious, and although I was neither several years before attending UCSC, I really felt for those that felt different than me...than us. I love how vocal my alma mater is, even if it means you miss a couple days a year from protests. Santa Cruz was originally built as a spill over from CAL, and many of the professors have personally experienced the counterculture. I loved that about my experience, but it’s not for everyone. Also, yes, expect to walk 5-6 miles at least everyday day on campus. Helps keep the school stress weight off at least. Don’t limit yourself to classes within your major. I took a Gothic Lit course, as well as an American Studies class that solely focused on Hurricane Katrina, and I still reflect on those lectures and readings frequently. Best wishes to all the Banana Slugs out there! Edit: Housing is totally insane. I lived off Summit Rd and Old San Jose Hwy and was lucky to score a deal on a room for $500. Granted, I lived in the CUTS, and the room was rented off Craigslist so yeah...but it beat commuting from Campbell on Hwy 17 five days a week

[@elijahsolow-ohashi7522]

super accurate depiction of ucsc. i'm a sophomore and i've run into all of the issues he mentioned.

[@kennethlee4516]

Ucsc grad here. Class of 2008. You nailed it bro. Enjoy your vids. I used to live at college 9 apartments too.

[@muminsimab]

This was really helpful UCSC sounds really nice honestly it sounds way different than other colleges.

[@ManiAndRazi]

Great video, Ali! You won't find these tips in any brochure or published magazine. Invaluable advice coming straight from direct experience and observations.

[@soriahaniff413]

currently debating if I should commit here 😭

[@lolaashton4124]

me too!!!

[@ajaykanda4910]

@Maya R same ;)

[@angelvazquez6317]

I'm currently a 2nd year at UCSC. I came to this school out of spite - was told to go to one place, so i went to another - and didn't really do any research before hand. The school is beautiful and has an amazing amount of pros to it, but as he highlights in his video, there are a shit ton of cons. Constant strikes, opinion alienation, extremist views, absurd housing costs/limited housing, overfilled buses, and money hungry administration. During the strikes, many of my teachers would cancel class and there was a point where I didn't have a class for upwards of 3-4 weeks. These strikes are towards a good cause, but when it cuts into education that you've paid for, it amounts to utter bullshit. Overall, its a fun school lol #stevenson

[@deecappelli9888]

Hmmm. That's interesting, Angel. I think you're focused on the most important issues for a student. You've probably been at UCSC longer than me. I haven't seen "constant strikes." I transferred to UCSC from a S. California community college in the summer of 2020 and have not seen any strikes. I know about the Teacher Assistants' (TAs) strikes in December 2019 (described by the media as "wildcat' because it was unauthorized by the student union). According to an "Inside Higher Ed" article dated 8/12/20 by Lilah Burke, the TAs refused to turn in grades at the end of the Fall quarter and demanded a cost of living stipend increase to offset the ever increasing and ridiculously high housing costs. Rather than negotiate, the administration's response was to give an ultimatum: turn in the grades or be fired. UCSC fired the 70 TAs who did not turn in grades. Since then 41 of the fired TAs were re-hired. So, the response was not hard core liberalism. It was more a mix of hard core conservative and pragmatism. I suspect enough UCSC faculty threatened to resign because TAs are extremely valuable to them. TAs allow professors to focus on research instead of grading papers. I'm not a TA but they have a ton of responsibility and there are enough classes that require several weekly essays and research papers in a quarter (essays cannot be graded with an electronic device). Besides grading, meeting with students, TAs have to fulfil their own academic requirements. I leave this comment to balance Ari's. UCSC does not come across to me as a bastion of liberal exclusion (my words not his). That may be his experience. it hasn't been mine - but I've only been here a year during COVID-19. The school is very welcoming to LGBT+,LatinX and indigenous students which is really wonderful. As far as I know, there are no right wing or left wing extremists on campus. As a white, older, nontraditional student, In my opinion, UCSC needs more diversity, without increasing the total number of students. More professors and students of color, and international students (although that may be COVID-19 related) should be added as professors retire and students graduate. Maybe we'll see a more diverse campus in the Fall 2021 when the full compliment of students are here. I hope so. On the other hand, I can confirm Ali's description of enrollment issues (especially for computer science majors), internet connection and housing (I live on campus) issues must be solved. However, if you are a student with a physical disability -- like using a wheelchair, a mobility assistance device, being blind, or deaf -- you may want to choose a different school. The DRC tries really hard to be supportive but administration policies are very rigid when help is needed beyond providing accommodation letters for classes. The school infrastructure and and physical access is seriously lacking (not as much as UCLA or Berkeley). There are entire buildings that cannot be accessed if you're in a wheelchair. If you have extremely low vision, be prepared to fall a lot, down stairs with no contrasting taped edges. I don't understand why the school administration hasn't been held accountable for non compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. In summary, I agree with about 75 to 80% of Ali's post -- although I suspect the reason why there appear to be so many liberal students here is that students interested in ecology, technologies that fight climate change, oceanography, social justice, earth sciences or humanities want to attend a school that offers those majors. Those fields tend to be ridiculed by the right as liberal, when it's really about seeking solutions to the damage humans have done to our ecosystems. UCSC is a highly respected research school, with an extraordinary science department (I'm an Anthro major, so I'm not biased about that field) Look at the plethora of Nobel and other prestigious prize winning scientists on faculty or are alums here. I've had extraordinary professors who offered challenging classes even though they hate teaching over Zoom. Like Ari said, every school has its cons and I think it's worth listening to and considering his point of view -- even if I haven't observed everything he posted.

[@bjorneichinger6263]

@@deecappelli9888 I know your comment looks long but I just want to say as a continuing sophomore that I totally agree with all of this, the schools responses to strikes and student issues were totally conservative and there isn’t enough diversity currently, good catch on both of those. Very thoughtful comment, read and resonated with it all!

[@emiliopacheco860]

I’m a sophomore standing first year and this year was so difficult for enrolling in classes. Amazing campus, just the climate it is in right now can be intimidating to incoming frosh

[@fpplsoftwashpressurewashin8757]

Thanks for the heads up man. I will definitely be looking elsewhere for higher education.

[@manavichandra7210]

I really agree with the left leaning part. My high school in the Bay Area was very left leaning and outright bullied students with different opinions.

[@manavichandra7210]

​@@AliAbbasMalik2000 Right? One sophomore wrote an article about why the confederate statues shouldn't be torn down in my high school newspaper. The entire staff hated it and they marched to that poor kid's history teacher. The history teacher was so manipulated that he said he wasn't excited to read the poor kid's essays for the rest of the year.

[@deecappelli9888]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 What? Who will hunt republicans?

[@QilinReggae]

Womp womp

[@scruffytuna]

If you check out his other videos, he stans Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson so him complaining about liberal politics makes sense

[@Ruko831]

UCSC was my dream school..Looking back, I am glad it was the only school that rejected me when I applied.

[@ky1483]

why？I am planning to apply this year😢

[@Ruko831]

@@ky1483 it's very liberal far left progressive social justice warrior (sjw) focused. I'm a registered Democrat but even they take it too far. They (most of the student body) won't tolerate you if you don't agree with their ideology. It's a beautiful campus and has really great programs. But mainly that sjw focus and their quarter system are things I dislike. I might still apply if i want to get my PhD but that's a bit more in the future for me. Anyways you should still apply, i totally support someone advancing to get a college education. Just make sure you are thinking for yourself and question what they teach and how they teach you. I wholeheartedly wish you the best of luck on your higher ed journey :)

[@ky1483]

UnPinchePochoFromThe831 thank you so much for replying😄

[@VENUS-tf6ix]

Lmao hella salty

[@Ruko831]

@@VENUS-tf6ix low key i was...perhaps still am...perhaps...

[@siddishsankar4764]

Bruh this is prolly one of your best vids. I really enjoyed it and u hit all the cons of UCSC, u just forgot the shenanigans of the dining hall haha.

[@zachsheikh8077]

When you live in Illinois ... but watch the video anyway cuz you know it’s gonna be straight fire like always haha 🔥

[@vietnam1566]

A clear speech of pros and cons on the university. It is whether right or wrong, at least a good perspective from a second year in University Santa Cruz..

[@justincook8473]

Hell yeah brother! I'm still applying to transfer to UCSC! Great video.

[@bravosarah1600]

Senior here. This is all very well said.

[@GrantHalcombSmith]

It's interesting to see how similar some issues are (housing is ridiculous, admin is a joke, lots of protests, the loop bus is no bueno) to when I attended back in 2004-2006. I found the actual public transit (i.e. public buses, the nonstop 16 bus) were mostly UCSC-centric compared to my experience growing up in Santa Cruz. Also, I think that the intolerant and hyperpartisan mentality is much more a current U.S. issue than a UCSC issue. Oh also if you want a safe and pleasant drive from the Bay Area to Santa Cruz, you can always take highway 1 down the coast; it spits you out straight onto Mission Street and you don't have to white knuckle down 17.

[@chidvidoddi4496]

ayyy love this. I completely agree with ya. best video you have made so far Ali

[@mel-iko]

Just transferred to UCSC! Let's getttttt it :D skoooooo slugs

[@crmiii]

sadly the whole liberal thing is a big turn off for me but its outweighed by the campus

[@bananaslugdragon5764]

Yeah, Berkeley is pretty bad about it too.

[@aegir3722]

Most colleges in the United states are like this because conservative don't tend to be educated in the west.

[@aegir3722]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 I don't really feel like arguing on the internet because nothing will get done, but here's my source. www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/29/americans-have-become-much-less-positive-about-tech-companies-impact-on-the-u-s/. Let me change what I was trying to say most conservatives don't tend to value higher education, and as a result, don't tend to follow through with education. I agree withyou about themob mentality that colleges and liberals tend to have and I'm not trying to attack that. Maybe the reason that these mobs form is because most conservatives fon't feel safe expressing their the houghts incolleges because they're the minority

[@katespaulding4563]

@@aegir3722 agreed

[@zucc3039]

Ali Malik just remember that these”educated” people in the west are mostly 25 year old baristas with a gender studies degree

[@williamsantatikul9778]

Its ironic and sad that a liberal stance - centered around tolerance and inclusion - could be so polarizing and intolerant of actual opinion and productive thought.

[@l8dawn]

planning on transferring to the Jack Baskins College of Engineering for Robotics after I got recommended here by my MATE ROV counselor back in high school. coming from an extremely bigoted and transphobic family (ive had attempts on my life multiple times), I'm even more excited to finally move out and go here! thanks for the vid :)

[@Sneakyslayer23]

Damn as an incoming UCSC comp sci student you are like my tour guide to UCSC rn, thanks for all the info!

[@anjupal3951]

Hyyy

[@mikeviall811]

I lived in this area since 1989. The UCSC liberal political bias and hatred is *100X* worse than described here.

[@taylorsmith9115]

I'll build beautiful affordable housing apartments/dorms for students at development cost. I love the UCSC Campus. If permitting gets pushed through SC county, I can have a project done in a few months after the modular units are on site. I also have no idea if the Campus is septic or on city sewer? Hopefully city sewer is available, and PG&E plays nice. 🙏 I represent champion homes as a dealer and am also a paper contractor. (we can experiment with how inexpensive it can be by removing profits). We can design the exterior to blend in with the remaining buildings or do whatever is desired. I can order the units at factory cost for UCSC, and get a profit conscious set-up crew on team UCSC for the project. It would cost less then $300 a month per student housed I would imagine for a 30 year period. After the loan is paid in full, just maintenance/upkeep could be charged to students? A little profit to the school would be very fair. That is considering that UCSC currently owns appropriately zoned land (multifamily or S/U for special use). I believe the campus/surrounding land should all be zoned S/U. I'd have to double check though. We could even have some student engineers help design it as a class project, it could be great fun. It's very simple though, they would get bored. Might as well create a highly efficient solar panel array while we're at it, and see how close UCSC housing can get to (net zero) or better🤷‍♂️ Since a college basically represents hope for the future and all, UCSC housing should be on renewables. www.championcommercial.com/spotlights/beer-properties www.championcommercial.com/ 🤙🤙🤙🤙

[@tha_oz]

I'm here 6 months later, and got accepted to ucsc (TIM major) whooooo

[@bananaslugdragon5764]

Highway 1 also goes through Santa Cruz.

[@phantomsedge5686]

I'm SRIing here. Hoping my the other 6 UCs let me off of their waitlist. Didn't expect this accounting my stats and extracurriculars and all

[@peydee_364]

thank you! this helped tons!

[@bryanfuentes1258]

I had a field trip there and I remember I saw them I would have said something but there was teachers with me

[@calebalbrecht8217]

Hey Ali, Helpful tips. Thanks a lot. I'm a new student here! I really want to do CS maybe you can sneak me in haha I want the bang. Cryptography, html, css, python, java, penetration testing, maybe, just maybe. I have to see what I can do as a music major.

[@TheBancNonius]

Nicely articulated video Ali. Damn, I''m glad I went there when student population was around 5-6K and I could avoid the woke courses by mainly focusing on math and physics! Cool school though, it was always a very liberal, left-leaning school (even by University standards) since inception in the 60s.

[@abrahamcardenas13]

I'm a conservative and solely on the liberal part, it turns me off about it. Its not because I cant handle debate but most universities students dont want debate, they mostly just call me racist.

[@TheKuinshi]

Potential tansfer here. Is it a fight to get into every programming class? I believe that as an EE major I'd have to take Assembly & C programing. Are those as in demand as the other classes? Also, any good BJJ/Muay Thai gyms near campus?

[@robertg6374]

Yeah the admin needs to stop admitting so many students

[@mattgibbons4021]

I'd be lying if I didn't get off the waitlist most likely from Corona...

[@alexandruh877]

My dream school was ucd and I’m planning on committing to ucsc , do you consider it a competitive environment ?

[@tenniscourt5831]

Thanks for the honest video. I'll strike this college off my application list. You are very well spoken btw.

[@johnbaptise2262]

Imagine liberal white ppl yelling at conservative brown students for having different views lolol. Really pushing that liberal agenda.

[@robertm.9515]

I'm center right but from NYC... I've grown up with those against my opinion, idrc about being liberal, but when you don't other perspectives into serious consideration then you have an issue. Classes being overbooked and 75 desperately needed TAs being fired sounds horrible. Doesn't sound worth paying OOS even though the campus location seems like a perfect fit. Biking sounds great for fun or to get around, steep hills no problem for me. Outdoors are rly rly nice! UIUC is my other choice rn but still waiting on more results.

[@godossthedude]

Thanks for the advice bro, I’m currently deciding between electrical engineering at Santa Cruz, or mechanical at San Jose state. I’m definitely on a budget so it seems housing could be really difficult in Santa Cruz.. which sucks because the campus seems so nice. I’m also not a big fan of that group think mentality and extreme liberalism, which is a bit of a turn off. Do you have any friends in the electrical engineering program there or heard anything about it? Thx!

[@brandonlem2110]

I'm about to enter my last year of EE and tbh its been a good trip.

[@sreekarvattipalli9925]

Ucsc vs Ucr for graduate studies in electrical engineering anyone??

[@Jessicascleaningtips]

Hi, great vid. question- when does admin get it together over there? Incoming frosh, no advisor, no statis on financial aide, not able to choose classes yet. Live phone help just circles back to using the website for answers. Very frustrating.

[@Accnews_]

Hi, I have a question a least there are Good professor for CS? My son he looking next year 1 time college CS and Game Programming. Thank you

[@ginacerda2352]

So let’s say That since I went to community college and graduating next year. Will that give me more time for enroll for classes???

[@joanalaguna5809]

I really wanted to go to ucsc

[@shiffasaitbawa7546]

Salam Ali, My son got admission in UCSC computer science . Your videos are very useful to me .As a first generation parents here in US we are concerned about him . How will you rate UCSC from 1-10 for 10 being excellent .

[@allistaircastillo5556]

Thanks for this! I just got accepted and will begin this fall 2020. I’m a transfer student and I just assumed all campuses were super liberal, I did hope it would be more open minded but I’ll take what I can get seeing as it is the beat school I was accepted to lol. I’m a music major and I don’t feel concern that this is an impacted field, should I feel differently?

[@calebalbrecht8081]

Hey Ali, how come we can create our own private and public keys? isn't that like free de-encryption? is that a good thing??

[@BL-mf3jp]

Thank you. I graduated from UCSC in 2019, and my experience was similar. I hated how people in my Lit classes would silence me just for having a different opinion. I was so angry that they took a subject I loved and twisted it to fit their agenda (I.e: they picked books for us to read not based on quality but based on representing underrepresented minorities). The strikes were a constant pain too, and the dining halls all closing at different times.

[@alexdearana-lemich1610]

Your assessment that the administration can simply waive a wand and solve some issues with finances is inaccurate. The University has money coming in but most of the time there are strings attached. Sometimes they can only use the money to do things like renovate the amphitheater. Also Santa Cruz has routinely had water issues so they can't expand quickly. And even when they do expand, large groups of students and community members protest. The campus was supposed to be 20 colleges at its inception but due to growth constraints through out the years this no longer is something we will see to the degree we want.

[@quantumcrash7266]

What happens if you wear a "MAGA" hat around campus?

[@CALISUPERSPORT]

I used to party and hangout with friends at UCSC around 2012 and it wasn't nearly this bad, even when I let my conservative side slip. Having such adversarial or extremist stances on politics should be a strike against you at an institution for higher learning...based off your stories it's hilarious how much they project (like accusing OTHERS of being brainwashed). Now I'm a returning student who is applying and considered UCSC, but I'm going to stay far away now. Sad because I think it's a great college town otherwise.

[@Eevee_TV]

Dammm is it still like this ?

[@saramargarita5818]

Lmao what college affiliation were you reffering to on minute 2:20

[@francescofact]

Do you know someone that is taking a certificate with the UCSC Extension program? I'm interested in the Computer Programming Certificate and i would like to know more

[@anjupal3951]

Same question can anyone reply

[@plutodagon2385]

damn. those fucking strikes and extremists have completely turned me off of this school.

[@zabinga]

i really liked the video? How crowded would you say the biochem classes are?

[@_tyson_20]

How is the university for Indian students?

[@sarair.202]

hey! im an incoming freshman and my major is cs too, I know it’s not the same to compare our experiences but what do you think about it at sc? Or in general.

[@sarair.202]

Essentially what is there to expect? Thanks. :)

[@nickcarletello5381]

@@sarair.202 what the...we were on this video at the same time😂

[@ashkon7408]

@@nickcarletello5381 same haha

[@ginacerda2352]

What about dorms??

[@IKNOKWORLDWIDE]

OooooakesssSSS!!

[@lemacado1111]

he aint wrong

[@Personify88]

Sounds like a garbage school.

[@Personify88]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 I'm from Santa Cruz, and yeah the campus is amazing, but the political indoctrination is just disgusting at the schools now.

[@behindthewhitecoat6560]

If you get a chance take a listen to my episode with Lt. General Nadja West, 44th US Army Surgeon General. I'm a first year medical student making no money, just trying to share the stories of those underrepresented in medicine. Thanks! I'm a former slug. #CowellCollege

[@atomicusray6649]

I just recently transferred to UCSC after I got rejected from 4 UC Schools this April. Until UCSC takes me in and I’m very grateful that they accept me becoming a banana slug and I’m enrolled this incoming Winter 2021. I didn’t even notice that UCSC very liberal school but I don’t care at all because that I’m not affiliated with any political parties and respect other’s opinions except still, I hate Trump and I only care is getting my bachelor’s and enjoy University life that’s it. Besides that, I still worry about other stuff around UCSC. Ali are there any more pros and cons I should know about while attending UCSC?

[@diablazjamz]

The town itself is sketchy, nothing to do, not like you'd want to anyway.

[@atomicusray6649]

@@diablazjamz What do you mean?

[@diablazjamz]

@@atomicusray6649 the downtown, where students will likely shop and go for entertainment, is rundown, not safe. Also, everything there is to do in Santa Cruz can be done in 2 days-boring, low key dangerous, sky high rent off campus--pass. The liberals are the least concern.

[@atomicusray6649]

@@diablazjamz Oh okay I didn't know that. thanks for the tip

[@jackocallaghan2786]

I'm a fourth year and this school is way too liberal I'm also a dem so yeah...

[@jackocallaghan2786]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 when Biden won? who knows. some people would still be salty that bernie didnt win... i personally just wanna graduate and never think about this school again or the students they're just annoying and soft as shit..

[@jackocallaghan2786]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 i was here when that happened it was boring as shit lol. if people were on campus it wouldn't have been too eventful because the pandemic stuff...if we weren't in a pandemic it might have been interesting but who knows..

[@tha_oz]

damn I would've think that UCB would be #1 liberal

[@tha_oz]

@@AliAbbasMalik2000 makes sense. Do you know anything about the TIM major at ucsc. Im tagging there for that major.

[@adamfeoras]

Yeah, as a Santa Cruz resident, let me say how much I appreciate UCSC kids protesting by vandalizing the west side and harrassing our progressive mayor and model police chief. Really puts into perspective our decision to include UCSC residents as voters. Thank you so much.

[@brandont.7287]

OoOooo IM IN THIS VIDEO 😂😂 LOLZ!!

[@FaithY3n]

woooooooow def not applying anymore

[@jessicamessica2271]

It is not worth it!