I attended UCSC at the beginning of the millennium. I had selected OAKES as my college before even having the opportunity to attend the walking tour. I'm so glad that I picked Oakes. I made so many valuable connections while I dormed there in my first year. I remember hearing all the different jokes about Oakes and how the Oakes dorms were the boxes that College 8-10 arrived in. Oakes was definitely underwhelming when you first looked at it. The buildings did look rather old and very much lived in. One of the things that I began to appreciate the most about them was that I'd wake up on any random morning to a view of the most beautiful deer just outside of my window, or fog just hovering above the grass but the view of the ocean absolutely clear and sparkling. I loved what I'd heard about Oakes as I had been able to talk to some other students who had been attending UCSC for a while already. Some of them were able to tell me about their experiences at Oakes and some of them were able to tell me a lot about the back story of the college. I met so many great people at Oakes when I began attending as a student. So many of them were artistic, political, insightful, and welcoming. There were so many things that I loved about Oakes. I don't even know where to begin. I loved the view that I had from my room. There hasn't been one every again ever since then. I was very close to one of the shuttle pick up and drop off points. I was able to easily attending union meetings, the Oakes senate gatherings, writing lab, computer lab, Oakes cafe, etc. I fell in love with the Oakes core class, although I barely passed because my flight back to the Bay Area had been cancelled and it was the last one out on a Sunday night and there was just no way that I was going to make it to the class by 8am. EEEK! There's a certain roll call that we have that is one of a kind, although it is the simplest. "OOOOOOOOOAaaaaaaaaKKKKKKKeeeeeeeSSSSS!" There is a certain kind of slug love that oozes from all us Oakes grads. Man, room 306 in Biko was my spot. My dorm block advisor was Anthoine Bracy. He's an awesome dude. He invited all of us to his place for a pancake breakfast in the middle of the year. That was fun. I met a bunch of other people from our building that day, some that I had classed with and some that I didn't know lived in the same building. It was nice to get together and to just become a little closer knit. I feel like I Oakes, especially Antoine Bracy and Biko House, so much of who I am today. I realized my goals there and realized how much more I wanted to become involved in my Asian American community. I wanted to get more involved with the student orgs even. I didn't think it was really my thing but I loved it once I really got involved. Who knew! I absolutely LOVE Oakes!! I visit each time I'm in town. I look forward to walking through whenever I'm on campus and I always look for our mascot, banana slugs. read more

Beautiful area, very close to the arboretum and Wilder Ranch just off campus. The vibes here are better than any other college on campus, also very queer dorms. Gotta love Oakes ! read more

I felt like for my 600th review-- Oakes College was appropriate. This is going to be a long review so bear with me When I was a senior in high school-- I did Camp Anytown (through what used to be the NCCJ) and two of the counselors were from Oakes. I had mentioned that UC Santa Cruz was one of the places I was thinking about going to--and they invited me to Banana Slug Spring Fair-- and the Oakes Carnival.... the rest from there is history I went to the carnival and you know that feeling in your stomach that you get you are home... it felt that way when I went to the upper lawn area and looked at the dorms. I knew I wanted to come to UCSC and I knew that Oakes was where I wanted to be at........ in my two years living on campus I was at Biko and Lililuo-Kalani- Minami houses. The Biko (named after the political apartheid prisoner) house was were "magic happened" I met a bunch of folks and I started to get politically active. Antoine Bracy was our dorm "dad" and an amazing guy. The L-M apartment area is named after the last queen of Hawaii and Dale Minami-- the lawyer who fought for redress of Japanese Americans after WWII. Oakes itself was created due to a lack of safe space for people of color at UC Santa Cruz. Long story short-- folks fought... a place with an emphasis on social justice and change was born.... and Oakes kicks ass. Period. What I love/d about Oakes 1) the people here are artistic and political 2) the mural my friends and I painted near the cafe 3) the late night conversations about class, privilege, race and sexism 4) union meetings, oakes senate, and other campaigns 5) the view (second floor biko over looks the ocean) 6) right near a parking lot and a dining hall 7) Oakes Core class 8) The year it snowed and we all were in our laundry baskets sledding down the hills 9) Pass/No Pass options for grading 10) late night walks along Oakes Path 11) Mischief and Mayhem of my friends and I 12) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAaaaaaaaaaaakes! 13) We are all over the map... watch for us It is because of Oakes that I got involved with student organizations and student government..through all of that -- I decided to be a teacher. I am going into my fifth year teaching and my third year counseling in East San Jose.... I have four generations of high school students who attend/will attend UC Santa Cruz-- which excites me beyond measure.... through this college I found myself... and my goals. I have met people from all over the world and been able to experience so many beautiful and once in a life time opportunities because of the folks I met there. I owe Oakes a lot :-D. read more

A friend of mine who was going to UCSC had recommended choosing Oakes as my college. I walked onto the campus at Santa Cruz for a tour and remember thinking how underwhelming Oakes looked versus College 8-10. However, with a little convincing, I went with Oakes College and I am so glad that I did. "Don't judge a book by its cover" -- this is where that rule totally applies. Don't let the brown shingles and drab exterior dissuade you from choosing Oakes. There is a warmth and homey quality to the community that I don't feel like you get at any of the other colleges. The format of the dorms were much more different when I was there. We had a preceptor for every building and 2-3 NA's depending on the number of students. Now, I believe there is one preceptor for every 2-4 buildings? Anywho, Oakes is known for its multicultural themed housing. I lived there for three years, two of which I was an NA. Each building has its own distinct vibe to it. If you are looking for quality, genuine, and lifelong relationship/friendships with people--this is the place to be. I loved Oakes and miss it all the time. The views are gorgeous, and the lower lawn holds a special place in my heart with the number of Block Parties I competed in, events I attended there, and sunsets/sunrises I watched. I remember not really knowing what to expect, but being very excited to be on my own as an independent (sorta) adult in college. My college roommate and I could not be anymore different, but we got along great and remain best friends to this day. read more

OAKKKESSS! To describe Oakes at UCSC in words would already be an understatment so I will not even try. Everyone that's already written a yelp review had a lot to say and all I can say is I concur! I am a much better person since graduating from this place. read more

Is it appropriate for me to review this place? I did not attend here. I did not graduate from here. But my God son, this last week, reaching a significant milestone in his long, winding, sometimes scary journey thru life, did graduate last week with a BS in Marine Biology. And so my only truly first-hand experience with this institution was then, when God son's family, friends, and significant individuals in his life gathered here to attend his commencement and do a little celebration. As noted above, God son did not travel from elementary school in South Sacramento to here on a short straight and narrow path... No he got here following a path that included many scary detours and bad company and reckless actions and bad decisions and incarceration and emotional train wrecks and many wasted years of false starts and stops and start-overs and advances and retreats.. and then after all that re-entry classes at SJCC and then transfer to UC Santa Cruz. Some of the study was quite easy.. Some of it quite challenging. Because of a housing shortage and then because of personal choice God son never lived on campus and thus probably missed out on much that Oakes College had to offer.. But he got enough in terms of mentoring and counseling and peer activities and support to see him through the rough spots. At the commencement I got to meet a few of the most supportive individuals, and I got a sense of the commitment in the College to working with people like him.. who have not traveled the straight and narrow path. So even though.. in these sucky economic times, the road ahead is not exactly rife with opportunity.. and even though it's hard to say if it was Oakes.. or others .. or God son, himself who played the biggest part in his getting here.. Well, heck, I gotta give five stars to *somebody* or *some thing* for this occasion so it might as well be you, Oakes College.. read more

I lovvvvvve Oakes cafe. I promise you as soon as u order your food it will come out in less than 10 minutes. The staff is really friendly and makes sure that your food comes out on time. No better place. I wish that they had more variety of foods but its great! read more

This place was the best. Where else can you get chased by raccoons while doing your laundry at 2am, drunk off your ass, while talking to the deer passing by? Gotta love it! read more