Blacks from the north entrance–the entrance most typically used by UCSD students. Photo: Chuck Schmid
3. University of California at San Diego–La Jolla, California
If you’re considering UCSD, go ahead and pat yourself on the back. Not only is it one of the best public schools in the nation, but it’s steps from the best beach break in the nation as well. What a combo. Just don’t get too frothed up to send in your check and sign on the dotted line because the acceptance rate at UCSD isn’t huge. At last count, 99% of students attending UCSD were in the top 10% of their high school graduating class and the average incoming freshman has probably never received a B in their life. Remember when you thought it would be more fun to catch the tail end of that swell rather than hit the books for finals? That rejection letter make more sense now?
Undergraduate Enrollment: 23,046
Male/Female Ratio: 49/51
Average Incoming Freshman GPA: 4.0
Average Incoming SAT range: 1660-2030
Average Incoming ACT range: 24-30
Total Costs (In-state): $27,162
Tuition (In-state): $13,234
Total Costs (Out-of-state): $36,806
Tuition (Out-of-state): $22,878
Regular Application Deadline: 11/30
Percent Applications Accepted: 36%
Nearby Breaks: Walk across the street to the north entrance of Blacks, explore La Jolla’s reefs or stick to Scripps Pier if you’re more on the novice side.
In New York, these are the days you drop everything and surf. Photo: Matt Clark
4. Columbia University–New York, NY
Willing to sacrifice world-class waves for a world-class education? New York City’s Columbia University does just that. Manhattan may not be Surf City, but hop on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and take it to Long Beach or Montauk and you won’t be disappointed. Catch it in September-October and you might even be pleasantly surprised. This assumes that you even have the time to break away from the rigorous studies involved in attending an Ivy League school. But hey, you want a good job after you graduate, right?
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,027
Male/Female Ratio: 53/47
Average Incoming Freshman GPA: If you have to ask, yours isn’t high enough.
Average Incoming SAT range: 2100-2370
Average Incoming ACT range: 32-35
Total Costs: $57,350
Tuition: $43,088
Regular Application Deadline: 1/1
Percent Applications Accepted: 7%
Nearby Breaks: Long Beach, site of the first and only Quiksilver Pro New York, is roughly a 45 minute train ride and Montauk is a good weekend trip at about two hours outside the city. During September-October, in “Hurricane Season,” much of the Eastern Seaboard lights up with swell. Go explore!
