Is Tropicana Del Norte the best dorm at UCSB?

SOCIAL: Not good for the "dorm experience." Basically the dorm is an apartment converted to a dorm so each "suite" is just you and six other people rather than an entire hallway. It's very difficult meeting people outside of your suite so the dorm feels pretty antisocial. I really can't understate how quiet and antisocial this dorm is. If you want a quiet place to study then this place is good I guess but if you want friends avoid this place at all costs. ROOM: If you're in the quad you basically have a normal private home bathroom which was the one saving grace this dorm has. The desks and water pressure are bad. LOCATION: The area is pretty close to both campus and IV so that's a plus. It's close to Kappa Sigma and other frat houses so that can be a good or bad thing depending on how you view parties and where your room is located. MANAGEMENT: If you didn't know this Tropicana Del Norte is actually run by a private company in collaboration with UCSB. You still can't eat at other dining halls though. Staff in general are nice but management is scuff. AMENITIES: Dining hall is really hit or miss (usually miss). The cookies are super good though. The dining hall closes early though which is a huge minus in my opinion, especially since you can't eat at other late night dining halls. Bike parking is consistently overcrowded and cramped. Everything else is pretty standard. I can't comment on the gym.