Editor, Daily Nexus,

C.K. Hickey’s opinion piece (“Golden State Blues: ‘Cali’ Gloss Deceives Out-of-Staters,” Daily Nexus, May 11) wrongly accuses schools like University of Redlands for misleading prospective out-of-staters about their location and makes such individuals seem like a bunch of air-headed “Laguna Beach” wannabes. Hickey argues that schools that say they are “within reach” of L.A. shopping and the beach are at fault for disappointing the students who expect such places to be easily accessible from campus.

But what kind of idiot wouldn’t check the location of his potential college, especially if he was more concerned about beach and shopping access than the actual school? Hickey seems to think that all out-of-staters are so caught up in visions of sun and surf that once they hear that a college is near a coastal area in California, they apply without doing a single bit of research about the school’s location. Sure, conveniently located leisure activities make a great addition to college life, but Hickey suggests that the out-of-staters who come to California are more concerned with swimming and shopping than they are with their academic and social compatibility with a school.

Additionally, Hickey unjustly blames shows like “The O.C.” for creating misleading perceptions that supposedly deceive out-of-staters. While “The O.C.” may glamorize certain parts of California, it in no way suggests that every part of the state is full of beautiful beaches and boardwalks. California is filled with a number of gorgeous beach towns, but as only one side of it is adjacent to the ocean, anyone who fails to recognize that the state is not just one giant beach should not be planning for college.

Lastly, calling California “Cali” IS different from calling New York “The Big Apple” or Atlanta “Hotlanta” – Cali is an abbreviation, the others are nicknames.

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