University of California-Los Angeles Top Questions

I can't really say what my opinion is yet of the school because I haven't began my schooling there, but the atmosphere is really inspiring. Being surrounded by individuals who take what they do seriously, with a work ethic very few can manage just motivates me to work harder. The faculty they have is also something noteworthy helping mold the students into leaders. Its an honor to go to this school regardless. I don't really tell people I am going here other then my family, I'm not one to just say what college I'll be attending although I am proud that I've made this far. The complaints I've heard about the school is that many of the classes are theoretical and not practical, but this makes classes more thought provoking and less about tedious memorization so I don't mind.

I love it. Challenging but rewarding academics, buzzing social life, and a nice area.

Overall, I enjoy being here, and I love the atmosphere. However, at times I do feel the student body is a little apathetic towards issues in which they are not directly involved. The location is great because it's in a good part of town and is close to a lot of places as well.

The best thing here is definitely the dining hall! UCLA has a variety of dining halls and you can enjoy Chinese, Vietnam, Korean, Japanese, and of course traditional American foods here!

I LOVE this school! I cannot gush about it enough. Everyone is so friendly and hardworking. It's a competitive environment, but people are willing to help if you just ask. It's a fairly large school in comparison to other colleges, but I personally like that. That way, you're always meeting new people! And because it's such a big school, there's always something going on, you just have to go around and find it.

My overall opinion of UCLA is an unequivocally high one. Our reputation is stellar and our opportunities - for fun, for classes, for activities, for networking - are plentiful. I honestly believe that there's something here for every possible type of person with every possible type of goal, and the school is fantastic about working with us to help make those goals reality. The entire city of Los Angeles is our 'college town', and I can't imagine a better environment to be immersed in during my four years of college.

GET INVOLVED! The more groups and clubs you join, the more people you meet, the more networks you create, and the more you grow as a person. I joined a dance group, a sorority, and a mental awareness club. I know as a pre-med student, none of these will matter, and my instincts tell me I don't need to do these extracurriculars since in high school, most people jammed the schedules to impress colleges, but REALLY, you get what you put into this school, especially since it is a big public school. When i was looking at colleges, I was very interested in small private schools, but somehow, I ended up here (I'm from Chicago and really wanted to live in California my whole life!) and I think it really was meant to be. UCLA prepares you for the real world where no one is there to hold your hand and you need to reach out if you want any help. And as a pre-med student, the competition is fierce, just like life is outside of college! And, people know that. UCLA is a school you can be proud to go to. the only thing that stinks right now is the constantly rising tuition!

UCLA has become my home away from home. The majority of students here are very ambitious, studious, smart, involved, and social. My first year was a little rough because of the transition away from home and just adjusting to how the professors taught the classes here. Additionally, being a science major, your first year classes are lecture halls (200-400 students a class!). It was very overwhelming and stressful because I had to learn to develop new study skills, accepting the fact that professors will not know your name by the end of the quarter, and adjust to living in the dorms. The big classes were a turn-off for me and so was walking down the hill every morning to go to class. However, it was something that I got used to and it doesn't bother me anymore. I always thought UCLA was an intelligent bubble--you literally live where you go to school and everyone is very smart, which can be discouraging sometimes because I feel that I had to work extra extra extra hard just to meet the standards. Again, this is something that you get used to and learn to grow from. You definitely have to work harder here than at most other universities, because mostly everyone that got accepted here were in the top of their high school classes. My progress here has dramatically improved since freshman year and I'm much better at staying on top of my priorities and academic workload. There's definitely a lot of UCLA school pride here! Especially around the time when the football team plays against USC (our school rival). There's occasional student protests, mainly over tuition increases (as far as I've noticed), and many other events happening on campus ALL THE TIME. Living in the dorms can be a hit or miss. My experience of living in the dorms has been phenomenal! It was the first place where I made my first friends (and our friendship has grown since then!). I definitely recommend living in the dorms the first two years of college; it really gives you a chance to meet many other students the same age (and many of them will happen to be taking the same classes too).

In a way UCLA has it all; Great intellectuals, obnoxious student politics, major NCAA sports teams, gorgeous neo-renaissance buildings surrounded by trees and hills, and top programs in the the arts and sciences.

I think that the best thing about UCLA is that it's so versatile in terms of the students, talents, and quality programs offered... we have a great academic program, no matter what major you choose, and we also have a diverse range of student groups to suit everyone's needs. Although people say that UCLA is too huge and impersonal, I like that about it for the most part... it's not really as impersonal as it's made out to be, and I love the fact that even on your last day before you graduate, you have many more people to meet and become friends with. Westwood is our college town, and although parking is a huge hassle, it's an amazing place... we have big chain stores as well as many one-of-a-kind mom-and-pop places to enjoy that make Westwood unlike any other place you'll ever experience! The movie premieres are also awesome... There's a lot of school pride, especially when we have a game against 'SC or we're making a title run of any sort. The Undie Run is my most memorable experience, and so is Bruin Bash and all the concerts that I help to organize as part of USAC's Cultural Affairs Commission! I got to meet a lot of musical artists, and I'll never forget that experience!