<p>Alright you guys I am really excited that I got into UCLA, but I feel I need to be prepared before I enter.
Could any of you experienced Bruins tell me what GE's I should take? recommendations? I planning on premed majoring in Molecular Bio.
Also, anyone know a personal counselor for premed? Contact Information?
Any extracurriculars you can recommend?
About how many classes should I take? 3-4?
Thanks so much =]</p>
<p>1) look at the thread for easy GE’s. Can’t really go wrong here
2) very poor counseling at ucla. you won’t have a “personal” counselor (may be if you’re regents, but im not sure)
3) mmmm don’t worry about extracurriculars quite yet. you’ll find them
4) take 3 classes your first quarter</p>
<p>Don’t wear Red! lol.</p>
<p>bruinboy- why take 3 classes at my first quarter?</p>
<p>you need to ease into the college workload…everything its gonna be different and classes are gonna be harder, so its best you take a lighter courseload.</p>
<p>okey… thx</p>
<p>Ask jeyday … she was a very excited incoming freshman last year :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I want to say something else too … but not now …</p>
<p>i guess i’ll contribute :rolleyes:</p>
<p>i know exactly how you feel; it’s a very nervous yet excited feeling because you know your hard work paid off and now that you’re going to attend one of the best universities in the world you want to be ready! but you don’t know how it’ll be and what to expect…</p>
<p>if you’re planning on taking the science route (that’s what i’m doing) look into the possible majors you might consider… there’s the majors under life science (psychobio, physiological science, neuroscience, molecular bio, microbio) and then the physical sciences (chemistry, physics, engineering…). you mentioned molecular bio so you might want to start the life science series (chem14 series and math3 series) but beware that once you start these series you can’t switch to the other one (chem20 series and math30 series). the life science series are said to be easier but in my opinion i don’t think it’s necessarily EASIER but just more over-the-surface and less in-depth. i’m doing the 14 and 3 series and most of my friends are doing the other one, and let me tell you, we learn the same things as them except not as much into detail.</p>
<p>but for your first quarter, consider taking just one major required class and two GEs… that’s what i did. i took math3a and three GEs, however, i had an early orientation session so i was able to enroll in three “easier” ones. most people take chem14a and math3a together their first quarter, and you might also want to do that, along with a third easier GE. GEs are also a good way to explore your other options besides the sciences… for example i took a music history class winter quarter and loved it! i’m taking more of them now and i’m considering minoring in it :)</p>
<p>you don’t need a counselor as of now, your orientation counselor will help you with all you need to know, especially since you’re grouped with people of your same major (so if you’re under molecular bio you’ll be put with people who either have the same major or something under life science) so all of you guys will need to take the same classes and you can share what you might want to. helps the process when you see what others who are planning to go down the same path want to do.</p>
<p>hope this helped!</p>
<p>I’m a bit biased, but as far as extracurriculars go I highly recommend joining the College Bowl Club of UCLA and Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda</p>
<p>Right now while typing this I am at the FBLA-PBL state Leadership Conference and it’s a lot of fun. We competed in events this past week and are now meeting people from all over the state and forming business contacts.</p>
<p>I’m also going to be going next weekend to NAQT’s national tournament as a part of the College Bowl Club, which we qualified two teams for after hosting a tournament. This has probably been my most rewarding experience, as I’ve gained so much experience and knowledge.</p>
<p>Also join your major’s club. It will be useful.</p>
<p>extracurriculars…depends on what your focus is…major & interests</p>
<p>im in a pre-law co-ed fraternity. i think the pre-professional fraternities are a really good experience. you get the networking/professional side…along with the brotherhood/social</p>
<p>there are 2 pre-health/pre-med
3 pre-biz…or maybe 4. i dont remember haha</p>
<p>@jeyday what series should a physiological science major go for?</p>
<p>you can do either series. physiological science is under life sciences. life science series are for life science majors, but physical science series applies to EVERYONE. you can certainly do the other series but still be life science, but not the other way around.</p>
<p>obviously most life science majors choose the life science series because it is catered more to us, but if you are a science person and really want to go in-depth with the material, do the other series. the physical science one is known for being for physics majors and engineers… but the LS series is obviously recommended for you.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>okay 14-3 series it is! thx
hmmm… if i want to give myself wiggle room, assuming that theres the chance that i realize physiology (or even all life sciences) isnt my thing… is going 14-3 still okay?
and yeah… going in as a first year freshmen, what would you recommend in regards to scheduling? im going to bruin day at berkeley today hopefully theres more info there too haha
thx =)</p>
<p>Thanks you guys. It really helped me.</p>
<p>@ Jeyday: you suggessted I take both chem 14 and math 3 series…I am not too familiar with the quarter system…would I choose to take them for all 4 quarters?
and do you mind mentioning which GE’s you took?</p>
<p>@silly101: where could I look these prefraternity for prehealth/premed?</p>
<p>btw: anyone know how I can change my major from undeclared life/science to molecular biology?..I heard from my friend at UCLA that it is better to major in a specific course of science as a premed.</p>
<p>and where can I possibly intern? preferably at hospital?</p>
<p>JinSoul: Go to the MCDB councelor in the LS building for a Change of Major form. Uhh… it’s not better to major in a specific course of science, rather you have to. Undeclared - Life Sciences is not a real major.</p>
<p>Derek:
14-3 series are only okay if you want do be any life science major (along with LS and physics6 series). so you can do those series for your first two years, and choose any life science major at the end of your second year. but if you want a non-life science major, like chemistry/physics/math/earth&space science, you have to do the physical science series. like i said, if you are NOT sure between life and physical science then do the physical science series because it applies to ALL science majors, even life science. you can do the 20-30 series and still be a life science major. but you can’t do the 14-3 series and be a physical science major. so you have to decide early… more wiggle room with 20-30 series vs. “lighter” courseload with the 14-3 series.</p>
<p>as for scheduling, stick with three classes first quarter, or four if you have mostly GEs.</p>
<p>JinSoul:
the school year has 3 quarters (unless you also take classes summer, which we’ll assume you won’t)</p>
<p>math3 series is 3 quarters: math3a, 3b, and 3c. if you take math every quarter starting from the beginning you can finish in one year. chem14 series is 6 quarters: chem14a, 14b, 14bl (lab), 14c, 14cl (lab), and 14d. you can do the labs concurrently with the class, though. you have a lot of flexibility… you can take 14a first quarter, 14b+14bl second quarter, 14c third quarter… you don’t have to take the labs with the class, or you can even take 14bl with 14c. some people leave labs until later, but keep in mind some majors require you to finish all your pre-reqs before you can declare or before a certain unit cap. for now, i would say for your first quarter take chem14a and math3a and see how it goes from there. you’ll meet a lot of people in your same boat and you can see what they’re doing too. orientation will definitely help too! i took just math3a first quarter, not chem14a, because i wasn’t sure about my plans… so winter i took math3b and chem14a together. you don’t have to do them together!</p>
<p>for my GEs, i took history2c with ruiz, arts&arch10 with winter, and educ92f with barbee. they were all fairly easy… don’t let them give you false hope! especially since you’re a south campus major. but it’s a good way to start off your college years, with a solid GPA.</p>
<p>oh and you don’t have to petition to change your major right away… if you’re fairly sure that you are going to stick with the life sciences, just take the lower divs for now. you don’t have to declare your major until the end of second year, and when you are sure about your major (you might end up liking another LS major) you can always declare later… as long as the lower divs satisfy your major (which they will if you stick with an LS major).</p>
<p>i would say just wait till you start school and see how college science is like. my roommate, for example, changed her major from undeclared-physical science to biochem the first week of school fall quarter, and now she’s planning to change again. she said she loved chemistry in high school and was pretty sure about biochem coming in but after she took chemistry here her first quarter, she HATED it…
not saying the same thing will happen to you but it won’t hurt to wait for now :)</p>
<p>@jey
thanks for all the advice! it really helps.
I’m like 80-20 on life sciences versus something along the lines of engineering (does the wiggle room of 20-30 encompass something like engineering as well? hahaha, i think thats a stretch)</p>
<p>i greatly dislike chemistry… bio aint fun for me neither
but when they are more applied, like through something such as physiology/anatomy, i am fascinated. hopefully that fascination will keep me going on the route toward a M.D. or something
unsure unsure…</p>
<p>my OTHER roommate happens to be doing engineering, haha. she is doing the 20-30 series, yes. however, you have to apply to the school of engineering; it’s NOT within the college of letters and science (life sciences and physical sciences ARE though). it’s fairly difficult to transfer from L&S to engineering, but that’s all i’ve heard about that.</p>
<p>don’t let the lower divs discourage you, since you already know you dislike chem and bio. you have to get through the lower divs (that everyone has to do no matter what major) and when you declare your major as physiological science or whatever, the upper divs will be a lot more “fascinating.” just go with the flow for now, and everything will fall into place… i think that as long as you know you want to do something science related, you’re good for the next two years (lower divs).</p>
<p>dont do engineering pre-med.</p>