<p>This fall quarter I'm signed up to take the GE Cluster 30A (the Myth one), E&S Sci 15 (I think it's called Blue Planet: Intro to Oceanography), Hist 1A (Western Civilization), & the Fiat Lux for 1 Eng unit: Birth of the Comic Strip. I'm an Undeclared major currently somewhat leaning towards Humanities/Social Sciences.</p>
<p>Are these classes fun/boring/hard/easy?
How are the professors? Is this schedule weird in any way?</p>
<p>Yes I look on BruinWalk/Rate my Professor but would like to hear more and kind of know what to expect. :)</p>
<p>If you’re leaning towards being a social science/humanities major, do a science related cluster to knock out more science GEs.</p>
<p>I took the environment cluster freshman year (I’ll be a junior this fall) and I thought it was cake. Plus, somewhat interesting and relevant to current issues.</p>
<p>My daughter will be a junior this fall. She took the a cluster (global environment?) and really enjoyed it. She liked that she had the same profs (or group of profs) for the year, had the same students, so as freshman she met a lot of people, and the last quarter is a seminar with only about 20 students in each group covering a more specific area. Hers had something to do with the ocean and she went on about 3 field trips to the ocean which was fun and informative. She did knock out around 3 science GE’s, a writing requirement and a seminar requirement. So if it’s a topic you truly enjoy don’t let people talk you out of it. Some people really like the positive aspects of a cluster. But it is a good idea to take one that is not in your normal area of study since you cover a bunch of GEs you will have to take but might not normally want to take.</p>
<p>So to those who say to dump the cluster, why? I’ve heard the LA one is pretty easy, though I have also heard the Myth one I’m taking is a lottt of work (mostly reading).</p>
<p>True true, a science-related one would make more sense. This environment one sounds interesting.</p>
<p>So i was in the same position as you were…take or drop cluster…eventually i decided to drop it before orientation. the reason why came from the hordes of family/friends i have at UCLA and those who have already graduated from there…and these were their reasons</p>
<p>1) If it’s a subject you’re not interested in and you’re only there to get rid of GE/Writing II or Units…then it’s boring
2) Since it’s a year-long course, you will get less flexibility in terms of arranging your classes in future quarters
3) Since the timing of the schedule is fixed, when there’s a club or meeting that you KNOW meets every time that day, and your cluster interferes, then u can’t choose a later date, you’re stuck</p>
<p>basically they all told me that they or they know friends who’ve taken clusters always have some timing issues. </p>
<p>personally i imagine this in a real life scenario and it all makes rational sense. but there were two friends that told me they REALLY enjoyed their LA cluster cause they got to know tidbit informaiton about the area n could tell their friends and they get to keep year long class buddies with each other,but they also told me it was a lot of work…like more than the regular classes, which is to be expected since you’re getting 4 GE’s and a writing II checked off.</p>
<p>but let me remind you. getting all your GE’s done isn’t the best idea in some cases. sure it’ll give you more time on ur “major requirement” however, you’ll have 3-4 classes of just PURE “Major” course. Memorizing all those history dates or mathematical equations, whichever way you rock, will be a lot of brain cells to deal with.</p>
<p>In the end, it depends on what you want. You want to get all your GE’s and WII done and have nice long class buddies (which can be enemies whichever you sway the relationship). OR you want flexibility in classes and have two hard classes and an easy GE to balance your social/academic life in UCLA. (For me, the choice was certainly crystal clear)</p>
<p>Haha that’s a lot more helpful than just that it’s a lot of work, though the work factor IS playing in… It is hard that it’s so much time, especially when I know I want to get involved in ECs. I don’t think I’ve met anyone personally wholly enjoyed their cluster. The thing that most appeals to me I think would be that it’d give me honors credit (I’m in the honors program), and that it’d satisfy writing II. I have to think about this carefully…</p>
<p>Once agin, my daughter really enjoyed hers. She is in the honors program and did get a bunch of honors credits and she found the subject matter very relevant and interesting. She actually got some kind of priority in registration since their cluster class is set and they have to work around it. Let me add one important point…you can pick a cluster you think you would genuinely enjoy and if you decide you don’t want to continue you can drop after the first quarter while still getting the GE credit for that first class. So I don’t see how you can lose. If you want to give it a try, go for it. Only YOU can decide if it’s right for you and if you enjoy it. So I say try it, and drop it if you don’t want to continue as you are not required to stay in the the full year.</p>
<p>I noticed that an extra unit was added to all the cluster courses this year (from 5 units last year to 6 units this year). So the administration must recognize that they’re more work than a regular course.</p>
<p>@inquiringmind2 that is a pretty good idea though i’m actually considering the environment cluster now because it’ll help me w/ science GEs & does seem pretty relevant & interesting…</p>
<p>does anyone know how long enrollment usually stays open on ursa? sorry guys, total noob here. i’m not sure if they said for a week after my orientation or until we start fall quarter. :X</p>
<p>jayjiggle: I believe that is the cluster my daughter took. It was called Global Environment I think. She did knock out a bunch of science GE’s, got honors credits and writing and seminar requirements done. As I said, she loved the seminar in the spring quarter as there were only 20 in the class and they went to the ocean a couple times for field trips. She also had some friends in the class. One friend she met at orientation and one from her home town. So she enjoyed it but you have the right idea…sign up and if you don’t like it you can drop it next quarter and you will still have one science done.</p>
is there ANY clusters people recommend?</p>
though i’m actually considering the environment cluster now because it’ll help me w/ science GEs & does seem pretty relevant & interesting…</p>