<p>After having the dreaded financial aid conversation with my parents, I realize that the only way I can afford UCLA is if I commute from my cousin's house, who lives about 30 minutes away from the school.</p>
<p>How many people typically commute? Is this going to seriously affect my social life/college experience?</p>
<p>My only other options, financially speaking, are to commute to UCR or go to St. Johns University in NYC and live on campus.</p>
<p>I also got into NYU, BU, NEU, and a couple others, but even with the scholarships I can't afford them -___-</p>
<p>There are a good number of commuters at UCLA, even with killer LA traffic. But yes, it definitely depends on if that 30 minutes is considering traffic or not. It’s up to you how much it’s worth it - I live in a city that, without traffic, is around 45 minutes from Irvine yet I have a friend who commutes in traffic practically every day to UCI (still LA County so yeah rush hour still sucks).</p>
<p>If 30 minutes includes traffic and parking, then it’s no problem. Simply walking from the dorms or nearby apartments to classes will take 15 minutes or more. Commuting is common and not that big of a deal. Social life in dorms is overrated. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to makes friends in classes. In fact, some of my best friends at UCLA were made at Orientation/classes/online coincidences.</p>
<p>I’m actually going to be commuting from my cousins house, which is right where so 605 meet the 10, so it will pretty much be a straight shot on the 10. I have pretty decent experience with LA traffic, and I find that there’s certain periods when the traffic is bad, but if you leave fifteen minutes before or ate that period you pretty much miss it.</p>
<p>How difficult is it to get a parking pass? I was on the UCLA website and apparently commuting freshman have second to last priority behind athletes, regents scholars, and upperclassmen. I’m pretty worried about that because if I can’t get a parking pass, I don’t see how I would be able to commute.</p>
<p>I don’t have experience with getting parking permits for the academic year (I have in the summer), but I have heard that if you don’t initially get a parking pass, you can appeal. In the meantime, you can purchase $11 parking each day, save the tickets/receipts, and get reimbursed after they approve of your appeal.</p>
<p>605 and the 10 kinda sucks, but no worries, there are alternates for you. As long as you ALWAYS HAVE multiple routes, you will be fine. For you, obviously you could do 10-405, but you could also do 10-101-405 and come from the North.</p>
<p>Personally, I commute from east of the Rose Bowl (Basically where the 605 and 210 meet). It’s really not that bad as long as you leave at the right times. For instance, I will NEVER leave after 7AM and never attempt to leave campus at 4PM. I try to schedule my classes so that I start by 9 at the latest and end by 2 at the latest, so as to make traffic easier.</p>
<p>I know a couple of commuters and it definitely is harder to be involved on campus and have the true college social experience if you commute. It’s not impossible but it will be difficult. Also traffic is @<em>#)%U</em>)@#%)!</p>
<p>605 and 10 sounds like your cousin is from around where I live, I’m guessing El Monte/Rosemead area? Not exactly sure if commuting from there would be worth it to be honest… my friend did it in the summer from Monterey Park which is that much closer and hated it. If you really plan your classes right, or plan to leave early/late enough and just find stuff to do on campus then it’ll be fine - again it’s up to you how much it’s worth it. 10 to the 405 is the conventional way but taking 10 to the 101 to the 405 saves you a littleee time because you cut through LA instead of going around via the 10 (I go home like every weekend so this is what I take lol). It’s also true that there are many many options and although LA can be super confusing, if you learn it well enough there’s always a way. I don’t know if you have time/gas for this but if you reaalllyy want to see how it’d feel, sleepover at your cousin’s house and drive to UCLA, visit for a day, and drive back?</p>
<p>As for the parking permit I’m sure there has to be a way they’ll let you get it, and you can always appeal.</p>
<p>I’m a third year that commutes, and I wouldn’t say my social life is any worse than when I was in the dorms. But that’s partly because I live pretty close and can stay on or around campus as late as I want. If had to leave before rush hour, I would probably be a lot less happy.</p>
<p>You should consider staying on campus for a year. It will help you adjust to college, get to know people and get involved on campus. You could also try to get a job on campus to make some money.</p>
<p>I’m not going to sugar coat it: commuting is tough. But like thiscouldbeheaven said, I strongly encourage staying on campus in the dorms for at least one year if possible (try workstudy jobs?). It’ll help you make friends/have the college experience/etc.</p>
<p>That sounds like a bad commute. In my experience, the 10 is filled with traffic starting at around 6am until like 8pm. It’s totally doable, and it in no way would kill your social life, but as everyone’s been saying it wouldn’t be easy.</p>
<p>Most of fall and winter quarter, i just bit the bullet and stayed on campus until like 7/8pm. It wasn’t that big of a deal. As long as you’re social you should have no trouble making friends. Join a club, go to the gym, talk to your classmates, and you’ll be fine. While i lived on campus my first year, it isn’t that big of a deal unless you’re spending a ton of time in westwood/the west side (as i was last quarter.) But also realize that gas is expensive, so take that into consideration as well.</p>
<p>Vanpool’s are absolutely terrible and geared for those who work at UCLA, not students. The buses to/from are typically around 9 hours apart (hence, an 8 hour workday with an hour lunch).</p>