<p>haha this site / you guys are the best!!</p>
<p>I am assuming that most people who get accepted to UCLA have taken plenty of AP courses in high school, so isn't it pretty common for incoming students to have sophomore standing? I would guess that this takes away some of the priority that sophomore standing gets. Is this true?</p>
<p>I heard so many stories about UCLA being deathly hard. I kind of BSed through high school, but now I'm serious about college. </p>
<p>Are the classes at UCLA really THAT hard? Does studying hard pay off? Because I heard of some classes where no matter how hard you study, you still have to be naturally good with the subject. Can anyone verify?</p>
<p>YAY another way to avoid my poli sci paper :)</p>
<p>Answers to random questions I've seen here:</p>
<ol>
<li> how many meals do u eat at the meal plan thingy a day</li>
</ol>
<p>Well, I have 19 Premiere (my parents signed up for me since I was out of town and didn't realize there is no way I am getting up before 10 to get breakfast in the dining halls!). This is entirely too many meals for me, we have about 2 weeks left in the quarter and I still have 85 meals left. Premiere is really nice though because you can order pizza, swipe in friends, and not feel completely wasteful if you do not use all of your swipes during the week.</p>
<ol>
<li> do u have time between classes to go up there for lunch?</li>
</ol>
<p>Depends, last quarter I did because I was in a Freshman Cluster that met in De Neve Plaza at 12. So I went to class on campus at 9, came back for class/lunch, and then went back to campus for my 3pm class. However, this quarter I am on campus all day T/R so I usually just grab lunch in Ackerman.</p>
<ol>
<li> how late do ur classes normally go</li>
</ol>
<p>Last Quarter: 5pm MW, 1pm TRF
This Quarter: 1pm MF, 5pm TW, 4pm R<br>
Next Quarter: No Class MF, 5pm T, 6pm W, 7pm R </p>
<ol>
<li> is it hard to get a job on campus</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't have one (I have an internship off campus), but my friends have not had too many problems. A few work for Campus Tours, Parking Services, Call Center, etc. </p>
<ol>
<li> whens your earliest class</li>
</ol>
<p>Last Quarter: 9am
This Quarter: 11am
Next Quarter: 11am</p>
<ol>
<li> whats the biggest class size youve had</li>
</ol>
<p>Probably between 200-300, alot of the lower division GE classes are like this.</p>
<ol>
<li> whats the most homework load youve had in a semester (papers)</li>
</ol>
<p>Last Quarter: 6 papers (3 classes)
This Quarter: 5 papers (3 classes)</p>
<ol>
<li> Was orientation a good way of meeting people</li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, I am still pretty good friends with some of the people in my small group. However, it seems like during orientation alot of people come with their group of friends so it may seem a little intimidating but DONT WORRY! Things are very different once you get to school and everyone is thrown together. I was a little worried after Orientation but I couldn't be happier here.</p>
<ol>
<li>do u know everyone in ur hall / last years hall</li>
</ol>
<p>I am really lucky it seems. I live in De Neve and am really good friends with the people on my floor. This is rare in the plazas, as my friends in Sunset and the other De Neve buildings tell me their floors are really quiet. It is all luck, but you are probably better off with a residence hall if you want a really social environment.</p>
<ol>
<li>which residence hall do you recomend?</li>
</ol>
<p>De Neve: Good if you want a more quiet area, private bathrooms, closest to campus
Halls: Dykstra is the most social, I would say avoid Sproul but it is not going to be open next year
Sunset: Also really quiet, the rooms are not set up in huge floors but in "houses" so I've heard its even more difficult to meet people. </p>
<p>It all depends on what you are looking for!</p>
<ol>
<li>anyone recomend / disapprove of the freshman clusters program?</li>
</ol>
<p>I am in a cluster now (Biotechnology and Society). I don't really like it, but I think that has more to do with my hatred of science than the class itself. It is a great way to get rid of GE, Honors, Seminar/Writing II requirements, which is why I stuck with it (you can always drop after the first quarter). My advice: do not take the cluster that is similar to your major. If I had taken the 60s Cluster I would have taken my Social Analysis classes twice (because poli sci lower division classes cover these subjects). So -- be smart about what cluster you sign up for!</p>
<br>
<p>How is the party scene?</p>
<br>
<p>Thursday nights there is usually a Frat House Party, which is your typical college party experience. It is hard to get in if you are a guy and don't know anyone in the house but if you are in a sorority your name is automatically on the list. Fridays and Saturdays are not as wild, but there are usually smaller parties at a couple houses and there are sometimes apartment parties in Westwood.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your help guys!</p>
<p>I have 2 questions; again thanks to those who can help:
1-How do we know/see which classes correspond to which clusters?
2-How hard is it to make your own individual major? Is there anyone I should talk to or anything I should look into to get started? I've been on that honors site with information already and it's kind of vague...</p>
<p>1-How do we know/see which classes correspond to which clusters?</p>
<p>GE Cluster Website: <a href="http://www.college.ucla.edu/ge/clusters/%5B/url%5D">http://www.college.ucla.edu/ge/clusters/</a>
GE Classes: <a href="http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/ge/GE-LSFr05-06.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/ge/GE-LSFr05-06.pdf</a></p>
<p>The first website details the different clusters that were available this year (they may be changing, as I know for sure they are adding another one but I am not sure if they are going to replace another with it or just add it). If you look through them they tell you what the class is about and which GEs they cover. When choosing your other classes, just make sure you will not overlap because that is just a waste of time :)</p>
<p>The second website tells you all of the classes that are considered to be GEs and what subjects they cover. If you know what your major is going to be, you can see which lower divs will count as GEs too. </p>
<br>
<p>If you are Political Science (like me), two of your four lower division poli sci classes count toward your two Social Analysis classes. So don't take a cluster that will fulfill your Social Analysis GEs because then you are just making more work for yourself!</p>
<br>
<p>Note: for everyone who's worrying about which residence hall is better, which to pick, etc--this is largely a moot question, because entering students aren't really given the chance to pick what hall they want to live in. You get a form, on which you can specify things like whether you want to live in a residence hall or the suites, whether you want a single, double or triple, roommate preferences, etc. Beyond that, though, you really don't have any control over where you're placed, and freshmen sometimes don't get their first choice of preferences (though they try their best to accomodate them).</p>
<p>
[quote]
I heard so many stories about UCLA being deathly hard. I kind of BSed through high school, but now I'm serious about college.</p>
<p>Are the classes at UCLA really THAT hard? Does studying hard pay off? Because I heard of some classes where no matter how hard you study, you still have to be naturally good with the subject. Can anyone verify?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Depends on your major, but I found out sometimes that classes I thought would be the death of me were manageable. On the other hand, some "easy" classes ended up being royal pains in the derriere. </p>
<p>Study though. Please. For your own sake.</p>
<p>My daughter just got accepted to UCLA and we're from Colorado. Since 95% of those admitted are from California and many will know each other from high school, will it be relatively easy for her to make friends (provided, of course, that SHE makes the effort!). The out-of-staters aren't treated as some sort of oddity, are they?</p>
<p>Somewhat silly question, I realize, but she's a little nervous about it all. I'd like to reassure her that people are basically the same everywhere.</p>
<p>Please be kind - it's my first post.</p>
<p>ColoradoMom: I've met plenty of out of state people here (I'm not from around here myself) and none have had any social problems whatsoever. People here are generally very open and accepting, and being from somewhere other than California actually gives your daughter an interesting story to tell. A lot of kids come here knowing nobody at all, but feel completely at home with plenty of friends within their first quarter. It's not an issue if, like you said, she makes the effort (and sometimes she won't have to--I remember the first day I moved in, freshman year, at least ten people came up and introduced themselves to me before I had even gotten settled down).</p>
<p>Not once have I felt like an "oddity" here at UCLA. There are so many out-of-state and international students here that I can't even hang out with all of them due to lack of time. I didn't have to make much of an effort to fit in, either... I came here as a freshman knowing almost no one, and thanks to the openness of my floor and my orientation group I have friends, both Californian and non-Californian, that I didn't even have to personally introduce myself to. Also, the difference between West Coast and East Coast people is severely overhyped, in my opinion... :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Hi UCLA guys and girls!</p>
<p>I have another question: What are some secrets or tips about anything involving UCLA that you wish someone had told you when you were a freshman?</p>
<p>lovelines,</p>
<ol>
<li> Jose Bernstein's</li>
<li> Parking enforcement doesn't "enforce" nearly as much from 10PM to 7AM</li>
<li> You can fight parking tickets...and win!</li>
</ol>
<p>lovelines:</p>
<p>Avoid "that guy" on Bruin Walk, even if he tries to block your path. You'll know who I'm talking about when the time comes. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Are you talking about "that guy" w/ the clipboard who is supposedly collecting money for orphans?</p>
<p>This is gonna get me in trouble, but... he smells funny.</p>
<p>There's an elevator at the LA Tennis Center. ;)</p>
<p>jyancy:</p>
<p>Yes. I also concur with what UCLAri said. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Other little recommendations for life at UCLA:</p>
<p>Use the Wooden Center as much as possible
don't get fat at the dorms
leave campus once in a while
<a href="http://www.bruinfood.com%5B/url%5D">www.bruinfood.com</a> is a great site
join a club or martial art or something
don't major in something to be a "pre-med" or "pre-law," major in it to be a pre-college graduate
know that there are a lot of people on-campus who can help you who don't get a lot of visitors. Visit them.</p>