Don't transfer to UCLA?

<p>People are telling me not to transfer to UCLA. They are stating that, if i attend UCLA as a Biology major. My GPA would drop and I won't be able to get into a graduate school. They just recommend me to just attend UCI or an easier UC.
I would really like to attend UCLA, but after hearing all this; I'm really sketchy.</p>

<p>I kinda researched and saw that once I transfer I would be done with my GE's and my prereqs which is around 80 units. Which only leaves upper division classes. I heard you need around 130 units to get a BS so, I'm estimating 3 units per class so 130-80= 50 units of upper division. 50/3= 17 upper division classes left. And since CC are on a semester system and UCLA is on a quarter system I heard it was much harder. Stories like, once 3 weeks has past your on already on your midterm.</p>

<p>Can someone enlighten me on this? So I can get a better view of the UC system, instead of degrading words from ignorant people.</p>

<p>Any Opinions?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>hey! i thought quarter system is easier because u don't have memorize a whole lot of stuff. </p>

<p>don't u think u need a little challenge? i mean, people who go to uci or riverside, etc., they hardly study. their life looks so boring..</p>

<p>they have more time to party ;)</p>

<p>you know all uc's operate on the quarter system (except berkeley and merced) right? there are benefits and disadvantages to that! it's more fast-paced, sure, and you can't get by getting your books the second or third week (the way that i can at a community college on the semester system) but, if you have a sucky class, it's just for a quarter instead of a semester. if you have any friends who've transferred the same way you have, you should ask them! are you transferring from a junior college too?</p>

<p>sure, your gpa might be higher at uci than ucla, but i'm guessing graduate schools would probably favor students coming from ucla than uci.</p>

<p>
[quote]
They are stating that, if i attend UCLA as a Biology major. My GPA would drop and I won't be able to get into a graduate school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>UCLA>UCI
i think grad schools will realize that a 3.5 at UCLA does not equal a 3.5 at UCI. Besides, when you apply to grad school, you'll be competing against people from everywhere, not just UCI students. So might as well jump in and compete against the big boys now :)</p>

<p>Well as a UCLA-Transfer Student of last year, I can only agree with that statement. It is important what your grades are, UCLA is a very competitive school and its not a walk in the park. Many science majors, especially transfers have a difficult time with their classes. Professors at UCLA do not teach, this is something you have to understand. In community college we have a very interpersonal relationship with our professors, given the effort you put in. At UCLA, even if you attend office hours, you are graded by TAs and a lot of your grade is based upon the TA's expected work for you. If I were looking for an amazing undergrad experience where I could take advantage of huge amounts of resources. I would go to UCLA. If you are looking to go to med school, I would suggest taking the least intensive route, such as attenting UCSB, mainly because of its relaxed atmosphere, and high grad school attendance rates. This is just my opinion, all UC's are very similar, and its possible that each school you might experience hardship at any school. UCLA Science students study a majority of the time and still have time to party on the weekends, but you are also competing with international students, whose lives depend on their grades. Its a tough choice, as a UCLA student today, I appreciate my school, but I still am curious as to how my UCSB experience may have been, specifically due to the competitiveness of my major here at UCLA.</p>

<p>

he he he, that's what it's like at all big schools.</p>

<p>wow, thank you for such an informative post staiolz, really appreciated.</p>

<p>this is like the high school question: is it better to get a B in honors or an A in regular class. B in honors shows you've stretched yourself and are willing to handle a higher courseload. A helps your GPA though. answer is debateable. my counselor, however, told me B in honors is better</p>

<p>i believe this is a quote from the NYU website "Many students ask us if it is better to receive a B in an honors course or an A in a regular course, what we tell them is it is better to receive the A in the honors course! We are a very competitive school and you will be applying among the best"</p>

<p>My opinion: Work your ass off at UCLA. When you apply to grad school you are going to be applying to students from ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS including ivies in which there is a good chance of them having 3.7+. You want to remain as competitive as possible. I'd take ucla there are soo many students dying to go there, you cant turn it down because you are afraid of getting lower grades.</p>

<p>"I'd take ucla there are soo many students dying to go there, you cant turn it down because you are afraid of getting lower grades."</p>

<p>Because there are so many students there, the school has an ultra-competitive nature. I wouldn't like to suggest that it is impossible to handle UCLA. I just say be realistic about your undergraduate experience. In regards to Ivies, UCLA has the most applicants, meaning that you will be fighting for your grades. I doubt this is the type of environment in the ivys. If I didn't attend UCLA, I could've graduated faster, lived a higher quality of life, and partied a lot more. I didn't choose the school due to name, but because of distance, and many personal reasons that do not have to do with education. I was hoping for a great education, not just a name. I believe many students who apply want the name, something I don't even consider when picking a school. Don't be a TOOL like many of the kids on College Confidential. Pick the school that you feel comfortable at, because you will be living there, taking advantage of whats around you. Comfort and Environment could have a huge impact on your grades as well. </p>

<p>Since in the end you will be competing with students from "ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS," maybe you shouldn't be so concerned about status or name. I understand that it is likely that if you go to a school that is considered "better" then the other (I don't really know what better means) that you have a better chance of getting in.. but I'm sure if you overwhelm the med schools with your abilities, regardless of what school you attend, you will be very competitive.</p>

<p>hey staiolz, just curious what your major at UCLA is.</p>

<p>Get to know a professor, get involved with their work, and they'll get you into grad school.</p>

<h1>2 post irks me so much on so many levels i don't even want to respond (and I won't be checking back on this thread if you comment).</h1>

<p>I might choose Irvine or LA cuz im pre-med/dental student! TO get high GPA</p>

<p>actually the only class I would need to take at UCLA that would scare the crap out of me is biochem, everything else in the physiology major is very interesting and I like that stuff so I just might go for it and potentially get a lower GPA because of biochem, lol.</p>

<p>West nile, did you apply for physiological science for ucla?</p>

<p>yeah, I hear the major is extremely competetive to get into though since it is really a pre-med major so we'll see what happens in a month.</p>

<p>i applied for it but i'm missing the last sequence of biology, so i don't know if i'll even get in. Hmm, it isn't an impacted major when compared to bio and biochem.</p>

<p>yeah its weird the 2 semester sequence bio I took at my school doesn't transfer over for UCLA's 4 quarter bio series, I would still need to take Lifesci 2 and 4 when I get there, which if you noticed are pre-reqs for like every upper division class.</p>