<p>I have submitted my SIR with UCLA and am having second thoughts about my decision (on which I will elaborate).</p>
<p>So, I have been to the UCLA campus a handful of times now, twice within the past week, and, unfortunately, I have to say the place just does not feel right anymore...</p>
<p>The first time I visited the UCLA campus I was taken back by the sense that I was on the grounds of a premiere educational institution, excited to watch doctors, nurses, and other health professionals in their lab coats and decorated hospital attire scurry the streets, and felt that if only I were a Bruin the opportunities available to me would be endless. However, today at UCLA's AAP Scholar's Day program the experience has left a different impression with me.</p>
<p>As I entered the Ackerman "Grand" Ballroom, I found my seat among the sea of prospective Bruins. Reeling on a large overhead projection was a poorly prepared slide show of plain white lettering and a blue background that was full of typographical errors boasting statistical information pertaining to UCLA's academic and research excellence. As the event progressed we were introduced to a number of speakers, whom advanced to the podium to introduce themselves and speak through a crumby PA system that had disorderly wires and extension cords running from it and along the front of the stage. The majority of the speakers we listened to were inarticulate, unorganized and unprepared, spoke casually and cracked lousy jokes, and seemed to be improvising their speeches and echoing the key points of the previous speaker to the point of insincerity. Afterwards, we broke off into smaller groups according to major for a more intimate Q&A session with an academic advisor and a couple of current students in that particular field of study (mine was life sciences). Although I did find some useful information during this session, the most striking information I received was regarding the attitude of the faculty and academic counselors. I asked two questions: </p>
<p>1) How do I go about getting a research position?
2) Is there a counselor that I can see before the official orientation to help me outline a few academic goals for the summer and upcoming fall?</p>
<p>Their replies were this. Research positions had to be obtain by personal effort to establish relationships with faculty and one had to go about them in a similar fashion that one would to secure any employment position (resume, interview, etc.). Not a problem right? However, they warned me that this can be difficult, not because competition for research positions is fierce, but because the faculty and researchers are, quote, "so jaded."<br>
In response to my second question, they said that I should not expect to get any help from academic counselors until the official orientation because I am not actually a student there until my application is fully reviewed by the admissions office. Therefore, I should not be surprised if counselors are reluctant to schedule an appointment with me because, quote, "sometimes counselors want nothing to do with you until you are officially a student here."</p>
<p>After the days events, I took my parents for a tour of the campus to try to show them myself what a great university UCLA; the world-class institution that the day's speakers had failed to reveal to them.</p>
<p>I don't think I have ever been so let down. I am a first generation student and this is the first time my parents have ever set foot on the grounds of what is supposed to be one of the greatest educational institutions in the world. It was supposed to be a time of celebration. However, it felt more like a cheap, low-budget pep rally, full of gimmicks and designed merely because they had to have some sort of celebration for the newly admitted students, didn't they? Where were the notable speakers with their grand speaches? Where were the decorations and signs saying "Welcome New Bruins!" or "Congratulations!" that made you feel like you had "made it" and were now apart of something truly extraordinary? Where was the grandeur, this was the "Grand" ballroom after all (actually the grand ballroom was a large, mostly empty room with naked off white walls and dirty windows). Where was the tone of professionalism that made you feel that you needed UCLA, and not that UCLA needed you? </p>
<p>As I walked the campus before heading home, UCLA had lost most of its magical and wonderous university appeal. It seemed as if it were any other ordinary school with ordinary classrooms, an ordinary student body, and, overall, a much less important and much more ordinary accomplishment to be proud of.</p>
<p>If you've managed to read this far I'd be surprised. Remember this is just my opinion, but if you have any comments I welcome them all good, bad, and ugly.</p>