Hey @Cayton, thanks for offering to answer questions!
I was wondering, how difficult is it to double major in economics as a transfer, when your primary major is STEM? I have all of the transfer requirements for the econ major completed, with the appropriate GPA in those classes. But my GPA is very average (3.5) so if I had applied directly to the econ major I wouldn’t have been able to get in I think since it’s so competitive.
I read up on all the paperwork necessary to declare an econ major/double major and it’s just a matter of completing the pre-major courses with a certain GPA which I think is doable, but are non-majors/non-premajors allowed to take those classes in the first place? Or will those be locked only for pre-majors? Will I need special permission to take them or will I just get last priority when registering for those types of non-major classes (non-major as in not my official major)?
And is it possible to join theater and acting activities even if you’re not in any of the theater/cinema/arts majors? I have a lot of theater background with technical theater and music but no actual acting experience and I really wanted to try out and get involved in that aspect. I know UCLA is great for those arts, so I was wondering if it’s ever possible for people w/ no acting experience to ever audition and get parts in plays and stuff like that? Are there any “drama clubs” where you can participate in shows (technical theater, acting, music, putting on an entire production) where all of the school’s performances are centralized or are there typically multiple shows going on through different programs/majors/groups on campus that you have to find your way in?
Also, do transfers have guaranteed on-campus housing? If so or If not, how close to campus are the transfer living places? do you need to walk on the street outside UCLA to get to the main campus (I saw some videos online where people rode their bike/skateboard on the street right outside campus to get there). Can you walk through campus to get to the main campus? (i mostly ask because I drove down there once and i don’t really recall seeing a sidewalk and the road near the curb was really jacked up with potholes, people driving fast and everything so just for general safety. that and smog)
How is the food? How do food plans work? And is it relatively simple to walk off campus to just grab something to eat or buy some groceries to cook? Are there kitchens in the dorms/residential halls/living areas? How common is it for students to do their own cooking?
Is the campus easy to get lost in? (that would be a huge positive, btw! I love huge campuses where I feel lost, would hate to get used to it so early on)
How accessible are professors? What is their general campus culture like (of the professors, not the students). Are they really into office hours and makings bonds with students or are they more into their research/administrative/no time for students? How close are they with students? Will they ever invite any of them to dinner or something? Are the lectures amazing? How small are upper division physics classes, usually? Do you get to collaborate a lot with fellow students or is it more of the same “learn this topic get tested on it, follow the instructions to the letter to complete this lab, as if it were a cookbook”? or do you get to do projects where you get to be a bit creative and possibly work on teams?
Also, is it ok for transfers to take 3 years to complete their degree, or are they really pushed to finish it up in 2? I ask because I would personally prefer to have 3 years (especially because I plan on double majoring). I know at other UCs they were really against transfers double majoring because it would take them longer to finish their degree and there would be that added pressure of getting into the required classes necessary to graduate on time. But honestly I don’t mind taking 3 years to finish. Is there any way to let counselors know so that they don’t just try to force you into giving up one of your majors? how common is this?
