Questions about UCLA for those currently attending

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

Hi! I’m interested in UCLA. I’ve been researching what people think about UCLA.So, I’ve come up with a list of questions relating things that are super important to me. Maybe people who have attended/are currently attending can answer some of these :slight_smile:

  1. Overall vibe of students in CS?
  2. What's the party culture like? I'm an introvert :/
  3. Does UCLA give a lot of flexibility? Like are there any programs that encourage interdisciplinary thinking? (I'm interested in CS, but also Art, Psychology, and Business)
  4. What kinds of student groups are there?
  5. What are some really cool CS-related classes?
  6. How much of an emphasis on community involvement and leadership is there?
  7. What is your favorite thing about UCLA? Least favorite thing?
  8. Anything else a female, Asian student in CS should know?

Thanks!

2

Also, what’s safety like? And are the students truly diverse (not just ethnically/racially, but also with regard to opinion and interests)?

3

Why do you care about the party culture if you’re an introvert? I’m a bit confused.

4

@Melanie786 To preface UCLA is a large public school that has all kinds of students. There aren’t one stereotype that exists across the student body. No matter who your crowd is you’ll be able to find it. But to answer your questions here are some rough answers.

  1. Most CS are very smart because the admission standards for CS are some of the toughest in the UC system.
  2. Like I said you'll find tons of students on campus. There is a sizable party culture but all the partying is mostly done outside of the dorms in Westwood Apartments and on Fraternity Row. If you want to party it will be there if you don't then you don't have to. Most parties occur on Thursday for Fraternities. Apartments will throw down Friday-Saturday.
  3. UCLA Engineering has 5 GE's you take and a built in "minor" called a technical breadth. You can specialize in many categories including Technology Management, Engineering Science, Math, Pre Med, or any other Engineering Field.
  4. There are over 1,000 student groups. I'm sure there's one that fits your interest.
  5. All CS classes can be found on the registrars office. You can see what looks cool to you.
  6. Like any big school if you want to do something the opportunity is there. Community service and leadership are readily accessible if you want to take advantage of it. College is all about independence so there isn't mandatory community service days.
  7. Favorite thing about UCLA is all the friends I have made. Least favorite thing is exams and homework.
  8. I don't think being a female, Asian, CS student should affect what kind of experience you would have at UCLA or any other college for that matter. Like I said in the beginning there's all kinds of students on campus so trying to fit everyone or yourself into a certain mold would rob you of getting to see life from others perspectives.
  9. Safety is fine. Westwood is bordered by Brentwood and Beverly Hills. Westwood itself is also a very wealthy area. Students walk around at 2:00AM in the morning with no issues.
  10. There are 30,000 undergrads there are tons of diversity both racially and interests. It would be a huge feat if UCLA admitted only students who thought one way or liked the same things.
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@UCtransfer951 I don’t want to feel out of place