<p>belkster, it’s not because I’m unable to make friends. I have a lot of friends at UCLA, but nothing like a community. People are just too individualistic here. I’m not saying that’s good or bad, just that it’s not for me.</p>
<p>passwordis I’d advise you to stay away from UCLA. Obviously my experiences have not been the best, but let me just tell you that if you’re looking for a nerdy environment where you can make lots of friends to geek out with UCLA is not that place. However, if you identify more with your ethnicity there are a lot of foreigner groups and asian student unions. I have no firsthand experience though, ymmv.</p>
<p>passwordis also, if I may something useful. UCLA engineering is highly geared towards teaching you skills directly applicable to a job as opposed to a general engineering education. Almost so much that it feels like a vocational school. Again, not saying it’s good or bad but that’s what it is. For example, if you study CS at UCLA there is a required lab dedicated to solely addressing the concerns of companies hiring UCLA programmers.</p>
<p>So consider that. You might want to study aerospace engineering somewhere else.</p>
<p>The reason it is all but impossible for you to transfer to UC Berkeley, or any other state supported four university in California, is that the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education in California is written the way it is. The plan’s provisions do not apply to private or out of state colleges and universities and there is no reason why you can apply to one of them if you just can stand UCLA any longer.</p>
<p>whong09, are you new to the country? where are you originally from?</p>
<p>Well, the first 2 years are full of lower-division courses, which are usually huge, which means less individual attention.</p>
<p>You’ll be happier once you take upper-division courses. STAY in UCLA.</p>