Received an email from ASC on April 6th.
3 Likes
Thank you for the response and congratulations!
2 Likes
Does UCLA have all classes in person for Fall 2022?
I’m sure they will. They are more or less all in person for Spring quarter. At least that’s the case for my son. I know Orientation is in person, for one thing.
1 Like
Yes
1 Like
Thank you! @GoldRush2 @10s4life
1 Like
As we viewed the presentation from professor Chandler in Bruins bound, he and professor Friscia presented about Fiat Lux and Cluster program…
The class sizes are small and only weigh about 1 unit. Dr. Friscia said cluster program is only for freshmen.
These courses sound so interesting.
Did any of your students or you have experiences and advices for these classes and programs? Do we know more about them at the Orientation?
Thank you!
Up thread a few (23) days ago, @GoldRush2 and @mikeswede recommended Fiat Lux. @10s4life didn’t care for them. Here is a link to where they commented on it.
Goldrush2 said:
Also check out the Fiat Lux seminars!
10s4life (an engineer 
) said:
I’d rec avoiding clusters. Although you get a ge out of the way and writing II, it’s usually tougher classes and you miss out picking a wider selection of standalone GEs. I haven’t heard of many people liking a cluster. This is the first.
Mikeswede said:
Really? I haven’t heard of anyone NOT liking them- at least from my daughter and her friends. I can’t speak to the difficulty of all of them, but the food cluster has not been tough for her at all.
Goldrush2 said:
Oh that’s interesting—my son has liked his this year — Evolution. At least one of the professors in the rotation has been top-notch, and this actually seems to be one of his more manageable courses.
1 Like
Just want to clarify that the Fiat Lux seminars are open to all students. They are like seminars or little “snippets” of classes, taken P/F, with professors. On all different topics. Earn you one unit of credit. My kid hasn’t actually taken any yet, but I know students who have and thought they were great. I’m hoping he’ll add one or two before he graduates. More here: Undergraduate Education Initiatives | Fiat Lux
The Freshman Cluster program is what I was mainly singing the praises of above. Our son is in the Evolution one, and it’s a full year course that 1) allows him to earn 4 GE credits (all his sciences) plus his Writing II requirement over the course of 3 quarters (so in essence it’s like a “5 for 3” deal); 2) gives the benefit of not having to use his “first pass” during registration to secure his spot in the cluster each quarter since it’s guaranteed (which means he can use first pass on other classes he needs, saving cluster for second-pass registration); 3) is a relatively smaller class, team taught by good professors/instructors. Most parents in the groups I’m in seem to say their kids have been pretty happy with their cluster experience. There are several different themes to pick from, and my son would recommend choosing a cluster that is NOT in the same area as your major – that way the GEs you are earning are likely ones you would need to fulfill (outside your major) anyway. In other words, for him – a non-science major – it’s been very helpful to knock out all science GEs this way. And I’d say he has overall enjoyed the instruction even though due to COVID they haven’t gotten to do some of the normal field trips and things that are usually part of this cluster experience. He wishes he had been able to get into a different seminar part of the cluster this spring (spring quarter for clusters consists of several intensive seminars within the theme), but he missed being able to enroll in the one he wanted as the last spot had been taken just before it was his chance to pick. All in all, I’d say Freshman Cluster program seems great, but for sure it’s not for everybody and if you poke around the reviews on Bruinwalk (which is where students go to review and read about classes/professors as they are picking) or look into what kids say on Reddit, you’ll probably get a diverse set of opinions on them. All I can say for sure is that our son is glad he took one, and it was worth really working to get his new student advisor to help him get into one (during the third day of orientation, which is when they sign up for first quarter classes). They all fill up very quickly, so sometimes it takes work to get someone to help you get in.
Clusters are also one of the ways to help make a very large university feel a little smaller.
https://www.uei.ucla.edu/academic-programs/ucla-cluster-program/
6 Likes
Hi, anyone knows if Regents decisions have been released yet? Thanks?
1 Like
Thank you for all your comments about Fiat Lux and Cluster.
1 Like
The most recent info I can find suggests that they haven’t been released yet. However, since there is a UCLA regents event on April 23rd and 24th, it seems very late.
1 Like
It has been released - a few at my school have received it.
I was hoping anyone can give advice on how to enroll at UCLA part-time - is there a possibility where a student can take a couple of specific classes at UCLA after admission without being full-time?
It would be rare for a “few” students at any one high school to be awarded UCLA’s Regents scholarship. My guess is that a few received an invite to apply for the Regents Scholarship.
3 Likes
That’s not really a thing as you need to be making progress towards your degree at a certain pace. There may be a quarter where it’s permitted along the way, but you can’t just pick and choose a few classes (and as a first-year, it’s hard to get the classes you want right away to begin with because you are lowest on the registration totem pole). I’m sure you could take classes at UCLA Extension, though. Eligibility for aid is contingent on being enrolled in a certain minimum number of units.
https://financialaid.ucla.edu/undergraduate/maintaining-eligibility
-
Requests for part-time attendance will be granted only for documented reasons of occupation, home and family responsibilities, or health which prevent the student from carrying full-time study loads and is presumed to be permanent in nature.
-
Approval is required from the Dean the College/school to be enrolled in 10 or fewer units.
-
As noted above by @GoldRush2, your financial aid can be affected in not attending as a full-time student.
Our son is still deciding between UCLA and UCB. In all honesty I’m assuming he’ll accept UCLA. Cal day is this weekend and he’s attending it. He will submit an SIR on Sunday. Registration for smmer classes at UCLA just opened up. From past years experience, does anyone happen to know if these classes are likely to fill up. TIA
1 Like
Question- why aren’t you considering CC classes that might transfer over?
We like the program through UCLA if he goes. It’s an expense. But it’s also a way for him to get a heads start at college living. Staying on campus, living on his own, before the larger UCLA population. That us beneficial in our opinion. If it fills up, cc might be an option or he might want a local job.