<p>~~~To current Bruins: IS UCLA TOO BUREAUCRATIC AND/OR IMPERSONAL? Why? Also, how is the academic flexibility (ex: design own major, opportunities for research, major/minors)?</p>
<p>~~~Is UCLA a "sink or swim" school? Could anyone tell me about a sink or swim story at UCLA?</p>
<p>~~~ANYONE OUT OF STATE WHO GOT IN BOTH UCLA AND USC?! (like me)</p>
<p>I got into both, but not picking usc =P I'm trying to pick between UCLA and NYU, because of the Public vs Private issue...so similar...</p>
<p>Yes, UCLA can be a bureaucratic nightmare. It's as impersonal as you make it. Yes, lecture hall classes (almost all of the introductory classes you have to take here for the first 2 years) have about 300 people in them. Sit in the front row so you don't feel too much like a number. You can make the experience feel smaller by visiting office hours. </p>
<p>If you don't take the initiative to get help when you need it and find your own opportunities, it can feel like a sink or swim school. Study regularly, find help, search for opportunities... you should be fine.</p>
<p>HERE'S WHAT I WANT IN A COLLEGE:
Academics: I would like a top-notch biology program, huge opportunities for scientific research, and flexibility in double major/minor. I like to write too, so I wanna do some English on the side. I don't care about class sizes. As long as there are convenient office hours or other means to make myself noticeable to teachers, I'll be satisfied.</p>
<p>Academic atmosphere: I don't wanna be stressed out for four years. A reasonable amount of work is okay, but not a load that would prevent me to enjoy college life. Nothing beyond a workload of 4 AP classes at once!
~~~ARE THE SCIENCES THAT DIFFICULT AT UCLA? DO THEY DEHUMANIZE STUDENTS? </p>
<p>People: I hate cliques. I would dislike going back to elementary school where there is the "popular" group and the "geek" group. I'll like an academically cooperative student body willing to help each other succeed. <em>Students are competing against themselves, not against their classmates.</em></p>
<p>Lifestyle: I wanna go to a place where I don't have to worry much about my outward appearance (for example, ppl in SOME schools are usually dressed up and that intimidates me). Also, I'm not a party person and I don't care about dating boys (as of now). Authentic Chinese food (like mom's cooking) once in a while would prevent me from homesickness. ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. I would hate to become a deprived bookworm.</p>
<p>Thanks Emmeline! What are you studying at UCLA and what year are you? What ECs are you involved with?</p>
<p>Could "3s" help in AP exams such as:
european history
american history
biology
english lang and comp
ap calculus bc
statistics
spanish
english literature and comp</p>
<p>Which subjects are the most important to get 4s or 5s?</p>
<p>To what extent do these exams contribute to bio major/english minor? english major/premed?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!!</p>
<p>Hey Changeling,</p>
<p>Firstly, what are you going to study? Are you out of state? How much is NYU compared to UCLA?</p>
<p>This is going to be a tough decision. Let me know when you decide!</p>
<p>I wanna double major Econ and English =P But I think it'd be difficult in UCLA cuz I know credit's are capped (anyone know how flexible it is?) and impacted majors and stuff... Yep I'm out of state...and NYU is actually round the same price as UCLA cuz of that. I think there's a 20% difference..but not too big. I don't think workload, lifestyle and people is a big concern. Workload is whatever you put into it, just don't expect to graduate latin honours at any school if you don't put the effort in, whether it is harvard or a community college. And at a uni with as many students as a small town, well I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find friends looking for the same things as you do. Academic-wise I am concerned about whether impacted majors, capped credits would compromise my academic goals. I'd also want more personal education, but I'm guessing even in small schools that's mostly foudn in seminars, which would be the same size everywhere.</p>
<p>
[quote]
~~~ARE THE SCIENCES THAT DIFFICULT AT UCLA? DO THEY DEHUMANIZE STUDENTS?
[/quote]
Yeah anything worthwhile is going to be difficult. You won't be "dehumanized" however. </p>
<p>You don't have to go to parties if you don't want to. It doesn't take up the university and predominate the social scene.
[quote]
Thanks Emmeline! What are you studying at UCLA and what year are you? What ECs are you involved with?
[/quote]
I am an undeclared first-year. I participate in ECs involving academics, and some things that are pre-professional.
[quote]
Could "3s" help in AP exams such as:
european history
american history
biology
english lang and comp
ap calculus bc
statistics
spanish
english literature and comp</p>
<p>Which subjects are the most important to get 4s or 5s?
[/quote]
Google-search "AP credit UCLA."
[quote]
To what extent do these exams contribute to bio major/english minor? english major/premed?
[/quote]
If you're pre-med, I suggest you not take your AP calculus exams so that you do not pass out of the calculus classes at UCLA. You'll be forced to take more difficult math classes for medical school admissions in lieu of the typical 3 quarter calculus sequence.
[quote]
I wanna double major Econ and English =P But I think it'd be difficult in UCLA cuz I know credit's are capped (anyone know how flexible it is?) and impacted majors and stuff...
[/quote]
Um... perhaps take a few quarters to decide and explore what you like at UCLA. You might change your mind. ;) Anyway, I don't know about unit caps for graduation.</p>
<p>dawritingmachine: you'll like ucla (except for the stress part, but it'll be stressful at any quarter system school)</p>
<p>
[quote]
except for the stress part, but it'll be stressful at any quarter system school
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Speaking for south campus students:</p>
<p>There's not much time to "slack off" in the quarter system. Midterm 1 starts week 3 end or week 4 beginning. Only the first 2-3 weeks are relaxing.</p>
<p>After, if you are taking 4+ classes, you will have a midterm each week, or almost every week, and then the final.</p>
<p>However, if you attend a school with Semester system, you have lots of time in between to "slack off", (assuming you'll pick up the slack at the right times before exams).</p>
<p>~~~how is the stress level at ucla compared to high school? I've taken all AP and honors courses (exceptions include requirements)</p>
<p>i think i've had enough after high school. some days i'm just like "I HATE SCHOOL." But, I'm (or was) known for my work ethic which is not present now due to senioritis.</p>
<p>are there any remnants of senioritis during freshman year fall? i hope not or otherwise i won't be successful studying at ucla</p>
<p>~~So, is ucla still for me?? I am nervous to study too much and be counterproductive. (I've done this each year in high school.) I hope I survive academically at ucla.</p>
<p>also, is there a noticeable difference in the intellectual abililties of out of state students? doesn't admission tend to weed them away? do other students ever stereotype out of state students (good or bad)?</p>
<p>^LOL!! YES there is (at least for me) so much remaining senioritis from high school-it's probably why first quarter is the worst (gpa-wise).</p>
<p>there is time to slack off, just not as much. for example, it's week 2 and i have sadly not touched my books. usually week three is the wake-up call when you have midterms in 1-2 weeks. after week 3 begins, it's usually pretty stressful (more than high school) and I usually spend 3-4 hrs in the library each day. AP and honors can't compare because you will be taking an exam in chem, for example, that is worth 25% of your grade. Your final is worth like 45% of your grade. So there isn't any leeway (like in high school when you could slack off cause all you needed on the final was a 60%). Also, for many classes, there will be scales/curves, so you never know your grade (A, A-, B...) till the end of the quarter.</p>
<p>oh yea, and i haven't really experienced any instate-OOS streotypes dealing with intelligence. There isn't really a noticeable difference because its pretty damn hard to get into UCLA even if you are instate.</p>
<p>Compare and Contrast w/ USC:</p>
<p>how does the academic prestige compare to usc in cali? are they similar or is there a wide gap?</p>
<p>does it seem like ucla is harder to get in than usc in cali? i dunno for me cuz a lot more ppl applied to usc than ucla in my school, so of course it seems as if usc is easier to get in.</p>
<p>i'm thinking about the opportunity costs of going to ucla. would you sacrifice smaller classes and a less academically intense school for ucla?</p>
<p>i innately love usc (so wouldn't it be strange to go to ucla) b/c of family influence. would i need to change in order to "fit in" at ucla? either school i pick i may lose friends! lol</p>
<p>what yr are you and what ru studying?</p>
<p>
[Quote]
If you're pre-med, I suggest you not take your AP calculus exams so that you do not pass out of the calculus classes at UCLA. You'll be forced to take more difficult math classes for medical school admissions in lieu of the typical 3 quarter calculus sequence.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If I take the exams, can I opt to take regular calculus classes anyway? I've already registered to take the Calculus AB exam, but I do not want to take any more calculus than necessary at UCLA. Mostly because I find it incredibly boring, and I think it may hurt my GPA.</p>
<p>I'm a second-year psychobiology major at UCLA.</p>
<p>I'm innately biased with the whole USC vs. UCLA thing, but my friends from other schools tend to share the same views on the prestige issue. Although USC has been steadily climbing in the college rankings, it's still not what people think of as the stereotypical "academically prestigious school," the way Cal, Stanford, and UCLA are. </p>
<p>The main reason people hate USC is its strong reputation for being snobby and nepotistic; on the flip side, this may lead to some valuable alumni connections after graduation (which is a very good thing!). </p>
<p>Because I go here, I know many kids who turned down USC (one was even offered $16,000 in scholarship) for UCLA, but not one the other way around. Of course, I'm sure there are plenty of them out there-- just don't know any personally.</p>
<p>If you want to do biology (or anything remotely pre-health) at UCLA, you're gonna have all the competition you can handle. It's not overwhelming, but you have to be assertive in seeking help in office hours and TAs. There's more than enough help available, but you need to be proactive about it.</p>
<p>Same applies for research. At a school this big, there's loads and loads of it, but you're gonna have to seek them out.</p>