So then you know then. I like the idea of graduating as much debt free as possible. But you already know what you want to do. I would wait for that final financial offer just in case it’s not what you thought it would be. Since your accepted you can always ask nicely for more. Travel expenses going home add up. When they tell you there is nothing more for financial aid /merit ask if they can help reduce your living expenses ie dorm costs… I have known some that actually got some sort of financial relief for dorm living. They can always say no… But…
A bike is also an option. It is an easy 25 minute bike ride to Santa Monica, much of it in a dedicated bike lane. And as has been mentioned, public transport, including Big Blue Bus is good.
Also, you will likely find that there is a lot to do and see very close to UCLA.
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You are young and fairly unencumbered. Life will only get more complicated and more encumbered.
It will get harder and harder to choose the more exciting option as you get older.
Seize this chance to follow your heart to UCLA. And this is coming from a huge U of M supporter. I grew up in Michigan and my parents and brother all attended U of M.
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Make sure you confirm whether you can count on the same grant the following year as well; it would be a big financial hit if it didn’t renew!
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I would love to bring a bike, and I’m definitely considering it. I have heard some UCLA students say that bringing a bike is a bad idea, though, especially if you’re living in the dorms. I guess they get stolen easily, it’s not a bike-friendly campus, walking tends to be easier, etc. But I would want a bike to be able to take day trips to Santa Monica/Venice and whatnot during my leisure time, so maybe I could store it somewhere and only use it for those circumstances, and walk as my main form of transportation while actually on campus.
Thanks for your input. That’s a great point.
Very true! I’ll call the financial aid office to perhaps get some confirmation on that. I know that my Non-Resident Grant (the bulk of my aid, about 20k) is offered for four years if you continue to demonstrate financial need. Same thing for my SHIP Grant, and then I’m receiving some money through the Pell Grant, which is renewable. But you never know!
Personally I wouldn’t want to cycle that route (here’s a picture of Wilshire Blvd at 405 from Google Maps). And unless you have an apartment it is going to be difficult to store a bike.
Bike theft is a definite problem:
UCLA does get lots of transfer students, although mostly from California community colleges.
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Oof! That’s a helpful visual. I probably won’t bring a bike, but I would walk as much as possible and use Zipcar/Uber when that doesn’t cut it. Maybe senior year I could finally bring my car over!
Yeah, I think 94% of transfer students come from California CCs or something along those lines. I would just like to be around people kind of in the same boat as me—starting over, looking for friends, and navigating a whole new environment.
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I’ve made this walk before (my dentist’s office was over by the VA center), and yeah, it’s definitely not the safest or most comfortable if you’re not driving.
It’s much easier to walk/bike down Santa Monica than Wilshire. I lived in Sawtelle and would sometimes jog to the beach on the weekends.
I’ll add that the fastest way to get to downtown is usually not by bus (although the rapid 720 isn’t bad) but rather the expo, which now runs all the way west to Santa Monica. It’s also the fastest way to get to USC and the museums in that area.
You do have to take a bus (usually the Big Blue Bus #12) to get to the expo line if you’re coming from campus, though.
Wilshire would not be the way to go. Fortunately there are better options on less busy roads that incorporate actual bike lanes. Ohio/Broadway for example. It is still city riding and not for everyone, but definitely doable.
Theft would be a concern, at least until you move off campus. I know UCLA has some sort of bike share program, but not sure the details or cost. I think the larger point is Santa Monica is only about 5 miles away; definitely accessible from UCLA. And there is also plenty to do around UCLA, and the weather makes it all that much easier to get out and do it.
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Buses from Westwood can get you most places and students rent zip cars easily from campus by hourly or daily rates. My son was a first year this past year at UCLA and he did this several times for not that much money.
UCLA does a good job with transfer students because there are so many of you — the transfer learning communities, etc. If you want to end up in CA, no better time to branch out! Especially if the costs are comparable between the two.
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Thanks for the advice! Yeah, based on what everyone has said in this thread, I’m not too worried about getting around/my ability to take advantage of the LA area anymore.
I agree that UCLA is very good with its transfer students, which is a pro of UCLA and a con of UMich that I didn’t mention in my initial post. UMich is still a great school to transfer into, but I think they’ve only recently begun to really develop their transfer resources. UCLA (and all of the UCs) is extremely transfer-friendly and has a plethora of resources and support to ease my transition, I think!
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Just to add that it’s so clear from your initial post and from all of your thoughtful replies to the advice you’ve gotten here that you will do so very well at either school. I can tell that you are the kind of young person who will take advantage of every opportunity and thrive wherever you land. You’ll be great, whatever decision you make!
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I was a former Umich student and hung around UCLA for quite a bit since i used to live in Cali. For what it’s worth, I think there’s a pretty stark contrast between being a resident in Ann Arbor and actually being a student there. I never found that I had too little to do while i was a student there - quite the opposite actually. Totally empathize with the weather though. I too hate michigan weather.
UCLA, however, has got to be one of the funnest universities in the world. Food is great, weather is amazing, etc etc. My friends there are having the time of the lives, but mostly doing stuff on campus, not in LA. However, I have heard from some students there that there’s some amount of stigma against transfers since it’s technically easier to get in as a california community college student. People won’t make it outwardly obvious though. That was the primary reason why i didn’t bother transferring to UCLA. BUT, I don’t think it’s that big of an issue, mostly because you’ll have thousands of fellow transfers coming in with you!
GPA wise I can’t comment on UCLA but uMich has a good amount of grade inflation. If you put in a decent amount of effort, you will end up with a 3.9+.
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Thank you so much for your kind words! That means a lot! Everyone has been so helpful—I’m so glad I decided to make this post.
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There’s plenty of opportunities to get out of Ann Arbor, but why spend tens of thousands of dollars more for a bachelors degree you can get at Michigan? A degree in history is not going to be worth any more from UCLA. Whenever I hear “we can afford it,” I always cringe a little. There’s a lot of things that can go wrong going out of state, especially in an expensive place like CA. At least in Michigan, if money suddenly gets tight (looming recession), you could finish your degree on student loans if you had to.
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“However, I have heard from some students there that there’s some amount of stigma against transfers since it’s technically easier to get in as a california community college student.”
If you mean during college, maybe there might be some, but the California C/C system is pretty good and yes it’s easier to get in as a transfer but the acceptance rate is 20% at UCLA, and UCLA, I don’t think, participates in the transfer guarantee program with any C/C. After graduation though, people aren’t going to differentiate UCLA grad from CC to UCLA grad.
“I know it’s important to do something that scares me,”
I think the right word is stretch, not scare 
though any picture of 405 could be scary. I’m pretty familiar with both campuses and would lean to UCLA, especially for History, if you were more into STEM, then I could see UM.
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