UCLA Worries

<p>Soo UCLA is like, my dream school. I mean, it has everything (or so I've heard). Buuut one of the things that I'm kinda iffy about is the sheer amount of students that go there! Like, am I just gonna be like, just another number, or will I have the opportunity to establish lasting connections with my profs?? That's the only thing that's kinda holding me back from fully committing and being a Bruin. ANY advice and experiences are sooo welcome! Anything really that can help me decide lol</p>

<p>UCLA is definitely a huge school, but you're in a huge city! Pretty much every UC campus is a little understaffed, professors have to work a little harder, teach more classes, etc. Making connections with them will definitely be more difficult, but you just need to speak your mind and make an effort.</p>

<p>If you make an attempt to goto office hours you should have no problem establishing lasting connections with your professors. </p>

<p>It's sorta like in the real world. There are so many people out there but if you want to make a lasting connection, you have to work for it. </p>

<p>I haven't had any trouble making connections with my professors provided that I attend office hours. </p>

<p>If you are looking for attending class and that alone establishes the lasting connection, you won't get it.</p>

<p>once you see the hot girls (unless you're an engineer) and eat the good food and party with the people you won't even care about professors.</p>

<p>true story</p>

<p>well if i was a boy frencharmy, then ur comment would deff help me out a bit more!! haha. but thanks guys. i mean, i have a good friend at ucla already and he told me the same thing. but like u guys prob know, 30K+ undergrads can be quite overwhelming.</p>

<p>so im guessing that profs try to make their office hours as accessible as possible?</p>

<p>and how friendly and willing to help are the profs?</p>

<p>Its 30k undergrads or whatever, but its not like you are going to one class with 30k students. Big classrooms can feel a bit overwhelming, but an overwhelming majority of them do not visit office hours. </p>

<p>Most professors try to make their office hours accessible. The willingness and friendliness of the professors depend on the professor. Generally speaking, most are friendly and willing to help.</p>

<p>So thats like, great to know.
But how about the dorms? Like, which are the best to live in and is everyone friendly and willing to help out or snotty and stuck up? lol</p>

<p>wowwwww you say like a lot...like OMGGGG</p>

<p>please tell me you are not blond...because that will be truly tragic</p>

<p>Just because 'like' is at the forefront of my subconsciously preferred oral vocabulary, it does not grant you the authority to pass stereotypical judgement ;)</p>

<p>and yes i am blonde.</p>

<p>My daughter is a freshman this year and she definitely had classes that were large where she got to know her TA very well but not necessarily her prof. But this quarter she has one class with 23 students and one with 25. I know she will get to know these profs really well. As everyone else has said it is what you make of it. My older daughter never would have made it at UCLA. She is at a small private Liberal Arts school with less than 2000. She has gotten to know her profs really well. At UCLA you must be proactive about office hours, speaking up in class, and not falling into the cracks. But it is absolutely doable my daughter loves it. She has found the atmosphere to be very friendly with lots of diversity. I would not say she has ever described people as snotty or stuck up. She has enjoyed her dorm experience which has been positive and also says the food is pretty good. But a large school is not for everyone and def. not for the faint hearted or extemely shy. Sounds like you need to visit UCLA and go on a tour. Grill the tour guide with your questions. Being there (especially when school is in session, not in the summer) will give you a feel for the campus.</p>

<p>Thanks. Yea I visited over summer, but with no tour guide. A big group of my classmates and I all went w/our teacher. The campus was gorgeous but I didn't really get to go past whats on the surface kinda thing. So I think I'm gonna take your advice and schedule a tour. Its just um, unfortunate that I live in norcal and my parents don't want me going there. But oh well, I can make do!</p>

<p>I have a post at the top of the UCLA threads titled "Some Tips for Succeeding at UCLA" with advice for new frosh. UCLA isn't for everyone, but if you're willing to make an effort you can have a great time and a rewarding college experience.</p>

<p>layla, it's all that you imagine it to be -- in a positive way.</p>

<p>As you can tell, I graduated, yikes, 30 years ago (can't believe this!), and still have "lasting connections" with a few of my profs -- I'd say more, but sadly some have passed away. A few years ago, I had my favorite professor (still alive and kicking, and still involved!) come to my home as the guest (emeritus) professor for the Dinner for 12 Strangers I hosted. He was so engaging, several students kept in touch with him after the party.</p>

<p>The first couple of years at UCLA, you will have a mix of lower division giant classes, usually with small discussion groups, as well as small, seminar type classes. As the others say, it's up to you to go to office hours, but I strongly, strongly advise it. If the professor isn't busy and you have no questions to ask, they love it when you just come to introduce yourself and shoot the breeze. For me, between a full time schedule and two part time jobs, I didn't have a lot of time to squeeze in my schedule, but I always made a point of walking the halls and visiting with professors, asking questions about things I was stuck on, and trying to figure out what their passion about a particular subject was.</p>

<p>DO take the tour -- you'll enjoy it! I took it a few years ago when my son was applying to colleges and although I knew most of what was being said, I will admit that I actually learned a few things.</p>

<p>One more thing I'd suggest. Look through the schedule of classes and try to take the tour on a school day and walk into one of the larger classes (where they won't notice you) that interests you and sit in on a lecture. That will give you a real feel for the school and whether you feel comfortable in it.</p>

<p>ucla77, thats a great idea and i can't believe i never thought about doing that. thanks for the very helpful advice im definately going to get right on it!</p>

<p>go bruins!</p>

<p>also, no one really goes to office hours from my experience except during midterms or before homework is due. </p>

<p>trust me, relationships with professors is overrated.</p>