<p>My son visited UCLA recently. He likes the school but he had a couple of concerns. One was that he visited on a weekend and he said it seemed awfully quiet. He got the impression that the campus is pretty quiet because so many students go home on the weekends or leave campus. We're from New Jersey and he wouldn't really have anywhere to go. Is there much of a campus social life on the weekends - and during the week?</p>
<p>He was also concerned that with such a large Asian-American population on campus that he might not fit in very easily. We're not Asian-American but our town is very well-integrated - mostly African-Americans - and the high school is 50 percent African-American. My son does just fine there. New Jersey does have a large Korean-American and South Asian population but it is relatively small in our town. Any thoughts here? I don't mean any of this in a negative way - I'd just be interested in what your thoughts are in terms of social life on UCLA's campus.</p>
<p>There would be absolutely NO problem for him fitting in because he's not Asian. I would elaborate on the reasons but I'm sure someone else could do that for you--I actually find your question kind of humorous. </p>
<p>I grew up in New Jersey by the way. I have no problem here. I don't go home on weekends and I do just fine. Yes, it's a lot quieter, but it's certainly not dead.</p>
<p>There's so many options here; you can have as much a social life as you want or you can be as studious as you want. It's all up to the student.</p>
<p>LA = Social Life...of all the UCs, I think there are the most opportunities to do something there.</p>
<p>UCLA is fairly diverse besides the high Asian/Caucasian population. You don't specify what your son is, but I wouldn't expect him to have any problems with fitting in and making friends. One of the nice things about UCs is how diverse they are.</p>
<p>On the flip side, and this may be in every college, there are ethnic cliques. I am saddened to see them but they do exist...however I don't think that affects anyone that makes a concerted effort to reach out and meet people.</p>
<p>I think, as an incoming freshman, your son will have a myriad of opportunities to meet people. And L.A. is a great city to discover new things to do for fun.</p>
<p>It may come as a shock to your son at first to see such a large Asian population. however, i do feel that UCLA has a good balance when it comes to diversity. UCLA is also so big that you'll find many different types of people here, and almost everyone finds a group of friends to hang out with. I think what your son should do is look past skin color. Even if they have some cultural differences, I would say the majority of the Asians at UCLA are "americanized," so it's not like they will shun the white population. i do see some ethnic division, but i also do see a lot of ethnic intergration. Using the Association of Chinese Americans (one of the biggest clubs on campus) as an example, i see that there are members of different ethnic backgrounds in it (african-american, white, etc.); you don't have to be chinese, or even Asian to join! in any case, californians in general are very accepting of diversity, and I think that's one of the best qualities of UCLA and something that your son will learn that will become very valuable to him. </p>
<p>as for weekend socialing... UCLA is what you make of it. there's tons to do if you want to explore (even if you don't have a car). or you can stay in your dorm and do work. there are many kids who go home over the weekends, but UCLA is NOT a commuter school. i would say that despite the fact that many kids go home, they are still the overall minority of the ucla population. bus transportation also helps you get around. the beach is also a close and popular destination. if you can get a ride with a friend, then the whole city of LA is there for you to explore. if not, there may be certain events on campus sometimes, or you could always go down to westwood to hangout. many kids also just hangout around the dorm area with their friends. UCLA is also a big sports school... football games at the rose bowl (off campus) and basketball games at pauley pavalion (which is on campus), as well as other sporting events (usually on campus). much like how everything else is run here, you have to take your own iniative to make the best out of your college experience at a big university like UCLA, and social life is no exception to the rule.</p>
<p>kfc4u - thanks for your comments. I see the diversity at UCLA as a big plus. So does my son - he just had the parochial teengager question of how much fun he would have and what the social groupings would be like at UCLA - your post has answered a lot of those questions. It's funny, being from the East Coast I thought UCLA would be a big party school but it doesn't sound that way at all. I guess it's just a view we have of Californians - laid back and always ready to party. His choices right now are Wisconsin, Wake Forest and UCLA - about as different as you can get.</p>
<p>"My son visited UCLA recently...he visited on a weekend and he said it seemed awfully quiet...We're from New Jersey and he wouldn't really have anywhere to go." </p>
<p>oib1, you're talking about Southern California and UCLA. There are always people to meet, places to go and something to do both on and off campus. If your S lives in the dorms, he'll make many friends. Tell him to just find a new dorm mate with a CAR.</p>
<p>When I went to school in Detroit (I'm a native Californian) I found that students in the dorms bond with each other quickly and are always looking for new friends to go places and do things with. Dorm life is a terrific experience, especially for out-of-state freshmen.</p>
<p>A note about UCLA housing from "UC Notes," an electronic document that is e-mailed to school counselors and others: </p>
<p>UCLA offers undergraduates the opportunity to live in traditional high-rise residence halls, residential suites, apartment complexes and houses. Theme housing is available to students with similar interests who want to live together and participate in specially designed programs.</p>
<p>Housing themes are broad in nature and range from academic enhancement to intercultural experience. Students living in academic enhancement housing receive extended quiet hours, study groups, tutors and writing assistance. Students in intercultural experience housing encounter students from different cultures, lifestyles and backgrounds while exploring diversity and global citizenship in a supportive environment. Other options include a womens floor and theme housing based on the great outdoors and social justice.
<a href="http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/ucnotes/march05/campusq&a.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/ucnotes/march05/campusq&a.html</a></p>
<p>Another note states that 8,000+ students are housed in UCLA residential halls and apartments, and that freshmen are guaranteed housing for two years. </p>
<p>I'm sure that your son will meet many people amoung that 8,000!</p>
<p>oib1
My S, now a senior, had no problems meeting people. In fact, one of the freshman on his hall had the exact same birthday as he did! To expand that circle of friends, he joined a fraternity (also to keep his living expenses down), became a Community Service Officer (CS0), and has been a member of the university-wide advertising and marketing team (national competition). It was pretty quiet during Thanksgiving weekend and over spring break until he broke into the social scene (he didn't come home for either of those periods), but he survived. Your son will have a great time!</p>
<p>As a correction to what gsp<em>silicon</em>valley stated, freshmen are now guaranteed three years of on-campus housing due to the new residential high-rises opening this Fall.</p>
<p>Out-of-state freshmen who can't travel home or to a nearby relative definitely want to get themselves "invited" somewhere for Thanksgiving and Spring Break. A college campus can really feel like a ghost town, especially in the dorms.</p>
<p>regarding the different dorm types, i would highly recommend your son living in a high rise residence hall if he wants to be social and make friends. not only are there more people in the residence halls, the common bathroom and floor format make it easier for kids to socialize. at some of the other plaza or suite style dorms, kids are locked up in their rooms, and you may be only able to see about 3 doors outside of yours, but at the residence halls, you can see the doors to everyone else's rooms (its a long hallway). </p>
<p>for ucla, i believe the level of social activity at the residence halls are:</p>
<p>dykstra > hedrick > rieber > sproul </p>
<p>most freshmen are in hedrick, and there's a good number of freshmen in dykstra and rieber. sproul is mostly filled with 2nd years and a little quieter. </p>
<p>but its the most quiet in suite or plaza style dorms (sunset, de neve). nevertheless, each floor hosts their own programs and floor government, so your son could get at least get involved and meet people that way. by the way, im going to be a Program Assistant (PA) for Delta Terrace next year! =D</p>
<p>as for the party scene... there's lots of parties going on every thursday, at clubs in LA, at frat houses, etc. but if you're not into that, you'll never even notice there's so many parties going on. like with everything else at ucla, you will find something to do (or not do), and the amount of initiative you take to find what you want has a big part to do with that.</p>
<p>I would add that it really depends on your individual floor for how social it is. I lived in Sproul last year, and my floor was awesome - just as social (if not moreso) than my Dykstra floor this year. But it is true that Sproul is mostly second years, while the higher up on the hill you go, the more freshmen there are.
I'm going to be a SHA next year (not quite sure where yet - they haven't told me), but hopefully in Dykstra or Sproul! :)</p>