UCLA: The Big Picture
The academics here are great. But the students here are spoiled little brats that are largely propelled into these positions by their class. The ones that do merit being here, came for the wrong reasons. Not enough students anywhere go to college to learn. Many come to get a good job, many come to figure out what they want to do, but most come "because it's like, what you like do after high school. You like, go to college." Westwood is definitely a college town, and if I had 15 dollars to buy a panini I'd be able to enjoy the little shops and cafes here. But I don't, so keep that in mind too. The students haven't grown out of high school - they flock in groups to go anywhere. You often see students panicking about whether they will be able to eat a meal because they have not yet found somebody to go with them to a dining hall. If you are an insecure worm, you will be at home. Otherwise you'll range between amused and annoyed on a daily basis.
UCLA Academic Life
The academics are outstanding. They are so outstanding that despite everything else I've said, the professors, classes, and material here more than make up for everything else. I am gladly going into debt to sit at the foot of the masters here.
Of course to get the experience, you have to plan and prioritize it. My major is in the social sciences. If you're like me, the best way to get a good experience is to enroll in more seminars than lectures. These classes are small and discussion based, somewhat student guided, and generally culminate in a substantial paper at the end. You get to have great interaction with professors and students at a higher level than in other classes. This is important because in larger classes, students tend to desperately swarm the professors at the end of every class in the vain hope that they will differentiate themselves and receive a letter of recommendation for law or grad school.
UCLA's Student Body
The student body is diverse, and there are enough social networks in existence for people of all stripes to be comfortable. UCLA is probably near the top in tolerance, and where there is intolerance, as I said, there are support networks of people going through similar experiences. This doesn't mean UCLA is perfect, but it does mean is it "less bad" than other places.
Students wear, quite simply, what everybody else is wearing. If you want creativity go to art school, you aren't going to see it here in these stepford children.
UCLA Student Activities + Social Life
You asked me if fraternities and sororities are important here. Let me put it to you like this: if YOU think they are important, this is the school for you.
But there are also plenty of other diverse groups, almost anything you could want to immerse yourself in. And being in Los Angeles gives you access to nearly any activity that you can enjoy anywhere else.
UCLA Naked Truth
Abolish tuition in order that ability and willingness to learn be the factors that weed people out before going here. Make sure that you weight heavily for talent, otherwise there will be too many people here just because they are well organized and have good work ethics.
