Los Angeles, CA
University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA is a vibrant, diverse school that has a strong blend of extracurricular activities and academic rigor for the students. There are a lot of resources and academic support programs in place for all departments and the Housing administration is always hosting new activities to make students living on campus feel welcome. There are recreational and competitive sports for both genders as well as gyms for regular workout routines and classes. The pacing and difficulty of the quarter system may be hard to adjust to at first, but practice tracking deadlines and working on assignments or studying for tests well ahead of time and you'll quickly stay on top of it. It is also refreshing to get new classes more often in the year. In the end, there are so many options for classes and outside activities that you're bound to find a place and people you love.

excellent great

UCLA had been my dream school since the day I first stepped on campus in middle school; I always loved the architecture, the ambiance, the energy, and I couldn't wait to get to high school and work hard to get in. Once I finally got here, I realized a few things. 1) The way campus looks and 'feels' has nothing to do with what it's actually like being here. 2) College is way harder than I could have ever imagined. 3) I made the right choice. Studying at UCLA is no easy feat; time flies by when you're on the quarter system, and teachers expect you to be 200% dedicated to their class (even if you have 3 other courses in your roster). There have been times where I've wanted to give up on this school, but then I remember what it's been able to offer me. Challenging courses, interesting assignments, engaging professors, and most importantly, a sense of belonging. UCLA isn't for everyone; it's on the outskirts of a bustling city, it's buildings have maybe 20 individual power outlets altogether, it's a crazy intense school with over 50,000 students and faculty, and Bruinwalk exists. But it'll always be my alma mater, and for that, I am thankful.

Wonderful professors that want to see you succeed and thrive. They like to be involve with students and make sure that they are well and on track. The campus is very environmentally friendly . They have ways to save water and lower their carbon foot print.

I love the school spirit that we have because it shows that we are a community that grows together academically and socially. UCLA is very challenging but it is very rewarding to be able to learn from such a prestigious college that only wants the best for their students. I am proud to be a UCLA bruin!

It’s a great school and I’m happy to be a student there.

I love the university. I met some people at the university. I am a transfer student from the community college so it’s slowly a process to get use the University scence and making friends but I have been to some events the campus host and I met some people in my classes here and there. The housing is nice there are like apartment made with a living room and kitchen for me to cook my food. Everything like grocery stores are close by and the Uber doesn’t cost much for up and back.

The University of California - Los Angeles suffers from the same predicament many other colleges have; teaching assistants are granted monumental authority in determining grade distribution, which can play a large role in an individual's future. However, these Teaching Assistants are not certified themselves to be proper aides to the students, because many of them are snobbish and they themselves are often unable to help a student learn. They are Teaching Assistants not because they like to teach, but because they want to save money on their own degree program whether it be for a Ph. D or for an M.D. Professors give too much power to these Teaching Assistants. I speak from the perspective of a medical student, in that many of my classes are run by my Teaching Assistants, and are determined by whether or not they like me or not, more than the actual skill that I possess, especially in upper-division courses. Furthermore, there is a pitfall here. We confuse a liberalist school to be more open and accepting. However, that is not true. You cannot be more open and accepting, if you discriminate against conservative-beliefs on an economic and social standpoint; this is hypocritical in and of itself. The students at this school often believe that they are the most open, welcoming, and progressive; at the same time, they shun the beliefs of those who do not embrace the same sociopolitical identity they do, which forces students to think in the same perspective. UCLA is a hyper liberalist school, and those values are present in the people who attend the University of California Los Angeles. The school, while its facilities are nice, is only so highly ranked because of its Los Angeles setting. Professors do not care for student well-being often times, and they will use the Teaching Assistant's words as gospel against a student. The counselling system here is a farce that charges students for their psychological services, especially in times of depression. 45% of students screened at UCLA since January 2017 have stated to at least have mild depression says Michelle G. Craske. Many students take leaves of absences from UCLA as well, because of the stressful climate and environment. Students who attend UCLA, are great at sucking up, or follow the norm of what normal people like. Whether it's Game of Thrones, music taste, or their general attitude, these students who agree with the Los Angeles type of person have a high likelihood of success, versus students whose talents are primarily in academia. Even the most academic of students, will struggle with their coursework because of the favoritism that is ubiquitous throughout this university, and the oversaturation of a student body in UCLA ensures that classes are a ridiculous obstacle course for sign-ups in which no one ends up content, unless they have gathered as many financial advantages as they can, which puts minority & low-income households at a fatal risk. Students will fake mental problems or physical injuries through sources in order to get better enrollment times, because it is that difficult to get an enrollment time. Classes are extremely varying in degrees of difficulties, and this school does a poor job of assessing actual learning or valuing the talent of their students.

UCLA is a fantastic school that embraces everybody from different backgrounds. There are several hundred clubs and organizations leaving nobody out and the Bruin community takes you and is your family away from home. The faculty and students make school all the better and there is a very good reason why our school is ranked the #1 public university in the United States. Go Bruins!!

I love UCLA. I wake up every day, surrounded by beautiful trees, a diverse group of people, and cute little campus squirrels at UCLA. I wake up, in awe by the amount of already-successful people I get to learn from and who inspire me every day to be the best me I can be! Although an institution like UCLA can give one some imposter syndrome due to its competitive nature, UCLA is big on mental health and physical well-being, which makes me even more grateful to be a bruin! Although UCLA is not perfect, for example, I do not think it is the best campus for people who are in wheelchairs, etc. One can walk easily 3 miles at UCLA every day. It's on its hilly landscape, so be prepared; its a lot more strenuous on the body when not in-shape than a tour-guide may make it seem. Also, there is a vibe where "research is more important than teaching," which I believe philosophically to be wrong. And I am sure many professors will agree with me, but be wary for those professors and teaching assistants who may not care for teaching! Also, as I am sure you've heard, the food is pretty good. I wouldn't say, "wonderful"—I feel it has been overhyped... But the dining halls are good, and the dorm life is fun. You can not be bored unless you try to be. UCLA is tough academically. My cousin told me not to apply to any UC. I am jovial I did and despite the odds got in, and love it. Overall if UCLA is your dream school, apply, it's excellent, and if you put in the work, your mind will expand beyond measure!