Los Angeles, CA
University of California-Los Angeles

My overall opinion on the University of California is that the atmosphere really brought alive a part of me that I loved! The energy was the best the campus is nice, the people are nice. I love the fact that there are sorority's!

In my overall opinion of UCLA, I think that it is a uniquely diverse campus that has opportunities for everyone to branch out and grow, but you have to be willing to go out yourself and find those opportunities. The facilities for students and the resources for students are great, and are greatly tailored towards making sure that students succeed in their years here.

I love UCLA. The school is large in terms of physical size as well as the student body. There is always someone new to meet and opportunities to grasp. The sports culture is thriving with Bruin pride at football games and basketball games. Not to mention there are a few Olympians on campus as the women's gymnastics team is renowned. Location wise, UCLA is at the center of it all. Next to Beverly Hills, a run from Santa Monica Pier, and a bus ride away from Hollywood, UCLA is truly in a great location. Culture is thriving, especially Asian culture. Boba, ramen, chana masala can be found in the dining halls (best campus food in the country right now). A wide selection of food can be found of one of the 4 main dining halls where you can be treated to buffet of healthy food at Bplate if your heart desires or you can indulge in pizza and burgers at Deneve. Overall, UCLA is truly a world class University with opportunities of every kind. Whether that's studying abroad in any country you desire (I studied abroad in South Korea as a Chemical Engineer sophomore year), joining an Urban Dance team such as foundations, or learning about sustainable living through Team Green on the Hill, UCLA has it all. The academics are difficult but stellar as expecetd from the number 1 public university.

I love CSULA because of the academics, instructors, peers, and food! I like the fact that the students enjoy participating in class discussions. Also, I love the professors because they make class to be really engaging. At first, I misjudged CSULA, but now that I attend, I do not regret.

I will first start off with UCLA in general. UCLA is a beautiful campus with many coffee shops to do your homework in. One of my favorite things at UCLA was the facts that libraries become open for 24 hours during finals week! This is helpful if you can't concentrate at home, at your dorm, or at your apartment. UCLA also offers a free laptop loaning program for students for a certain number of hours. You need the laptop for a little longer? Renew it online! One thing about UCLA is that it also runs on the quarter system. This means you have classes for 10 weeks only. It goes by pretty fast and I personally prefer it over the semester system (which feels like an eternity to me). The services that you get at UCLA are pretty dependent on the program you are in. Advisors in the Education and Chicana/o Studies departments were very sweet and helpful! They created an environment where you can always ask them questions about your schedule, minor/major classes, and advice. On the other hands, advisors in the psychology department were always busy. Sessions were 15 minutes only.

UCLA was a vibrant, lively college with amazing students and faculty. The campus atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming. When I asked a lady for directions to the visitor center, she led me herself to the very room! The food was amazing as well and I would not mind living on the campus dorms.

UCLA is academically challenging, especially if you are not used to working at a fast pace since we are on a quarter system. Although it can get hard, they do offer a lot of resources to help you such as a writing center, career center, tutoring sessions for a specific class and professors usually hold office hours as well as the teacher assistants. The campus is beautiful without a doubt, if you are ever stressed you can always walk around campus and feel the cool breeze of a L.A. evening. There are also plenty of clubs and organizations you can join to feel welcomed if you feel left out at such a huge school. Overall UCLA offers hundreds of resources and opportunities to students and is worth the hard work.

Overall, UCLA is an amazing school to attend, more so than others, everyone here truly is friendly and understanding. Everyone feels a sense of belonging and understanding, if you're looking for a new to place to feel home, UCLA is definitely that place.

Let me teach you the official cheer of UCLA. You start off by raising your arms while saying “ahhhhhhhh”, and clap 8 times. Then you pump alternating fists to spell U-C-L-A with three claps in between. Lastly, you spell U-C-L-A while pumping alternating fists and shout “FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” In the spirit of this cheer, here is the 8-clap to tell you why UCLA is the best university on the planet. Ready? Ahhhhhhhhh….. *1* UCLA students are passionate about what they do and strive to change the world. When they see something that they’re interested in, pursue it relentlessly. *2* UCLA has 1,000+ organizations; every interest has a place here. *3* The food is incredible. I have traveled the world through the elite airline called UCLA dining halls. From bibimbap to ceviche to corn tea, I can guarantee that you will try something new. *4* The students are spirited! We always have the time to cheer our Olympic gymnasts during a meet. We sustain a rivalry between U$C so deep that our campus statues have to be boarded up to avoid vandalism during rivalry week. *5* Students want to hear your story. They are dedicated to learning more about the diverse student body around them. *6*The professors are incredible. Even with over 300 students, they encourage students to individually reach out to them. *7* UCLA addresses the good, the bad, and the ugly. They’re quick to celebrate our #1 public university status, but they also address our problems. When they see our planet’s deteriorating environment, they make a pledge to be waste-free by 2020. When they see overcrowding during finals, they open up more study spaces in inactive dining halls. *8*In my 19 years of existence, I have learned more in the months I spent at UCLA than the years preceding them. People tell me that I’m lucky to have gotten into UCLA, but UCLA makes me feel like they’re lucky to have me. And now, they’re lucky to have you. FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

UCLA is absolutely fantastic. The very atmosphere of the campus invigorates you. There are so many opportunities academically, socially, and in any other area you can imagine. This is a college that makes you believe you can do anything and has the resources to make it happen.