Join the Discussion
University of California-Los Angeles Visit Report by collin2012
Visit to University of California-Los Angeles in May 2013 by collin2012 (Parent of Student, HS Class of 2012)
(Member since January 31 2011 with 3 posts)
2 of 2 people found this visit report helpful
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview: No - n/a
Information Session: Yes - Info session given by our tour guide, not by admissions personnel. He was very good, but I would have preferred hearing from admissions themselves.
Campus Tour: Yes - Our tour guide was very lively and hysterically funny. He had us laughing the whole way. The tour was a lot of fun.
Classroom Visit: No - n/a
Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff:
Appearance of Campus:
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness:
Dormitories:
Security/Safety:
Overall Campus Impression:
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus:
City/Town/Community:
Campus Visit Notes for University of California-Los Angeles
Visit Description:
IN A NUTSHELL: We absolutely LOVED the campus. Along with USC, UCLA is the top choice for my kids. I thought the campus was awesome, although living in LA is a big negative for me. However, the neighborhood south of campus was very nice.
THE TOUR: It was the most fun of all. Our tour guide was a very confident, vivacious, and funny person. He told us many stories that had us laughing the whole way. He also provided a lot of information. He was obviously very proud of his school. He pointed out the different fields in which UCLA is #1 or in the top 10. He also talked a lot about the opportunities UCLA students have to rub elbows with rich and famous personalities from the sports world, Hollywood, academia, etc. Some people may have been turned off by the boasting. My kids were in awe and decided then and there that they wanted to attend UCLA. The only building we walked through was Powell Library and it was stunning. What a beautiful library!
Class sizes can be very large at UCLA, although most of them have much smaller discussion sections taught by TA's. This was the case when I went to school and it worked for me, but I could see how it might not be right for some people.
If money were no object, it would be a toss up between UCLA and USC. Both campuses are beautiful. Of course, it helped that both tour days were gorgeous, sunny days -- LA weather at its best.
AFTER THE TOUR: We decided to go to the admissions office to ask a couple of questions. Bad decision. The woman there was terrible. People have actually been more helpful and friendly at the DMV (where I least expect it) than this person at UCLA.
WESTWOOD: It is a very nice neighborhood to the south (and east?) of campus. It looks upscale, clean, and spacious, with many nice restaurants. A nice, safe place for UCLA students to hang out off-campus.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: We drove down Santa Monica Blvd from our hotel to the Hollywood Walk of Fame (~10 miles). There is a huge parking structure at N Highland Ave & Hollywood Blvd. The kids enjoyed seeing the stars (in the sidewalk), Grauman's Chinese Theater, Kodak Theatre, and driving past Beverly Hills.
HOTEL: Room (we actually had a suite) was clean & functional, adequate for our needs. Bathroom very tiny, no bathtub. Not a luxurious hotel by any stretch of the imagination, but I felt safe. Continental breakfast.
ABOUT US: Mom with a 17yo daughter (HS junior) and 14yo son (8th grade).
OTHER SCHOOLS VISITED ON THIS TRIP: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC San Diego, UCLA, and USC.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
Best Western Plus Royal Palace Inn & Suites, 2528 South Sepulveda Blvd, LA, ~5 mi from UCLA. $117+tax for one night.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
Our hotel room had a microwave and mini-fridge, so we bought food at Trader Joe's and had dinner in our room. Saved a ton of $$$.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Traffic on LA freeways is horrible. Allow plenty of time, especially during commute hours.
