Hey guys! I submitted my SIR to UCLA
I just feel so indecisive and conflicted about my choice of major.
I was accepted into UCLA as a Sociology major, but I don’t know anything about the program or if I am truly even passionate about it. All I know is I am passionate about attending UCLA and becoming very connected.
What I feel truly passionate about as a choice of major is UCLA’s Music History major. I put it as my alternative major secretly hoping to get accepted into it, because I am so fascinated by the medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical and romantic musical eras.
Anyway, I chose Sociology because I need a job out of school, and I feel like I will have a better opportunity landing a job with this major, and it will give me wiggle room to pursue the business or education route.
Just wondering if it sounds like I am making the better choice, and hopefully I could pursue a minor in music or something. Also, anyone have information on UCLA’s Sociology or Ethnomusicology department?
@2016Candles How much work do you do outside of class? How much homework do you have and how much studying do you do? Also how hard and challenging is the major overall? I am also a soc major and I am debating or not if I should keep my job and join clubs on top of that. I am just trying to get an idea on how much work I will have to put in.
@lakeeshow310
Most Soc classes I’ve taken don’t require “homework”, but there’s a ton of reading. Soc 20, 101,& 102, regardless of your professor expect to read 100-150 pages/ week. For your 1st quarter, try to take either 20 or 101, but I wouldn’t advise taking them together for the first quarter.
The courses are challenging, it’s UCLA, but if you do the readings, go to lecture, and go to discussions, it shouldn’t be bad. Typically expect a midterm, final, a paper, and attendance to comprise your grade. Attendance is often 10% of your final grade.
If offered I recommebd Soc 124 with Clayman and Heritage, Soc 165 with Bloom, Soc 101 & 102 with Prager. Do not, I repeat, do not take Soc 20 with Zeitlin! He’s a great guy but truthfully should probably have retired 10 years ago. He spends all of lecture telling stories, and you spend an endless amount of time trying to figure out what this has to do with the class, and what part will be on the exam. Then after the midterm you realize that maybe 15% of what he says is on the exam, but the exam is all about the reading which he rarely discussed. I’ve never seen so many confused people in 1 room.
Most people are able to work at least 10-15 hours a week without a problem. It also depends on whether you commute or live on campus. Being just a member of a club requires way less time than a leadership role, so start slow until you have a better idea of what to expect.
@2016Candles or @Cayton Question for either of you! So as a “pre” major, I have to take those two mandatory pre-reqs at UCLA. I was thinking of taking one of them during the summer, so I have more options available in the fall. How does enrolling in those classes with pre-reqs work? Are you just automatically allowed to enroll in them without the pre-reqs, with there being a chance of being dropped from the class when they figure out you don’t have them? If I take it in the summer, they assume I will pass it, which will allow me to enroll in the class? Are we not allowed to enroll in the following classes until the official grades for those pre-reqs have been posted? Thanks guys!
@Cayton for the TAP program, does UCLA require a specific amount of honors classes or the time amount being in the program or it all depends on the CC of the student?
Also, does it look bad to take easy classes like music and dance to boost gpa?
@LuckyName
If you are taking a summer class, the assumption is that you’ll pass, so you can register for the next course for the fall. Like in winter I was taking a 101 class, and I was able to register for the 102 (prereq is 101) for spring. If I had not passed, I would have been dropped before the quarter started. You can sometimes register for a class that you haven’t met the requirements for, but that is a technical glitch. It usually is discovered, and you will be dropped.
Woo! IGETC certification complete as of yesterday!
Does anyone know where to check it on MyUCLA?
AP Scores: Sent 4/19, Marked 4/29
Official Transcript: (Fall) Sent 4/19, (email confirmation on 4/22), Preliminary Pending 4/29
Financial Aid: still provisional (SIR on 4/19), Summer aid confirmed 5/1
IGETC: Certified by SMC on 5/8
@uclabruin96
The CC determines the required number of honors classes entirely.
@LuckyName
Classes have either no pre-reqs, “suggested” pre-reqs, and mandatory pre-reqs. If you’re trying to enroll in one with suggested pre-reqs, you’ll be allowed to enroll, but will be warned that you may be dropped from it by the instructor if he/she wishes to do so. Mandatory pre-reqs mean that you can’t enroll in the class without satisfying it.
If you can enroll in the pre-req classes in the summer, great, do it if you can. You’ll most likely not be dropped from classes in the fall with suggested pre-reqs before you even meet in class.
@luckie1367
I’m glad you enjoyed it. As I was walking to the bus stop on the other side of campus, I saw lots of admitted students with those yellow UCLA bags that the school gives to all of them on Bruin Day and they looked pretty happy, especially with their families by their side. Reminds me of last year.
Did you go with family? What did you do at Bruin Day?
I did attend with my family. We stopped first to get my yellow baggie, then went to the chancellor speech at Pauley. Ironically, the chancellor did not actually speak, but all three speakers were really good. The band played, and the yell leaders/cheerleaders went through 4 cheers.
Then we wandered for a bit, and actually took a tour of the Wooden rec center. I was really impressed, and the tour guide was awesome!! We then wandered through the tents and spoke with some of the people there.
Overall, I was really, really impressed. I knew I’d enjoy being there, but I was really blown away!
@luckie1367 I basically did the exact thing you did haha. My family came and we went to the opening speech at Pauley Pavilion, then did a tour of the rec center and also a campus tour because I had never set foot on the campus before. Then hit up that Bruin store haha
