<p>I am a Global Studies major at UCLA, and the advice you are getting is correct. To begin with, you need to have a very strong transfer GPA. In addition, you need to have completed the vast majority of your pre-requisites at you community college. Be very selective when choosing courses to fulfill your IGETC, so that you don’t waste any time. Lastly, once you get to UCLA you will have to take Global Studies 1 and obtain at least a B+, as you need a 3.25 GPA in all “Global STudies Prep Classes”, which for a transfer student is only this one class. A B just won’t cut it! The chair of the division ONLY considers your UCLA GPA (and your prep course completion) when deciding to actually admit you to the major!BE WARNED!!!</p>
<p>I must admit that I was very angry at the hoops you are required to jump through as a GS major. Especially as you can work like a dog for two years to get into UCLA, and then be rejected at the last hurdle as you only obtained a B on the core course your first Quarter at a UC!</p>
<p>Global STudies is not an easy option, once you are in either. Many of the classes you need to take are reserved on first pass for students in other programs (PolSci, History, Econ ect). Plus, in order to graduate you need to write a 35 page piece of original research (this is a “Capstone Degree” - a bit like a mini-Masters program). Do not apply for Global Studies unless you really want pursue the issues of globalization.</p>
<p>Lastly, have an alternative major in mind in case you get rejected from Global Studies. Geography is a good choice as the pre-reqs are simple (3 geog classes) and you can overlap between the two majors at UCLA, meaning that if you take geog classes your first quarter but get rejected from GS, they would still count towards a geog degree!</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>