<p>How hard is to survive ? I come from a competitive high school (public). My parents feel that I cannot survive at any UC. They want me to go to a private school. They feel like it would be better.
Just wondering, how hard is UCLA? Can you graduate in 4 years ? Can you get help if you want to change a class or are stuck in the wrong class ?</p>
<p>College is difficult period. UCLA is difficult because its a great school, and depending on your major it can be more/less so. (Think sciences = tons of hyper competitive pre-meds) </p>
<p>Its not all bad though. Thousands of students have you walked in your footsteps and “survived” college. It is very easy to graduate in 4 years even if you dabble with classes outside your major (unless you are majoring in something rigid like engineering). There are tutorial programs, office hours, and plenty of academic help…the problem is that you have to be pro-active. There is a lot less hand holding than private schools.</p>
<p>If you put in the time and effort into your classes, you’ll be fine. The important part is figuring out what you really want to do and pursuing it.</p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>@Gatos : thanks! I really want to go to a UC. That helps a lot.</p>
<p>If you came from a competitive high school, and you were qualified to gain admissions to UCLA, you will most likely be fine here. At any UC campus, you’re generally on your own. While there are workshops, counselors, and whatnot, all of these things are optional and you must be independent in setting up your own appointments and finding out what is and what isn’t necessary.</p>
<p>Overall, UCLA in particular is a difficult school and one should not expect to graduate with a 4.0. However, with hard work, good time management, and adequate social skills, you will survive and probably even go beyond. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of UCLA students I have ever met, only 2 have ever been disqualified because of academics.</p>
<p>Now if you came from a low income, minority background, inner city school, then you might have something to worry about…</p>
<p>If you’re smart about class planning and get upperclassmen to help you out, then it’s not hard to graduate on time or even early. For a lot of north campus (humanities and social science) majors if you know what you’re doing starting your first year it’s actually fairly easy to graduate in 3 years! The difference between a UC and private school is that here YOU have to be proactive and go to office hours/counselors/etc on your own, no one will baby you. However, all those resources ARE there for you to utilize.</p>
<p>Regarding what notaznguy said about inner city minorities, they’re okay as well because they have additional support from the AAP program and other programs targeted at their retention.</p>
<p>I would like to know how your parents think going to a private school would be any less competitive or cut-throat than a public school.</p>
<p>They said it would be a better environment for me since usually its smaller, smaller classes, you get to know your professors and there is a little hand holding.
This is just their opinion and i ffeel like its true. I went to a public school that was competitive and no one cared about me or anything, i had to be completely indpendent. But everyone has unique experiences!</p>
<p>Also my
Mom
Went to a uc
And private
School so maybe this is just her experience with things.</p>
<p>I love how the “unless you’re in engineering” was tacked on like that to an earlier post. Engineering is hard. North campus is a total joke. I can’t speak for anything else.</p>
<p>UCLA is a good school but it can get pretty impersonal. Many professors are more interested in research than teaching. Many courses, especially the lower division courses, are around 300-400 students.Also, I think that the tutoring service for undergrads (Covel tutoring) closed due to budget cuts.</p>
<p>Of course, a lot of other colleges have the same problems. And your experience could be different depedning on your major.</p>
<p><a href=“mailto:wow....@jason88…thats”>wow…@jason88…thats</a> pretty tough!!!</p>
<p>I would give an arm and leg to go to UCLA so I think that doesn’t matter:) lol.</p>
<p>haha I guess sounded a little too negative in my previous post. UCLA is great but you just have to remember to take inititiative, thats all.</p>
<p>btw what major are you newyork?</p>
<p>I am a bio major! I got a supplement so I’m hoping I get in. thanks :)</p>
<p>Thanks for posting in my thread, ahah. In return, I wanted to post my opinion in one of yours (you have a lot of threads; sounds like your heart is set on UCLA :D)</p>
<p>I heard that UCLA is extremely competitive, yes. Especially if you’re a bio major. Basically you’re competing with people who can afford to sacrifice their social lives to memorizing everything there is to memorize. Such a case, grades are often deflated in these science classes, which are known as “weeder” classes. Basically that means that these classes have a lower pass rate than usual.</p>
<p>I highly recommend you use AP bio credits (if you have any) to skip the intro classes, as those are the most killer. Once you go up, there’s less people and it becomes easier, grade wise.</p>
<p>^AP Bio only transfers to UCLA as units. It doesn’t let you skip any classes.</p>
<p>AP Calc will allow you to skip classes though, if you get a 5 on AB or a 4/5 on BC.</p>
<p>right, AP Bio does not let you skip LS.</p>
<p>3rd the ap bio doesn’t count for sh** comments. A lot of AP classes don’t really give you credit for specific classes, only vague credits that boost your class standing for enrollment. I wish I had known that so I could’ve saved money last year</p>
<p>oh okay thanks guys!
haha</p>
<p>AP Statistics, AP Chem do not give you credits wither.</p>