Yes, your D25 will register with an advisor at orientation. It’s good to have a bunch of scenarios for class planning at the ready because it can be stressful. If your D25 wants a cluster, tell her to let her orientation adviser know. They can even help get her in on the back end if it fills. Also, UCLA holds spots in common freshman classes and opens more spots for each orientation session. Orientation is a blast—and a must-do!
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But note they have (had?) a lottery within each orientation group to determine who registers first. For my S’s group of 8, the first 5 got all the classes they wanted, the last 2 had issues and needed help from the adviser.
Thank you for your input. So, once signed up for the Cluster, the student can’t take math in any of the 3 quarters? The student will adhere strictly to only the classes offered within the Cluster? The reason I asked is, if no math or core classes are taken for a year, wouldn’t the student forget everything about math and science subjects? This is my fear.
Yes, looking forward to orientation. We are international. So, we will come for the last one offered.
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The cluster is one class per quarter for the year. You’ll still take two (or possibly three) other classes each quarter, most of which will be for your major.
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I’ll ask my daughter if they did a lottery in her orientation group. I do remember her saying that some kids needed the advisor to help them because they were having tech issues. On that note, perhaps bring a laptop to orientation, not an iPad. My D said the kids having problems were iPad users and she thought perhaps that was an issue.
Other class planning resources: Bruinwalk and Coursicle both help my daughter plan her schedule. For orientation she went in with a plan A, B, C and D. It made it very easy to pivot if she saw a class was full.
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No, your daughter should be able to enroll math or science class during orientation, if spots are still available. Cluster counts for GE class, which are required for graduation. She can take 1 cluster class each quarter, total 3 cluster classes during freshman year.
Usually Fall quarter freshman is allowed to enroll 3 classes during the orientation, maybe 1 math, 1 cluster and another GE.
My son signed up the orientation late, so, he couldn’t get math 32A during orientation, but 3 GEs. He joined waitlist and was lucky to get it when someone dropped it. He mentioned there is an app that alerts you when someone drops the class.
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Maybe things have changed now, because I don’t recall my S registering on his own device. They took it in turn using two computers provided during the orientation session, which is why those who went last had the fewest choices.
Hi all, any idea when the waitlist will start seeing some movement? Is it not until after May 1?
Usually UCLA will go to the waitlist after May 1, but if enrollment targets are not meeting expectations, then they could go to the waitlist earlier.
Do you mean admitted students can start browsing Bruinwalk and Coursicle now?
Yes
Bruinwalk: https://www.bruinwalk.com
Hotseat: https://hotseat.io
Course descriptions: Course Descriptions | UCLA Registrar’s Office
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What is First Pass Enrollment? Does it happen before NSO?
Below is last year’s enrollment pass for your reference. Freshman is always the last to enroll class with 0 to 44.9 units.
Yes, it is before NSO. However, NSO will reserve some spots for some classes. The earlier you attend the NSO, the better.
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I don’t think this is correct at UCLA (unlike some other colleges) unless you are taking higher level classes (which will probably have been taken by rising sophomores anyway). My understanding is that an equal number of spots in the freshman classes are reserved for each orientation session and those are only opened up during the specific registration time for that session.
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My S24 couldn’t register math 32A during NSO, advisor only helped him register 3 GE classes. It is not guaranteed that you can get the class you want to take during 1st quarter.
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This was my understanding too until my D25 checked the “enrollment appointment” in MyUCLA. It has this note at the bottom: You have no enrollment appointments assigned. Enrollment appointments are available 06/02/2025.
My D25 is interested to enroll for the Cluster Program and now, not sure if she should enroll during First-Pass Enrollment or wait till Sept when we go to the orientation. (Being international, it is not feasible for us to travel twice, so we will choose the latest NSO.)
I don’t think you’ll be assigned an enrollment appointment during first pass just at NSO. And aren’t Clusters reserved for freshmen so not relevant to the first/second pass process for continuing students?
This is certainly true, but not relevant to which NSO you participated in (assuming MATH 32A is one with reserved spots for freshmen). Some classes are oversubscribed and some aren’t.
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Last year, S24 couldn’t enroll any class until NSO, he didn’t get the assigned enrollment pass. Probably new student didn’t get enrollment pass.
Correct me if I am wrong.
I hope cluster class works out for you since it is only open to freshman.
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A component of New Student Orientation is enrolling in Fall Quarter classes, and many students and their families are concerned about the availability of courses at different session dates. Working with individual departments, seats are saved for incoming students in many of the “high demand” General Education, and/or major courses. These seats are dispersed evenly throughout all New Student Sessions. There is no guarantee you will get your first choice in every class you would like, but it is an attempt to make this an equitable process. Therefore, it does not matter if you participate in the first session or the last, because you will have the same chance of enrolling in one of these courses.
Orientation -First Year Students: UCLA New Student & Transition Programs
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