<p>What would you guys say are the things that make UCLA such a desirable college?</p>
<p>Good basketball, prestigious academics, fantastic location, and diversity. </p>
<p>I’ll also add that in Southern California, MANY students are brought up on the idea that UCLA is the pinnacle of academic excellence. When I was in elementary and middle school my teachers, most of whom were Cal State educated, told us that if we worked hard enough, we could go to UCLA. At the start of freshman year, one of my school’s guidance counselors came in and talked about what it would take to get into UCLA. Prior to the discussion, she asked how many students wanted to go to the school. With the exception of a few USC fans and a student who dreamed of going to the military, everyone eagerly raised their hands. At least in my part of SoCal, a love and respect for UCLA was instituted at an early age so it’s no surprise that by the time students reach their senior year, they apply to UCLA in droves.</p>
<p>^ so true!</p>
<p>I cant add much to whenhen’s personal account, but the Socal region’s best research university is UCLA, making it a gathering of the most quintessential SoCal people and culture.</p>
<p>Agreed. Strong academics, price (for instate), location & the bonus of good sports teams combine to make it a very desirable university.</p>
<p>The whole LA part of it.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posters. On the west coast, UCLA, Stanford, Cal Tech, and Berkeley get respect similar to what the Ivies get back east. The education is excellent and the research opportunities are superb. The fact that it is so difficult to get admitted probably adds to its reputation. </p>
<p>That said, UCLA is not for everyone. It is too large for some, and not everyone likes the LA area. My son thought the campus was dingy and dirty and had no desire to apply.</p>
<p>Actually most SoCal students don’t know what CalTech is, although it’s EXTREMELY well respected amongst those who “should” know the school. When the saluditorian of my high school decided to go there most thought she was going to either CPP or ITT Tech and wondered why someone who did so well in high school would go to those kinds of schools. On the other hand, everyone knew the reputations of Berkeley, Stanford, and UCLA.</p>
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<p>As much as I’d love for this statement to be true, it’s probably false. SoCal’s best research university is probably Caltech, but UCLA’s undoubtedly the #2.</p>
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<p>Are you sure your son didn’t confuse UCLA and Berkeley? (couldn’t help myself 
)</p>
<p>Here’s two very different videos about UCLA that should give you an idea of the many different crowds it draws, and the reasons why it draws them:</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to UCLA! - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1e11lsrSvw]Welcome”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1e11lsrSvw)</p>
<p>[I’m</a> Shmacked The Movie : University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1Gd0MSNms]I’m”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1Gd0MSNms)</p>
<p>and also prestigious academics:</p>
<p>[The</a> first Internet connection, with UCLA’s Leonard Kleinrock - YouTube<a href=“this%20is%20probably%20my%20favorite%20UCLA%20related%20video”>/url</a></p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw]Math”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw]Math</a> Prodigy Terence Tao, UCLA - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuiBTJZfeo8]The”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuiBTJZfeo8)</p>
<p>Like it was stated earlier, diversity is also a big things. I have friends who were addicted to drugs/alcohol and went to rehab for it. These people are among some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, they just made some mistakes in their lives, and UCLA believed that they could put those bad decisions behind them and thrive academically.</p>
<p>I’ve made friends from various parts of California, different states in the U.S., and different countries in the world; I met people of various income levels, from those that were poor, to those that were rich, and we all enhanced each other’s undergraduate experience. It was a fantastic experience that I’ll likely never experience again and one which will leave me with fond memories of the university likely for the rest of my life. That being said, I agree that it isn’t for everybody. But these reasons, and others (e.g. its long sports tradition,) are the reason it’s a prestigious university, especially considering that it isn’t even 100 years old yet (It turns 100 in 2019.)</p>
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<p>Most students don’t travel more than a few hundred miles from home to go to college. For highly-qualified, prestige-conscious students seeking a research university on the west coast, UCLA is one of relatively few alternatives.The above 4 schools plus USC, 1 or 2 schools in Texas, and a few LACs are the most selective colleges west of the Mississippi states. Compare the number of options on the west coast to the number of options in New England (which has about 1/3 the population and serves a more compact geographic area.) If you’re a full-pay student in CA whose parents can’t/won’t pony up for Stanford or Caltech, the UCs are a great deal (in addition to being less of an admission crap-shoot). If you’re a full-pay student in one of the many western states without a famous college “brand”, a UC may be a relatively close, relatively affordable alternative to private schools back east.</p>
<p>LA is full of sheeple.</p>
<p>UCLA is perfect.</p>
<p>Academics are top 25, sometimes top 10 depending on the ranking. Respected all around the world.</p>
<p>Tons of opportunities to do research with amazing professors. Internships.</p>
<p>Tons of opportunities to study abroad.</p>
<p>Location is the best, near Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Santa Monica beach, etc. Campus is stunning, hills, trees, sun, simply beautiful.</p>
<p>Sports, most NCAA Championships (109) so you’re taking classes with Olympians, not to mention top basketball and football recruits. Rose Bowl football games (most historic), Pauley Pavilion where Coach John Wooden won 11 basketball championships. Famous people are always on campus, just this year Dwight Howard, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, P Diddy, Snoop Dog were on campus. Real Madrid practiced here. James Franco is often on campus, Kristen Stewart just enrolled.</p>
<p>Famous professors, Nobel prize winners.</p>
<p>My favorite class was a Sports Entertainment class with Peter Guber (owner of Golden State Warriors, Dodgers). He brought in David Stern, Al Michaels, Presidents of ESPN and AEG. </p>
<p>I can go on and on…I mean Michael Jackson spent his final hours at UCLA Hospital!!</p>
<p>Also, if you compare to other schools UCLA just seems to be the most well rounded. Some could argue Stanford is better, but it lacks the Socal beaches and LA connections. Can someone think of a better school?</p>
<p>And who can forget about the food? Both on campus in the dining halls and in the city of LA itself! Both are excellent and there are options for everyone and for every craving, whether it be for health nuts or just for some late-night munchies. Eating all that great food definitely makes the Freshman 15 possible, but luckily, UCLA has an abundance of stairs and hills throughout campus so we get lots of exercise–and nice calves, too! ;)</p>
<p>^ The gym is also excellent and has very nice and modern facilities.</p>
<p>We sent DD, a senior this year, to a week-long summer program at UCLA to see whether or not she’d like it. Surprisingly, she did. She thought the campus was beautiful, though huge. She didn’t like the LA traffic, though. Her shuttle ride from LAX (< 10 miles) took 2.5 hours on a Sunday afternoon. (Her stop was the last of 10 on the route.) We found alternate transportation on the way back. She is a Nor Cal girl but wants to “go away” to college. Berkeley is too close to home. She’ll apply to both, as well as UCSD and UCSB, but UCLA is the really the only UC she’d be interested in attending.</p>
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<p>Yes, she took the Super Shuttle on the way in. We discovered the Flyaway after the fact and that’s what she took coming home… about 30 minutes to LAX on a Saturday evening.</p>
<p>UCLA has an excellent reputation, perhaps greater than many of the Ivy League schools if you’re looking for employment on the West Coast. It also has great diversity because of all the international students.</p>
<p>UCLA is the complete package. You’ll usually find the other UCs lacking in some aspect but UCLA has it all. Academics, sports, social life, location, etc. Just my personal opinion but it’s probably the best public university in the nation.</p>
<p>I saw the other post on research universities but in terms of pure research, UCSD has to be in the conversation. It’s pretty much what UCSD’s reputation is based on.</p>
<p>Simple, it has great academics and is in an exciting (that’s an understatement) city.</p>
<p>It also isn’t impossibly difficult to get into, a good but not spectacular student can have a good chances to get in, especially if they are a Californian. This means that a lot of students can actually aspire to going there only a very few people can reasonably hope to get into an Ivy or a school like Stanford.</p>
<p>Key attractive traits: academic quality, in LA, and (relative) attainability. I guess sports teams are a bonus too.</p>