Before I start this, I'd like to begin by saying I am a proud Bruin (class of '24 business econ) who was once a high schooler also wanting to get into a prestigious college.

I recently watched a YouTube video of a senior opening their college decisions. They applied to basically every elite school -- Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, UC Berkeley, the Ivies, etc. They got rejected from all the Ivies, and the most selective school they got into was UCLA.

They were understandably disappointed. They had great stats; but what surprised me was that they barely seemed happy about UCLA (even though is consistently one of the best universities in the world and can definitely compete with the Ivies in every field)

Then, near the end of the video, before they'd even spent a single day in class (class of 2030), they said they were already planning to transfer out of UCLA.

This made me realize how obsessed a lot of high schoolers have become with prestige. Many are no longer satisfied with top 20s, they feel as if anything outside HYPSM is somehow a disappointment. Obviously HYPSM are dream schools. But UCLA is also a dream school for many high-achievers who get rejected every year. Treating UCLA like a safety school is insane.

While Ivies are obviously great schools, UCLA also offered me the same opportunities as many of those students. I landed in the same firms as Harvard and Yale students -- many of my classmates also ended up in the same rooms as HYPSM.

So please, do not disregard UCLA in most cases it is pretty damn close to an Ivy. For a middle class student who could not afford Brown or Dartmouth, UCLA gave me the opportunity to succeed and I believe this school has benefited me more than many ivies+ would.

I’ve been feeling really lost lately and keep overthinking my decision. I know this is a long post, so thanks to anyone who takes time to read it.

I’m an international student transferred from cc. I got into UCLA for Psych, I accepted the offer, and even went to orientation. But I canceled my enrollment eventually and chose a Diagnostic Radiography program at a not so well-known university in Australia instead. The program is four years.

The first reason was money. UCLA would’ve cost me around $84k a year including tuition and living expenses, so roughly $170k for two years. My parents would’ve had to take out loans for me to attend.

The four-year program in Australia costs about the same as two years at UCLA.

Second reason is career wise. If I get into Psych I’d probably need to spend even more money on a master’s degree just to have better job options, and even then it’s still not that easy to find a job. Radiography seems much more straightforward for employment, and the salary isn’t bad either.

But lately I’ve been second guessing everything. I feel like I gave up the whole UCLA experience, the campus, the people, the opportunities, and obviously the UCLA name. Part of me feels like I missed out on something huge. But meanwhile I kept questioning whether even if I go UCLA, it would really be worth spending that much money on a major I wasn’t particularly passionate about?

A lot of people think giving up UCLA was an insane decision, and I honestly still don’t know if I made a wrong choice. I’m feeling pretty lost. I’d really appreciate any advice or perspectives❤️

has anyone been to the new sandwich shop that is opening a location in westwood "Ghost Sando"?

I looked at their reviews and got a laugh at some of their catty interactions with negative reviews, and also seen some complaints about how their pricing is fishy!!

Has anyone been before? Is it actually good?

I have had trouble finding roommates that are also going to be in spoul hall classic triples. If anyone knows anyone still looking for one i'd love to chat. I'm honestly scared of being paired up with someone who isn't looking to talk to their roommate or is messy. If anyone has any ideas of how to find more people to talk to (other than instagram class2030 accounts cus most of them have different room placements) please let me know. Or reach out if you need a roommate still!

Hi everyone,

I'm an incoming freshman at De Anza College starting in Fall 2026, majoring in Applied Mathematics.

I haven't been in the U.S. for very long, so I'm still learning how the American college system works. My dream is to transfer to a top UC like UC Berkeley or UCLA, and I'm willing to work as hard as it takes. I know it won't be easy, but I really don't want to waste the opportunity.

The problem is that almost everything I find online is from transfer "experts" or consulting services. They all seem to repeat the same advice, often making it sound more complicated or stressful than it needs to be. Some of it sounds convincing, but as someone with very little experience, it's hard for me to tell what's actually true and what is just marketing.

That's why I'm hoping to hear from people who have actually gone through the process, or who know De Anza well.

If you transferred to Berkeley, UCLA, or another top UC (or know someone who did), I'd really appreciate any advice you can share.

Some questions I have:

• How should I plan my coursework as an Applied Math major?
• Are there any professors at De Anza that you personally recommend (or would avoid)?
• What extracurricular activities actually helped your application?
• How many activities are considered reasonable? Is it better to focus on a few meaningful ones?
• Do you have any advice for writing transfer essays?
• Looking back, what do you wish you had known when you first started at De Anza?

I'd also love to know if there are any De Anza student communities, Discord servers, WeChat groups, alumni groups, or other places where students share advice and information. Right now, my biggest challenge isn't motivation—it's simply that I don't have much experience or many connections.

I'm just someone who's starting from scratch and trying not to let that become an excuse. I know there are many students here who have already walked this path, and even a small piece of advice—like recommending a great professor or suggesting an activity—could make a huge difference for me.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to comment. I genuinely appreciate it.

If I'm fortunate enough to successfully transfer to one of my dream schools, I promise I'll share everything I learn with future students so they can benefit from it too. I'd love to pass on the kindness and generosity that others have shown me, just as so many people in these communities have done before.

Thank you all, and I hope to learn from your experiences.

Hi, does anyone know if the Acacia building has carpet or hard wood flooring? thanks!

Do y’all recommend getting the foreign language requirement out of way freshman year or wait till junior or senior year.

For context I took 3 years of Spanish in high school, grades 9 through 11.

Should I start in spanish 1 or 2, I don’t really remember much tbh, or just take spanish 3, with a P/F.

I am a business economics major, aiming for IB.

Hello. I am here visiting UCLA for the annual McNair conference. Me and my cohorts are looking for a student that would be willing to let us into the campus pool. I don’t know if this is possible but please let me know.

Hi so i’m an incoming freshman and i know no one who i could dorm with. If anyone is still looking for a roommate, im super open to chatting.🙏 honestly im really scared of having a bad roommate (in the sense of not getting along) , so please dm!! Im a girl, and i will be majoring in Chemical Engineering. alsooo if anyone has anyway of meeting people for roommates besides the 2030 page please share :)

hi my roommate group of 3 males filled out CARs to switch from a plaza triple to a deluxe triple. i know it's probably unlikely, but in the chance it goes through, around when should i expect this to happen?

how is it?

Hello hello! I'm an incoming transfer student who was recently assigned to a Hedrick Summit Plaza Single Pod. There aren't a ton of photos or videos online, so I'd love to hear from anyone who's lived in one or even visited a friend who has. I'd appreciate any thoughts, photos, tips, or things you noticed! like Do people actually use the common room, or does everyone mostly stay in their own rooms? Is it harder to make friends? Anythung and everything, I would appreciate it all!

This might be a weird question but i’m an incoming freshman and im just curious where can i get fresh fruit on campus? i like to eat fruit for breakfast every morning and i keep it diverse. Kiwis, blueberries, apples, peaches, pineapples.

I know there are grocery stores near campus but Im imagining someplace i can just grab the fruit and run every morning instead of stocking up while shopping.

Where on campus is an abundance of many different kinds of fruit

I graduated 2 months ago from CSUF with a bachelors degree in Sociology and Psychology. I have a 3.69 gpa and many of my professors in both fields liked me. I also interned for a semester at a clinic and did some parent group work there. I was also reccomended to do 7 cups by my faculty advisor to boost my resume (tho I just started a couple of days ago). I'm working on getting a job too.

A professor told me that no one gets into UCLA from CSUF. But I'm hoping at LEAST having 2 degrees would make me look nice, Any Clinical Psyc grads have any thoughts?

Hi! I'm a pre-med that just graduated from UCLA, I'm having a hard time finding medical assisting jobs without a certification (looking in the San Fernando Valley) and thought to put myself out there and ask here if anyone knew of anywhere that was hiring or any other opportunities. Thank you! pls message if able

Looks like the 18 won't be going from Gayley>Strathmore>UCLA Gateway Plaza and back anymore. After 8/9 it's going to change it's turnaround point to Charles Young Dr. right outside lot 2. If you're coming from the Campus apartment/residential area I'm pretty sure the new nearest pickup spot will be on Westwood blvd in front of 100 medical plaza but I'm not sure because I can't find an actual map of the new route.

Does anyone have any reviews/pictures of being in a plaza triple private bathroom in Courtside?

can someone hold a spot in psych 135 for me until the new student restrictions lift on september 15th? I guesssss i can pay or we can set smt else up

I just received an email today getting more info about my housing assignment but still no roommate. For context, I received a housing offer and accepting on July 3rd for Keystone-Mentone for a 2bed. Today I found out my unit number but still am not assigned a roommate. I’m just confused how this happens. Is it likely that the person housing is going to assign to me as a roommate has a later contract date than me? My assumption would be if they have the same contract start date they also would find out their unit number today too and then appear as my roommate? Could this be because I requested to room with someone who was offered a Keystone-Mentone on the same day as me but with a later contract date? If anyone else knows or has experience with this, any insight would be helpful. I’m just stressed because I’m moving in 2 weeks from now and still don’t know who my roommate is (since it’s unfurnished I can’t even start talking to my future roommate about which furniture/supplies we are each contributing)

Happy to answer any questions about the major. I graduated in 2020 and am now in law school

Hello everyone!

I am an undergraduate student at Boston University (Advisor: Dr. Jessica Simes, Sociology) studying how students interact with and perceive campus police, including direct and indirect experiences, and how police are perceived in the maintenance of campus space. I am looking for students aged 18+ who attend a California college or university in-person, including UCLA, to participate in a one time interview about their perceptions and experiences.

Participants will receive a $25 Visa gift card as a thank you for volunteering 45 minutes to one hour of their time.

To participate, please contact Ada Sussman at [email protected]. Thank you everyone!

legit so depressed rn bro i took a graduate class under a professor of their primary research specialty and got an A, nearly an A+, and went to office hours often. no response to my submission form for their lab. emailed tas too. cant get into labs in the field getting ghosted after sending various emails and submitting forms and im already almost a third year. genuinely cannot get into grad school unless i do esap ig but then thats just the same school again.

Calling all UCLA Pre-Meds:

Where are you guys getting clinical hours, and how easy is it to find opportunities to get them, anyway? What are the best options? I've considering medical scribing; how useful is that and is it one of the better means to do so or are there better alternatives?

Also, who are the best advisors on campus to contact for help with questions pertaining to the path to medical school?

would anyone be able to hold a spot in life science 30a for me until the new student and freshmen restrictions lift on september 15th? i'm willing to paay or we can try to set smt else up