University of California - Los Angeles Reviews

Teachers are hit or miss. There...

Teachers are hit or miss. There are some great ones but also a lot of mediocre ones. UCLA is known for providing a well-rounded education.

The network is fine, for the most...

The network is fine, for the most part. The labs are okay—not bad. You need your own computer, though.

It's not convenient unless you...

It's not convenient unless you have an apartment with parking.

Campus parking is bad. There are...

Campus parking is bad. There are multiple parking lots, but they're expensive. Freshmen can bring a car, but getting a permit is unlikely.

I'm not personally involved in the...

I'm not personally involved in the Greek scene, but I have been to one frat party, and I have some friends in fraternities and sororities. It's not a big deal if you're not part of such an organization, but it's not bad, either—it depends on your personality. I say rush to see if you enjoy it, pledge if you do, and continue on if you don't. And, if you don't join, there are still many ways to have fun.

UCLA is amazing. There's so much...

UCLA is amazing. There's so much to do, so many people to meet, so much to learn, and so many great times to be had! It can be hard to juggle one's social life with one's academic life, especially depending on the major you're in. I like how there are so many choices of what to do, whether it involves what to do in my academic life, what to see around LA, or simply what to eat in Westwood.

The dorms are good overall. The...

The dorms are good overall. The halls are, generally, social and loud, the plazas are, generally, quiet but come with a private bathroom, and the suites are very secluded and are usually taken by upperclassmen who already have found their group of friends. There are a lot of choices to suit any kind of person, and none are really bad.

The weather is amazing. It's...

The weather is amazing. It's usually sunny and warm. There are cases of May gray and June gloom and winter gets relatively cold, but it's still shorts and flip-flops weather if you're so inclined. It also rains very rarely.

Most people don't get parking...

Most people don't get parking unless there's a genuine need, like for an off-campus job or for commuter students. Otherwise, parking is a real pain. Freshmen probably won't get parking unless they join an organization that has special needs for it or get it from a special qualification.

I haven't lived off-campus, but I...

I haven't lived off-campus, but I know many who do and enjoy it. Most live in the apartments that are a short walk from on-campus housing, and I visit often. That's generally where the party scene is, as well. There are also places to live farther away, but I feel that those create somewhat of a social barrier due to distance.

It's a very diverse campus....

It's a very diverse campus. Although it's mostly Asian, there's definitely a lot of people of all ethnic backgrounds. Likewise, a majority of the people are liberal, but there are enough conservatives to warrant a newspaper for them. Overall, if you want to find a niche revolving around one group, you'll find it.

The food on campus is great. The...

The food on campus is great. The dining halls have an amazing variety of food, and I almost never get bored. There are also four take-and-go restaurants available that have an even wider variety of food choices.

The computer labs are small and...

The computer labs are small and always busy. Definitely bring your own computer! WiFi doesn't always work everywhere, and you have to be on the network in order to get free Internet. The Internet only works if you have an approved anti-virus program installed.

Weed? It's everywhere. I mean, if...

Weed? It's everywhere. I mean, if you don't partake in it, it doesn't really affect you. But, you hear about it quite frequently and can occasionally smell it, too.

Having Westwood within walking...

Having Westwood within walking distance is awesome. It has a Chipotle, BJ's, Chili's, Subway, Quiznos, Pinkberry, Red Mango, and Corner Bakery—a bunch of great places within a decent price range!

The D-I athletes here are like...

The D-I athletes here are like gods. They get amazing privileges, like priority enrollment and priority housing sign-ups. Besides getting to take the easy classes to keep their GPAs up and having their own training facility, they get away with things normal students never would. Some of their special treatment is understandable, but other parts are a bit excessive. Intramural sports are somewhat neglected to the point of the fields not being set up until the game should have already started and the refs showing up late.

The majority of students at UCLA...

The majority of students at UCLA are Asian of some sort or another. Coming from a small central California town consisting of about 80 percent Hispanics, it has been weird for me to notice that there are very few Hispanics here. Economically, most of the students seem to be from middle-class families.

There is a drug scene, and it's...

There is a drug scene, and it's most dominant with community college transfers and those in Greek life. It's also dominant among very academic students who will take drugs such as Adderall to improve concentration.

It's very dominant at UCLA. There...

It's very dominant at UCLA. There is a social standing that comes with being in a top sorority or fraternity. But, every individual has the chance to do want they want at UCLA, which makes it a well-rounded university.

The facilities are exceptional!...

The facilities are exceptional! Everything from the student centers to the John Wooden Center to the libraries are great.

Los Angeles is a busy city with...

Los Angeles is a busy city with lots to do. The beach is only a few miles away. There's nothing to really stay away from, but you have to be careful going out at night. The downside is that if you don't have a car, you become extremely limited in what you can do. USC, Loyola Marymount, and Pepperdine are nearby, but I rarely interact with those students unless I went to high school with them.

Getting an apartment is...

Getting an apartment is competitive, just like everything else on campus. Truthfully, the apartments around the campus are owned by a total of four owners—no joke—who have capitalized off the area and the students. In that way, the apartment system has become a monopoly, and the cost is outrageous. For instance, parking has stopped being included into the rent, and now we have to pay an extra $100 a month just for parking alone! But, nonetheless, apartments offer you space and the chance to pick your own roommates. Personally, I think it's a lot better than living in a crackerbox-sized dorm room with filthy roommates who don't respect your stuff.

Pretty much everyone at UCLA is...

Pretty much everyone at UCLA is geeky, but I guess you kind of have to be to get in here. Most students, especially the science majors, are all extremely focused on their studies, and, since all they do is study, most of them are pretty asocial because of it. As for race, I'd say at least 75 percent of all science classes have Asian and Middle Eastern students, so, if you're blond, you'll stand out!

California has the weirdest...

California has the weirdest weather! One day it will be 90 degrees with people wearing shorts and tank tops. Then, the next day it will be 65 degrees and raining. So, my suggestion is to pack everything you got because you'll probably be wearing it all.

There are lots of great places to...

There are lots of great places to eat on campus that offer a wide range of choices. To list a few: Panda Express, Taco Bell, Jamba Juice, Rubio's, Sbarro, and The Greenhouse. I never personally lived in the dorms, so I can't offer any real advice on the dining halls. However, I have heard from people that once they moved out of the dorms, they missed the food a lot! So, the dining halls must have been good.