University of California-Los Angeles Top Questions

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Please! Be yourself and don't let anyone interfere with what you want to do with your college life. You are the one who's going to take the responsabilities of the choices you make. Other people have no right to make you do things you don't want to. Enjoy the whole atmosphere and be cool about projects and reports! Professors are not going to kill you just because you turned in reports late. PLEASE RELAX! the world is not going to end, and you'll be fine.

The advice I would give to myself is to take advantage of all the resources you have such as counselors as well as teachers that are there to help you. If your counselor doesn't approach you, then take the initiative to speak to that one counselor because you never know , you might be the only student approaching them. If they see that a scholarship deadline is coming up and no one has applied for it then they will remember your name and encourage you to apply. Don't feel discouraged to apply for scholarships as well or colleges during your senior year. Even though you come from an underserved community, it will make you distinct from all others because you worked hard to get to where you are now. Another advice i would give myself is to take Academic Advancement courses in high school, such as AP classes, that challenge you. Not only will they prepare for the workload but they also help raise your confidence about the classes. Come into college with an open mind, don't give up so easily and work hard. At the same time be open to meet new people.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself to strive to earn the best grades possible in all of my classes and to be more involved in school activities. Also, since it is difficult sometimes to find time to see friends from high school once one is in college, I would advise my past self to spend more time with friends in high school and make more memories during a great part of my life. I would have told myself to not fear the transition from high school to college and enjoy all of the new things college has to offer. The most important words to myself would be: do not be afraid to grow up!

When I first decided to go to UCLA, I was very excited as everyone told me college is the best four years of your life. I agree and my advice to you would be that even though college is fun and exciting you must remember if you don't maintain your grades, it will be over quicker than you think. You should work hard and get your stuff done earlier rather than procrastinating and you shouldn?t work yourself to death, but you shouldn?t slack off either. Take whatever classes you want to. If you want to study photography even though you are a Biology major. Do it. This is your chance to explore and soak up a little bit of everything. I suggest that you join clubs and do extracurricular activities as it is a great way to meet people. Also, try to get to know a few professors. Go to their office hours so they can get to know you personally. You should do your research and find out who the more prominent professors are and start to build a relationship with them as soon as possible. Most importantly, have fun!

Make the most of your high school classes. Don't get "senioritis" once you get into college. The more academic preparation you have going into college, the happier you'll be. Once school starts, don't be afraid to start joining clubs and signing up for things thinking you won't have time. Get involved as much as you can in everything in the beginning--you never know what you might find out you love. You don't want to look back at the end of those four years wishing you'd done more with your time than play video games. Many people say college is the best time of your life and it is very much your responsibility to make it that way.

As a senior in high school it is very difficult to know what to expect when making the change to a large university for the first time. In many cases, it is the first time students are away from home and their parents, and they might be a bit nervous about living on their own, making new friends, and balancing their academics to ensure their future success. After moving to Los Angeles and attending UCLA, I now know that making the transition is really easier than I ever thought it could be. The staff is extremely generous with their time, the professors are all exceptionally talented in their lectures, and the student body is so diverse that it would be very difficult not to find some place where I would have fit in. Financially, the student resource center is available at any time for a student to sit down with a financial aid advisor and plan out the financial future of their education. After entering college, my opinion of the experience now is undeniably positive, and it only seems to be growing in that direction.

Enjoy everything, take every opportunity, don't be shy, and go to office hours.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would essentially express to myself that I need to stop worrying about my future and just trust in the Lord to guide my path. I would advise that I should stop comparing myself to others, not be afraid to ask for help, and just reassure myself that it's okay to attend a community college. In addition, I would note that I will spend those two years after high school involved in the COC honors program, several schools clubs, and active in community service. I would also explain to my senior self that it will be at College of the Canyons that I will further discover and define my passions. I would disclose my decision to pursue psychology as a major and declare my hope to one day return to College of the Canyons as a proud professor. Then, I would summarize how much I would grow after high school graduation and encourage myself to stay true to my values and dreams. Oh, one last thing that I would reveal to myself is that I would end up transferring to UCLA!

I would tell myself to take a deep breathe. While it may seem like college is your stepping stool to taking on the world, it must be done in baby steps. Taking on more than you can handle will force you to step up to the plate, but do not take on more than you feel you can handle. Don't forgot, you are at college to get your degree; once you graduate, all doors will be open for you to get involved with whatever interests you.