University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)

About

The University of California – Los Angeles, located in Los Angeles, California was founded in 1882 as the southern campus of the California State Normal School, originally located in what is now the Downtown Central Library, followed by a brief tenure on Vermont Avenue on what is today Los Angele City College. UCLA is the second oldest campus of ten campuses that comprise the University of California system, having joined in 1919. UCLA is a public research university in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood, with convenient access to a large part of Los Angeles' cultural facilities. The school is considered among the best public institutions in the country, offering an excellent undergraduate program along with a large number of graduate opportunities, serving nearly 40,000 students annually.

Campus

A number of residential complexes are available on campus, from student halls to university apartments. In addition, numerous recreation facilities such as the Marina Aquatic Center and the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center are made accessible for all students to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles. The school has over 160 building situated upon 419 acres of land in western Los Angeles, with structures utilizing a number of architectural styles. The school itself provides relatively easy access to main Los Angeles conduits, including Sunset Boulevard and 405 Sand Diego Freeway. Additionally, the school is relatively close to Santa Monica Beach and the Los Angeles coastline.

Education

More than 300 programs are offered by several undergraduate departments and the Professional Schools of Architecture, Theater, Law, Public Affairs, the Samueli School of Engineering, and Anderson School of Management. Programs in Health Sciences are provided at the Geffen School of Medicine, the schools of Nursing and Dentistry. Research in Health Sciences are also conducted at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Semel Institute for psychiatry and neuroscience. The UCLA Institute of the Environment consists of several research centers on climate change and environmental management. Among these are the La Kretz Center for California Conservation and the centers for Air Pollution and Exposure, Climate Change Solutions, Tropical Research, as well as the center for Corporate Environmental Performance.

Programs offered include:

• Bioengineering
• Computer Science
• History
• Sociology
• Architectural Studies

Admissions and Financial Aid

UCLA uses a variety of admission criterion to determine whether or not a student will be admitted, including test scores, GPA, class rank, strength of one's high school curriculum, particularly during senior year, courses taken on top of standard requirements, if the student took advanced placement or other high level classes, and participation in academic activities over long periods of time. Students will also supply a personal statement that will provide the college with one's background and abilities, and is used in conjunction with the above material to make a final determination. Admitted students will be notified through a packet providing the information necessary to begin one's academic career.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans, grants, scholarships and work study programs available at the state and federal level. Students in need of financial assistance will obtain a federal PIN and submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the resulting student aid report (SAR) from which will be used by the financial aid office to calculate need, identify aid program eligibility, and determine monetary awards. Students may also be eligible for academic merit or athletic scholarships offered by the school. Individuals may also apply for external scholarships which offer awards for a variety of reasons. Financial aid must be reapplied for at the start of each academic year, and students may be asked to provide additional financial documentation to the financial aid office to ensure their SAR is accurate prior to the disbursement of funds.

Athletics

The university is also known for the UCLA Bruins and participates in intercollegiate athletics through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Division 1A Pacific 10 Conference. As of 2009, UCLA holds the most number of team championships in the NCAA. Intercollegiate athletics provide students a forum for healthy competition, allowing the development of skills such as discipline and teamwork, providing good health habits and allowing individuals to feel the bonds of camaraderie formed through the successes and failures one experiences when working with others toward a singular goal. Students interested in participation in an athletic program should visit the athletic department for tryout dates and relevant forms.

Athletic programs offered:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Rowing
• Soccer Softball
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball
• Water Polo

Student Life

Student life involves many UCLA traditions including the annual Dance Marathon for the Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Jazz Reggae Festival on Memorial Day, and the Unicamp summer program for children of Los Angeles which is organized and spearheaded by hundreds of UCLA student volunteers. New events are also held throughout the year, encouraging students to participate in extracurricular activities and maintain an active social life. C, showcases, theatrical performances, and other such events are held on campus throughout the year, as are intramural sport activities which allow students on campus to engage in friendly competition with one another. Students may also enroll in one or more of the 800 clubs and organizations available on campus, participating in a group atmosphere related to topics of personal interest. Interested students should contact the Department of Student Affairs for assistance in finding clubs, intramural participation, and other events on campus.