A school like UCLA can be intimidating to apply to because it is so hard to get into. UCLA has gotten more selective throughout the years, as it is now the #1 public university in the US and is also the #1 most applied-to school in the nation. However, transferring from a community college can be a more approachable option. Here are four tips to transfer to UCLA!
1. Get Good Grades.
Having a high GPA is something that the UCLA admissions officers look for. Getting good grades makes you more competitive in the applicant pool because the school looks out for the ones with mostly A’s on their transcript. Having good connections with your professors and classmates can help a lot, and going to office hours shows the professor you are going out of your way to get help. Studying with your classmates can be easier than studying by yourself too, and keeping a planner and organizing your time studying throughout the week will help you to not procrastinate. Taking classes that you are actually interested in is also essential because then you will be studying what you like.
2. Finish Your Major Prep Classes.
UCLA really emphasizes that you finish your major preparation classes by the end of the fall semester before you plan on transferring. You should really get most of, if not all, of the recommended classes taken care of. Having all the right coursework done prior to the last term before transferring is something that should be prioritized. Even if a course is not offered at your local community college, you can try to find it offered at another college to ensure that you get it all finished. For example, I made sure I got it all done by driving 45 minutes away to commute to another college to get my coursework done and took classes online elsewhere when necessary.
3. Spend A Lot of Time on Your Application Essays.
You should be working hard, revising and editing the personal insight questions (four essays) as early as possible. It is easier to have something written and slowly start to edit it rather than doing it all at once last minute. It is okay to brag—you can mention how passionate you are about something and how you will use it to get involved at UCLA. Also, try to revise and proofread for both grammar and content. You can have an English professor revise it for the technical stuff and have a counselor revise it for the content written. Always make sure you respond directly to the prompt and restate the question in your answer so you do not go off topic.
4. Join the Honors Program.
UCLA has a higher acceptance rate for students in the honors program who apply to the college of Letters and Science. All you have to do is take five honors classes by the time of transferring. Being in the honors program can also allow your application to be considered for an alternative major because only students in the program are considered for their second major if they are not accepted under their first choice major. While taking honors classes can seem difficult, the payoff in the long run of being prioritized first is a great benefit.
All in all, if you follow these four steps, you can become even closer to being #UCLAbound!