The ultimate UCLA survival guide for transfer students

Transfer students have been known to have unorthodox transitions into the four-year system because they come from several backgrounds, ages and histories. The first quarter can be confusing for any new student, and there are several unwritten strategies a transfer student could follow to succeed through the first quarter.

Check out resources for transfers

Check in with your RA if you live on the hill to see if your building has a transfer student representative. UCLA also has its very own Transfer Student Center. If you’re at a loss on how to succeed, they will help you “hit the ground running.” The center is the hub for all transfer guidance. They even have a quarterly timeline that breaks down each week for you.

Go to events and socialize

There are school sponsored events that you can go to as a transfer. Recently, UCLA had its transfer pride week that included a carnival. There are other more academic based events like transfer info sessions that go over a student’s experience. Then there are student hosted events, like Karaoke night, that come up every once and awhile. Sometimes transfers brainstorm hangouts on social media, so keep checking up on that.

Find a mentor

It may be best to get advice from people who have been in the same position and can give you advice from their experiences. Mentoring programs range from peer-to-peer mentoring, such as UCLA’S GRIT program, where you can receive tutelage from current students. There are also programs like the one sponsored by UCLA alumni, where current students can be mentored by those who have already graduated.

Meet with a counselor

The time you spend at UCLA is your ocean. You are the captain of your ship and counselors are your navigators of the collegiate world. They can give students a lot of advice on how to strategize their curriculum. If you see something off or confusing on your degree audit, go see one a counselor. Departments also have their own counselors. Make sure to check out your department website to find out who you can get in touch with.

Attend every class

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to consider skipping class especially with those large +100 lectures. It’s easy to think, “well, the professor won’t notice anyways.” However, lectures are notorious for being content heavy. Most classes have the grading rubrics based on two midterms and a final – a lot of the content comes from lecture and reading.

Read, read, read

It may have been possible to get through classes at community college without seriously cracking open a text book, but that’s a no at UCLA. Reading is clutch in every class due to a high amount of content and discussion from the assigned texts. Many humanities majors will sometimes find themselves reading hundreds of pages a night. Some departments offer specific reading strategies, as is the case with UCLA’s medical school.

Visit professors during office hours

Professors may come off as intimidating at first. After all, they are renowned scholars in their respective fields. However, most professors have office hours which are set aside for students. Students can use those time slots as golden opportunities to get to know professors and ask questions regarding class subjects, their field of study or career tips.

Make some friends

UCLA has students that come from all over the world. This is an opportunity to understand new points of view and develop bonds. It’s always nice to have good people around while developing a network. Meeting new faces can lead to lifelong friendship, and who knows where that can lead to.

Take care of your health

With the academic rigor UCLA poses for its students, it’s important to take care of your health. For students living on the, hill B-Plate is the place to go for food. Every meal is a healthy meal. UCLA’s hub for health care is the ASHE center. Its services include primary care, women’s health services, physical therapy and much more. Plus, you can use the free student gyms.

Find a place on campus for a zen moment

Everyone needs time for personal reflection. There are some spots on campus that have the opportunity for peace and quiet. UCLA is a beautiful campus. Use that as an excuse to explore it.