UCLA Fall 2013

[an11]

Hi everyone! 

 

Kinda surprised by the fact that nobody has started a thread this year for UCLA yet...so I just thought I would get one going. I am keen on accepting my offer of admission, to pursue graduate studies in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA, for the coming Fall 2013 term.  

 

Anyone else interested in joining any of the programs there this fall? Feel free to pop in and discuss your plans! I am, at the moment, kinda anxious about getting a suitable place to stay at. Needless to say, that it's Westwood and LA, and things could be pretty expensive ...and I heard from multiple sources, that it could be a real pinch on the graduate stipend amounts. 

 

Anyway, hope to have a flourishing thread here. Best regards and congrats to the rest of you! 

[Lola_1]

Hi,

 

I am excited about joining the graduate school in Department of Physics and Astronomy.

 

Similar concerns about getting a suitable place to stay. I am planning to contact the Dashew Center for the same. University housing rents seem to be way too expensive !!

[shinydrag]

i may attend UCLA as a masters student in student affairs. i recently filled out a housing form for UCLA's weyburn apartments (they are 15K/year WTF haha) but my program is only for one-year...

[compiler_guy]

Starting in the fall as well.

 

Guess which department..

[ay761]

I haven't made a final decision yet, but I'm really leaning towards UCLA's masters program in education (SSCE).  

 

With out of state tuition  + rent, you can imagine that I am terrified, and my bank account will be empty at the end.  Sure hope I do well enough to get into a quality PhD program!  

 

I will also be moving from Japan and bringing a cat.  If anyone is looking for a laid-back upper-20s female roommate (who has a cat) for a place somewhere near campus (won't have a car), please don't hesitate to contact me!  

[rustledjimmies]

I will also be attending UCLA this fall!! I am SO STOKED -- UCLA is beautiful and I can't wait to live in Southern California for a few years.

 

I will be entering the CS dept as a Master's student. 

 

Money is going to be TIGHT but I think it will be worth it for the amazing experience of living in a beautiful part of LA, while studying at a great university. 

I have applied for housing in Weyburn and Hilgard ($30 deposit to apply), and I'll see where those go. 

I will also be taking a trip in July or so to look for housing (probably cheaper housing) if I hear nothing back from those grad student apartments. 

Either way I'm not sure if my stipend (not from the school, from an external fellowship) will cover it... so I'm planning to save all my dimes this summer to help front the cost of rent. 

[Linelei]

Hello everyone! I am so excited to be starting in the social psychology Ph.D. program this fall. As others are saying, I am also nervous about housing. Since I have a whole apartment's worth of furniture, I am hoping to find a two bedroom place and rent out the other bedroom to another grad student. Let me know if you would be interested and are not allergic to cats!  

 

Have you all visited yet? It is such a beautiful campus! I'm going back this summer to apartment-hunt before officially moving, and am looking forward to seeing the area when it's warmer (my interview was in January).

[rustledjimmies]

Hello everyone! I am so excited to be starting in the social psychology Ph.D. program this fall. As others are saying, I am also nervous about housing. Since I have a whole apartment's worth of furniture, I am hoping to find a two bedroom place and rent out the other bedroom to another grad student. Let me know if you would be interested and are not allergic to cats!

 

Have you all visited yet? It is such a beautiful campus! I'm going back this summer to apartment-hunt before officially moving, and am looking forward to seeing the area when it's warmer (my interview was in January).

 

I visited there the first week of march. blown away by the campus. Hands down one of the most beautiful schools I've been to -- which I was not quite expecting from LA. 

 

Looking forward to MINIMAL SWEATSHIRT WEARING. I am so tired of cold winters!!!!

[Linelei]

Haha! I know what you mean. When I was there everyone kept apologizing for the cold weather, but it was around 55 degrees. Leaving the snow behind will be great!

[an11]

Yes, I heard from several places that UCLA's got one of the most beautiful campuses in the US, nestled right in between Beverly Hills and the Pacific! And the climate's pretty awesome as well, one of the primary factors which influenced by decision to go there for graduate studies. I was stuck at a choice between UIUC and UCLA, and even though I'm from the tropics and would love a change of climate for something colder, I did not quite like the idea of being stuck in the snows of Illinois for half a year lol! 

 

I'm still at a total loss when it comes to housing though!! Since I am an international student, I am eligible to apply for housing through the Dashew Center...and they have some really nice apartments at pretty affordable rates! However, I don't really want to live in a shared bedroom and would like a private one, in a shared apartment and the Dashew Center has very limited options for that. Besides, I guess it's insanely difficult if not impossible, to get a private bedroom, at anything below $1000, so I might as well bite the bullet and apply for housing at Weyburn Terrace. Please don't hesitate to contact me though, if any of you are looking to share an apartment, with a private bedroom! 

[SirPrizeHobbies]

I will also be attending UCLA this fall (ACCESS). Has anyone received any sort of communication from UCLA after submitting your SIR/SLR? I submitted mine last week but I haven't received any email from the school or my program after that.

[rustledjimmies]

I received confirmation and a thank you email, but it was from someone specific to my department.

[an11]

I received an email from the DCISS, informing me of the subsequent steps required to be taken, to apply for my I-20 form and F-1 visa and I got an auto-generated confirmation from them, after I had applied for my I-20. 

[EngiNerd-12]

Excited to start Biomedical Physics at UCLA in the fall! Congrats everyone!

[Lola_1]

Any idea how long it takes to get the I-20 .. I am an international student .. When would the joining date be like ?!

[Erpnope]

Does anyone know when grad orientation is? Does it differ by department?

[aec09g]

Does anyone know when grad orientation is? Does it differ by department?

 

I haven't heard a thing about a grad orientation, but I know my department is small and interdisciplinary, so it's less likely that there will be one for its department if it's by department. I did quick search of UCLA's website but found nothing regarding an orientation for graduate students except for one made for specifically international graduate students. 

 

Anyways, has anyone else figured out where they are living? I'm choosing off campus housing. Pricing is just so much cheaper, and I intend to bus to school, with the full knowledge that I will be getting up and leaving my house way earlier than my classes start. 

[Erpnope]

Apparently it is somewhere on the the 23rd, 24th, or 25th of September, with school starting on September 26th!

[an11]

@Lola_1, Did you complete the online application for your I-20 form? I received an email from my department, informing me that they have received my I-20 from the DCISS, 9 days after I completed the online application. I was also required to provide my mailing address to my department, so that they could send me the I-20 form, which they did through FeDex and it's scheduled to arrive at my place tomorrow. 

 

@Erpnope, I'm not entirely certain, but I guess graduate orientation dates/procedures would vary according to different departments. I am supposed to report to my department on September 16th for orientation and TA training, and it's supposed to continue till September 25th, with September 26th being the first day of instruction! I was emailed an information brochure a few days back, for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 2013 Cohort, which contained all these info.

 

As for housing, I have more or less made up my mind, to stay at Weyburn Terrace for the first quarter at least. I've already completed the online application for an apartment at Weyburn. I do admit, it would be pretty expensive though...and I would try looking for a suitable place off campus, once I get there, so that I can move in there from the subsequent quarters. I am a bit apprehensive about living off campus, without getting to personally judge the place...so I guess staying at Weyburn initially, would be a better idea... 

[as0911]

I haven't made a final decision yet, but I'm really leaning towards UCLA's masters program in education (SSCE).  

 

With out of state tuition  + rent, you can imagine that I am terrified, and my bank account will be empty at the end.  Sure hope I do well enough to get into a quality PhD program!  

 

I will also be moving from Japan and bringing a cat.  If anyone is looking for a laid-back upper-20s female roommate (who has a cat) for a place somewhere near campus (won't have a car), please don't hesitate to contact me!  

 

Hi Ay761,

 

I am also learning towards UCLA's masters program in education for the SSCE program. I am extremely excited but also very nervous because I am currently working and I made this decision off the whim because I realized that if I want to get started on a phd I shouldn't prolong my MA any further. I am hoping to get into their phd program upon completion of my masters. Are you planning to pursue a phd in Southern California as well?

 

Hope we get to discuss more details/information!

[Lola_1]

@Lola_1, Did you complete the online application for your I-20 form? I received an email from my department, informing me that they have received my I-20 from the DCISS, 9 days after I completed the online application. I was also required to provide my mailing address to my department, so that they could send me the I-20 form, which they did through FeDex and it's scheduled to arrive at my place tomorrow. 

Hi ann11 .. I have completed the online application for I-20 and am yet to hear from my department. Great that you will be getting yours soon !!

 

For the housing, I have registered for DCISS housing package. They seem reasonably priced and well-facilitated.

[ThatOneGuy]

Hey everybody! I'm going to be in the Bioengineering program at UCLA in the fall. This thread is not as active as I had hoped. I'll go ahead and throw out some info about me, and we'll see if anybody wants to follow suit or something.

 

I:

Rock Climb (I might join one of the rock gyms if I end up actually having time)

Cook (because food is delicious)

Bake (If I have a while)

Hike (I heard there's a lot of awesome hiking in LA. Definitely interested in grouping up and hiking around)

Exercise (I usually alternate between the gym and the rock gym. I ran 2 half marathons last summer, but running isn't usually my thing)

...... I'm running out of things

Donate Blood

Used to watch a lot of TV and play lots of games but not so much anymore

Watch movies

Am 22, originally from the bay area (near SF), and did my undergrad at UC Davis

 

Let me know if you want to be buds.

[SirPrizeHobbies]

Housing offers are online! I got into a furnished 2 bedroom in Weyburn.