University of California - Los Angeles Reviews

"The work load is really heavy, since this school is three-quarter per year. Traffic is terrible, traffic jams all the time, and limited parking."

"There are a lot of funding opportunities both within the department and university-wide. The cons relate to UCLA in general; it is a big school, and, depending on your advisor, you have to find opportunities by yourself."

"Extremely good school for Civil Engineering. Graduate school is very different from undergrad. Get to really understand what civil engineering is all about"

"UCLA Economics is generally a top graduate program in the U.S. While, I think it can be improved by something as follows: push its students more through daily homework and projects, let professors communicate more with first year students, etc."

"The Anthropology graduate program at UCLA is a great program with great and well known faculty. Some of the best faculty that work with students and take an interest in your projects. One of the cons of the program is that if you are in a non-academic job track, the faculty don't know how to direct you forward. This program is very focused on putting you forward in a successful academic track job by the time you graduate. The financial situation gives you a stipend your first year and then you are guaranteed at TA position unless you get outside funding."

"The UCLA Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program is one of the top Physiology programs in the nation that focuses on training you to lead your own lab. The program offers a vigorous training in mechanisms of disease and grant writing before releasing the students to their selected labs. Students can rotate in labs for a year before selecting their terminal lab. The program aims to fully fund the students so they can focus on their studies and research. Students also teach (TA) for two quarters. The recent governmental cuts in funding in research have made the funding more challenging and this means a few labs do not have positions for MCIP students until they can secure further funding."

"As an incoming graduate student, the Luskin graduate program has given me a lot of support even before the school year started. During the summer, they sent me emails about internship and employment opportunities. I was able to land an interview for a non-profit before I even moved into the area! Also, the program coordinates a mentor program that pairs current graduate public policy students with new ones. I am excited for the upcoming year!"

"Cons: The chemistry department lacks sufficient funding to support research projects. Pros: I want to become a professor and have had the opportunity to TA 2 courses my first year. The research done at UCLA moves the frontier of science forward. What we do has an impact on the world."

"The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health provides a stimulating and rigorous intellectual environment on a pristine campus in a diverse and exciting city. The school is committed to social justice and bettering the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles and beyond. In addition, the faculty are caring and accessible. However, the school is experiencing a budget crisis akin to many other public universities, which could make finding funding for studies difficult. The area of Westwood, where UCLA resides, is expensive to live and there are bureaucratic challenges dealing with UCLA administration. In addition, the classroom facilities and technology infrastructure are behind the times and not always on par with the prestige of the University. Overall, it is still a good value graduate program."

"The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health provides a stimulating and rigorous intellectual environment on a pristine campus in a diverse and exciting city. The school is committed to social justice and bettering the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles and beyond. In addition, the faculty are caring and accessible. However, the school is experiencing a budget crisis akin to many other public universities, which could make finding funding for studies difficult. The area of Westwood, where UCLA resides, is expensive to live and there are bureaucratic challenges dealing with UCLA administration. In addition, the classroom facilities and technology infrastructure are behind the times and not always on par with the prestige of the University. Overall, it is still a good value graduate program."

"Brilliant professors and students and a dedicated staff eager to assist both. Less interaction between different degree programs than advertised."

"The UCLA School of Nursing Master of Science in Nursing program in the family nurse practitioner specialty is focused on preparing registered nurses to become primary care providers through the life span. I believe that this is one of the best family nurse practitioner programs in the nation because students have the opportunity to rotate at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the best hospital on the west coast. Both NP students and MD students take the same classes together and this allows for a collaborative way of learning between the two disciplines. Being part of one of the world's top research institutions, the School of Nursing at UCLA allows their NP students not only to learn advance practice knowledge, but also to generate new knowledge through research. This School truly is redefining nursing."

"The pros of the school are obvious. It's the big fish in a big Southern California pond, and you can take that education anywhere. It will even do you some personal good too. It has a laid back and friendly California atmosphere that takes the edge off the competition that is law school. The only objections to it are that it is in Hollywood and therefore very expensive and occasionally annoying to live nearby. It also has the same problem that many institutions have in terms of diversity; it talks like diversity is a priority, but often acts like it isn't."

"My college has extensive classes and clubs on campus so no matter what field or activities you are in/enjoy, you will surely find your needs met at this school. However, classes are limited, hard to get into, and sometimes a struggle, especially with such a large number of students in the lower divisional classes."

"The Anderson School of Management has so many benefits that separate it from other schools including the distinguished faculty, an extensive alumni network, and a unique location at the intersection of the the entertainment industry and emerging technologies sector. The high quality program comes with very few costs such as the high cost of living in the surrounding areas."

"As a student who is currently enrolled, I feel the pros are: a very competetive environment, a great opportunity to creat a network of fellow international lawyers, and great campus equipped with all that we need to obtain a very positive learning experience. As a con, I feel it is very expensive."

"Workload is heavy and curriculum is academically rigorous, but the UCLA School of Dentistry's DDS program is outstanding because of all the people in it (students, faculty, staff, etc.)."

"Pros: -Location: an inspiring city of Los Angeles -Quality of classmates -Numerous Industries around -Plenty of job opportunities Cons: - Professors don't dedicate as much time to students after class - School is too competitive it can affect your grades by down curving"

"Pro: Top notch research with world renowned faculty. Con: Graduate student support on all fronts (financial, career development, etc)."

"A major pro of my graduate program is that I am able to obtain a preliminary credential and a Masters of Arts in Education within two years. Another pro is that it focuses on creating a social justice curriculum and teaching low income students. The only con is the cost of attendance is high with minimal financial aid."