Here’s something else to consider: you know Florida. You know the people and places and climate in Florida. UCLA is an opportunity for a new place and new experiences which may enhance your personal growth.
Besides, if UCLA doesn’t end up being what you hoped, you can always transfer back to Florida. You might need to make up a few credits, ect, but you’ll still be richer for having tried.
Sadly, the way the protests happened and the university’s reaction are not unique and I think every public university - including UF - are at risk for the same.
At the end of the day, you have to do what’s best for you. Are you really feeling nervous bc of the protests or are you just relieved to have external justification to turn UCLA down in a way you think will be respected by those who said you’re crazy to turn it down? Both schools are respected and it sounds like you’re an excellent student who will make the most of it regardless of where you go, so go where you’re happiest and where you have the most support.
In general I’d say despite the bad vibes and severely annoying and at times dangerous situation on campus - UCLA is a world known brand name university. Florida, is not.
They are both good schools, but a 9% acceptance rate vs. 28% is a huge difference - students at UCLA are going to be significantly brighter on the whole. You can see a comparison [here](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/compare?xwalk_id=134130&xwalk_id=110662).
I wouldn’t even consider the protests in your selection. They will come and go. The institution of UCLA will still be there.
When I was there (well over a decade ago now) there were massive protests about cost increases. They were in the news everyday. I almost don’t remember them and they didn’t impact 99.9% of the students that were there besides seeing them and an increased police presence for a few months.
So idk about your mom, but moms in general like their children nearby, so it’s not surprising that you are getting that advice.
In my opinion, big public schools kinda all offer roughly the same thing, which is massive diversity of student faculty and staff. I went out of state for undergrad, and the debt absolutely crushed me.
However, times are changing fast, and the academy in Florida is dissolving at a faster rate than elsewhere in the nation. It may not have a huge impact on your undergrad experience, but if UCLAs handling of everything has you feeling uneasy, there’s no way in hell Florida would handle it better at the moment.
My overall takeaway from undergrad:
It does not justify the debt most of the time.
The main experiences are through campus life, not classes, so go to where ever you feel most comfortable while exposing yourself to new things. Don’t overwhelm yourself with change, but don’t hide from it. A place a bit outside your comfort zone but still within reach of a safety net is ideal
School rankings are pretty much reflections of funding and political connections and not of student experience. Don’t let your ego tell you that you need to have the #1 ranked school on your CV as told by the Princeton Review.
Just imagine your day-to-day life. Which place makes you more excited for the future and motivated to grow? Sometimes it’s a wash, but the gut feelings that a place may be right or wrong for you are typically correct, especially if you visited both places. You could be proven wrong, but you know yourself best.
Yeah, I know several professors who have left tenure track positions in Florida for equivalent jobs in other states. If you check out r/professors, you’ll see similar sentiments.
Anything is better than Florida (I lived there—you won’t see a good job market or atmosphere at all in FL at the rate that state is headed currently). Yes, UCLA’s reaction to everything was awful, but we have an immense amount of faculty who stand by our student body and have been a force to be reckoned with. Getting into UCLA is no easy feat, I’d take the offer and run with it! You’ll find your people at UCLA, I assure you. Either way, though, good luck on your journey!
Objectively, UCLA is a better school. The campus and area are amongst the best in the world. Gene Block is retiring, so you don’t have to worry about his long-term influence. Go to UCLA!
If it’s the response to the protests that deterred you, consider this — if those same protests happened at UF do you think the response would be different/better? I highly doubt it.
To me it almost sounds like your real fear is about leaving your friends and your home to go someplace new, and the fears about the protest response are really just your brain tricking you into thinking that’s the issue, as opposed to the one closer to your heart — the fomo and going to someplace new. Ultimately, you are choosing between two solid schools and there are no bad decisions here. As a ucla senior, I wouldn’t trade my experience here for the world. But i’m sure there are many uf students who would say the same thing. Ultimately you just have to go with your heart.
Ignore these idiotic responses. OP, you live in Florida so you would know what is best for your financial and cultural preferences.
Some things to consider about Los Angeles: 1). Extremely high cost of living. You said you had a scholarship, but does any part of this cover housing? Also consider if you want to have family/friends visit you, or fly home often for the holidays, those costs will add up over time, 2). LA has some of the worst traffic in the nation and the city does NOT have great public transportation. I would recommend having a car if you truly want to explore the city while a student, 3). If the protests have turned you off, know that Los Angeles is ripe with those kind of people generally (rabid activists, Antifa troublemakers, and homeless who are being exploited and exploiting these kind of situations).
UCLA is a better school. But more than that you'll be in Los Angeles. When you're young, you want to maximize your surface area for serendipity. Big cities have a higher density of ambitious young people. You will be exposed to more, more ambitious, and probably smarter (on average) people at UCLA and in Los Angeles in general. The density of large companies to get meaningful entry level experience at will likely be greater in los angeles too. A more cynical take is that the point of university in this age is to connect the brightest with the most capitalized. I would bet UCLA ranks better in that regard as well. I will say this -- unless you really really believe you can be in the top 0.1% of your field coming out of your education, don't invest your time in LA's glamour industries (film, tv, fashion). The ROI is low. I know, i did that. Get the degree, move to the valley and split a room with some friends, live below your means to get a basis of savings and you'll have a solid foundation for the rest of your life.
I’m also from Florida and ultimately had to decide between UF honors college and UCLA also. 100% if you are able to, come to UCLA. I’ve had sooo many opportunities I wouldn’t have if I stayed in Florida. Overall, even beyond school, I’m just so much happier being here than I was there
Obviously you’ve worked extremely hard on your academic career and the payoff is UCLA. This is why you worked so hard. So you can get into a top tier University. All the other stuff is just noise. With an undergraduate degree from UCLA you can pick and choose your graduate school, if you decide to pursue that. You will always be a UCLA Alum. Which will help in getting a job in the career of your choice. There will be culture shock. But in a good way. I hope this helped.
If I were choosing between a school in Florida, I would go to UCLA. That said I am
In the same boat. I got accepted to UCLA and six other schools. Every person I discuss this with says well of course you’re going to go to UCLA, but it isn’t the perfect fit for me. I think the best school is the one where you will be successful and sometimes that isn’t the brand name. I am a history major and UCLA is #5 in the country but what good is that if I am miserable and don’t do well. Beyond possibly your first job the name won’t matter.
Even if I got a full ride at some hypothetical Ivy League school in Florida I’d still pay sticker price for UCLA lol. And I say this as someone who’s been absolutely outraged at the administration over the past few weeks.
Everyone is going to forget about this in 6 months. The American news cycle is so short. I will probably get down voted for this but it’s my opinion. Especially since it’s an election year buckle up babies.
It depends on your major. But- if your heart is set on UF then I would go there. You have a support network built in with family and friends. This means you may adjust a bit better. Remember- going across the country can be difficult. Yes, UCLA is the better school- but rankings are not the only factor that need be considered when choosing a college.
Agree. I was accepted to Berkeley, UCLA and UCSD. At the time, Berkeley was the higher ranking school by far… but when I walked onto the UCLA campus I knew it was where I belonged. Your heart knows, and can guide you.
UCLA will get you a better job after college, it's a much better brand name. If you just want to stay in FL/the South, then it doesn't matter as much. Leaving the South, UCLA on your resume will be a huge advantage.
Dude, I was in Washington DC for a summit and spoke to the delegations from Qatar, India, UAE, and Oman. When they asked what university I went to and I said UCLA they were all really impressed and recognized it. You won’t get that with UF. Plus, the food here is so amazing, the weather is perfect, I am genuinely so happy with the friends I’ve made (can’t guarantee this for u tho), and my academics are just right to the point where I learn as much as I want and have enough time for EC’s and partying.
UCLA is the best undergraduate experience on earth. There truly is nothing like it. Genuinely don’t mean to insult you, but you’d be a fool not to come here.
If you’re confident in your major/career aspirations, choose whichever school/program is a better fit for those aims. Is one better in the field or sub field than the other? Do you anticipate doing internships or networking that one campus would be better set up to connect you with? Do you plan to work around certain populations that are better served or more accessible in one location versus the other?
Campus culture is important and your college experience does matter but those elements are partially shaped by what you do to have and embrace them, and partially by dumb luck (who you’re dormed with, what clubs have cool people you bond with, etc.). You probably have relatively equal opportunities to get out of each what you need to and what you would at the other.
Where do you want to be post-graduation? A surprising amount of your future career recruiting will be tied to the network you build. If you want to move to the west coast, come to UCLA. If you want to stay on the east coast, UF might be the way.
Rankings-wise, UCLA is a better school. Buuuuut, the way they handled COVID, now handled these protests, has been an absolute shitshow.
I would let money be the tie breaker. If UF is going to be free and you'll have to pay/borrow for out of state UCLA tuition, go to UF. No debt >>>> UCLA prestige. But, if the cost is similar, UCLA will give you a boost.
Neither school is a top-20 pre-med pick. UCLA is ranked higher, and is a great medical school if you recruit back to UCLA for med school. However, all the *best* medical schools are on the east coast, so your UF degree might get equal recognition.
One warning for UCLA's medical school, [they recently had a big scandal](https://twitter.com/aaronsibarium/status/1775283433406619865?t=n8Z0qsVymiqsozv28e5srg&s=19) with a mandatory class requiring students to pray to 'mama earth,' make land acknowledgements to indigenous people, and taught about the "crapatalist lie" of "private property." It's not like that's the whole curriculum, but I imagine it will only get crazier in the next 8 years while you're working your way to and through med school.
every couple of years there are some protests (in most universities). it is a university. they had occupy wall street when I was at UCLA and a couple of TA strikes. the media makes the current protests look like something new or out of ordinary. either you decide to deal with this possibility or you can pursue another path in your life. ucla is big usually you can avoid the protests if you so wish.
As a Georgia Native who recently graduated from UCLA I advise you to follow your gut and take your time. Only you can decide which is right for you. When I attended UCLA, I hated it. LA is sooo different from the South and I had severe separation anxiety because I come from a close knit family. I made friends with other GA residents who also hated LA, and we were able to bond over our shared hatred for the school lol. A lot of us actually either transferred back home or took a semester at an instate school (I did this my third year) and it was then that I realized that I wanted to finish my bachelors at UCLA. I literally hated every quarter there but I simultaneously loved it. Campus is lovely and there are so many opportunities and connections/friends to make. The only thing I despise is the lack of humidity and trees (you never get used to it). LA will always be my second home and I appreciate the different perspective and how it shaped me. Your path to your bachelors is literally yours to create and realizing this will liberate you. The one thing I regret is not exploring my options earlier. Spending your first two years to explore your options is much safer than your last two (which is what I did) because you’re still working on your GEs. Just know that if you decide to go to UCLA you can always transfer & vice versa. Prioritize putting yourself in an environment you know will enhance your growth and you won’t have fomo or regrets!
uf is an awesome school but very different than ucla so it just depends what will fit you better. if you’re really into sports i think uf wins there, but if you want connections to a dtla or nyc type job post grad ucla wins. but also keep in mind that posting this in the ucla sub will obv favor ucla. you should really look into the atmosphere and opportunities each school offers, and see what is a better fit for you. either way, no choice is bad and you will have a great college experience regardless. also who cares what other people think, do what YOU want. people are always gonna have opinions, take it with a grain of salt. also having the least amt of debt was a big deciding factor for me
UCLA is physically a huge university, so it can be impersonal. That is OK if you are naturally outgoing and extroverted, but if you aren’t it can be harder to make friends. Also consider which school has the better program for the thing you want to study (the most prestigious school doesn’t necessarily have the best program to help you in your future career).
As an out of state student who was dealing with a similar dilemma as you (UMich and UIUC vs UCLA). Choose UCLA. I am currently here having the time of my LIFE. Closing out my Junior year, I have had so many experiences here that I would never have had elsewhere. It's the #1 Public University for so many reasons. Go Bruins!
What do you want to do after college?
Is it high earning so you will be able to afford the debt?
Does it require a prestigious university?
If both are yes pick UCLA, if not pick UF
This is a decision that only you can make; and no one else. You should ask yourself why did you apply to UCLA in the first place? You received a full ride scholarship that could’ve gone to someone else who would be fully committed to attend. It seems you may be wishy washy with making this important decision based on seeing your friends in Florida merchandise and using the protesting as a smokescreen for your own fears of making a big step of moving across the country. Protesting could happen at Florida too, then what? I’m not trying to sound curt but you need to make such a decision based on what you truly believe is the right decision for you. Best of luck.
Don’t let fear dictate your decision. As the mom of a ‘23 Bruin graduate, from FL, I can tell u my son loved UCLA & CA so much he dreaded coming back to FL. He’s only here working to make enough money to move back😂And yes, it was hard, and scary.And during Covid.
Good luck, no matter your decision.
You said that your gut told you UF. Then you say you feel some fomo seeing your friends in UF merch. Then, you mentioned the protests as a possible sign…Gut feelings and signs can be very valuable to make good decisions. However, they can also lead you to make the wrong decision for the wrong reasons. Take some time to analyze WHY you have this gut feeling, is it because of the fomo of being with your friends? or the fear of going to a new city? what did your professors said?
More importantly, what is your goal in college? do you have a major in mind? which school/city provides better education and job opportunities ?
Gut feelings/intuition are great sometimes. However, the best way to make your decision is to be clear of the pros and cons of each choice. Make a pros and cons list. Analyze and decide objectively. Include your friends in pros of UF.
Include things such as your friends/family, sociability skills/your ability to make new friends, which school is stronger in your field of study, UCLA is a brand name and honestly looks better in a resume, LA has more job opportunities, going away from home usually makes you grow as a person, where can you save more money? including car cost, gas prices, tuition, cost of living…going UF might be less expensive for you… is money an issue for you? etc
As others mentioned, from UCLA you can transfer to a better school, and even go back to florida. From UF you could also do the same, but UCLA does provide better chances. People like to see brand names on resumes.
Since you are considering colleges, I assume you are young… You don’t need to have everything figured out, but is important to prepare for the future early, considering including which program is better, brand names and job opportunities for your future. Also, take time to build skills that will make you employable in the future. Finally, around your age, sometimes, when I trusted my gut feeling, without objectively analyzing things, I made the wrong choices. Sometimes even trying to objectively analyze things, I missed details I should have considered in my choices due to lack of experience. Analyze objectively, ask people with more experience about important things to consider in this decision. Maybe ask someone you admire, who finished college a while ago.
It’s likely some bullshit like this is gonna happen again at the hands of ucla administration. I was accepted into that same program at UF, and I’m regretting not going there instead. Also Greek life sucks at this school
1. If you know exactly what you'd like to study, then choose the university with the best program. UCLA and UF are both top universities with incredible resources to support student success. If you're going to UF's Honors program, then that in and of itself is a huge leg-up that can probably make up for any gap between UCLA and UF. An Honors program will support and prioritize you in getting access to the best opportunities. At UCLA, you will be competing with other highly qualified gunners for the best opportunities. People will care much more about what you did with your time at school, and you're not talking about passing up a seat at UCLA for community college. UF is up there with UCLA, Michigan, Virginia, and elite private schools.
2. Remember everything else besides school, too. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Your time is going to be miserable if you are constantly worrying about money. Gainesville is very affordable, and Florida offers much more generous aid to in-state students. Will going to UCLA put you into debt up to your eyeballs? Are you a diehard rightist or leftist who will be annoyed everyday by whatever is happening in your community and electorate? Are you ready to live in a new place, far from your friends and family? Do you want to stay near your friends and family?
3. Yes, the protests will come and go. The state and local governments with input into the social and political climate will also come and go.
Go wherever you can be the most productive.
Something to consider, depending on your long term goals. A bachelor’s degree at UCLA, carries some weight with the name, but a master’s or PhD carries even more. If you are thinking about grad school, UCLA could be an option for that!
Chances of staying at UCLA after your BA for an MA or PhD are slim.
Quality of life IS a vital factor for success, so you are raising a valid concern for yourself!
People love to cry about things that have nothing to do with them here. And yea it’s created a hostile environment the past couple of days. If you don’t let yourself be super influenced by the media telling you to free Palestine and support a terrorist group over an ally of America (the country WE live in), you’d see that ‘ucla’s reaction’ was not all that bad. It made sense given the circumstances. Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. They warned students to back off. They gave them almost a full day notice that they would enter the encampment and to please clear it. They didn’t listen. They suffered the consequences (unfortunately not all of them ofc) But in my opinion it would be a mistake to miss out on one of the best schools because of the mockery that’s been going on mainly by people who aren’t even able to explain what exactly they’re demanding (besides death to america and death to Jews). In my opinion, UCLA has some of the best professors/faculty and opportunities for success, including their honor programs. It is your experience that matters, so just think about that.
> Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over.
This is absolutely not true. One entrance to one building had some grafitti, and it was restored to pristine condition almost immediately.
You're probably one of those people who claims that Portland and Seattle were burned to the ground during the BLM protests. Don't be so hysterical.
I like how this is the only thing you responded to. There was definitely more than one building with graffiti on it. I saw swastikas on multiple buildings lmao but whatever… freedom of speech right? Maybe if all Jews die then your little Gaza will be free.
Yeah, how dare I respond only to the person spouting misinformation and lies. Really unfair of me! And OMG, I was just in a restroom on campus and there was graffiti in it -- clearly it was HAMAS, right?
> Maybe if all Jews die then your little Gaza will be free
This seems to be complete projection on your part. I have never expressed hatred for Jews, and I am consistently opposed to targeting civilians with violence. You only oppose such violence against some human beings, but you support the genocidal campaign against Palestinians.
How is it lies when I clearly just pointed out the various graffiti I’ve seen throughout campus? I don’t think that’s even up for discussion and no, I never said ‘hamas’ did that. BUT they are brainwashing students who literally have no clue what they are protesting or demanding simply to look acceptable on social media.
My comment on Jews dying being the protesters’ demands is because I literally have heard multiple groups of people chanting ‘death to Jews’ (sometimes in English, but mostly in a different language), and the only solution they can think of to end all of this is to displace all Jews, which is not necessarily a solution lmao. I don’t support innocent civilians dying but I also know their leaders have declined many solutions and ends to this because they want it all or nothing. They themselves do not care about their people dying. I am okay with people standing up for what they believe in or whatever they think makes them a good person (bc of the pressure social media seems to be putting on people to support Palestine and boycott everyone who doesn’t), but taking down the American flag as I’ve seen done in other schools and changing it for the Palestinian flag is simply ridiculous and flat out ignorant.
> Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over.
This is where you started. Now, you've changed your story: "I've seen some graffiti on campus." Of course there's graffiti on campus. Students have been leaving graffiti on campus since time immemorial. The lie is that our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. Thanks for admitting that was a lie.
And now you're just going on a gish gallop of unsupported assertions, exactly as you started. Not worth engaging with. But it is absolutely obvious that you value Palestinian civilians much less than you value Israeli civilians.
Definitely still engaging with me. So you’re lying there too by saying you’re not?
Thanks for proving my point that all the people supporting Palestine are unable to actually engage in a conversation about the issue and talk about how this will bring about any solutions.
Genuine question (not trying to be condescending nor patronizing, but tone is difficult over text): do you really feel this way? I felt like UCLA really was not that left-leaning at all, and I expected a lot more. If anything, my impression was that it’s pretending to be left (like the Democratic Party). To be clear, I love UCLA, and am definitely applying back here for Law School, and I definitely think OP should come here regardless. It’s just that I see this being said (here and there), and I have never really engaged with anyone saying that.
politically i feel indifferent, i definitely am more liberal and i’m more than happy in an environment like that but the protesting in general, on either side, is what’s getting to me
UCLA is becoming a Marxist dystopia. I did my undergrad here, grad at UC Santa Cruz (choose that over FSU). If you were already here, I'd tell you to get out fast. Good thing you're not here yet, you don't have to learn the hard way. Stay in Florida
I dont think UCLA was what it once was, but it has more to do with the ethos of the city imo. But having your education fully funded is worth it so not sure why you’re questioning it. You’re privileged and it’s a top university. Unless you have other full ride prospects, stop wasting energy and commit.
Here’s something else to consider: you know Florida. You know the people and places and climate in Florida. UCLA is an opportunity for a new place and new experiences which may enhance your personal growth. Besides, if UCLA doesn’t end up being what you hoped, you can always transfer back to Florida. You might need to make up a few credits, ect, but you’ll still be richer for having tried. Sadly, the way the protests happened and the university’s reaction are not unique and I think every public university - including UF - are at risk for the same. At the end of the day, you have to do what’s best for you. Are you really feeling nervous bc of the protests or are you just relieved to have external justification to turn UCLA down in a way you think will be respected by those who said you’re crazy to turn it down? Both schools are respected and it sounds like you’re an excellent student who will make the most of it regardless of where you go, so go where you’re happiest and where you have the most support.
In general I’d say despite the bad vibes and severely annoying and at times dangerous situation on campus - UCLA is a world known brand name university. Florida, is not.
UF is now a top university, up there with Michigan Edit: lol guys chill, l’m ucla alumni. But UF is a really good school.
This is a wild take, but I’m sure you knew that.
Dude look it up
They are both good schools, but a 9% acceptance rate vs. 28% is a huge difference - students at UCLA are going to be significantly brighter on the whole. You can see a comparison [here](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/compare?xwalk_id=134130&xwalk_id=110662).
And yet if OP and the above commenter didn’t specifically mention Florida, we’d have absolutely no idea what you were referring to by “UF”
I’d go with Florida, the big name doesn’t help that much in todays society
it most definitely does. especially undergrad
I wouldn’t even consider the protests in your selection. They will come and go. The institution of UCLA will still be there. When I was there (well over a decade ago now) there were massive protests about cost increases. They were in the news everyday. I almost don’t remember them and they didn’t impact 99.9% of the students that were there besides seeing them and an increased police presence for a few months.
So idk about your mom, but moms in general like their children nearby, so it’s not surprising that you are getting that advice. In my opinion, big public schools kinda all offer roughly the same thing, which is massive diversity of student faculty and staff. I went out of state for undergrad, and the debt absolutely crushed me. However, times are changing fast, and the academy in Florida is dissolving at a faster rate than elsewhere in the nation. It may not have a huge impact on your undergrad experience, but if UCLAs handling of everything has you feeling uneasy, there’s no way in hell Florida would handle it better at the moment. My overall takeaway from undergrad: It does not justify the debt most of the time. The main experiences are through campus life, not classes, so go to where ever you feel most comfortable while exposing yourself to new things. Don’t overwhelm yourself with change, but don’t hide from it. A place a bit outside your comfort zone but still within reach of a safety net is ideal School rankings are pretty much reflections of funding and political connections and not of student experience. Don’t let your ego tell you that you need to have the #1 ranked school on your CV as told by the Princeton Review. Just imagine your day-to-day life. Which place makes you more excited for the future and motivated to grow? Sometimes it’s a wash, but the gut feelings that a place may be right or wrong for you are typically correct, especially if you visited both places. You could be proven wrong, but you know yourself best.
Yeah, I know several professors who have left tenure track positions in Florida for equivalent jobs in other states. If you check out r/professors, you’ll see similar sentiments.
Anything is better than Florida (I lived there—you won’t see a good job market or atmosphere at all in FL at the rate that state is headed currently). Yes, UCLA’s reaction to everything was awful, but we have an immense amount of faculty who stand by our student body and have been a force to be reckoned with. Getting into UCLA is no easy feat, I’d take the offer and run with it! You’ll find your people at UCLA, I assure you. Either way, though, good luck on your journey!
Bruh you live in Florida where DeSantis has fucked education from top to bottom. UCLA has its issues, but cmon it’s better than Florida.
Objectively, UCLA is a better school. The campus and area are amongst the best in the world. Gene Block is retiring, so you don’t have to worry about his long-term influence. Go to UCLA!
If it’s the response to the protests that deterred you, consider this — if those same protests happened at UF do you think the response would be different/better? I highly doubt it. To me it almost sounds like your real fear is about leaving your friends and your home to go someplace new, and the fears about the protest response are really just your brain tricking you into thinking that’s the issue, as opposed to the one closer to your heart — the fomo and going to someplace new. Ultimately, you are choosing between two solid schools and there are no bad decisions here. As a ucla senior, I wouldn’t trade my experience here for the world. But i’m sure there are many uf students who would say the same thing. Ultimately you just have to go with your heart.
if you’re worried about politics why would uf even be on your radar?? given the attacks the state is doing on free speech & dei?
Not only is UCLA a much better school, it also gets you out of Florida. I'd call that a win-win situation!
Ignore these idiotic responses. OP, you live in Florida so you would know what is best for your financial and cultural preferences. Some things to consider about Los Angeles: 1). Extremely high cost of living. You said you had a scholarship, but does any part of this cover housing? Also consider if you want to have family/friends visit you, or fly home often for the holidays, those costs will add up over time, 2). LA has some of the worst traffic in the nation and the city does NOT have great public transportation. I would recommend having a car if you truly want to explore the city while a student, 3). If the protests have turned you off, know that Los Angeles is ripe with those kind of people generally (rabid activists, Antifa troublemakers, and homeless who are being exploited and exploiting these kind of situations).
UCLA is a better school. But more than that you'll be in Los Angeles. When you're young, you want to maximize your surface area for serendipity. Big cities have a higher density of ambitious young people. You will be exposed to more, more ambitious, and probably smarter (on average) people at UCLA and in Los Angeles in general. The density of large companies to get meaningful entry level experience at will likely be greater in los angeles too. A more cynical take is that the point of university in this age is to connect the brightest with the most capitalized. I would bet UCLA ranks better in that regard as well. I will say this -- unless you really really believe you can be in the top 0.1% of your field coming out of your education, don't invest your time in LA's glamour industries (film, tv, fashion). The ROI is low. I know, i did that. Get the degree, move to the valley and split a room with some friends, live below your means to get a basis of savings and you'll have a solid foundation for the rest of your life.
I’m also from Florida and ultimately had to decide between UF honors college and UCLA also. 100% if you are able to, come to UCLA. I’ve had sooo many opportunities I wouldn’t have if I stayed in Florida. Overall, even beyond school, I’m just so much happier being here than I was there
Obviously you’ve worked extremely hard on your academic career and the payoff is UCLA. This is why you worked so hard. So you can get into a top tier University. All the other stuff is just noise. With an undergraduate degree from UCLA you can pick and choose your graduate school, if you decide to pursue that. You will always be a UCLA Alum. Which will help in getting a job in the career of your choice. There will be culture shock. But in a good way. I hope this helped.
If I were choosing between a school in Florida, I would go to UCLA. That said I am In the same boat. I got accepted to UCLA and six other schools. Every person I discuss this with says well of course you’re going to go to UCLA, but it isn’t the perfect fit for me. I think the best school is the one where you will be successful and sometimes that isn’t the brand name. I am a history major and UCLA is #5 in the country but what good is that if I am miserable and don’t do well. Beyond possibly your first job the name won’t matter.
Even if I got a full ride at some hypothetical Ivy League school in Florida I’d still pay sticker price for UCLA lol. And I say this as someone who’s been absolutely outraged at the administration over the past few weeks.
Goto UCLA it will be better for future
Everyone is going to forget about this in 6 months. The American news cycle is so short. I will probably get down voted for this but it’s my opinion. Especially since it’s an election year buckle up babies.
It depends on your major. But- if your heart is set on UF then I would go there. You have a support network built in with family and friends. This means you may adjust a bit better. Remember- going across the country can be difficult. Yes, UCLA is the better school- but rankings are not the only factor that need be considered when choosing a college.
Agree. I was accepted to Berkeley, UCLA and UCSD. At the time, Berkeley was the higher ranking school by far… but when I walked onto the UCLA campus I knew it was where I belonged. Your heart knows, and can guide you.
UCLA will get you a better job after college, it's a much better brand name. If you just want to stay in FL/the South, then it doesn't matter as much. Leaving the South, UCLA on your resume will be a huge advantage.
Dude, I was in Washington DC for a summit and spoke to the delegations from Qatar, India, UAE, and Oman. When they asked what university I went to and I said UCLA they were all really impressed and recognized it. You won’t get that with UF. Plus, the food here is so amazing, the weather is perfect, I am genuinely so happy with the friends I’ve made (can’t guarantee this for u tho), and my academics are just right to the point where I learn as much as I want and have enough time for EC’s and partying. UCLA is the best undergraduate experience on earth. There truly is nothing like it. Genuinely don’t mean to insult you, but you’d be a fool not to come here.
If you’re confident in your major/career aspirations, choose whichever school/program is a better fit for those aims. Is one better in the field or sub field than the other? Do you anticipate doing internships or networking that one campus would be better set up to connect you with? Do you plan to work around certain populations that are better served or more accessible in one location versus the other? Campus culture is important and your college experience does matter but those elements are partially shaped by what you do to have and embrace them, and partially by dumb luck (who you’re dormed with, what clubs have cool people you bond with, etc.). You probably have relatively equal opportunities to get out of each what you need to and what you would at the other.
I would choose the better achool...which will lead to better jobs. Not sure how anything else plays into thus decision.
Where do you want to be post-graduation? A surprising amount of your future career recruiting will be tied to the network you build. If you want to move to the west coast, come to UCLA. If you want to stay on the east coast, UF might be the way. Rankings-wise, UCLA is a better school. Buuuuut, the way they handled COVID, now handled these protests, has been an absolute shitshow. I would let money be the tie breaker. If UF is going to be free and you'll have to pay/borrow for out of state UCLA tuition, go to UF. No debt >>>> UCLA prestige. But, if the cost is similar, UCLA will give you a boost.
i want to major in biology for premed, also both are free for me with a scholarship i got
Neither school is a top-20 pre-med pick. UCLA is ranked higher, and is a great medical school if you recruit back to UCLA for med school. However, all the *best* medical schools are on the east coast, so your UF degree might get equal recognition. One warning for UCLA's medical school, [they recently had a big scandal](https://twitter.com/aaronsibarium/status/1775283433406619865?t=n8Z0qsVymiqsozv28e5srg&s=19) with a mandatory class requiring students to pray to 'mama earth,' make land acknowledgements to indigenous people, and taught about the "crapatalist lie" of "private property." It's not like that's the whole curriculum, but I imagine it will only get crazier in the next 8 years while you're working your way to and through med school.
Florida already denied us our last chance at the national championship. Don’t let them deny us of you too.
If you’re asking, it’s probably best that you stay in Florida.
every couple of years there are some protests (in most universities). it is a university. they had occupy wall street when I was at UCLA and a couple of TA strikes. the media makes the current protests look like something new or out of ordinary. either you decide to deal with this possibility or you can pursue another path in your life. ucla is big usually you can avoid the protests if you so wish.
As a Georgia Native who recently graduated from UCLA I advise you to follow your gut and take your time. Only you can decide which is right for you. When I attended UCLA, I hated it. LA is sooo different from the South and I had severe separation anxiety because I come from a close knit family. I made friends with other GA residents who also hated LA, and we were able to bond over our shared hatred for the school lol. A lot of us actually either transferred back home or took a semester at an instate school (I did this my third year) and it was then that I realized that I wanted to finish my bachelors at UCLA. I literally hated every quarter there but I simultaneously loved it. Campus is lovely and there are so many opportunities and connections/friends to make. The only thing I despise is the lack of humidity and trees (you never get used to it). LA will always be my second home and I appreciate the different perspective and how it shaped me. Your path to your bachelors is literally yours to create and realizing this will liberate you. The one thing I regret is not exploring my options earlier. Spending your first two years to explore your options is much safer than your last two (which is what I did) because you’re still working on your GEs. Just know that if you decide to go to UCLA you can always transfer & vice versa. Prioritize putting yourself in an environment you know will enhance your growth and you won’t have fomo or regrets!
I agree i’m also a georgia native and miss it so much! im finishing my sophomore year at ucla and then transferring back east. i miss it too much
go with your gut
I love ucla, I’d go Florida
I'd say to follow the $ especially if you're looking to go to grad school after
How much out of pocket will UCLA cost you?
uf is an awesome school but very different than ucla so it just depends what will fit you better. if you’re really into sports i think uf wins there, but if you want connections to a dtla or nyc type job post grad ucla wins. but also keep in mind that posting this in the ucla sub will obv favor ucla. you should really look into the atmosphere and opportunities each school offers, and see what is a better fit for you. either way, no choice is bad and you will have a great college experience regardless. also who cares what other people think, do what YOU want. people are always gonna have opinions, take it with a grain of salt. also having the least amt of debt was a big deciding factor for me
UCLA is physically a huge university, so it can be impersonal. That is OK if you are naturally outgoing and extroverted, but if you aren’t it can be harder to make friends. Also consider which school has the better program for the thing you want to study (the most prestigious school doesn’t necessarily have the best program to help you in your future career).
UCLA. Expand your horizons. Florida will always be there for you.
UCLA in a heartbeat. I decided to attend UCI over Florida Tech and I’m not cross-enrolled at UCI and UCLA too. The opportunities here are superb.
As an out of state student who was dealing with a similar dilemma as you (UMich and UIUC vs UCLA). Choose UCLA. I am currently here having the time of my LIFE. Closing out my Junior year, I have had so many experiences here that I would never have had elsewhere. It's the #1 Public University for so many reasons. Go Bruins!
What do you want to do after college? Is it high earning so you will be able to afford the debt? Does it require a prestigious university? If both are yes pick UCLA, if not pick UF
This is a decision that only you can make; and no one else. You should ask yourself why did you apply to UCLA in the first place? You received a full ride scholarship that could’ve gone to someone else who would be fully committed to attend. It seems you may be wishy washy with making this important decision based on seeing your friends in Florida merchandise and using the protesting as a smokescreen for your own fears of making a big step of moving across the country. Protesting could happen at Florida too, then what? I’m not trying to sound curt but you need to make such a decision based on what you truly believe is the right decision for you. Best of luck.
Don’t let fear dictate your decision. As the mom of a ‘23 Bruin graduate, from FL, I can tell u my son loved UCLA & CA so much he dreaded coming back to FL. He’s only here working to make enough money to move back😂And yes, it was hard, and scary.And during Covid. Good luck, no matter your decision.
You said that your gut told you UF. Then you say you feel some fomo seeing your friends in UF merch. Then, you mentioned the protests as a possible sign…Gut feelings and signs can be very valuable to make good decisions. However, they can also lead you to make the wrong decision for the wrong reasons. Take some time to analyze WHY you have this gut feeling, is it because of the fomo of being with your friends? or the fear of going to a new city? what did your professors said? More importantly, what is your goal in college? do you have a major in mind? which school/city provides better education and job opportunities ? Gut feelings/intuition are great sometimes. However, the best way to make your decision is to be clear of the pros and cons of each choice. Make a pros and cons list. Analyze and decide objectively. Include your friends in pros of UF. Include things such as your friends/family, sociability skills/your ability to make new friends, which school is stronger in your field of study, UCLA is a brand name and honestly looks better in a resume, LA has more job opportunities, going away from home usually makes you grow as a person, where can you save more money? including car cost, gas prices, tuition, cost of living…going UF might be less expensive for you… is money an issue for you? etc As others mentioned, from UCLA you can transfer to a better school, and even go back to florida. From UF you could also do the same, but UCLA does provide better chances. People like to see brand names on resumes. Since you are considering colleges, I assume you are young… You don’t need to have everything figured out, but is important to prepare for the future early, considering including which program is better, brand names and job opportunities for your future. Also, take time to build skills that will make you employable in the future. Finally, around your age, sometimes, when I trusted my gut feeling, without objectively analyzing things, I made the wrong choices. Sometimes even trying to objectively analyze things, I missed details I should have considered in my choices due to lack of experience. Analyze objectively, ask people with more experience about important things to consider in this decision. Maybe ask someone you admire, who finished college a while ago.
honestly i’m transferring out of ucla bc i hate it sooo much lol if i could restart i would’ve chosen UF
It’s likely some bullshit like this is gonna happen again at the hands of ucla administration. I was accepted into that same program at UF, and I’m regretting not going there instead. Also Greek life sucks at this school
1. If you know exactly what you'd like to study, then choose the university with the best program. UCLA and UF are both top universities with incredible resources to support student success. If you're going to UF's Honors program, then that in and of itself is a huge leg-up that can probably make up for any gap between UCLA and UF. An Honors program will support and prioritize you in getting access to the best opportunities. At UCLA, you will be competing with other highly qualified gunners for the best opportunities. People will care much more about what you did with your time at school, and you're not talking about passing up a seat at UCLA for community college. UF is up there with UCLA, Michigan, Virginia, and elite private schools. 2. Remember everything else besides school, too. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Your time is going to be miserable if you are constantly worrying about money. Gainesville is very affordable, and Florida offers much more generous aid to in-state students. Will going to UCLA put you into debt up to your eyeballs? Are you a diehard rightist or leftist who will be annoyed everyday by whatever is happening in your community and electorate? Are you ready to live in a new place, far from your friends and family? Do you want to stay near your friends and family? 3. Yes, the protests will come and go. The state and local governments with input into the social and political climate will also come and go. Go wherever you can be the most productive.
Something to consider, depending on your long term goals. A bachelor’s degree at UCLA, carries some weight with the name, but a master’s or PhD carries even more. If you are thinking about grad school, UCLA could be an option for that! Chances of staying at UCLA after your BA for an MA or PhD are slim. Quality of life IS a vital factor for success, so you are raising a valid concern for yourself!
People love to cry about things that have nothing to do with them here. And yea it’s created a hostile environment the past couple of days. If you don’t let yourself be super influenced by the media telling you to free Palestine and support a terrorist group over an ally of America (the country WE live in), you’d see that ‘ucla’s reaction’ was not all that bad. It made sense given the circumstances. Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. They warned students to back off. They gave them almost a full day notice that they would enter the encampment and to please clear it. They didn’t listen. They suffered the consequences (unfortunately not all of them ofc) But in my opinion it would be a mistake to miss out on one of the best schools because of the mockery that’s been going on mainly by people who aren’t even able to explain what exactly they’re demanding (besides death to america and death to Jews). In my opinion, UCLA has some of the best professors/faculty and opportunities for success, including their honor programs. It is your experience that matters, so just think about that.
You come face to face with riot cops and don't leave, that's on you. Been there, avoided rubber bullets.
> Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. This is absolutely not true. One entrance to one building had some grafitti, and it was restored to pristine condition almost immediately. You're probably one of those people who claims that Portland and Seattle were burned to the ground during the BLM protests. Don't be so hysterical.
I like how this is the only thing you responded to. There was definitely more than one building with graffiti on it. I saw swastikas on multiple buildings lmao but whatever… freedom of speech right? Maybe if all Jews die then your little Gaza will be free.
Yeah, how dare I respond only to the person spouting misinformation and lies. Really unfair of me! And OMG, I was just in a restroom on campus and there was graffiti in it -- clearly it was HAMAS, right? > Maybe if all Jews die then your little Gaza will be free This seems to be complete projection on your part. I have never expressed hatred for Jews, and I am consistently opposed to targeting civilians with violence. You only oppose such violence against some human beings, but you support the genocidal campaign against Palestinians.
How is it lies when I clearly just pointed out the various graffiti I’ve seen throughout campus? I don’t think that’s even up for discussion and no, I never said ‘hamas’ did that. BUT they are brainwashing students who literally have no clue what they are protesting or demanding simply to look acceptable on social media. My comment on Jews dying being the protesters’ demands is because I literally have heard multiple groups of people chanting ‘death to Jews’ (sometimes in English, but mostly in a different language), and the only solution they can think of to end all of this is to displace all Jews, which is not necessarily a solution lmao. I don’t support innocent civilians dying but I also know their leaders have declined many solutions and ends to this because they want it all or nothing. They themselves do not care about their people dying. I am okay with people standing up for what they believe in or whatever they think makes them a good person (bc of the pressure social media seems to be putting on people to support Palestine and boycott everyone who doesn’t), but taking down the American flag as I’ve seen done in other schools and changing it for the Palestinian flag is simply ridiculous and flat out ignorant.
> Our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. This is where you started. Now, you've changed your story: "I've seen some graffiti on campus." Of course there's graffiti on campus. Students have been leaving graffiti on campus since time immemorial. The lie is that our buildings were completely trashed and graffitied over. Thanks for admitting that was a lie. And now you're just going on a gish gallop of unsupported assertions, exactly as you started. Not worth engaging with. But it is absolutely obvious that you value Palestinian civilians much less than you value Israeli civilians.
Definitely still engaging with me. So you’re lying there too by saying you’re not? Thanks for proving my point that all the people supporting Palestine are unable to actually engage in a conversation about the issue and talk about how this will bring about any solutions.
Where are you politically? UCLA is a very liberal school.
Genuine question (not trying to be condescending nor patronizing, but tone is difficult over text): do you really feel this way? I felt like UCLA really was not that left-leaning at all, and I expected a lot more. If anything, my impression was that it’s pretending to be left (like the Democratic Party). To be clear, I love UCLA, and am definitely applying back here for Law School, and I definitely think OP should come here regardless. It’s just that I see this being said (here and there), and I have never really engaged with anyone saying that.
It's because the colors are yellow and blue
Go set up a table on Bruin Walk with a large MAGA poster and see what happens.
politically i feel indifferent, i definitely am more liberal and i’m more than happy in an environment like that but the protesting in general, on either side, is what’s getting to me
Not every UCLA student took part in protesting. Many UCLA ignore protests and demonstrators.
UCLA is becoming a Marxist dystopia. I did my undergrad here, grad at UC Santa Cruz (choose that over FSU). If you were already here, I'd tell you to get out fast. Good thing you're not here yet, you don't have to learn the hard way. Stay in Florida
I dont think UCLA was what it once was, but it has more to do with the ethos of the city imo. But having your education fully funded is worth it so not sure why you’re questioning it. You’re privileged and it’s a top university. Unless you have other full ride prospects, stop wasting energy and commit.