Hello fellow ILC students,
My name is Adriana Ramirez, and I graduated from Richmond High School in 2009. I am now currently a junior at UCLA studying psychology and political science.
I am very thankful for all the opportunities that the Ivy League Connection has provided for me and many more students, and thus the program is very deserving of the award.
I just finished my 7th quarter at UCLA and I can give some pieces of advice I didn't get from other people but had to learn on my own. College is VERY different than High School, looking back at my High School years I can say that not much effort had to be put into my work to get good grades, and now in college I feel like I have to give more effort than ever. Reading hundreds of pages a week, and keeping up with papers, homework, work and social life is very difficult. There are many decisions to be made and in College no one is there to tell you what decisions are best and which aren't, you're on your own.
This past quarter was one of my hardest quarters, I decided to take more work than I could handle. I work part-time at school, 20 hours a week, I am part of a student organization, did community service, and took 3 of the most difficult classes in both of my majors. I ended up having to drop a class to focus on my other two classes, had a family emergency the day before my midterms and ended up failing both of my midterms. I cried a lot after seeing I was failing but what got me through was knowing that I have worked so hard all my life to be where I am, I couldn't give up so easily, and I hope that none of you are ever in this type of situation, but if you are, you should know that it's okay to not be perfect but rising from your failures is what matters the most. I had to work ten times harder than ever to raise those F's... and I did it. I passed my two classes and I am still maintaining above a 3.0 GPA.
In high school I was a 4.3 GPA student and it was heart aching to see myself failing, but you know things happen and we have to pull through. So my piece of advice for anyone who is college bound is, take a work load that works for you, do not over work yourself. We tend to believe we can do everything but we are human and we make mistakes, but what counts is what you do to rise from your falls.
This quarter what I've learned the most is to grow up, and suck it up if I am ever in an unpleasant predicament. College is not just about studying but also about growing up, no one will be there to baby you, cook for you, take care of you, you have to do this on your own and keep up with your responsibilities.. and that's something I thought I had already learned but I really experienced it this past quarter. I am glad that ILC gives students a taste of the college lifestyle in its summer programs, because it does get your ready for what living far away from home and taking care of yourself is like, If I had not experienced that early on I don't think I would have succeeded this past quarter.
Final advice: Keep your head up when the going is tough, and don't ever give up, things do work out.
P.S. sorry that my response is more of a depressing one but I feel like it's a side of college that I feel is important to share... It's not always perfect but it's also not terrible, its a process of learning not just academic but also personal learning.
Sincerely,
Adriana Ramirez
adrianaramirez@ucla.edu
Showing posts with label UCLA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UCLA. Show all posts
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Michelle Saechao
After finishing my first quarter at UCLA, the first word that comes to mind is relief. I'm so relieved that I've survived the most intense 10 weeks where I was incredibly busy getting lost on campus, reading hundreds of pages for my classes (procrastinating the readings a little too), making new friends and adjusting to being away from home. One thing that I'm sure just about everyone starting college would say is important is time management. To be a good student, and person in general, you have to be able to balance academics, clubs and other school affairs and your social life-- and you need a social life to maintain your sanity.
Something I'm happy to have done this quarter is arrange an appointment with an academic counselor. Together we decided which classes would be best for me to take in the upcoming quarter, figure out which classes I've taken at Contra Costa College that qualify as a General Education--or GE--requirement, and discuss my potential major. As of now, I'm considering double majoring in International Development Studies and Economics. Because I attended Middle College High School, most of my GEs are already completed, so taking just three classes each quarter without counting summers, I can still graduate in four years. Without the direction and motivating words from my counselor, I don't think I would be as confident as I am to continue with my UCLA education.
Even though I go to a university where large classes with notable professors comes are common, I've been blessed to have very caring, humble professors who regularly invited students to office hours. Like Brandon said, it's possible to make a big school feel small, you just have to be assertive. And having family, friends, and community members, like those from the ILC, behind you is a big motivator.
No matter what the school, you can't expect to just automatically belong. You have to work at it by networking, persisting and being involved. However, UCLA is a pretty cool place to do those things.
Best,
Michelle Saechao
GO BRUINS!
Something I'm happy to have done this quarter is arrange an appointment with an academic counselor. Together we decided which classes would be best for me to take in the upcoming quarter, figure out which classes I've taken at Contra Costa College that qualify as a General Education--or GE--requirement, and discuss my potential major. As of now, I'm considering double majoring in International Development Studies and Economics. Because I attended Middle College High School, most of my GEs are already completed, so taking just three classes each quarter without counting summers, I can still graduate in four years. Without the direction and motivating words from my counselor, I don't think I would be as confident as I am to continue with my UCLA education.
Even though I go to a university where large classes with notable professors comes are common, I've been blessed to have very caring, humble professors who regularly invited students to office hours. Like Brandon said, it's possible to make a big school feel small, you just have to be assertive. And having family, friends, and community members, like those from the ILC, behind you is a big motivator.
No matter what the school, you can't expect to just automatically belong. You have to work at it by networking, persisting and being involved. However, UCLA is a pretty cool place to do those things.
Best,
Michelle Saechao
GO BRUINS!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Courtney Mariano
Hello all,
Since I have just finished my first year of college, I’d like to share my experience and advice with everyone, especially the upcoming freshmen. First, take advantage of all the programs your school provides, like tutoring or academic advisors. No matter what class you’re taking, if there is tutoring offered for it, I would suggest signing up since extra practice or teaching doesn’t hurt and you can drop the session if you really feel it is not a good use of your time. And as a freshman, thinking about majors and future schooling may seem so confusing. So look into setting up a meeting with an academic advisor at the school to talk about your interests and class planning. And if you already know what you want to do in the future, perhaps joining a professional fraternity for law or business will help.
Adjusting to college academically may be tough for some. When choosing classes, I just advise that you do all of your research. Look at class times, and see if you like to take classes in the morning or afternoon and if you don’t mind big gaps in between classes or if you would rather have back to back classes. If there are rate my professor type of websites for your school, you may want to take a look at those just to see what to expect (although you should not believe everything that is written). Also take into account final schedules to avoid back to back finals, unless you feel you can handle them. I met a few people that definitely struggled during their first year. So, although a lot of people will advise this, learn how to balance your social and academic life. There will be times when you would rather go out with friends than study for a midterm, but just be wise in your choices. You will get the hang of it and will know when to hit the books and when to have fun.
In the beginning, you definitely want to explore all your options and try to get involved. I personally wish I got more involved towards the beginning of the school year because once I joined a group, I began meeting a bunch of different students other than freshmen. This is a great way to meet others with the same interests. So try to go to that activities fair that the school should hold during the first week of school and take advantage to talk to members of each group you are interested in. And once you realize what groups you like, get involved to get the most of your experience and make the most of the time you’re spending.
Living with others might seem terrifying, but definitely go into it with a positive attitude. I did this, and luckily it worked out for me and my roommates are some of the closest friends I have. You may not become best friends with your roommates, but just try to make the best of your living situation since you’ll have to stick with it for a year. Also, don’t be shy when addressing any problems you may have. Big or small, I learned that it is easier to resolve issues in the beginning. I advise that you all try to get close to your floormates as soon as possible. These are the people that you will probably see the most, and they may be able to give you advice about classes, majors, or groups to join and they can be there just for random conversations.
Best of luck to all of you, and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about UCLA or college in general!
Courtney Mariano
Since I have just finished my first year of college, I’d like to share my experience and advice with everyone, especially the upcoming freshmen. First, take advantage of all the programs your school provides, like tutoring or academic advisors. No matter what class you’re taking, if there is tutoring offered for it, I would suggest signing up since extra practice or teaching doesn’t hurt and you can drop the session if you really feel it is not a good use of your time. And as a freshman, thinking about majors and future schooling may seem so confusing. So look into setting up a meeting with an academic advisor at the school to talk about your interests and class planning. And if you already know what you want to do in the future, perhaps joining a professional fraternity for law or business will help.
Adjusting to college academically may be tough for some. When choosing classes, I just advise that you do all of your research. Look at class times, and see if you like to take classes in the morning or afternoon and if you don’t mind big gaps in between classes or if you would rather have back to back classes. If there are rate my professor type of websites for your school, you may want to take a look at those just to see what to expect (although you should not believe everything that is written). Also take into account final schedules to avoid back to back finals, unless you feel you can handle them. I met a few people that definitely struggled during their first year. So, although a lot of people will advise this, learn how to balance your social and academic life. There will be times when you would rather go out with friends than study for a midterm, but just be wise in your choices. You will get the hang of it and will know when to hit the books and when to have fun.
In the beginning, you definitely want to explore all your options and try to get involved. I personally wish I got more involved towards the beginning of the school year because once I joined a group, I began meeting a bunch of different students other than freshmen. This is a great way to meet others with the same interests. So try to go to that activities fair that the school should hold during the first week of school and take advantage to talk to members of each group you are interested in. And once you realize what groups you like, get involved to get the most of your experience and make the most of the time you’re spending.
Living with others might seem terrifying, but definitely go into it with a positive attitude. I did this, and luckily it worked out for me and my roommates are some of the closest friends I have. You may not become best friends with your roommates, but just try to make the best of your living situation since you’ll have to stick with it for a year. Also, don’t be shy when addressing any problems you may have. Big or small, I learned that it is easier to resolve issues in the beginning. I advise that you all try to get close to your floormates as soon as possible. These are the people that you will probably see the most, and they may be able to give you advice about classes, majors, or groups to join and they can be there just for random conversations.
Best of luck to all of you, and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about UCLA or college in general!
Courtney Mariano
Justine Betschart
Hello Ivy Leaguers!
I hope you all are enjoying your summer and gearing up for another year of high school or your first year of college. For you rising college freshmen, I hope to provide you with some insight into what to expect in the fall.
First off, your living arrangements will likely provide you with your social circle. I highly suggest that every freshmen lives in a hall their first year. Communal bathrooms can be awkward, but the social factor is worth it. I didn't live in a hall style dorm my first year and regret it in that a bulk of my floor had little interest in socializing. So aim for a hall!
Also, if your living situation is substandard, clubs and student organizations are the next best thing. Everyone enters college concerned if they will find people similar to themselves, and clubs provide the gateway to those people. So put yourself out there! You will be very happy that you did.
Freshmen year is a learning experience, and it is really difficult to prepare for. However, keep an open mind as you will meet a wide variety of people. Put yourself out there in order to meet new people. Lastly, soak in every moment because it flies by. However much fun you have, be sure to find that balance between academics and your social life. If one outweighs the other, your freshmen year may not be memorable.
Good Luck!
Justine Betschart
UCLA '14
I hope you all are enjoying your summer and gearing up for another year of high school or your first year of college. For you rising college freshmen, I hope to provide you with some insight into what to expect in the fall.
First off, your living arrangements will likely provide you with your social circle. I highly suggest that every freshmen lives in a hall their first year. Communal bathrooms can be awkward, but the social factor is worth it. I didn't live in a hall style dorm my first year and regret it in that a bulk of my floor had little interest in socializing. So aim for a hall!
Also, if your living situation is substandard, clubs and student organizations are the next best thing. Everyone enters college concerned if they will find people similar to themselves, and clubs provide the gateway to those people. So put yourself out there! You will be very happy that you did.
Freshmen year is a learning experience, and it is really difficult to prepare for. However, keep an open mind as you will meet a wide variety of people. Put yourself out there in order to meet new people. Lastly, soak in every moment because it flies by. However much fun you have, be sure to find that balance between academics and your social life. If one outweighs the other, your freshmen year may not be memorable.
Good Luck!
Justine Betschart
UCLA '14
Gabe Sanchez Speaks
Dear Mr. Ramsey,
My first year at UCLA has been one of tremendous growth and adjustment. Never have I ever been put under such an uncomfortable position with only one available response -to adapt to the environment. The best I share to all incoming first years is to be open to everything - people, organizations, events, etc., everything. Upon entering college, I had a set vision of what I wanted my first year experience to look like. Looking back, most of what I expected was far from reality, but my experiences thus far are beyond extraordinary.
I believe that every aspect, from academics to living with my roommates, has been a challenge that has shaped me into a stronger person. In terms of housing, I recommend all students to have an open mind about their new roommates, since they may have a personality and living habits opposite of what you expected. In regards to living conditions, I was really put to the test. I had a roommate who was completely different from anyone I had ever hung out with in high school - let alone, live with. One of my roommates had a type of personality different from the friends, family, and acquaintances that surrounded me back home. He was very messy, away from the dorm almost every weekend, and sometimes used some of my stuff without permission. Along with that, his interests and hobbies differed far from mine. Although these differences were a problem to our relationship at first, I became comfortable with some circumstances and addressed to him the other concerns. After pushing aside these problems, I got to know my roommate and now consider him as a good friend who has helped me through some of my hard times during my first year. I recommend that everyone have the same mentality when it comes to making friends, no matter how different one is from oneself. One of the greatest things about college is the multitude of diversity it hosts. Take advantage of every single bit of it. I feel like most of the learning I remember and now hold dear to my heart is from the experiences I have had with other people outside of class.
In regards to academics, I strongly urge all students to pursue what they want to do in life, and not what their parents or anyone else wants them to do. If you have no idea what you want to do in the future, use your first year to take classes that interest you. Many of the people I have met in college have no clue what they want to do after college, but pursue a major that interests them in hopes to spark their aspirations. Pursuing something for the sole interest of another person will only make your college experience a lot tougher. I had heard several stories of students coming in as Pre-Med or Pre-Law because of their parents only approve of a major that leads toward a pre-professional degree. Most - if not all - of those friends have switched majors because of bad grades or continue to struggle in such classes. College will be even more of a challenge for you students if you decide to force a choice of major upon yourselves, just like anything forced upon you. Take your time, keep an open mind, and do what you find most interesting in your four years. Aside from that, I encourage everyone to seek all help possible. There's tutoring, academic counseling, and a career center that will help make your four years easier. During my first year, I've sought academic counseling from the school's Academic Advancement Program (AAP), the campus' Pilipino club's retention project, Samahang Pilipino Education And Retention (SPEAR), and the Career Center. The AAP has also provided tutoring services specifically for students that come from high schools like ours.
Now, the biggest adjustment I faced was the distance from home. Going to UCLA, I had never imagined getting homesick, being that I'm only about 400 miles away and I've been to LA so many times throughout my life, but homesickness did hit me - very hard, in fact. There was a point where I felt distant from everyone whom I met in college; I felt that my lifestyle back home was far too different than the rest for me to get along with anyone. But that's the beauty of college; you're put in an uncomfortable position to grow and flourish. In this past year alone, I felt that I have experienced tremendous personal growth, and I thank all the unique people whom I've encountered. I''ve spent a lot of time with groups of people whom I never imagined befriending or even talking to. I've beome highly invested in the projects of the Samahang Pilipino and the campus politics of UCLA. During my winter quarter, I was an intern for Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, a project that provides academic counseling and tutoring to students who attend disadvantaged high schools in LA with high Pilipino representation.This next year I will serve as a meber of the project's Administrative team, specifically as the Parent Investment Coordinator, whose job is to organize parents into becoming more invested in their children's educational journey towards higher education. In the Spring Quarter, I was a campaign manager for the Student's First slate, an experience that helped me to understand campus politics and fostered desire to take responsibility to protect not only my access to higher education, but the access to those less privileged than I am. Next year, I will work in the school's External Vice President's Office, specifically as a member of the State Affairs Committee, where I will educate myself about pressing issues concerning the UC as well as inform and organize the rest of the campus in order make our voice heard.
Coming into UCLA, I never pictured myself being in these spaces. But with an open mind, I slowly began to see these places as my niche in college. I encourage all first years to do the same, and to jump to whatever opportunities lie before them. Like anything in life, your college experience is what you make of it. And since you're here for four years (and paying a whole lot money), you might as well make the best of it! So to everyone attending college next year, congratulations on your acceptance, and good luck!
Yours truly,
Gabriel Augusto Jomdos Sanchez
My first year at UCLA has been one of tremendous growth and adjustment. Never have I ever been put under such an uncomfortable position with only one available response -to adapt to the environment. The best I share to all incoming first years is to be open to everything - people, organizations, events, etc., everything. Upon entering college, I had a set vision of what I wanted my first year experience to look like. Looking back, most of what I expected was far from reality, but my experiences thus far are beyond extraordinary.
I believe that every aspect, from academics to living with my roommates, has been a challenge that has shaped me into a stronger person. In terms of housing, I recommend all students to have an open mind about their new roommates, since they may have a personality and living habits opposite of what you expected. In regards to living conditions, I was really put to the test. I had a roommate who was completely different from anyone I had ever hung out with in high school - let alone, live with. One of my roommates had a type of personality different from the friends, family, and acquaintances that surrounded me back home. He was very messy, away from the dorm almost every weekend, and sometimes used some of my stuff without permission. Along with that, his interests and hobbies differed far from mine. Although these differences were a problem to our relationship at first, I became comfortable with some circumstances and addressed to him the other concerns. After pushing aside these problems, I got to know my roommate and now consider him as a good friend who has helped me through some of my hard times during my first year. I recommend that everyone have the same mentality when it comes to making friends, no matter how different one is from oneself. One of the greatest things about college is the multitude of diversity it hosts. Take advantage of every single bit of it. I feel like most of the learning I remember and now hold dear to my heart is from the experiences I have had with other people outside of class.
In regards to academics, I strongly urge all students to pursue what they want to do in life, and not what their parents or anyone else wants them to do. If you have no idea what you want to do in the future, use your first year to take classes that interest you. Many of the people I have met in college have no clue what they want to do after college, but pursue a major that interests them in hopes to spark their aspirations. Pursuing something for the sole interest of another person will only make your college experience a lot tougher. I had heard several stories of students coming in as Pre-Med or Pre-Law because of their parents only approve of a major that leads toward a pre-professional degree. Most - if not all - of those friends have switched majors because of bad grades or continue to struggle in such classes. College will be even more of a challenge for you students if you decide to force a choice of major upon yourselves, just like anything forced upon you. Take your time, keep an open mind, and do what you find most interesting in your four years. Aside from that, I encourage everyone to seek all help possible. There's tutoring, academic counseling, and a career center that will help make your four years easier. During my first year, I've sought academic counseling from the school's Academic Advancement Program (AAP), the campus' Pilipino club's retention project, Samahang Pilipino Education And Retention (SPEAR), and the Career Center. The AAP has also provided tutoring services specifically for students that come from high schools like ours.
Now, the biggest adjustment I faced was the distance from home. Going to UCLA, I had never imagined getting homesick, being that I'm only about 400 miles away and I've been to LA so many times throughout my life, but homesickness did hit me - very hard, in fact. There was a point where I felt distant from everyone whom I met in college; I felt that my lifestyle back home was far too different than the rest for me to get along with anyone. But that's the beauty of college; you're put in an uncomfortable position to grow and flourish. In this past year alone, I felt that I have experienced tremendous personal growth, and I thank all the unique people whom I've encountered. I''ve spent a lot of time with groups of people whom I never imagined befriending or even talking to. I've beome highly invested in the projects of the Samahang Pilipino and the campus politics of UCLA. During my winter quarter, I was an intern for Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, a project that provides academic counseling and tutoring to students who attend disadvantaged high schools in LA with high Pilipino representation.This next year I will serve as a meber of the project's Administrative team, specifically as the Parent Investment Coordinator, whose job is to organize parents into becoming more invested in their children's educational journey towards higher education. In the Spring Quarter, I was a campaign manager for the Student's First slate, an experience that helped me to understand campus politics and fostered desire to take responsibility to protect not only my access to higher education, but the access to those less privileged than I am. Next year, I will work in the school's External Vice President's Office, specifically as a member of the State Affairs Committee, where I will educate myself about pressing issues concerning the UC as well as inform and organize the rest of the campus in order make our voice heard.
Coming into UCLA, I never pictured myself being in these spaces. But with an open mind, I slowly began to see these places as my niche in college. I encourage all first years to do the same, and to jump to whatever opportunities lie before them. Like anything in life, your college experience is what you make of it. And since you're here for four years (and paying a whole lot money), you might as well make the best of it! So to everyone attending college next year, congratulations on your acceptance, and good luck!
Yours truly,
Gabriel Augusto Jomdos Sanchez
Adriana Ramirez Speaks
Hi fellow ILC-ers,
My name is Adriana Ramirez and I am now attending UCLA for my third year. I graduated from Richmond High School in 2009 as Valedictorian and I am now double majoring is Psychology and Political Science.
One word that describes my life at UCLA: ACTIVE. Active educationally, active socially, actively growing!
The reasons why I love UCLA are that I am constantly learning new information, not just from my professors but different people I interact with on a daily basis.
UCLA is one of the most diverse UC's and even then I feel like UCLA's minorities are lacking on campus but you can always find a small niche to fit in. My first year at UCLA I struggled to find a place to fit in, I had a good GPA but I isolated myself socially from other people, my goal for my second year was to find people similar to me that would help me move forward and that is what I did. I found Hermanas Unidas as a great support system during this past school year. Finding a group like this is key to getting to know a campus and to feel more involved in a community. I highly highly highly emphasize how important and rewarding it is to get involved on campus. I will admit it is time consuming but it is rewarding because not only does it make you feel like you fit in on campus it also lets you network with others find out about hard professors, easy classes, jobs on campus, and on-campus resources.
I have three pieces of advice for when applying to college:
1. DO YOUR BEST in high school! getting good grades in high school, and being in AP classes gives you a bigger advantage over other students when applying to colleges, you get more colleges to choose from, thus working hard at the end pays off.
2. BE INVOLVED-well rounded. Be involved in something. Doesn't have to be anything serious, but be involved. Even if it is joining the art club or dancing, join something you enjoy doing because it shows that not only you are studious but you can also do other things, you have something else to contribute to the university other than grades.
3. READ. READ READ READ. I can tell you that in my first quarter of UCLA I read more than what I had ever read in my whole high school career (it may sound like an exaggeration but its true). READING is extremely important to keep up in your college courses.
When deciding on what college you want to attend do not be afraid by the price tag (unless you really can't afford it/ community college is NEVER bad, it's a good alternative for students who can't afford to spend so much money). DON'T be afraid of loans. DO NOT be afraid to go to a university where you don't know anyone, or that's far away from home. Reality is that you will get home sick, but experiencing college away from home really pushes you to learn to be independent. No one is there to baby you so you're in charge of yourself, your parents are not always going to be there so college is the perfect time to try to be a bit more independent.
Pieces of advice for when in college:
1. TIME MANAGEMENT!- manage your time efficiently. I have a job (15 hrs a week), three classes, tutoring, study hours, meetings, and social gatherings I attend on a weekly basis... and it's all done through good time management skills. The key to this is being organized and keeping track of what is the most important thing to accomplish for that day or week.
2. don't STRESS too much about your college GPA. Do your best in your classes, take advantage of resources like tutoring and study groups, do your readings and assignments, as well as attend lectures and you should be fine. College and high school are not the same, everyone needs time to adjust, for some college will be easy and for some it will be harder but like Mr. Ramsey says "once you graduate from college all your diploma is going to say is 'UCLA' it won't say your GPA, when you get a job, no one asks you what your GPA was" and this is true!!!
3. Have FUN. College is not all seriousness 24/7, it is also the period where you can have fun, but all at its moderation. Manage your time wisely and have fun, de-stress. Explore your college town, go out for dinner or movies, do something you enjoy so that you don't accumulate stress.
I know that all my explanations are very general, but these are some general "advices" that I had to learn on my own in the past two school years.
GOOD LUCK with all your future endeavors.
P.S. If you want to know more specifics about UCLA you can contact me.
Yours truly,
BRUIN: Adriana Ramirez
510-367-8285
adrianaram2119@yahoo.com
adrianaramirez@ucla.edu
My name is Adriana Ramirez and I am now attending UCLA for my third year. I graduated from Richmond High School in 2009 as Valedictorian and I am now double majoring is Psychology and Political Science.
One word that describes my life at UCLA: ACTIVE. Active educationally, active socially, actively growing!
The reasons why I love UCLA are that I am constantly learning new information, not just from my professors but different people I interact with on a daily basis.
UCLA is one of the most diverse UC's and even then I feel like UCLA's minorities are lacking on campus but you can always find a small niche to fit in. My first year at UCLA I struggled to find a place to fit in, I had a good GPA but I isolated myself socially from other people, my goal for my second year was to find people similar to me that would help me move forward and that is what I did. I found Hermanas Unidas as a great support system during this past school year. Finding a group like this is key to getting to know a campus and to feel more involved in a community. I highly highly highly emphasize how important and rewarding it is to get involved on campus. I will admit it is time consuming but it is rewarding because not only does it make you feel like you fit in on campus it also lets you network with others find out about hard professors, easy classes, jobs on campus, and on-campus resources.
I have three pieces of advice for when applying to college:
1. DO YOUR BEST in high school! getting good grades in high school, and being in AP classes gives you a bigger advantage over other students when applying to colleges, you get more colleges to choose from, thus working hard at the end pays off.
2. BE INVOLVED-well rounded. Be involved in something. Doesn't have to be anything serious, but be involved. Even if it is joining the art club or dancing, join something you enjoy doing because it shows that not only you are studious but you can also do other things, you have something else to contribute to the university other than grades.
3. READ. READ READ READ. I can tell you that in my first quarter of UCLA I read more than what I had ever read in my whole high school career (it may sound like an exaggeration but its true). READING is extremely important to keep up in your college courses.
When deciding on what college you want to attend do not be afraid by the price tag (unless you really can't afford it/ community college is NEVER bad, it's a good alternative for students who can't afford to spend so much money). DON'T be afraid of loans. DO NOT be afraid to go to a university where you don't know anyone, or that's far away from home. Reality is that you will get home sick, but experiencing college away from home really pushes you to learn to be independent. No one is there to baby you so you're in charge of yourself, your parents are not always going to be there so college is the perfect time to try to be a bit more independent.
Pieces of advice for when in college:
1. TIME MANAGEMENT!- manage your time efficiently. I have a job (15 hrs a week), three classes, tutoring, study hours, meetings, and social gatherings I attend on a weekly basis... and it's all done through good time management skills. The key to this is being organized and keeping track of what is the most important thing to accomplish for that day or week.
2. don't STRESS too much about your college GPA. Do your best in your classes, take advantage of resources like tutoring and study groups, do your readings and assignments, as well as attend lectures and you should be fine. College and high school are not the same, everyone needs time to adjust, for some college will be easy and for some it will be harder but like Mr. Ramsey says "once you graduate from college all your diploma is going to say is 'UCLA' it won't say your GPA, when you get a job, no one asks you what your GPA was" and this is true!!!
3. Have FUN. College is not all seriousness 24/7, it is also the period where you can have fun, but all at its moderation. Manage your time wisely and have fun, de-stress. Explore your college town, go out for dinner or movies, do something you enjoy so that you don't accumulate stress.
I know that all my explanations are very general, but these are some general "advices" that I had to learn on my own in the past two school years.
GOOD LUCK with all your future endeavors.
P.S. If you want to know more specifics about UCLA you can contact me.
Yours truly,
BRUIN: Adriana Ramirez
510-367-8285
adrianaram2119@yahoo.com
adrianaramirez@ucla.edu
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