Moving to LA (Stanford, August: loans, transfer to, cinema)

[woahhnelly]

Heyy Im moving to LA in August to attend LACC for two years then switch to UCLA. Im from NYC, 18 and wanting to major in Cinema Studies.

Still looking for apts, studios, for August. && looking for waitressing job ASAP.

Any advice ??

[Ceece]

Will your parents be supporting you?

[PittNewbie]

The area around LACC is rather seedy. Your best bet is to stay up around Los Feliz / Silverlake

[impala666]

Do CC in NYC and then move to UCLA.
Or you will burn out before you even begin.
Save as much money as you can.
Good luck.

[sidrah]

Were you accepted already or are applying once you arrive?

[SoCalAngel2009]

You should also know about the out-of-state tuition fees for community colleges. CA residents pay $26 per unit.

Students who are not California residents are charged out-of-state tuition in addition to the enrollment fee. Out-of-state tuition rates are set by each community college district but are generally between $190 and $220 per unit.

CCCApply - Colleges - Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.cccapply.org/faq/costs.asp#1 - broken link)

[montyburns]

Everyone has posted good advice and asked valid questions.

You pretty much have three options: 1. live off of loans (dumb/screws you later) 2. parents full financial support (being from NY, perhaps that's the case) 3. you have full-ride scholarships.

It's unrealistic to expect getting a waitress job that will make enough money to pay for school & stay alive. In the BEST case scenario, you'd be able to choose one or the other (school vs. surviving) on your own. That is IF you are able to get a job.

For all of the reasons listed above, I also think going to CC in NY first would be a wise decision. You won't be as far in debt, and you will be able to get better grades without the stress on your shoulders, which could mean better scholarships in the future (or at least two years struggling in CA instead of four).

However, I respect your aspiration. That's a very good quality to have. Some people have zero goals in life, and that doesn't make sense at all.

Do you have friends or a network already established in CA? I would suggest mooching off of them (in the friendliest way possible, not annoying) at first. You know, sleep on the couch for free sort of deal. Depending on your morals/view on life, there are sugar daddies in Southern California. Tread with caution, but it's an option for some people.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by impala666

Do CC in NYC and then move to UCLA.

AFAIK this doesn't work anymore, sadly. If the OP really wants to go to UCLA, her original idea was much better - to go to LACC (or any other CA CC) first, keep her grades up, and then transfer to UCLA. Or even go to UCLA from get-go, although if it's for this fall the deadline is long passed.

Claiming budget cuts as the reason, the UC's have become extremely limited in their admissions, especially for transfers. Their first priority is transfers from other CC's in CA, and their second priority is transfers from other UC's. It is EXTREMELY difficult, bordering on impossible, to transfer in from anywhere else -- they just don't have room after that. (I know it wasn't always this way, but trust me...it is now.) From out of state you'd have a better shot at transferring into Stanford (or Harvard), to use a comparison at how difficult it is.

So I recommend going with your original plan. Unless you live at home, college will cost significant $$$ no matter where you go. It's true that out-of-state residents pay more, but I have known people who get state residency after one year.

(Btw, does anyone know how the area around CSU-LA is? I am looking at grad programs there myself.)

[impala666]

If you have plenty of $$$ come to LA and go to USC (Lucas school of Cinematic Arts).
If not stay in NYC.