Ucla? (Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica: transfer, private school, university)

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Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

Good advice. Cost of living in California is high but its mostly real estate wise, the guy is young and might not might living with roommates. I loved in college living with my best friends in a house. If he can get into a comm college save up money and establish residency he will be set.

Even in Westwood, he'd pay $500-700 and that's to share a room with someone.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

the wife of one of my friend's is an adjunct at Pierce or another junior college and she said that many classes are Impacted with waiting lists, so it's really hard for kids to get the courses & credits needed to transfer to 4-year universities. That's why you see students staying an extra yr or even dropping out in frustration without completing their associates degree.

I can definitely confirm this to be true, however this has gotten much better as they continue to increase the cost per unit to nearly the same level as a california state university, but not quite as high. This keeps the "welfare tuition" folk away from more classes as well. Welfare tuition folk are people who openly admit to you if you ask them what they are trying to do at the school, they just tell you "I just keep taking random classes for the free money so I don't have to work at all. The state pays me more than enough for monthly rent and food, so I just keep going here." After the last rate increase, the time you would have to register before classes started (to avoid getting stuck at the back of the line on a waiting list) was much longer than before.

On the flip-side, if you are willing to fight, A LOT, by personally speaking with a professor on a day-to-day basis while class is in session, EVERYDAY, for the first 2 weeks, you can STILL get in the class because a few more people usually drop out by that point and you have a shot of getting in anyways. I did this for a Algebra and Geography class, I got in after a few days then had to play catch-up, but it all worked out in the end.

[jmac1]

Originally Posted by theraven24

OP, to save money, I suggest going to a California community college first to establish residency, then transfer. You'll have to pay out-of-state fees for community, but it won't be nearly as expensive as a four-year institution. You just need to be able to afford rent for a place to stay and get a job.

That's exactly what I did. Moved from Michigan, went to Community College and transferred to UCLA.......

Roommates, roommates, and roommates. You will be fine.

[jmac1]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

I can definitely confirm this to be true, however this has gotten much better as they continue to increase the cost per unit to nearly the same level as a california state university, but not quite because this keeps the "welfare tuition" folk away from more classes. Welfare tuition folk are people who openly admit to you if you ask them what they are trying to do at the school, they just tell you "I just keep taking random classes for the free money so I don't have to work at all. The state pays me more than enough for monthly rent and food, so I just keep going here." After the last rate increase, the time you would have to register before classes started (to avoid getting stuck at the back of the line on a waiting list) was much longer than before.

On the flip-side, if you are willing to fight, A LOT, by personally speaking with a professor on a day-to-day basis while class is in session, EVERYDAY, for the first 2 weeks, you can STILL get in the class because a few more people usually drop out by that point and you have a shot of getting in anyways. I did this for an Algebra and Geography class, I got in after a few days then had to play catch-up, but it all worked out in the end.

Very true about the wait list info, but aren't a lot of classes offered online?

Side Note: Makes sure all of your classes are UC transferable.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by jmac1

Very true about the wait list info, but aren't a lot of classes offered online?

Side Note: Makes sure all of your classes are UC transferable.

From my personal experience, online classes which primarily use Blackboard now, are frequently "hybrid online" classes where you still have to attend, but everything is turned in online. For the "pure online" classes, you typically just don't do as well as you would if you had taken the class where you are continually notified on a personal level of homework, tests, and exams on a regular basis and you can ask questions. For math classes especially where the work can get complicated, online classes just don't seem to be a great idea. Still, you can fix that with the tutoring center, but at that point it's almost the same amount of time being spent to do the homework/classwork, what's the point.

[jmac1]

Originally Posted by kingdomkz

From my personal experience, online classes which primarily use Blackboard now, are frequently "hybrid online" classes where you still have to attend, but everything is turned in online. For the "pure online" classes, you typically just don't do as well as you would if you had taken the class where you are continually notified on a personal level of homework, tests, and exams on a regular basis and you can ask questions. For math classes especially where the work can get complicated, online classes just don't seem to be a great idea. Still, you can fix that with the tutoring center, but at that point it's almost the same amount of time being spent to do the homework/classwork, what's the point.

Totally agree. I had to take two 1 credit online courses for my teaching cert and I didn't like it at all, for the reasons you mentioned.

CC is tough when it comes to getting the classes that count, so the OP might have to spend 3 years at a CC.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by jmac1

Totally agree. I had to take two 1 credit online courses for my teaching cert and I didn't like it at all, for the reasons you mentioned.

CC is tough when it comes to getting the classes that count, so the OP might have to spend 3 years at a CC.

(5 years, 5 explored majors later...) I know something about trying to figure out what the hell you want to do for the rest of your life! I would never recommend anyone going directly to a university especially because you don't truly know what you want to do until you actually try doing it. I burned through my own money while working a job to explore the options, now I get to play the scholarship/grant game and enjoy university time as a junior. Wouldn't have done it any other way

[webmasterspride]

Los Angeles Community College is a lot cheaper.

[Keegaan]

So what I am hearing is that I should move to California and go to LACC, obtain residency, and then transfer to UCLA. Seems like a better plan than what mine originally was. Thanks guys!

[Taiko]

Not necessarily Los Angeles Community College or a CC in the Los Angeles Community College system but residence somewhere in the state.