First Year Students

Go to Orientation if it's at all possible.
This is the way UCLA has planned for you to get a good start, and nothing else works as well. If you don't go, you may never catch up on all the information that can save you a lot of time, trouble and possibly even money later. Your major department gives a presentation that lasts 30-45 minutes and covers a great deal of information. If you absolutely cannot go to a regular Orientation session, you must at least sign up for one of the New First-Year Student Workshops through My.UCLA. This is not a substitute for regular Orientation, but it will help somewhat. If you haven't signed up for Orientation for financial reasons, contact the Orientation Office about financial help.

At some point you will need to meet with your major counselor
(who's your major counselor? See Technicalities below), but he or she will ask whether you have read through this information first. We've tried to condense all the important information. There are some technicalities, and for those you'll be referred to that section at the end. We recommend you come in to the MCDB Undergraduate Office to go over your Degree Progress Report at least once a year, and we require that you come in during your first quarter. You can come in any time with questions. You don't need an appointment unless you have a set of lengthy questions. Just drop by the office with your questions and the undergraduate advisor will be happy to help you.

Your biggest questions are probably how to enroll, and what to enroll in. And your first step is to go to MyUCLA and check on your URSA appointment time. You will have a first pass, during which you can enroll in up to 10 units total. Then you'll have a second pass, at the end of which you can have up to 19 units total. This way you can enroll in a couple of classes in first pass, and the rest in your second pass. URSA will walk you through the steps of enrollment. (If you have a priority pass, see Technicalities below.)

Do not enroll in more than three courses in your first quarter.
We know, we know, you took a lot more than that in high school. But bear in mind, things are different here: UCLA is on the quarter system, and each quarter is ten weeks. Just ten weeks. Chances are you'll have your first midterm in third week. You'll need to enroll in 13 units your first quarter (why? See Technicalities below.) Each course unit means at least three hours of course work during the average week. Do the math - in an average week (and there aren't many average weeks when you don't have a paper due, or a midterm or a final coming up), that's 39 hours a week. It's a full-time job. You have a good brain or you wouldn't be at UCLA, but brains don't count in this equation - it's still going to take the time. Over and over, we've seen new first-years crash and burn from taking too many courses. Give yourself and us one quarter and from then on, if you get the grades you want in that first quarter, you can take as many courses as the College will let you take. On the average, first-years finish their first three quarters with a 3.0 GPA. This is a very respectable GPA here, but it's probably not what you're used to in high school. Tip: things are different here - give yourself a chance. There is no way taking three courses in your first quarter or two is going to keep you from graduating in four years. Actually, most experienced science students try to take three courses a quarter throughout their college career, and whenever they can, two science courses and one non-science (a GE, or foreign language, for example). It keeps you balanced, helps you do your best, and allows a little time for some volunteering, community service, and other activities you'll want to do. And for sleep.

What should you enroll in?
Plan on two science classes and one non-science class. Science classes include Chem, Math, and Life Sciences. You can choose your two science courses from the following: your first calculus course (or Math 1), your first chemistry course, or Life Sciences 1. If you need to take Math 1, take it your first quarter! That's your priority. (What's Math 1? See Technicalities below.) Don't take Physics yet.

It's up to you which two of the three subjects (Chem, Math, Life Sci) you choose for your first quarter. Some students prefer to start with Chem and Math. Pick the two you look forward to the most, or dread the least! Your choice.

If you placed out of a quarter or two of calculus, enroll in the next one in the series. So if you placed out of your first quarter of calc, enroll in Math 3B or 31B. Placed out of two quarters? Enroll in 3C or 32A. Took one semester of calc at a community college? That counts for your first quarter - enroll in 3B or 31B. Took two semesters of calc? If you're a life sciences major, then you're done with calculus. Don't enroll in math at all! If you place out of some math with AP, or if you took some at a community college, don't worry - you won't be missing course material if you don't retake it here. Calculus is calculus. (Worried about the med school math requirement? See Technicalities below.)

AP doesn't place you out of chemistry. No matter how well you did in AP Chem, you're going to need to start in Chem 14A or 20A. Even a great high school chem course is not going to cover everything in either of those courses.

What's the difference between the series in Math and Chem? The Math 3 series and the Chem 14 series (Math 3A, 3B, 3C, and Chem 14A, 14B/BL, 14C/CL, 14D) are intended for life sciences majors, and are acceptable to medical schools, dental schools, etc., as well. The Math 31 series and the Chem 20 series (Math 31A, 31B, 32A, and Chem 20A, 20B/20L, 30A/30L, 30B) are intended for physical sciences majors. What do you mean, physical or life sciences major? See Technicalities below. Now, if you are a life sciences major, you can take either of the series in Math or Chem. We do very strongly recommend that you take the life sciences series, though, unless you think you might want to become a physical sciences major. However, if you truly love calculus and/or chemistry, you're welcome to enroll in the Math 31 or Chem 20 series. (Can I switch? See Technicalities below.)

What about that third course? The non-science one?
You have a lot of choices on this one. It can be an English class (English Comp 3, or English Comp 2 if you need Subject A), or a GE (what's a GE? see Technicalities below), or a foreign language course (if you only need one quarter - science majors are usually better off waiting for their foreign language till third year if they need two or three quarters of it).

Can I take a fourth course if it's a Fiat Lux?
Sure. The list of Fiat Lux courses is at http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/schedule/fiatlux2.asp. These are interesting, they're just one unit, and they don't add to your workload to speak of.

So how do I get those 13 units in my first quarter?
Most courses at UCLA are four units, and some are five. Two four-unit courses and one five-unit course will do it, or three four-unit courses plus a Fiat Lux course, which is one unit. For instance, the following courses are all five units, so if you take one of them and two four-unit courses, you'll be set: Life Sciences 1, English Comp 3, Statistics 13.

Technicalities:

Math 1? This is pre-calculus. Unless you have placed out of a quarter or more of calculus with AP, you'll need to take the Math Placement Test to determine if you need to take Math 1. You can find the dates for the test and more information at http://www.math.ucla.edu/undergrad/diagnostic.html.

Priority pass? You can enroll in up to ten units total in your priority and first pass. That is, at the end of your first pass, you can have up to ten units total. Then, in your second pass, you can enroll in up to 19 units total.

Why do I have to take 13 units in my first quarter? You are required to enroll in at least 13 units per quarter. There's also a cumulative progress requirement that says that by the end of your first quarter, you should have finished 13 units at UCLA, and by the end of your second quarter you should have finished 27. For now, just make sure you get the 13 units in your first quarter.

Took general chem at a community college? If you took one semester of general chemistry with lab at a community college, generally you will get credit for Chem 20A and 20L at UCLA. You should start with Chem 20B here. If you took two semesters of general chemistry with lab, generally you will get credit for Chem 20A, 20L, 20B, and 30L at UCLA, and you'll be done with general chemistry. You'll start with Chem 30A here, which is organic chemistry. But don't take 30A in your first quarter.

Don't I need three quarters of math for med school? Or dental school, or other professional schools? Yes, you will, but by "math," they don't necessarily mean calculus. Students who place out of their first quarter or two of calculus take statistics or other similar courses to make up their three quarters of math.

What do you mean, physical or life sciences major? There are ten life sciences majors at UCLA: Biology (Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Marine Biology (Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (in the department of the same name); Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology (in the department of the same name); Neuroscience (Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience); Physiological Science (in the department of the same name); Plant Biology (Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology); Plant Biotechnology (Dept. of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology); and Psychobiology (Dept. of Psychology). The physical sciences majors include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and several others (have a look at http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/catalog/catalog-majors.htm for a list of majors).

Can I switch from Chem 14A to 20A later on, or the other way around? Students may transfer from Chemistry 14A or 20A during the first three weeks of the quarter ONLY. After that, you cannot switch series. Basically you can't switch Chem series. Generally, life science majors should take the 14 series. We get a lot more people wanting to change from the 20 series to the 14 series and very few for the other way around.

Can I switch from Math 31A to 3B, or the other way around? You can switch from the 31/32 series to the 3 series, but not the other way. Let's say you took 31A your first quarter - you could go on to take 3B and 3C. You don't need special permission. Just go ahead and enroll in the 3B. But you can't take 3A and then go on to 31B (unless you were a complete whiz in 3A - then occasionally the Math Dept. may allow you to do this).

I want to change my major. You can formally change your major after you complete your first quarter at UCLA, as long as you can complete the new major within your maximum allowed units, and as long as you have the required GPA. Some departments may have other criteria, but that's basically it. If you know now which major you are going to want, go ahead and contact the counselor for that department. If not, see the next paragraph.

I'm not sure what major I want yet. See the counselors at the College (A-316 Murphy) to help you choose the classes that will help you to begin making that decision. Full-time counselors are available to meet with students for same-day appointments Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you are in Honors, AAP, or Athletics you should see a counselor in that specific office. Honors is in A-311 Murphy, AAP is in Campbell Hall, and Athletics is in the Morgan Center.

What's a GE? GE's are general electives, and you'll need six of them before you graduate if you're a science major. Check out the list at http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/GE/GE-LSFr04-05.pdf. Don't take a science GE! You won't need any. Skip the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry section of the GE's for now.

But I want to graduate in three years. Hold that thought. Most of our students who arrive planning to spend three years here come to the realization that there's enough to keep them busy for four. But even if you still want to graduate in three years, you can still do it if you take three courses in your first quarter. You'll be a lot more prepared to take more courses per quarter later on.

Scheduling tips

BEFORE Life Science 2, you must have had at least one course in general chemistry (14A or 20A).

BEFORE Life Science 3, you must have had at least one course in organic chemistry (14C or 30A) and LS 2 or the equivalent.

BEFORE Life Science 4, you must have had LS 3 or the equivalent.

BEFORE Chemistry 153A, you must have had LS 2, and should have had LS 3.

Don't take two laboratory courses in one quarter if you can avoid it! This does not include organic chemistry or physics labs.

Don't take Chemistry 153A and 153L in the same quarter.

Enroll in Physics courses on your first pass! These are often hard to get into. Chemistry courses are a close second.

Life Sciences 1 and 4 usually have room throughout most of the enrollment period, but 2 and 3 may fill up within a few weeks; these two courses have a fixed number of sections since they have labs, so new sections can't be added.

Who's the counselor for my major?

• Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
  Counselor: Bridget Wells, Bridgetw@microbio.ucla.edu
  Molecular Sciences Building, Room 1602B, 310-825-8482


• Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology (Majors: MCDB, Plant Biotechnology)
  Counselor: Pamela Hurley, pamelah@mcdb.ucla.edu
  Life Sciences 2124, 310-825-7109


• Neuroscience (Interdepartmental Program)
  Counselor: Jeanine Moreno, JeanineM@mednet.ucla.edu
  1506D Gonda Center, 310-206-2349


• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Majors: Biology; Marine Biology; Plant Biology; and Ecology, Behavior and Evolution)
  Counselors: Samantha Buhr, Thanh (Titi) Le, samantha@lifesci.ucla.edu, titi@lifesci.ucla.edu
  2325 Life Sciences, 310-825-1680


• Physiological Science
  Counselor: Inna Gergel, gergel@physci.ucla.edu
  Life Sciences 2317, 310-825-3892


• Psychology (Psychobiology major)
  Counselor: Jodi Davis, davis@psych.ucla.edu
  Franz Hall, Room 1531, 310-825-2730

Handy websites:

The Guide to Life at UCLA - http://www.orientation.ucla.edu/guidetolife.html
Advising FAQ's - http://www.college.ucla.edu/ask/ask_email/faqs/index.htm
College Regulations - http://www.college.ucla.edu/up/counseling/regulations.htm
UCLA Myths: "My friend said . . ." - http://www.college.ucla.edu/ask/fact.htm
Survival Tips - http://www.college.ucla.edu/ask/ask_stips/stips.htm