Navigating the Bruin Path: An Overview of UCLA's New Student & Transition Programs
UCLA, a renowned institution of higher learning, recognizes the importance of a smooth and supportive transition for incoming students and their families. To facilitate this crucial period, UCLA offers comprehensive New Student & Transition Programs (NSTP). This article provides an overview of these programs, highlighting their structure, objectives, and the resources they offer to ensure a successful start to the UCLA journey.
The Mission of New Student & Transition Programs
New Student & Transition Programs serves the educational planning, academic advising, and adjustment needs of all entering UCLA undergraduates. NSTP hosts academic orientations each summer for first-year students, transfer students, and parents and families. The program aims to provide a well-rounded onboarding experience that supports UCLA students and their families as the new students begin their undergraduate education.
New Student Orientation: A Comprehensive Introduction
Each New Student Orientation is an extensive introduction to UCLA’s academic and campus life. At New Student Orientation, you will be advised by New Student Advisors (NSAs), who are current undergraduate students.
First-Year Student Orientation
New Student Orientation for first-year students is two days. For freshmen, the program offers an array of orientation sessions, workshops, and social events to help them acclimate to campus culture, navigate academic requirements, and build connections with peers and faculty.
Transfer Student Orientation
Similarly, transfer students are provided with tailored support and resources to ease their transition into UCLA. The Transfer Student Program is designed to meet the unique needs of transfer students, including credit transfer, academic planning, and campus involvement opportunities.
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The Role of New Student Advisors
New Student Advisors work throughout the school year to assist with events and help students transition to UCLA. During the summer, responsibilities are divided between the Blue Team and the Gold Team. Blue Team advisors work within the NSTP office to run administrative aspects of the department and serve as advisors for family members at the New Parent and Family Orientation. The Gold Team are peer advisors who provide both academic counseling and firsthand knowledge of the campus to students during first-year and transfer New Student Orientation sessions.
Supporting Families: New Parent & Family Orientation
UCLA New Parent & Family Orientations are one-day sessions designed to welcome families to the UCLA community and address the concerns family members have relative to their student’s upcoming university experience. Your session will feature presentations from UCLA staff, faculty, and students on academics, available services and educational opportunities, the transitional experiences of students and how families can support them, and general campus life. Lunch and light refreshments are included. New Parent & Family Orientation components are held separately of your student’s orientation session but do coincide with the first day of each two-day First Year session - as well as a standalone Spanish session on Saturday, August 2. Family Orientation runs from 8:00 am to approximately 6:00 pm PDT.
Degree Planning and Academic Resources
Creating an effective degree program requires individual planning - but thankfully there are a variety of resources and support available for students on campus to help them plan their path to degree. It’s possible to complete your degree in less than three years. In most cases, students who can expedite their degree completion tend to stick with the major they selected during their fall quarter as a freshman. This list highlights majors that offer degree completion with three- and four-year options.
Navigating UCLA Resources
Other information about UCLA may be found in materials produced by the schools of Arts and Architecture; Dentistry; Education and Information Studies; Engineering and Applied Science; Law; Management; Medicine; Music; Nursing; Public Affairs; Public Health; and Theater, Film, and Television. Consult this Catalog for the most current, officially approved courses and curricula. The UCLA General Catalog is published annually in PDF and HTML formats. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog. However, all courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.
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