Transfer New Student Orientation

Transfer New Student Orientation sessions are all one day. During your New Student Orientation session you will enroll in your Fall Quarter classes.

Your session will be an extensive introduction to the academic and campus life at UCLA, including:

• Information on choosing a major, course planning, and fulfilling graduation requirements

• The process of registering and enrolling

• Workshops and presentations on student services on campus, such as financial aid and extracurricular activities

• Thinking ahead to graduate programs, professional schools, and career plans

This program is for students only, and is a full day that ends in the evening.

Attending the entirety of your session is the beginning of a successful start here at UCLA. The day is full of activities that will assist you in learning everything there is to know about the campus, from what courses to take to how to best get involved.

With that in mind, it is our hope that you will take advantage of everything that is offered at Orientation. Failure to attend or participate in any part of your session is your own responsibility, and can jeopardize proper academic advising and course enrollment.

 

EARLY ARRIVAL - CONNECT TO OTHER NEW UCLA TRANSFER STUDENTS
The evening before every transfer session there will be social activities to provide you with an opportunity to meet other incoming transfer students. If you are traveling from outside the Los Angeles area and want to arrive the night before the session formally begins, and/or you want an opportunity to meet and get to know some of your fellow Bruins, join us the night before your session. There is a small fee for lodging.

Check-in for Early Arrival will be at 6:00pm at Rieber Hall. Official activities and dinner will begin at 6:30pm.

 

SESSION SCHEDULE

Your day at New Student Orientation
Check in begins at 7:30 am* and begins with an introduction to the UCLA community, the degree requirements that you will need to complete, and important information about registration and enrollment.

* If you do not come to the session by 1:00 pm on the day of your session, your session enrollment will be cancelled and you will still be responsible for all fees.

Following the presentations, your New Student Advisor will meet you and be your guide and resource through the rest of the session, introducing you to many different aspects of the university: the campus academic environment, faculty expectations, and the student community.

Your advisor will make this an individualized experience for you, so the focus of the day is on course and major planning and helping you shape the UCLA experience that is right for you. You also have the opportunity to attend workshops on graduate school and career planning, involvement, working on campus, money matters, and research opportunities. Individual appointments occur throughout the day to go over your schedule for Fall Quarter and your other plans for involvement at UCLA.

The session concludes with enrolling in your Fall Quarter classes. Check-out is at 9:00 pm. Please make all travel plans after this time. No travel arrangements should be made until you have received a confirmation of the session in which you are enrolled.

BRINGING A LAPTOP TO NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
To assist you in viewing the online Schedule of Classes, UCLA General Catalog, and departmental websites, there will be a wireless connection available from most points on campus, including the residence halls. It will be your responsibility, however, to ensure the safety of your laptop at all times.

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION CONDUCT POLICY
The time you spend at New Student Orientation is the beginning of your educational career at UCLA; please approach your time at Orientation seriously and be ready to take full advantage of what is offered during your session.

The New Student & Transition Programs office strictly adheres to the campus policy forbidding alcohol and/or drug use. Failure to abide by this policy could result in you being asked to leave New Student Orientation without enrolling in your classes or refunding any of your Orientation fees.

Although it is our hope that you will take advantage of everything offered at New Student Orientation, failure to attend or participate in any part of the session is your own responsibility, and can jeopardize proper academic advising and course enrollment.

 

DATES

Space in each New Student Orientation session is limited and reservations are processed in the order received. While it is advantageous to place your reservation promptly, please make sure to read all session information thoroughly, so you understand fees, deadlines, and the cancellation policy.

Beginning on June 7, 2012 at 3pm (PST), you will be able to sign up for a New Student Orientation session via MyUCLA. In the meantime, please fill out the Educational Planner. This will provide your New Student Advisor the information needed to tailor your academic appointment to best fit your needs. The Educational Planner must be completed before you are able to register for an Orientation Session. You can fill out your Educational Planner at www.my.ucla.edu.

Do not make travel arrangements until you receive your online confirmation notice indicating the session for which you are scheduled. Please print this confirmation for your records.

SESSION NUMBER	DATES	LAST DATE TO SIGN UP WITHOUT A FEE
Session 201	July 18	July 11
Session 202	July 20	July 13
Session 203	August 3	July 27
Session 204	August 6	July 30
Session 205	August 13	August 6
Session 206	August 17	August 10
Session 207	August 23	August 16
Session 208	September 4	August 28

You can sign up for a New Student Orientation session from your MyUCLA page - please make sure that you read all the information pertaining to your session thoroughly to avoid additional fees.

If you do not come to the session by 1:00 pm on the day of your session, your session enrollment will be cancelled and you will still be responsible for all fees.

COSTS & FEES

COSTS
Transfer New Student Orientation Session Fee - $135
Early Arrival Fee - $50

Your session fee includes all meals and programming for the one-day session. Please see lodging if you need to add one night to your stay.

FEES
Changing or cancelling your session before the deadline - $10
Making a new reservation after the deadline - $50
Changing or cancelling a sessions after the deadline - $50

Billing
Your New Student Orientation session fees will be billed to you on your November 2012 UCLA Billing Statement. There is no payment necessary when you sign-up. Payments will be only accepted through the UCLA Billing Statement. Your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) fee of $100 does not cover Orientation fees.

Failure to pay your New Student Orientation fees by the billing deadlines will result in a $20 per month Student Accounting late charge and may result in a hold on your records.

Cancelling Your New Student Orientation Session

• If you decide not to attend UCLA after signing up for a New Student Orientation session, you will still need to be responsible for cancelling your session in order to avoid being billed or incur any charges.

• If you attend an Orientation session, and do not attend UCLA, you will still be billed for all New Student Orientation fees for services provided.

• If you do not arrive by 1:00 pm on the first day of your session, your session enrollment will be cancelled and you will still be responsible for all fees.

Fee Waivers
Partial fee waivers are granted to eligible students who have demonstrated financial need. Students who meet the following criteria will have part of the Orientation fee waived (generally between 25-40%).

In order to be considered for a partial fee waiver, you must:

• Check the fee waiver box when you sign up for an Orientation session.

• Have applied for financial aid through the Financial Aid Office.

• Be a registered UCLA student for Fall Quarter 2012 or Winter Quarter 2013.

• Meet one of the following financial aid criteria as determined by the Financial Aid Office:

• Have independent status with a student contribution equal to zero

          OR

• Have dependent status with a student contribution equal to zero and a parental contribution equal to zero

Students must meet all the conditions above to be eligible. In order to be considered for a partial fee waiver, you must insure that all your Financial Aid information is accurate and updated by October 1, 2012. Any changes to your Financial Aid status after that point will not be considered when determining your eligibility for a partial fee waiver.

If you have received a partial fee waiver, you will see it reflected on your November Bill Statement.

If you have any questions or problems with paying your fees: Contact the New Student & Transition Programs office at (310) 206-6685. Do not call the Financial Aid Office.

 

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION SESSION

Beginning on June 7, 2012at 3pm (PST), you will be able to sign up for a New Student Orientation session via MyUCLA. In the meantime, please fill out the Educational Planner. This will provide your New Student Advisor the information needed to tailor your academic appointment to best fit your needs. The Educational Planner must be completed before you are able to register for an Orientation Session. You can fill out your Educational Planner at www.my.ucla.edu.

Do not make travel arrangements until you receive your online confirmation notice indicating the session for which you are scheduled. Please print this confirmation for your records.

 

ADVISING

In order for advisors to effectively assist you in course enrollment, it will be necessary to know how your transfer units apply at UCLA. A Degree Progress Report (DPR) provides you with an evaluation of your transfer credit and information about how the courses you completed at other institutions meet requirements at UCLA. It also indicates if you have satisfied the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or have met the UCLA General Education requirements.

The information provided on the DPR is critical for you to have when selecting classes for Fall Quarter 2012.

In order to obtain this evaluation, you must submit official transcripts of all college work taken. To obtain a preliminary DPR, you must provide Undergraduate Admissions with the following:

• Official transcripts of all work completed through the Fall 2011 term by June 1, 2012
  IMPORTANT: Sending in your completed Fall 2011 transcripts before June 1st will allow your transfer work to be evaluated before your New Student Orientation session. This is very important for appropriate counseling and enrollment. Do NOT wait until you have completed your Spring 2012 term to mail in your transcripts.

Once you have completed your Spring and/or Summer 2012 terms, mail in a second set of final, official transcripts by July 15, 2012.

• A completed Coursework Statement indicating coursework in progress for Winter, Spring, and/or Summer terms

You cannot be assured of receiving a DPR if you change the date of your New Student Orientation session less than two weeks prior to the session.

In the event that a DPR is not available at New Student Orientation, counseling will still be possible if you bring copies of all your transcripts and course catalog(s) from your transfer institution(s) with you to New Student Orientation.

COURSE ADVISING
Academic advising is essential for appropriate course enrollment and academic advisors will be available to assist you during your New Student Orientation session. All incoming students are strongly encouraged to attend a New Student Orientation session so that you have assistance in choosing the right classes.

If you cannot attend a New Student Orientation session, keep in mind that UCLA academic advisors are dedicated to the New Student Orientation sessions and may be unable to meet with you until after the summer sessions have ended.

Students in the following schools are required to receive academic advising prior to enrolling in classes:

• Students in the School of the Arts & Architecture

• School of Theater, Film, and Television

• School of Engineering and Applied Science

• School of Nursing

College of Letters & Science
While students in The College are not required to attend a New Student Orientation session, it is strongly urged that you do so. Departmental counselors in many academic areas will be meeting with you, and undeclared students will have the opportunity to explore areas of study by talking to advisors and attending various workshops designed for this purpose.

School of Arts & Architecture and School of Theater, Film & Television
Students in the School of Arts & Architecture and the School or Theater, Film & Television will have designated sessions available to you based on specific majors. If you are unable to attend one of your specific sessions please contact the New Student & Transition Programs office at (310) 206-6685. While you will be able to attend a different session, we cannot guarantee that your departmental counselor will be available to meet with you at that time.

 

COURSE ENROLLMENT

A component of the New Student Orientation sessions is enrolling in Fall Quarter classes, and many students (and their parents) are concerned about the availability of courses at different session dates. Let me take this time to briefly explain how enrollment works at UCLA, and how the New Student Orientation session enrollment works relative to that.

• UCLA students enroll online with a system called URSA. The dates of enrollment – who goes first, second and so on – are based on class level. If you are a graduating senior, for example, then you have the highest priority (or first time) to enroll, and the times continue to be set by class level (senior, junior, sophomore, first year).

• Students have a first- and second- pass at enrollment. The first pass allows students to enroll in up to 10 units (usually 2 courses). The two passes have separate enrollment dates and times, but the second passes do not begin until all students have had their first pass.

• All continuing students have completed their “first pass” at enrollment before the New Student Orientation sessions begin. But new students do not have a first/second pass. They enroll in all their courses at their Orientation session.

• For this reason, many think that if you enroll in an earlier session, you will get all your classes and if you enroll in a later session you will get no classes. This is simply untrue. There are plenty of course choices throughout the summer, fulfilling both General Education and major courses.

• For courses where there is a “high demand”, we have in place a system whereby all students, regardless of New Student Orientation session date, have an equal chance of enrolling in the course. These “high demand” courses are ones that start out a sequence in the sciences, are taken by many incoming first year students (like English Composition courses), essential for certain majors, and/or are part of the General Education Cluster curricula.

  • Working with individual departments, we have saved seats for incoming students and divided them evenly during the summer. Does this mean we have enough seats for every single student that wants a given course? Not necessarily. But we have made it an equitable process; it does not matter if you come to the first session or the last, you will have the same chance of getting a spot in one of these courses.

• Often the perception from students is that if they do not come to the first session, they will not get the “best” courses. The best courses at UCLA are ALL the courses at UCLA – your student has chosen UCLA for its world-class faculty and curricula, among many other things, and it means that those opportunities are available for all students who enroll for their first quarter at UCLA, regardless of when they come this summer.

  • The “best schedule” idea is one of time and day scheduling. This means that a student may have to attend classes that are before noon, and/or are held on Mondays and Fridays, something students have done for many years. It is this mentality, however, that often translates into the ‘urban legend’ of “go to the first session or you won’t get any good classes”. It is no coincidence that the 8:00 am lecture does not fill up as easily as the 10:00 am lecture for the same class. The students who are willing to show some flexibility and open-mindedness to this will find numerous options.

• The same holds true for the type of courses the students can choose. Whether the student is coming from a high school or another community college, the course offerings at UCLA will be vastly different, and from a very wide range. Students will be encouraged to explore areas of study that interest them, begin (or continue) along a major path, and complete General Education requirements that are required for all our students regardless of major/school. The first quarter schedule, then, could have several very different courses selected that fulfill different requirements. It is our hope that students look at all the course offerings at UCLA before focusing in on the courses that they may be familiar with from their prior institution.

Finally, choosing courses is a process of academic exploration. We encourage students to look at this as the beginning of their journey to engage in studies that are of true interest to them. While learning a new system at a new school can be a daunting prospect, new students will be assisted along the way by a wonderful staff of advisors who will guide them through the process and answer any question they have.

PLACEMENT EXAMS

Depending on the courses that you plan on taking at UCLA, or the requirements that you need to fulfill, you may need to take a placement exam. The following placement exams are offered at New Student Orientation:

• Mathematics Diagnostic Exam
• French Placement Exam
• German Placement Exam
• Music Theory Placement Exam
• Analytical Placement Writing Exam - out-of-state residents only

Entering students from the following schools or colleges are required to complete the Foreign Language Requirement by the time they graduate from UCLA:

• UCLA College

• School of the Arts & Architecture

• School of Theater, Film, and Television

Students held for the ESLPE also are held for the Foreign Language requirement. The only exceptions are international students who are on visa status, from a non-English speaking country.

Signing up for a placement exam
All placement exams are offered during the First Year sessions. There is no fee for any of these tests.

Transfer students: call the New Student & Transition Programs office at (310) 206-6685 to sign up. If you need to take one of these tests, arrange to take them prior to attending your scheduled Orientation session so you can have the results.

Mathematics Diagnostic Exam
Students planning to enroll in Math 1, 3A or 31A for Fall Quarter must take the departmental diagnostic examination. You will have two opportunities to take this exam before Fall Quarter:

• On the first day of each First Year New Student Orientation session. The Math exam begins at 3:30 pm.

• There will also be an examination held in the Fall. Click here for the dates, times and location of the exam.

Calculators are allowed for the exam, but they will not be provided on any of the test dates. For further information concerning topics to be covered and frequently asked questions about the Math Diagnostic Exam, please check www.math.ucla.edu/ugrad/diagnostic.html.

Foreign Language Requirement
Students who are required to complete the Foreign Language Requirement (see above) may do so in one of three ways:

• Credit for a foreign language course at UCLA for quarter level 3 or above or an equivalent course at another institution.

• A score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) foreign language test in French, German, or Spanish, or a score of 4 or higher on the Latin test.

• A UCLA Foreign Language Placement exam score indicating foreign language competency through quarter level 3 or higher.

French Placement Exam
The placement examination for French will be offered at 8:00 am the second morning of each First Year Orientation session. The test takes approximately two hours and will be held in Covel Commons.

German Placement Exam
The placement examination for German will be offered at 8:00 am the second morning of each First Year Orientation session. The test takes approximately one hour and will be held in Covel Commons.

Spanish Placement Exam
Students wishing to continue or start their study of Spanish will take an online placement exam. More information, including instructions on how to take the exam, can be found at
http://www.spanport.ucla.edu/undergraduate-/placement-.html

Students who would like to take the exam solely for the purpose of satisfying their Foreign Language requirement will be able to do so during the academic year when the placement exam is offered by the Department of Spanish & Portuguese.

 

Music Theory Placement Exam
All students admitted as music or music history majors and those who are considering changing their major to music or music history must take the Music Theory Placement Examination. You should also make an appointment to speak with the music department counselor before Fall Quarter enrollment begins. The exam will be offered on the first day of each First Year New Student Orientation session from 3:30 - 5:00 pm in Schoenberg Hall.

To contact the departmental counselor in Music, call (310) 825-4768.

 

ADMISSIONS

Official transcripts from all institutions attended must be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (UARS). Transcripts of all work completed through the Fall 2011 term must be received by the UARS office by June 1, 2012. Final and complete transcripts of all work completed through Spring 2011 must be received by July 15, 2012. Transcripts of coursework completed during Summer 2012 must be submitted by September 1, 2012 or three (3) weeks from the end of the term.

Official Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam result must be received by July 15, 2012.

Failure to submit these required transcripts and test scores by the deadlines may result in the withdrawal of your offer of admission to UCLA.

Enrollment at Orientation
It is your responsibility to insure that all official documents have been received by UARS in order to enroll in classes at your New Student Orientation session. The New Student & Transition Programs office cannot remove any holds on your enrollment if UARS has placed a hold for missing documentation.

 

MANDATORY HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Hepatitis B Immunity
California state law requires that students 18 years of age or younger provide proof of immunity to the Hepatitis B virus prior to enrollment. Students must enter their compliance information online from www.studenthealth.ucla.edu (choose the “On-Line Services” menu option, then the “Hepatitis B” page). Do NOT send paper proof of immunity. Compliance will not be complete unless the information is online. The UCLA student ID and the URSA security code are required for access. If immunized against Hepatitis B, or if you have proof of antibodies in your system, you will need the name, address and phone number of the clinician or clinic with proof of this and the dates of the vaccinations.

Insurance
Health insurance is a condition of enrollment at UCLA. The cost of the campus medical insurance plan (USHIP - Undergraduate Student Health Insurance Plan) will automatically be assessed as part of registration fees each term (about $200 each of the 3 terms). Spring Quarter enrollment includes Summer coverage. USHIP information is available online at www.studenthealth.ucla.edu, under “Insurance”.

If you already have health insurance that meets the University’s minimum requirements, you may waive out of USHIP. You must do this online during the fee payment period for each term (September 1-20 for Fall, December 1-20 for Winter and March 1-20 for Spring). There are no paper waivers. During the Fall fee payment period you will have the option to waive out of USHIP for the entire year. If you choose this option, the waiver will be submitted for you automatically in Winter and Spring.

You will need your student ID number and your URSA security code to access the website to waive out. Go to www.studenthealth.ucla.edu and choose “On-Line Services” and the “GSHIP/USHIP waiver” page. If you choose to keep the USHIP, please be advised that it does not include dental benefits. To upgrade to the “USHIP Plus” plan (about $40 a term) that includes this benefit, you must enroll online by going to www.studenthealth.ucla.edu and choose “On-Line Services” and the “USHIP Plus” enrollment page. Enrollment is permitted through October for Fall, January for Winter, and April for Spring. An annual enrollment option is available in the Fall. Fees are automatically billed to your BAR account.

AlcoholEdu

As part of the university’s comprehensive and proactive approach to help ensure that students stay safe and healthy, UCLA is asking every new student to complete “AlcoholEdu for College”, an online alcohol education and prevention program.

AlcoholEdu uses science-based research and interactive strategies, including personalized feedback, to educate students about alcohol and its effects. Whether you drink or not, the course can empower you to make well-informed decisions about alcohol and help better manage drinking behavior - your own, and/or any that may happen around you.

• Instructions for logging on to AlcoholEdu will appear at www.alcoholedu.ucla.edu on June 15, 2012.

• The course has two sections. Part One must be completed between June 15 and July 30, 2012. Part Two must be completed by September 17, 2012.

• The first part of the course takes about 2 hours to complete. We recommend that you take it in multiple sittings. This section ends with an exam and survey. A grade of 70% or higher must be earned in order to pass the course. Part One will be available on June 15 and must be completed by July 30.

• Four weeks after finishing Part One, you will receive an e-mail reminding you to log in and complete the second part of the course. This section takes about 15 minutes.

• Part Two must be completed to finish AlcoholEdu - the deadline is September 17.

 

SESSION CHECKLIST

Before attending your Orientation session remember to:

• Submit all of your transcripts and test scores to UCLA Undergraduate Admissions by the stated deadlines.

• Sign up for the appropriate placement exams offered during New Student Orientation (at First Year sessions).

• Complete all the mandatory health requirements by the deadlines.

• Make travel arrangements for your New Student Orientation session after you have signed up and received confirmation for your New Student Orientation session via your MyUCLA page. Make sure to print a copy of your session confirmation for your records.

• Read through your session confirmation for what to bring to New Student Orientation (e.g., copies of your transcripts and test scores, your BruinCard, etc.).

• Make sure you read through the information pertaining to costs and fees for New Student Orientation.

And contact us if you have any questions.

Students Needing Assistance at New Student Orientation
If you are coming to New Student Orientation and you have any permanent or temporary disabilities or needs which may require advance arrangements for assistance, please contact the New Student & Transition Programs office at (310) 206-6685 at least 2 weeks before your session begins. This includes test-taking assistance for placement exams administered at New Student Orientation.

Right to Privacy
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the New Student & Transition Programs office protects the confidentiality of any student (age 18 or over) records. Access to a student's New Student Orientation records will be given to that student only, unless the student has given consent. See Third Party Access for more information on the Registrar's Office website. For more information regarding FERPA, please visit http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

Address Changes
In order to insure receipt of your bills and other UCLA correspondence, be sure to report any address changes immediately. You can update your address through URSA at www.ursa.ucla.edu

 

PRE- & POST-ORIENTATION PROGRAMS

Transfer students are strongly encouraged to attend a Pre/Post Orientation Program. It’s the perfect way to experience and learn more about life as a Bruin, build lasting relationships, participate in leadership seminars, spend time with returning student leaders, transition to UCLA in a fun and supportive atmosphere, and practice the 8-clap!  Programs are offered June through September and include Bruin Transfer Camp, and Transfer Transitions. Please note that there is a separate registration process for pre/post orientation programs.  For more information on the variety of programs that are available to you please visit www.recreation.ucla.edu/newbruins.