Craigslist will probably be your best bet, but it's hard to know what you're getting unless you can see it in person. Are you from the area/will you have a chance to visit before fall?
UCLA Fielding SPH - Fall 2013
- Thread starter hopefulchanger
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Craigslist will probably be your best bet, but it's hard to know what you're getting unless you can see it in person. Are you from the area/will you have a chance to visit before fall?
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Craigslist drives me nuts, so I used Westside Rentals when I looked for housing. You have to start an account and pay $60, but it is worth avoiding the craziness of Craigslist and the listings are legit. I found housing in Koreatown - bit of a commute, but cheap and an interesting neighborhood.
two questions for anyone who has feedback. thanks!!
1) Does anyone know how easy it to obtain a GSI or GSR position? Are most students who want these positions able to find one & how likely is it to find one during the first year??
2) Even though UCLA (at least for epi) doesn't require an official master's thesis, I've read that an MPH report is required for the program (which seems like it requires the work to write a thesis anyway). Does anyone have any more info on this? When applying to jobs, can the "MPH report" be described as our "Master's Thesis"?
1) Does anyone know how easy it to obtain a GSI or GSR position? Are most students who want these positions able to find one & how likely is it to find one during the first year??
2) Even though UCLA (at least for epi) doesn't require an official master's thesis, I've read that an MPH report is required for the program (which seems like it requires the work to write a thesis anyway). Does anyone have any more info on this? When applying to jobs, can the "MPH report" be described as our "Master's Thesis"?
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1) Does anyone know how easy it to obtain a GSI or GSR position? Are most students who want these positions able to find one & how likely is it to find one during the first year??
It is my impression that Graduate Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Readers are more likely to be advanced or upper-level students within the program. TAs are likely to be doctoral-level students, as teaching is part of their training. Though it is not impossible to obtain RA positions during the first-year, these will be competitive, particularly for incoming students. These will also vary across departments, faculty needs, and projects. For instance, in the Center for Health Policy I am told that only 2 are first-year students (I believe out of 8) and both entered the program with strong quantitative skills. Lastly, reader positions are for upper-level students only because you must have taken the class in order to be a reader for it. First-year students obviously are out of the running. It is my impression that all these positions have no formal application process. I think students contact faculty and programs with whom they might want to collaborate - and go from there. I have been in touch with the health policy folks since the day I accepted the admissions offer, and already I am being invited to continue to stay in touch for possible positions.
Even though UCLA (at least for epi) doesn't require an official master's thesis, I've read that an MPH report is required for the program (which seems like it requires the work to write a thesis anyway). Does anyone have any more info on this? When applying to jobs, can the "MPH report" be described as our "Master's Thesis"?
I doubt it. The thesis in the MS program requires a committee and other administrative hurdles. It is misleading to describe the MPH written project as a thesis (although it may very well look like one). I would describe it as such: project, report, etc. Theses are (typically) required of academic degrees (e.g., MS). They are not (typically) required of practice-oriented degrees (e.g., MPH).
It is my impression that Graduate Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Readers are more likely to be advanced or upper-level students within the program. TAs are likely to be doctoral-level students, as teaching is part of their training. Though it is not impossible to obtain RA positions during the first-year, these will be competitive, particularly for incoming students. These will also vary across departments, faculty needs, and projects. For instance, in the Center for Health Policy I am told that only 2 are first-year students (I believe out of 8) and both entered the program with strong quantitative skills. Lastly, reader positions are for upper-level students only because you must have taken the class in order to be a reader for it. First-year students obviously are out of the running. It is my impression that all these positions have no formal application process. I think students contact faculty and programs with whom they might want to collaborate - and go from there. I have been in touch with the health policy folks since the day I accepted the admissions offer, and already I am being invited to continue to stay in touch for possible positions.
Even though UCLA (at least for epi) doesn't require an official master's thesis, I've read that an MPH report is required for the program (which seems like it requires the work to write a thesis anyway). Does anyone have any more info on this? When applying to jobs, can the "MPH report" be described as our "Master's Thesis"?
I doubt it. The thesis in the MS program requires a committee and other administrative hurdles. It is misleading to describe the MPH written project as a thesis (although it may very well look like one). I would describe it as such: project, report, etc. Theses are (typically) required of academic degrees (e.g., MS). They are not (typically) required of practice-oriented degrees (e.g., MPH).
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Yea I'll be able to visit, but I'm just wondering what resource is best for finding an apartment. I was thinking of just looking on CL and then setting up appointments so I'm just wondering if thats the best resource
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I can't believe it...
I just got an email from Dave Clark saying I've received a Dean's Leadership Grant!
(This is in addition to the university fellowship from CHS.)
I love this school already!
I just got an email from Dave Clark saying I've received a Dean's Leadership Grant!
(This is in addition to the university fellowship from CHS.)
I love this school already!
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having always been on a semester system does anyone know what counts as a full course load for a quarter system? I couldn't find a sample course schedule online for CHS and am just trying to see how much time I might have for part time work.
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At Admitted Students Day they said a full course load was 12 units. You can see a sample course schedule here: http://www.ph.ucla.edu/chs/pdf/Masters_handbook.pdf (http://www.ph.ucla.edu/chs/info_students_prospective.htm#Handbooks) See page 18.
One of the current students advised to ignore the 12-unit recommendation and just take 16. I'm considering taking 16, with one of the classes being an undergraduate credit/no credit language class.
As far as taking up a part-time job, I've gotten advice from others to avoid taking on a part-time job during the first quarter to focus on adjusting to grad school However, I also know someone who worked two part-time jobs during his first year.
I do realize I'm giving you conflicting advice. Basically, there are recommendations, but it's very possible to take on more (as long as you realize it will take more effort/be more stressful).
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Thanks for this hopefulchanger and congrats on your award! I'll be a PhD student and there isn't a sample schedule in our handbook so I just was really interested to see what is normative. In a semester we take 4 3-unit classes normally for 12 credits (to be full time) so its interesting that students are packing in 4 4-unit classes into a much shorter time period and for more credit hours. I'd also like to take a language course and even though I've been through grad school before I'll probably want to take the first quarter to adjust and not work.
Lots of time to figure out these details, can't wait til the fall!
Lots of time to figure out these details, can't wait til the fall!
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Sorry for assuming you were looking for MPH info! I'm sure Alexis from CHS will have an answer for you.
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No need it was very helpful, I just was interested in seeing was a typical course load is in a quarter system. Thanks!
I can't find the fb group. I am enrolling this fall at the HPM program.
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You can use this link instead: https://www.facebook.com/groups/457579090988426
The other one was a mobile link so it looks odd on regular web browsers.
Please join! It's lonely. lol.
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Hey Porkbuns,
So I just received that letter from UCLA that I need to provide info to determine my residence classifications. For the dates of physical presence since birth, did you mainly list dates where physically came back to California from being on break from college? The request for presence"since birth" seems oddly specific since there are countless traveling that I vaguely remember.
So I just received that letter from UCLA that I need to provide info to determine my residence classifications. For the dates of physical presence since birth, did you mainly list dates where physically came back to California from being on break from college? The request for presence"since birth" seems oddly specific since there are countless traveling that I vaguely remember.
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I did not count vacations, including breaks from school (when I would typically go home) or vacations from home (when I would go elsewhere that is not home). I don't think that's what they mean by dates of physical presence. I understood it as when you returned to California. One criteria I used is whether or not I changed my mailing address. So, summer/holiday/vacation breaks would not typically count, whereas after I graduated I returned home (at least temporarily, for about a year before leaving again). My mailing address changed (back to my Cali address) for that year, hence I was "physically present" by their criterion. Also, I was not born in California, so this made things easier. I did not have to count the first 10 years of my life. I lived in the state until I left for college. So, this is really where the count started for me. I was in and out of California from college until now. (I am currently in Boston.)
Did you go to and graduate from a California high school? If so, they may ask you to sign an affidavit because there is a policy in which graduates from a California high school can petition for the in-state tuition.
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I see, thanks for giving me an example from what you have listed as your physical presence. I was born in California and graduated from a California high school, but went out of state for my undergraduate degree. My permanent address has been listed as my California address throughout undergrad, but I had a temporary address for mailing.Thanks for informing me about this policy for California high school graduates, I will look more into that since I was not aware.
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Hi everyone! After some initial difficulty with funding, it's all been sorted now and I am extremely happy to say I will be joining you all this Fall!! I am doing my PhD in the Health Policy and Management department. I cannot wait until it starts!! If anyone wants to get in touch, feel free to PM me. Best wishes to you all!!!
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Congrats Mazaya on getting the funding! I'll also be coming in as a PhD student this fall.
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Hi Everyone!
I was wondering if anyone has received their final financial aid award letter (I think it's called "eFAN"). When I login to URSA it says "not available". The financial aid website says to look out for it April - May. It seems like other programs are already having students sign the promissory note for the Stafford loan, so I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Thanks!
I was wondering if anyone has received their final financial aid award letter (I think it's called "eFAN"). When I login to URSA it says "not available". The financial aid website says to look out for it April - May. It seems like other programs are already having students sign the promissory note for the Stafford loan, so I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Thanks!
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The April to May dates are for continuing students. Entering/New students receive word about the eFAN between May and September. So, it is either coming up soon or coming up later.
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Thanks!
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I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say how randomly excited I was to register for classes. Anyone else looking forward to Biostatistics three times a week plus the lab?! 
NOT!
...but hey, it is what we signed up for.
A special shout out to the folks in the Health Policy track!
NOT!...but hey, it is what we signed up for.
A special shout out to the folks in the Health Policy track!
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I might be a little crazy: I enrolled in 5 courses - 18 units 
- Epi MPH
- Epi MPH
to all of those in the CHS program at UCLA-can you offer any words of advise to future applicants like me?
my overall gpa (after taking 60+ units of post bacc classes) will be a 3.01
post bacc gpa: 3.7
does the adcom look only at the overall gpa or the last 60 units?
socal girl here who has done alot of internship/volunteering at UCLA. love the school and have always wanted to have an opportunity to do go to school there! go bruins!
my overall gpa (after taking 60+ units of post bacc classes) will be a 3.01
post bacc gpa: 3.7
does the adcom look only at the overall gpa or the last 60 units?
socal girl here who has done alot of internship/volunteering at UCLA. love the school and have always wanted to have an opportunity to do go to school there! go bruins!
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First, I am not in the CHS program, I will be in the Health Policy program. Second, I am sorry to hear that you were not offered a spot in the course. It can be disheartening; however, it looks like you are already looking forward to the next application period.
You ask a difficult question because it requires a specific answer. I doubt that any one of us here can definitively answer. We can only speculate what adcoms do or do not do. For instance, even if they "only" look at your most recent grades (i.e., the last 60 units), they would have access to your grades prior to that since you will have to submit all your undergraduate grades and transcripts.
To be sure, it looks like there is an upward trend. This is great news that should be emphasized in your admissions essay. However, I would wonder, as an adcom (total speculation here), why your initial grades were at or below 3.0. It is general consensus that grades at or below 3.0 should be specifically addressed in the admissions essay. Your strong postbac GPA shows that you have excellent potential, and as such, what happened previously? Were there circumstances that made it challenging to achieve an initially higher GPA? These kinds of issues should be addressed in your essay such that adcoms have a fuller understanding of your unique situation. In addition, I would wonder about the types of courses you took after college. Were they heavily content-based or quantitative? The latter is to your advantage. Courses in upper-level math (e.g., algebra ii, stats, calc, etc.) are particularly desirable.
Good luck!
