Annika Mellquist (Civil Engineering):

“It’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I chose UCLA since it was more of a feeling. After being exposed to campus culture, I already knew it was the place I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. In fact, I asked my mom to cancel my Cal tour the following week.

Besides the gut feeling, there were also numerous factors that influenced my decision. One of the main reasons I was initially skeptical was that I imagined large class sizes taught by teaching assistants instead of professors. However, I learned that this was false and nearly all classes are taught by professors. Also, hands-on opportunities are abundant at UCLA through class labs and clubs.

But aside from the engineering program, the social life at UCLA stood out. Every single student I approached seemed genuinely happy to be there which made the atmosphere uplifting. Lastly, the food—I can’t even express how much I loved B-Plate and the numerous options. I have never seen chocolate-chip whole grain pancakes as a dining hall breakfast option!”