My Favorite Things About UCLA — A Real Student’s Story

This article is a first-person account from Leyla Barkhordar, a recent UCLA graduate and CollegeVine livestreamer and contributor. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

 

What’s Covered: 

• My Favorite Experience as a Student at UCLA
• How I Got Accepted to UCLA
• How UCLA Connected Me with CollegeVine

 

 

In this post, Leya Barkhordar, a recent University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), graduate, discusses her experiences as a student and how she got involved with CollegeVine. 

 

My Favorite Experience as a Student at UCLA

 

It is hard to choose just one experience from my time at UCLA that would be my favorite, but working at the transfer center was particularly rewarding. 

 

My boss was amazing, and I still talk to her to this day. She is trying to help me get a full-time, paid HR position there, which would be perfect for me. 

 

I also still talk to all of my former coworkers. I loved the environment there, even though my work was conducted online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I helped many transfer and incoming students get into UCLA during my time at the transfer center. 

 

Ultimately, the work that I was doing there was really fun. 

 

How I Got Accepted to UCLA

 

I was lucky enough to be accepted to UCLA along with many other schools, and I think that it was mainly due to my story. I am a person with a disability, and my essay focused on that part of my identity. 

 

The essay was about my mission to make a difference in my community, which was clearly demonstrated in my involvement with my school communities. What I did in high school—working with people with disabilities—stood out, particularly because at the time, I was interested in teaching special education.

 

Although things have changed and I did not ultimately enjoy teaching, I think that my identity, more than anything, was what was distinct in my application. Many people with disabilities do not get admitted into college because their abilities are doubted, so I believe that my story resonated. 

 

How UCLA Connected Me with CollegeVine

 

My work at the transfer center is similar to my work at CollegeVine as an advisor. At CollegeVine, I offer free 30-minute consultations to speak with students and answer their questions. Students can easily sign up and it is risk free. There is no concern about losing anything more than a half hour of your time. 

 

Even if that session ends up being the only interaction with the student, I get to hang out with them for a while. We can talk about college and internships, and I can refer them to other professional connections that I have.

 

Are you looking for college admissions guidance? If you need help with the process, Leyla is available for one-on-one advising through CollegeVine. The first 30-minute consultation is always free, and the pricing is available on the website. Besides advising, she also answers queries on the message boards. If you are a potential college athlete or are otherwise interested in UCLA, reach out to Leyla, and she can help you with any questions that you might have!