Though I am part of one of our school’s smallest undergraduate majors, I like to think that the students of UCLA School of Nursing have the biggest hearts. I am currently in my third year in the program and am absolutely loving it! Are you also interested in nursing? Here’s some advice and information about the program taken from my experiences:

Getting in: We accept freshman admits as well as junior-level transfers so if you are thinking about changing your major once you get into UCLA to nursing, unfortunately that cannot be done. The school accepts about 40 new freshman per year and 10 transfer students so this is a competitive program but don’t let that discourage you! I would advise to get involved in hospital/health related volunteering and maintain a strong academic record. Make sure to apply to both the general UCLA application due November 30 as well as complete the supplemental School of Nursing application due sometime in mid-January. The supplemental application includes 2 letters of recommendation and a 2-page personal statement.

Congrats, you’re in! The first two years of study focuses on general prerequisites such as life sciences, math, chemistry, psychology, and communications classes. You will still take at least 1-2 lower-division nursing classes each quarter though! You last two years are more focused on clinical work. You will take 2-3 upper-division nursing classes as well as have a clinical rotation requirement per quarter. You will get to work 6-hour shifts initially and gradually work your way up to several 12-hour shifts per week at some of the top hospitals in the Los Angeles area (UCLA Ronald Reagan, UCLA Santa Monica, Cedars Sinai, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Kaiser, etc.). Your rotations include medical surgical, critical care, pediatrics, labor and delivery, public health, among others.

The BS in Nursing program is an amazing, hands-on experience that is truly unlike any other major here at UCLA. It is the most rewarding and enriching experience being able to directly influence the lives of patients and be the future of healthcare 🙂