For some students who attend the No. 1 public university in the nation – and the most applied-to school in the United States – the reality does not always match the dream.

Every year, some Bruins find themselves searching for a better academic fit elsewhere – though a UCLA Media Relations spokesperson said they do not know if the university tracks the exact number of students who transfer out of UCLA. Students begin the transfer process by declaring nonattendance, though there’s no formal process for transferring.

When Claire Kupsaw first stepped onto UCLA’s campus, she said she never imagined she’d leave it behind. But after two years, the former political science student packed her bags and headed across the country for a smaller campus and more tailored path.

Kupsaw, now a third-year cinema and arts student at Vanderbilt University, said she found herself increasingly drawn to media, film and television studies. After realizing the challenges of transferring into UCLA’s selective School of Theater, Film and Television, the decision to transfer came together quickly, she said.

“I was talking to my parents on the phone, and I was telling them all the things that I was thinking through,” Kupsaw said. “They were like, ‘Well, have you considered transferring?’ I was like, ‘No, that’d be crazy.’ And then I sat on it and decided to look into it.”

Kupsaw said she ultimately decided to transfer in January 2024 and began applying to universities with strong media programs. She said she received her acceptance to Vanderbilt – her top choice – in May.

While she said she still misses many aspects of UCLA, including her teaching assistants and professors, she ultimately felt she was not studying what she truly wanted to pursue.

“I definitely think it (transferring) was the right choice for me,” Kupsaw said. “I’m really happy with how it’s gone. I feel like I got really lucky.”

Alicia Leong, now a first-year interaction design student at Malmö University in Sweden, said she initially believed she wanted a larger college environment after attending a small high school with just 300 students. However, during her first year, she came to realize she wanted to attend a smaller university, she said.

UCLA’s general education requirements and fast-paced environment made it difficult for her to focus on the arts-centered education she had imagined, said Leong, who attended UCLA as a design media arts student.

Leong also said she struggled to find balance at UCLA. The fast-paced academic culture began to make her feel anxious, she added, saying she felt pressure to live out the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle.

Leong said she believes UCLA offers a classic American college experience and a strong sense of community through its dorms and parties. She added that she was in a sorority during her time as a Bruin and has come to realize she will likely never have that experience again.

Ultimately, though, Leong said her new school gives her the space and independence she was looking for.

“I don’t think that a big research university was ever for me,” Leong said.

Similarly, Avery Chen, now a second-year hotel administration student at Cornell University, said UCLA was not the best fit for her future goals. She said that the lack of an undergraduate business program motivated her decision to transfer. Chen, who was an economics student at UCLA, added that Cornell provides her with more resources dedicated to finding a professional pathway in business administration.

Chen said she was admitted to Cornell with guaranteed transfer admission, meaning she always planned to transfer after one year at UCLA. She was excited to transfer because of the career opportunities and preprofessional culture at Cornell, she said.

Chen said the challenges faced by students transferring from UCLA are compounded by the confusion of navigating the transfer process, often with limited support and resources.

“I had to call the registrar’s office so many times, and they wouldn’t pick up because it was already summer,” Chen said. “It was really hard to reach them, and I was really confused. I wasn’t sure how to tell them that I was going to transfer.”

She added that she also found it difficult to discuss the decision to transfer with her friends at UCLA.

“I just would avoid talking about it until somebody brought it up,” she said. “I was kind of afraid that if I told people that I was transferring, then they wouldn’t think it was worthwhile to become friends with me because I was going to leave anyway.”

Similarly, Kupsaw said she questioned what others would think of her when she began to consider the switch. She added that she made a pros and cons list and tried to tune out any external pressures.

Leong said professional opportunities can be built outside of prestigious institutions, and that she believes staying somewhere solely for its name is not always worth it – especially if it comes at the cost of well-being.

“Don’t stick to a situation that isn’t healthy for you because of the hype,” Leong said.