Rosalba Ruiz said she initially doubted her ability to succeed in higher education as a non-traditional student.

Ruiz, an incoming third-year psychology transfer student, said she navigated working full-time and being a single mother while attending Monterey Peninsula College. But getting accepted to UCLA in April – and attending Transfer Bruin Day on Saturday – made her confident that she could pursue higher education in her 30s, she said.

“My overall goal was to make sure that my daughter knew that if she worked hard and if she had a goal, she could achieve it no matter what,” Ruiz said.

Hundreds of newly admitted transfer students and their families explored campus and learned about student life at the Saturday event. UCLA received more than 30,000 transfer student applications for the 2026-27 academic year – the most of any four-year university in the country.

Representatives from different majors and campus resource centers provided information to prospective students at booths sprawled across Dickson Plaza.

Ruiz said she is looking forward to getting involved with LGBTQ+ organizations at UCLA, as well as using the UCLA Latinx Success Center.

Jorge Espinoza, an incoming third-year education and social transformation student, said he was nervous that navigating housing at UCLA would be complicated, but he felt encouraged after attending a Transfer Bruin Day open house event covering on-campus accommodations.

Espinoza, who is transferring from Contra Costa College, said he experienced burnout and difficulties when navigating college application processes as a first-generation student. He added that he was pleasantly surprised when he got into UCLA after being rejected from other UC campuses.

Espinoza said he is looking forward to guiding his younger sister – who is attending the same community college he is about to graduate from – through higher education.

“If I can do it, then I’m sure she can do it as well,” Espinoza said.

Daniel Arango, an incoming history student who attended Transfer Bruin Day, said he initially did look at higher education as an option following his high school graduation. He chose to work instead but felt unchallenged.

He added that he enrolled in community college when he was 25 and applied to transfer to UCLA despite doubting if he could get in.

“I started my education journey way late,” Arango said. “I’m still doing it at 28, and I still choose to continue, no matter how long it takes.”

Liana Myvett, an incoming third-year African American studies student who attended the event, said she felt lost in community college after getting rejected from the universities she hoped to attend after high school.

When Myvett was admitted to UCLA, she called her mom crying out of happiness. She added that she enjoyed meeting other transfer students and being welcomed onto campus during Transfer Bruin Day as someone who had never visited UCLA before.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted anymore out of the whole college experience, or what I saw on my career path looking like,” Myvett said. “Re-figuring that out and being certain of what I wanted and having a school to solidify that, like UCLA, was really significant for me.”

Liz Cornett, an incoming political science student, said she met her roommate at Transfer Bruin Day and appreciated being able to familiarize herself with campus.

Ruiz said she plans to pursue psychology after experiencing stigma around mental health growing up. Help from her therapists inspired her to provide the same support for others, she added.

“It (Transfer Bruin Day) makes you feel giddy, like, ‘Oh my God, I’m finally here – this is finally happening,’” Ruiz said. “I get to step on the ground and feel what it’s going to be like for the next two years.”