Student Saeed Ahmad transferred from Norco College at a young age and is currently majoring in Psychology going into Pre-Law. He identifies as a Pakistani-American, an immigrant and a minority. Read more to learn more about his unique background as a student!
Saeed:
"My transfer story is unique due to the fact that I did not complete high school before attending community college. I took the CHSPE, a high school exit exam that enabled me to leave high school after my junior year and attend Norco College. My grades were abysmal in high school due to my lack of focus and distractions that prevented me from performing at my full potential. UCLA had always been my dream school and I soon realized that my grades and lack of work ethic would make it difficult for me to gain admission into UCLA out of high school. I was very grateful when I found out that I could take an exit exam that would enable me to get a fresh start at community college; I also found out that my AP credits would transfer over to my CC and enable me to enter with one years worth of units. At Norco College, I maintained a goal-oriented mindset that led me to earn a high GPA and be involved in various college extracurricular activities such as the honors program and pre-law society. I soon entered my last semester at Norco College and fervently waited for the day admissions would come out for transfers.The fact that transfer decisions come out one month after freshman decisions added to the suspense! When admissions decision finally arrived, I was honored to have the choice to choose between UCLA and UC Berkeley. And obviously, I chose the #1 Public University in America, UCLA!"
"I currently serve as the President of the Pre-Law Transfer Society at UCLA, one of the premier pre-law organizations on the UCLA campus. Our organization's goal is to be a resource to both prospective/current UCLA Transfers as well as students who come from backgrounds underrepresented in the legal profession. Being aware of the difficulties transfers face coming into UCLA as juniors ( already having to deal with a rigorous course load, LSAT prep, obtaining letters of recs for law school etc), Pre-Law Transfer Society strives to create a seamless transition that will enable our members to achieve their dreams and reach their potential no matter their background. Besides my involvement in the Pre-Law Transfer Society, I am involved with both the Muslim Student Association, Pakistani Student Association, and like to practice martial arts in my free time. After graduating from UCLA, my goal is to attend a top law school; I would then like like to venture into the fields of business, politics, and fashion. As a Pakistani-American, I would like to make a positive impact on the world and unlock the full potential of the American Dream."
Saeed also traveled over the summer to Harvard Law School (Cambridge, Massachusetts) NYU School of Law. "Between June 30, 2019 and August 3, 2019, I was at Harvard Law School in Boston, Massachusetts for the 2019 TRIALS Program. As one of 20 students selected to the program in the entire nation, I was proud to represent both UCLA and UCLA Transfers! TRIALS is an acronym that stands for "Training and Recruitment Initiative for Admission to Leading Law Schools". The program consisted of a rigorous 5 week residential program that encompassed LSAT prep, network opportunities with Harvard/NYU Law Faculty and Admissions officers, and even visiting corporate firms such as Morgan Lewis. Being a part of the 2019 TRIALS class was truly an amazing experience and was my very first time in the East Coast."
Way to go, Saeed! Thank you for sharing your amazing journey!
