Good grad program IF you have a good advisor - Graduate Student Researcher UCLA Employee Review

3.0
Aug 15, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The university is huge and well-ranked, and consequently well-funded and prestigious. The campus is beautiful and depending on field, you will likely have access to tons of networking and collaborations. GSR's and TA's are unionized, which greatly improve the ability for grad students to advocate for better conditions.

Cons

Your experience depends 99% on your graduate advisor/PI. They may or may not have any funding for you, and often lie or mislead students about their funding stability. The advisor-student relationship is EXTREMELY influential on every aspect of your experience, so if you have a bad advisor you will have a terrible time. There is often little structural support for workplace abuse and harassment. Advisors are very rarely hired based on their ability to be managers, and it shows. Especially among junior professors.

Explore other reviews about UCLA

5.0
Jul 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great pay and good work

Cons

No cons really. well compensated

1.0
Jul 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

None that I can think of

Cons

A colleague was laid off today. She was with UCLA for 10+ years. She got a meeting invite with 10 minutes notice. Her Director read out a cold statement that her position was eliminated and handed her over to the HR. Her manager came running to her cubicle and told her she had 2 minutes to pack up and leave. He insisted that he accompanied her to her car. Many other colleagues had similar or worse experiences. All Managers and Directors and above saved their jobs. And they sacrificed many individual contributors.

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