are we allowed to bring coffee machines (like a nespresso)?
If you look thru a lot of the dorm videos, you’ll see that a couple of students did bring coffee machines. They do take up a lot of space so keep that in mind.
I attempted a new discussion thread yesterday with this topic, but no one responded, so I’ll post my question again here. Has anyone attended the “Parents & Supporters Orientation”? I think it’s a seminar for parents but many of the topics appear appropriate for the student (campus safety, for example). We are finalizing travel plans and need to decide if this should be worked into our move in day schedule (it’s only offered on Aug 19 & 20). Are these topics given to the students again during welcome week? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
It’s 2.5 hours long and here is the suggested agenda:
Welcome
Family Transitions
Cal Parents Introduction (presented by Cal Parents (link is external))
Golden Bear Orientation Overview & Introduction of Presenters (presented by New Student Services)
Campus Safety (presented by UCPD)
Academic Success (presented by the Student Learning Center [SLC])
Health and Wellness (presented by University Health Services [UHS])
“What is Residential Education?” (presented by Residential Life)
Financial Aid and Scholarships (presented by the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office)
“Understanding Billing & Payments” (presented by University Billing and Cal Student Central)
Could someone explain to me how class registration works? What should I expect to see? I’m pretty confused and anxious about the whole thing…
@thewaitiskillingme - the Parent Orientation is in conjunction with Golden Bear Orientation, which your new freshman kid will be in. I did go for some of the sessions last year - much, if not all, of the info you can find on the various Cal websites. The sessions does allow you to ask questions in person, I suppose. Maybe you’ll make some friends with other parents. I don’t suggest going with your kid though, they’ll get most of the same info at GBO, albeit with more of a student perspective. (They would rather hang out with their friends anyhow). It’s most likely that you will be there on those 2 days to help out your kid move in anyways, so it’s probably worth it to attend a couple of the sessions. If you do go, get there early, the Pauley Ballroom is not necessarily that big and if you’re late, they’ll turn you away.
The Financial Aid session can be helpful, it potentially gives you some information you might not know about, well at least for me anyways.
@sushi121212 - by now, you should have finished most if not all the online modules on registering for classes. If not, you should, it should answer a lot of questions.
Registration for freshmen starts on Wednesday July 24. You’ll be given a time when to register. Say Wednesday July 24 11am PT. That time simply means that that’s the earliest time you can register. You can register later than that, although I highly suggest you don’t wait too long - some classes fill up quickly.
You log into your CalCentral account to actually do the registration. Under the My Academics tab, and then Class Enrollment on the right part of the screen. Many people use the Schedule Planner to fill in their classes. The advantage of that is that you can load the classes into the enrollment page, then when the date and time comes, theoretically you press one button and voila, everything is registered. Unfortunately, in reality, it doesn’t quite work that way. Often, a class(es) is not available to register for any number of reasons - class is full, you’re not eligible to take the class because of prerequisities, overlapping class times, limits because the class is available only for certain class standing (ie. class is available only for sophomores/juniors/seniors), and so on. So you wind up having to manually fiddle around in the CalCentral enrollment page trying to register an individual class or two.
Some hints for registration planning:
- plan out your class schedule using classes.berkeley.edu. Note that unlike smaller universities, lectures are on a given set of days, and then discussions and/or labs can be on different days. You need to treat each as a separate entity.
- do use the Schedule Planner, it's a bit confusing, but helps you with scheduling combinations. Don't do too many combinations - it will take forever to calculate. But be ready to do manual overrides on CalCentral when you do register.
- freshmen are encouraged to not take more than 13 units in their first semester. 13 units is usually 3 classes plus some fun 1 or 2-unit class called a DeCal. There are hundreds of DeCals, ranging anywhere from studying the music of Kanye West to Rubik's Cube/SpeedCubing to Sexual Pleasure 101. My kid took the normal 16 units in his first semester, he's on a mission, so to speak. No fun stuff for him. You can take as many units as you want, but you start paying extra after 21 units. Minimum for full-time students is 12 (or is it 13?), not sure.
- if a class is full, you can waitlist for the class. Waitlists are not automatic, you have to click the checkbox that says to allow for waitlist. General rule of thumb is that 10% of a class generally drops a given class, so if a class has a maximum of 150 people, if the waitlist is less than 15 people, you should be able to get in. Do note that some classes, especially lower division CS classes, will try and accommodate everyone by registering everyone off of waitlist. Also, waitlists sometimes do not clear until after class begins, so you can actually still attend the class, until they tell you not to. Do note that a waitlisted class is an allocated class, i.e. if you've waitlisted 4 classes, you've allocated 16 units (this is more applicable when you get to Phase 1/Phase 2, more on that later).
- if you've been already looking at classes.berkeley.edu, you may have noticed that some classes are already full. That's not a typo. If you had Econ 1 - Intro to Economics in mind, perish that thought, the class is already full (no freshmen will be able to register). You might be able to waitlist and get in though. Some popular English R&C classes are already full as well. But not to worry, there's dozens or R&C classes available offered by any number of majors.
- You can't register for a class until all components are filled - you've chosen a lecture time, a discussion (if applicable) and a lab (if applicable). If any of the 3 is full, you haven't registered for the class. This is a mistake that first-timers make a lot. If you really want the class, grab any discussion or lab time even if it's not the one you want. For example, if you're registering for EE 16A, a lot of the prime time labs are already full or almost full. Make sure you grab a lab time, any lab time. Even if it's a Friday night lab. In this case it is probable that there will be additional lab or discussion sections added in the future. Even if extra discussions or labs are not added, with a sharp eye you can transfer to a different section if someone drops (see next bullet item for more on this).
- to switch to a different discussion or lab, you do not need to drop the class and readd, though it sometimes feel like that's the only way possible. You can use the Switch option to switch discussion sections or lab sections. This assumes there is space in the discussion or lab section you want to switch to. If you drop the class and try to readd, there's a good possibility you won't get the class back again. Note that you can't use the Switch option to switch classes - only discussions or labs.
- do note that almost all Computer Science classes (classes starting with CS) have a separate registration system for discussions and/or labs. You would choose section 999 for the Lab and section 999 for the Discussion section. The registration for these discussions and/or labs takes place just before classes start, and is done by a separate software. There's a big race right at the beginning, so I highly suggest you be available, with a device that has internet connectivity, at the time that the registration for these discussions/labs begin. Prime discussion sections tend to go away within 5 minutes at times. Note that EE and Statistics classes do not have this system.
- use this site to determine when your Finals exam will be: https://registrar.berkeley.edu/scheduling/academic-scheduling/final-exam-guide-schedules You do not want to be in a situation where you are taking 3 (or more) Finals in one single day - most people won't be able to handle that.
- find out registration patterns by using berkeleytime.com. This website shows you historical registration patterns for a given class (along with grade distributions for a given class). A wonderful site. This won't be that useful for the first registration, but for subsequent registrations, it will help you decide what classes to Phase I for and what to Phase 2 for. In subsequent registrations, you will only be able to register up to 13 units for Phase 1, then up to 17 units for Phase 2. For this first registration, you can register all your classes at once. Berkeleytime.com also has Finals times as well.
That’s all for now.
@ProfessorPlum168 Wow, thanks for all the info! You really cleared some things up for me, the wording on some parts of the modules confused me but I get it now, thanks!
actually, a slight correction - for some classes (CS 70, EE 16A and EE 16B are examples), when it comes to registering for discussion sections, you register as section 999 and then you just go to the one that fits your schedule. No secondary registration. I wish all discussions sections would work that way.
@ProfessorPlum168 Thanks for the info on Parent Orientation, and I’ll definitely forward your info on class registration to my Freshman! Another question regarding registration: how does “priority registration” work?
@thewaitiskillingme priority registration is for Regents scholars, some DSP students and perhaps athletes. They essentially register first ahead of everyone else, including seniors. For the first go around for registration that is happening in the middle of July, for priority-identified students I don’t think the priority is in effect. That happens in subsequent registration periods. The reason why it isn’t in effect is because all continuing students have already registered for Phase 1, so there virtually is no advantage in priority.
@ProfessorPlum168 Your wealth of knowledge is amazing! Thank you for all the support you offer!
I guess I was wrong about not being able to switch or swap classes without dropping and adding.
There is a function to swap classes without losing your place: https://sis.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/swap.pdf
To swap discussion or lab sections for a class that you’ve already registered for:
https://sis.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/how_to_swap_sections_for_a_student.pdf
These are important to know so that you don’t wind up losing a class that you’ve registered for. This helps with the nightmare scenario where: you are registered for a class, and want to take another class instead. You drop the first class and try to add the second class, but you can’t register for whatever reason. You then try and readd the first class, but you’re back at the bottom of the queue and you now can’t register and you’ll have to waitlist. This can definitely happen. So by using the swap class function, this scenario won’t happen - if you can’t register for the class you wanted to swap, you’ll still hold on to the first class.
Does anyone know exactly what time the enrollment opens on enrollment day? I got an appointment at 11:00am but I’m sort of scared that it’s a bit late in the day and all my classes will be taken by then.
@sushi121212 if you register at the time of your appointment, most of your classes should be ok. The only ones I can think of that a typical freshman might be taking that is in jeopardy are some of the English R&C courses. Econ 1 is already not available. Having said that, do have backups jotted down so that you can change on the fly quickly if you must.
Hi so I’m planning to major in nutri sci on premed track. These are classes I’m planning to take during first semester:
English R1A, Math 16A, MCB C62, Nutrisci 10.
I’m planning on taking chem 1a in the spring. Any thoughts, suggestions, or changes I should make? Any recommended classes? Should I maybe take chem 1a in the fall instead? Thanks!
I’m currently in L and S rn and want to transfer to CNR.
@SGates Have you taken Calculus before in HS? Not familiar with any of the classes but I asked my kid and he said NUSCTX 10 should be really easy (to get an A) and the English R1A classes are hit and miss depending on which one you take. It looks like a relatively straightforward semester of classes.
Chem 1A, well all of the science classes, are very difficult to get a good grade without a lot of work, so it might be a good idea to save it for Spring. Though there’s also a theory that you should spread easy and hard classes throughout all semesters. Similarly, did you take AP Chem in HS?
Hi, I’ve taken calc ab senior year in high school and ap chemistry sophomore year.
For CNR and L&S, you can get subject credit for Chem 1A with a 4+ From AP Chem. You can also get subject credit for Math 1A with 3+ for AP Calc AB. If you have the qualifying scores, I would lean towards taking the credit and move on to the next class, if needed. But that decision is up to you.
You can check the old final exams at https://tbp.berkeley.edu/courses/ to see if you know the material well enough to skip Chemistry 1A and/or Math 1A or 16A using AP credit, if allowed by your division or major (note that in L&S, each major makes its own AP credit policy; e.g. MCB and IB have different AP credit policies).
But note that many medical schools will want to see an additional more advanced course taken if you skip an earlier one with AP credit. They may also be less impressed by repeating AP credit, even though that is common among pre-meds. You may want to ask the pre-med-specific questions on the pre-med forum section.
Typical medical school prerequisite options taken at UCB are listed at https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/PrepPrereq . Note that if you take Math 10A and 10B, that covers both math and statistics for medical schools.
@SGates
Yep, Med schools want you to retake Chemistry. I’m not really sure what counts as a more advanced chemistry other than, say 4A, although probably 80% of premed people would not suggest taking 4A, because Chem1A is hard enough as it is without taking chemistry for chemistry majors.
The MATH10 series is the premed math series.
Also, other than probably (?) chemistry, all of those classes are going to fill up pretty fast, so you’re going to need way more backups plans. Find 8 (±2) classes that you might want, especially breadth classes (ooh take Chem 3A ochem. Not really any prereqs and enrollment shouldn’t fluctuate too much in the next month, although the labs are all full). Register for the smallest classes with the fewest sections in Phase 1 and save maybe Math or Chemistry for Phase 2. Probably Math, because although Math 10 is the premed series, if you passed AP Calc, you can take Math 1A, Math 1B, Math 10A, Math fifty whatever, which improves your chances of getting into math of some sort. Don’t expect to get the sections you want. Expect some classes to fill up while you’re watching. Probably only start messing with the schedule planner the night before and then again an hour before. Import to cart before your time. Then go to your cart and be ready to press add classes at exactly your time.
You commented a week ago, so I hope it went well for you if you already submitted. Next semester will be easier. If it’s all over and you didn’t get the classes you wanted, keep an eye on them for the next few weeks because some people will be switching and messing with their schedule. That’s how I got into Math 1B my first semester. Also, getting off a waitlist of 10-15% of the class isn’t too hard, especially in a class with no discussion sections, or if you’re okay with 8am or post 5pm discussion sections.
I’m taking the MCAT in 27 days so I’m going back to studying. Other than being long and overpriced, it’s not that bad. No writing involved. No math that you can’t do in your head pretty easily. I’m just going to take 8 practice tests and see where that gets me. Also a pain: there’s only 3 practice tests that will actually give you a score instead of how many questions you got wrong. So, for every other practice test in the world, you have very little idea of how you’re actually doing.