EECS dept. cutoffs for honors at graduation

<p>In case any other EECS majors are interested in knowing what the honors cutoffs are for spring '09 graduates, I’ve obtained them directly from the College of Engineering. Unlike for [liberal</a> arts](<a href=“http://ls.berkeley.edu/?q=undergraduate/honors-program]liberal”>http://ls.berkeley.edu/?q=undergraduate/honors-program) majors, the CoE cutoffs are not published online.</p>

<p>Cumulative UC GPA at graduation:
Highest Honors: 3.927–4.000 (top 3% of graduating class)
High Honors: 3.811–3.926 (next 7% of graduating class)
Honors: 3.672–3.810 (next 10% of graduating class)
Total: 20%</p>

<p>Note that these numbers are based off of last year’s graduating class rather than this year’s. This is how the cutoffs are known ahead of time. </p>

<p>Somehow, they just keep creeping up. I believe last year’s cutoff for Honors was 3.657 and 3.78x or 3.79x for High Honors. In spring 1999, 3.636 [was</a> sufficient](<a href=“http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~jonc/self/big_transcript.html]was”>Bear Facts: Unofficial Transcripts) for Honors.</p>

<p>If your cumulative UC GPA through Fall 2008 is at least 3.672, your transcript should be marked with “HONORS TO 12-08” under “FALL TERM 2008” when it’s on BearFacts this Thursday. The same applies for previous semesters, using their respective cutoffs.</p>

<p>By comparison, here are the targets for [Harvard</a> College](<a href=“http://www.college.harvard.edu/academics/resources/honors_faqs.html]Harvard”>http://www.college.harvard.edu/academics/resources/honors_faqs.html):</p>

<p>Summa cum laude: top 4–5% of graduating class
Magna cum laude: next 15-16% of graduating class
Cum laude: next 30% of graduating class
Total: 50%</p>

<p>Prior to June 2005, Latin honors were awarded purely based on GPA: 3.00+ for *cum laude<a href=“2.83+%20if%20recommended%20by%20the%20department”>/i</a> and 3.33+ for magna! As a result, over half of Harvard College’s students graduated with honors!</p>

<p>omg, this sux, i guess most ppl get much higher gpa than i thought, need to work ultra hard this semester</p>

<p>Question: how big a deal are these honors things? </p>

<p>Why do I ask? I’m a bit below the border, but if they’re a big deal I guess I could take a bunch of stupid easy classes and probably get on the higher side. (Or I could go back in time and not take those hard technical electives last fall…)</p>

<p>If you’re aiming to go into industry, as most people are, your GPA and institution no longer matter the day you start work. From then on, it’s all about your work performance.</p>

<p>I’m actually in the exact same situation as you. Decisions, decisions…</p>

<p>@mrniphty/Student: Why not just take hard classes and do well in them? :)</p>

<p>Castel: If only it were so easy :0</p>

<p>Student: I applied to grad school, but I’m still waffling about grad school vs industry. In all honesty I can’t imagine that these honors would matter one bit in real life.</p>