<p>My son will be a junior this year and his dream school is Berkeley. He wants to major in molecular biology and eventually go on to a graduate degree probably a PhD in something like genetics, virology, etc… He is trying as hard as he can to be the kind of student Berkeley would accept.
Right now he has a 4.0 (unweighted) for the first two years of high school. He took one AP last year and is planning on taking 3 AP’s this year, and perhaps 4 or 5 AP’s in hsi senior year. We just went to pick up his schedule for the fall and due to course requirements made by the school he attends, he is possibly going to be forced to drop one or two AP"s next year in order to take other courses that are required to graduate from his school. He attends a big LA city public school, is in-state and Caucasian. He is very upset right now because other friends of his do not have the same scheduling difficulties as he does, and they are able to take as many AP’s as they want to. (why he has problems is a long story but it has to do with him being a year ahead in languages and the school basically programming for kids who start language in freshman year. Plus taking a sport every year for a semester). He is worried that if he has to drop a few AP’s next year, and say ends up with only taking 6 or 7 AP’s as opposed to taking 8 or 9, he will not get into Berkeley. I have told him it is more about your combined SAT or ACT scores as well as your GPA and I have a hard time imagining taking 1 or 2 less AP’s will make that much difference to an admission counselor at Berkeley. But he is convinced being Caucasian he has to have every edge to get in, and not being allowed to take these courses by his stupid high school will give him a disadvantage for admissions. By the way, the AP’s he would skip maybe would be AP Spanish and AP art history, not at all courses in his major. He is convinced he needs as many AP’s as possible to get as high a GPA as possible.
He is very upset now with his school and his schedule, and right now he is having to make some tough decisions about what he will and will not take this year and next. Plus, he plays varsity tennis, and do to his schedule, he is maybe being forced to not play tennis for both junior and senior year. He wants to play tennis, you need extracurriculars, and yet he is maybe being forced to drop tennis to get these classes in. The administration at his school is no help, they refuse to make even one exception for him even though they recognize the schedule is a problem.<br>
So, what do all you people who got into Berkeley think? Can he get in without some AP’s or does he need them? If he has to drop tennis to take classes and has less extracurricular, does that look bad? By the way, he is also in Science Bowl, various clubs like service clubs, Heal the Bay, (Vice presidents of some clubs), AYSO soccer for like 13 years, etc… Give us some advice. He is very upset and needs your help! Thanks in advance…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Unweighted GPA matters much, much more than how many AP classes you have. 6-7 versus 8-9…it doesn’t really matter.</p></li>
<li><p>Being caucasian doesn’t affect his chances in any way. Race is not considered for UC admissions.</p></li>
<li><p>Try not to post a giant wall of text next time, it makes your post hard to read.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hi I’m a junior transfer student. I am kind lost in how to manage and balance the study, clubs, and social life in college life. I think I should make a plan ahead, but not sure where to start. I used to be a person spend most of my time in library and study hard with little extracurricular activities. Now after a 2-year miserable and boring study life from my previous community college, I realize I should go out and join some interesting clubs to make more friends and make my college life meaningful in Berkeley. However, I am also very concerned about my study and grades here as well. So can anyone give me some advice. Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.</p>
<p>The thing I keep telling people is that college is what you make of it, and I think a lot of people struggle with that because unlike high school or even CC where it’s a rather linear affair of taking the required courses, work hard, and socialize with the time left over, at Berkeley you can have as difficult or easy of an academic life as you see fit. Like everything in life, there are trade-offs and if you’re taking 5 tech courses be prepared to not have a life. A strategy I recommend is taking 4 classes each semester, two easy and two hard ones. So, if you’re in a difficult major like engineering, take two engineering classes and two humanities. If you find it hard to fit in all your required classes, many transfers stay an extra semester or year and that’s okay as long as you can afford it financially. As for clubs, I would say keep an open mind and try out a lot of different clubs but ultimately you’re going to find one or two that you really like and stick to, and that can be where your social circle develops. A lot of having a social life is about developing a network; get to know a group of people, then meet their friends and slowly branch out. As for studying, again, it’s pretty open so do what you know. If you enjoy studying in a library and that works for you, then go to the library and hit the books. Studying with other people in your class helps too because it relieves boredom and helps you not procrastinate when you have to meet up and study with someone at a certain time. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>cal can be a lot of fun, too. check out the video i made for a group project in my soc class at cal…</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Faces of Berkeley](<a href=“Faces of Berkeley - YouTube”>Faces of Berkeley - YouTube)</p>
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<p>It is not necessarily a given that the engineering courses will be harder, in terms of workload. Many of them are, due to labs, computer programming, or large term projects. But some of them with lecture and discussion only have relatively light workload, about comparable to many math courses. Meanwhile, some humanities and social studies courses have significant term projects.</p>
<p>Three courses with labs, computer programming, or large term projects can be more work than five courses with lecture and discussion only.</p>
<p>Maybe this post would be better without the proselytizing about relationship goals. But thanks :]</p>
<p>I was recently admitted to UCLA. Also, I live outside the US and I know that UCLA accepted more OOS students because UCLA is low on money. My SAT is around 2300, my UC GPA for sophomore and junior years combined is a 4.15, and my extracurricular activities are solid and show longtime commitment. How are my chances at Berkeley?</p>
<p>you are a highly qualified candidate, so the odds are good.</p>
<p>Thanks, rider730. Does anyone else have an opinion?</p>
<p>hope you got in. you seem like an excellent candidate. Be aware that Berkeley is accepting more out of state students this year also, due to budget constraints. btw, I really enjoyed berkeley2012’s youtube video of the Faces of Berkeley.</p>
<p>Yes, I was accepted, anotheralum. How many more OOS students did they accept this year?</p>
<p>They did accept more OOS and I saw a number someplace but can’t remember what it is. Hope you chose Cal. It is a great place. People work hard and play hard. I am in San Francisco now and it is 70 and sunny…beautiful weather and just across the Bay from Berkeley. Go Bears!!</p>
<p>Im hoping to transfer here next year. In your opinion, what is the best transfer housing or dorm to live in to meet people? Also, do you have the option to pick your roommate? I really do not want to get stuck with someone I have a hard time getting along with. I know that UCB doesn’t party a lot but I do like to occasionally so I was wondering that best way to get into that type of crowd. The people who like to get good grades but also aren’t so studious that they cant have fun on the weekends they are not busy.</p>
<p>Is this information still relevant? Especially the part about undeclared major… I’m dead set on L&S computer science.</p>
<p>Entering freshmen in L&S enter as undeclared.</p>
<p>L&S CS is not currently listed as a capped major, so it should not be difficult to declare after completing the stated prerequisites.</p>
<p>I read in a Berkeley local newspaper that the students at Berkeley don’t like the disabled students on campus…it said, “{the students} spit on them.” While I am sure that is not literal, is there truth to this statement. Also, what happened to the Disabled Student Union? Why isn’t it active any more?</p>
<p>Profile rising junior : 4.1 W gpa , sat 2150 (will repeat - first try)
ECs: Weak (Member of few clubs that dont do much, no leadership). JV-swim, 3 hours/week volunteering at library. Taking 5 APs junior year…have trouble balancing that with EC leadership. So ECs have fallen aside.
Very rigorous HS in bay area, 500+ freshman…should in top 10%…asian female.
Any advise. Cal is the ultimate goal…
Taken atdp summer classes with A’s last couple years.
Anyway…should the focus be on EC or AP (need that to make some ranking in my HS…as there is an AP race going on here…) thanks for any input</p>
<p>@tryingforcollege To be completely honest, (and not to scare you or anything) you should focus on both. The thing with cal is that, from what I see, admissions look at ALL aspects of you app, and ECs definitely are important. Since you say you’re lacking on those, grades/AP are especially important. See if you can get to varsity swim this year, and just keep getting A’s! Stay in the top 10% for sure. Your SAT looks good for the first time, if you can study and boost that by 100pts you should be set. </p>
<p>Try to make this summer count (go abroad, volunteer, intern, etc… elections are next year, so there’s campaigning too), and run to be a club officer for next year. See if you can run for treasurer or secretary, if you think you can’t handle prez/vp. Work on building your ECs - better late than never. That being said, don’t go out and join a bunch of things just to list them on your app, get more involved in the ones you already are in. Try joining an active club too, you’ll be amazed by the difference! How about student body positions? There’s also things like school site council, or school board rep. You DEFINITELY still have a chance though (maybe a little bit of a reach). Based on what you said, you seem somewhat similar to how I was my junior year, and I’m a spring admit now - I basically did what I just told you to do…and write some awesome essays! (very important, so don’t procrastinate on those…)</p>
<p>Out of State
Weighted GPA 3.6
Current Semester GPA right now is 4.3, freshman year screwed me.
Highest Composite ACT 31. Highest sub scores Math 31 Reading 32 Science 32 English 35.
5 AP Exams, received three fours and two threes. Received AP Scholar with Distinction Award.
Received a Prairie State Achievement Exam Award
Commended by my town’s mayor and city council with a Certificate of Appreciation for my community service.
Currently helping out everyday with Special Education Kids
Junior year I was an unpaid intern for State Treasurer Alexei Giannoulias’ U.S. Senate Campaign. Same year I was an unpaid intern for Governor Pat Quinn’s Re-election campaign. Also the same year I was an unpaid intern for State Senator Toi Hutchinson’s campaign.
ECs: Business Professionals of America (consecutively placed 1st in Economic Research in Regional competitions for two years. Also placed first, two years in a row, for Banking and Finance in regional competitions. Current senior member of my chapter’s executive board.)
Model United Nations
Youth and Government (Current candidate for Lieutenant Governor for Illinois’ YMCA Youth and Gov, if I win, which I will, I will be representing 1,000 students.)
Speech Team
Here is the best component of my application. I am the youngest Fall Fellow (Community Organizer) in the whole state of Illinois, maybe even the country, for the President’s re-election campaign.
My grades aren’t really that good, but they get better each year even though I take considerably more challenging classes each year. My ACT is decent for UC Berkeley, but my Extra-curricular activities are the best in my school. And I can guarantee you this, no other high school student in the state of Illinois has more political experience then I do. Am I in?</p>