Might I suggest that you carve out some time to just have fun, whether it’s socializing or exploring the city you are in (assuming we aren’t sheltering in place anymore!). You’ll have plenty of required work soon enough!
@vhsdad My current schedule consists of Zoom-ing with friends while we screenshare movies on Netflix! I’m making full productive use of the quarantine, I know.
What is the reason that you need to take Math 1B (calculus 2), since you have already taken the equivalent of the more advanced course Math 53 (multivariable calculus)?
Thanks, forgot I got a 5 on Calc BC. I have another free elective!
Guessing that your first semester schedule will be something like:
CS 61A
EE 16A
R&C B (see http://guide.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/letters-science/reading-composition-requirement/ for list)
H/SS course (see https://engineering.berkeley.edu/students/undergraduate-guide/degree-requirements/humanities-and-social-sciences/ for guidelines)
Note that EE and CS course information is on the web, so you can get a preview if you want:
https://cs61a.org/
http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~ee16a/sp20/
Thanks! That seems manageable.
Note also that some departments post reading lists and themes of R&C course sections. For example, here is the English department’s list for spring 2020: https://english.berkeley.edu/course_semesters/45 .
You may want to see if the lists for fall 2020 are available when you select courses.
Did you end up receiving the Regents’ scholarship? My daughter did not, and she was super sad for about 5 minutes until she found out her BFF got into Cal! If she can talk her friend into going I’m sure they will see you there next Fall!
@KBTDPT I did! And yeah, if she goes I’m sure we’ll see each other eventually over the years.
Ivy Day Results (not that they matter)
Harvard - rejected
Princeton - waitlisted
Cornell - accepted
Congrats penguin2!
My comments are meant to help others who read this thread since you’ve already committed to Berkeley. Here’s my opinion as a parent of a CS major at MIT with many neighbors who attend/attended Berkeley.
In terms of internships and initial full time job offers, I think there’s virtually no difference. Top students from UCB and MIT will have ample opportunities for employment at FAANG companies. The difference might come a few years after graduation. MIT graduates help each other, career services post job openings to alums, etc. UCB as a larger state school doesn’t have as strong a sense of community.
As far as reputation is concerned, MIT is the clear winner. It’s routinely ranked top 1 or 2 globally. This doesn’t mean a UCB grad is negatively affected at all. I only mention it since you consider it a factor.
Collaboration is one of the selling points of MIT. Everybody wants to help everybody. There’s so much support, you’d have to almost intentionally try not to get assistance. There’s no competition among CS students. Even among premeds, the competition is not worth mentioning.
Each family has to decide whether MIT is worth the higher cost. It probably doesn’t if only looking as earnings over your lifetime. It probably does if you consider the incredible opportunities and experiences during the 4 years as well as friendships/networks after graduation.
The fact that 90% of cross admits choose MIT over UCB should at least make admits think very carefully before declining the MIT acceptance.