"The kids I see getting into Berkeley for engineering were two years accelerated in middle school, then went to a high school with the quarter system where they accelerated even more, ending with two years post CalC BC math at minimum. The kids that were accelerated more moderately are “only” getting into UCSD and below. "
This is just not true, it may be accurate for the kids you know but you can’t generalize like this. You’re assuming that every high school offers Calculus or Stats and has opportunities via a community college to take the advanced classes. Berkeley does not assume this.