Hey there, would someone mind predicting my chances at UCB?
GPA: 3.87
Major: Computer Science
EC’s:
Robotics Club
Chosen participant for a computer science and engineering summer program at UCI. (UCI Inspire)
Math tutor at my CC (15 hours a week)
Air Force Veteran
Pre-reqs: I will be missing Differential Equations
IGETC: No, but I will have the 7 course pattern completed.
Essays: Completed.
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Differential Equations will be the only major requirement I will not have by the end of Spring. Reason being is that my CC only offers 1 class for DE per semester and by the time I tried registering, it was already completely full (I was sadly 17/20 on the waitlist). Priority was apparently given to other students for whatever reason. Begged and pleaded with the professor to let me in but he made it clear no more than 45 students.
Will not having DE blow my chances at UCB?
Thx for all the replies! Good luck to everyone who applied!
This wait is driving me insane! I find myself rereading pieces of information I’ve read ten times over. I’m starved for some sort of update. And to think that won’t happen for nearly three months is just the cherry on top.
I’ve noticed a fair amount of engineering majors in here. Can you guys possibly build a time machine? I’m sure such a feat will guarantee you admission to Berkeley. Thanks.
@ecwolf2016 yes, if you do not have 100% of your major requirement course work complete you will not be considered for admissions.
"In admitting transfer applicants, the department considers college grades, the extent to which the departmental lower-division prerequisites have been completed, and the personal statement. Students must have earned 60 semester units by the end of the Spring term prior to Fall enrollment. All applicants should have completed 100% of the required lower-division admission requirements for the major prior to the semester in which they wish to enter UC Berkeley. "
If you look on ASSIST your major will list required lower division course work and strongly recommend course work. 100% of required lower division course work must be complete and although strongly recommended courses are not required for admissions they increase your chances of admission.
Curious though, even if I had all the major requirements done by now, does anyone think I still would’ve had a good shot of getting admitted?
Reason I ask is because I’ve heard plenty of disheartening stories from people who tried applying with incredible 4.0 gpa’s, immaculate extracurriculars, volunteer work, awards and achievements, etc and still got rejected. And I am by no means as amazing as any of the people commenting here (a 3.87 looks rather casual), so I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part regarding UC Berkeley. Not to mention all the engineering majors there are probably impacted up the wazoo.
Would anyone also know what the previous admit rates were for transfer students into the engineering schools? Specifically Comp Sci?
@ecwolf2016 I think you would have had a shot; the problem with admission statistics is that they are not specific enough. They do not tell us what percent of applicants were missing prerequisites, whether or not they were veterans/ working full time/ instate, OOS, international/ what extra course work was taken, and so on. GPA is important, but college admissions officers also understand that there is a big difference between 4.0 student’s that live at home and don’t work or participate in any school activities, and 3.8 students that are involved in student clubs, tutor 15 hours a week, and have real world work experience. I am also willing to bet that they hate seeing bright engineering applicants with 4.0 GPA’s whose EC’s include playing the cello, a summer vacation in europe and playing with puppies at the local animal shelter.
Computer science is a very in demand major for students and it’s hard to get into most CS programs. If you really want to go to Berkeley you may want to consider holding off for a year and take extra courses; physics, chemistry, engineering, (basically all of the science related courses at the community colleges in your area) and read through a few C++/java/C#/whatever books while collaborating on a big github project.
Off topic: learned about VirtualProtect() today, mind blown. I guess you can do some crazy stuff like this
typedef void ((*func)()); // this is a function pointer type
char *someCode = new char[1000];
//assign op codes into someCode (machine code)
(func)someCode(); //cast data as a function and execute it on the heap
@psyphil12 It is indeed on the lower side of things. However, a GPA of 3.46 for philosophy at Berkeley doesn’t mean you’ll be rejected. It’s certainly possible for you to gain admission. However, do not invest too much into that notion. In short, it’s unlikely you’ll be admitted, but it’s not out of the question.
haha hello everyone I got worried over this mistake in my personal statement, if I used a word wrongly like typing “reminiscence on” instead of “reminiscing on” in my personal statement, does it hurt my chance for admission?
@MugBoy if it it was only one small mistake like that it won’t be a big problem, if you have a lot of small mistakes like that, then it becomes an issue.
Hey guys, so I went to a CC in Northern Virginia where I took ENG 1 and 2 before moving to the CC I’m at now (Berkeley City College). I sent in a copy of my syllabus to an evaluator for the ENG 2 class and tried to get it to cover IGETC area 1b (Critical Thinking) and it was denied. Due to it being denied, I signed up for ENG 5 at BCC to satisfy that requirement but because I am trying to be considered a California Community College transfer to better my shot of being admitted I am taking 20 units this semester because I only took 12 last semester at Los Medanos College (another CCC) and my Spanish class being 5 credits this semester gave me an odd number of 17 so I opted to take 20 to be considered a CCC transfer.
I went to speak with a counselor because I thought that my ENG 2 syllabus from Northern Virginia was so similar to the syllabus I got on the first day of class and after sending some assignments and instructions for assignments to the evaluator he decided that it DID meet the requirements for area 1b or critical thinking.
Tomorrow being the last day to drop a class and get a refund is putting me in a tough situation because that also means it’s the last day I can add a class and I would have to get the add code to be able to do that from the teachers and no teachers have responded to my email of classes that I would like to join (classes that I would still enjoy but aren’t as time consuming as ENG 5). Do you guys think I should drop the ENG 5 class and just take 17 units this semester? That would put me at 61 transferring units to Berkeley but I wouldn’t be considered a CCC which I know would be helpful. I would really appreciate anyones helps who sees this! Thanks.
@uctransfer2016 I would go ahead and keep taking it. It’s tedious work that you’ve already completed once, so hopefully that will make it easier on you. In the meantime, you could try re-submitting the request to ucb with just the critical thinking course, or contacting them to verify/question their decision.
Considering 90+% of all admitted transfer students had the “California community colleges” priority, it seems like it would be a terrible decision to drop it.
@sugarbabies3 so the evaluator that verified the critical thinking class from Northern Virginia and said it can be used for area 1b is the same guy that will check over IGETC and send it to UCB. I already spoke with UCB and they said that the ENG 1 and 2 from Northern Virginia will satisfy their requirement as well. The main issues here is not having at least 18 units and yea like @SDGoldenBear said a solid amount of transfer students come from CCC, however, I was also in the Starting Point Mentorship Program and TAP with Berkeley and have a 3.94 GPA. I’m applying under Rhetoric and I know it isn’t the most competitive major at Cal, so that is what I’m also putting into consideration. With the above info would you guys still stay enrolled in the class? Also, if anyone can shine some light on how much being a California Community College student actually helps you with admissions (really just any information on it, all I know is that they’re given “priority”) that would be awesome!
@psyphil12 No. The average of those admitted seems to hover around a 3.6. If you have demonstrated interest in the major, then you have a solid shot. It’s on the low side, sure, but it’s definitely possible.
@uctransfer2016 Who is your professor? English 5 is really easy, and can be a bit boring, but you brush up on logical fallacies, do a bit of debate/public speaking, etc. - depending on the prof, I guess. While it was easy when I took it, it was still enjoyable. In contrast, English 1A felt almost remedial to me by comparison. English 5 is more like a college course, although it’s definitely easy.
Considering the drop deadline is coming up, you might as well take it. You’re taking 18 units, right? This class will be a fairly easy 3 units (but it sort of depends on your prof - my prof was very easy).
I don’t think CCC priority is all too significant, but it’s in your best interests to complete IGETC. It just happens that most UC applicants come from CC’s (correlation vs. causation).
@goldencub you make some good points and I agree it will be easy but time consuming as well unfortunately and I’m at 20 units and a job. My professor is Annette Roman and she’s really good but I already took the class and would save 700 dropping it. With everything I just said, what would you do if you were in my position?
I still think completing IGETC would be in your best interest, because it applies to all of the UC’s, whereas the breadth requirements may differ - thus putting you in a bit of a pickle if you’re only focused on Cal.
Honestly, it’s probably too late to be able to drop it. I can give you the email & name of a counselor who was very helpful for me at BCC - he might have a different response regarding whether the class you took in VA will count for IGETC. I would show him the syllabus from the English class in VA, and compare it to Eng. 5. That could get you out of taking the English class. It’s certainly not a definite, though.
