<p>Most CS classes do not focus on languages, knowing languages really only corresponds to the CS9 series here (Python for programmer, Java for programmers, etc). 61ABC focuses on programming concepts… what does it mean to be functional? How do you implement objects/(simple) interpreters? How do you create data structures? How does caching/memory work? How do you implement a processor?</p>
<p>Knowing languages can help though, along with programming basics. Expect to change languages a lot. You should be able to code in whatever you’re thrown into. 61A uses Python, Scheme, and some logic programming. 61B is all Java. 61C is C and Assembly. Upper division classes use whatever the hell they want, and they expect you to pick up new languages fast.</p>
<p>Honors classes: This is Berkeley. Everyone here was at the top of their class. Even half of the freshmen have programming knowledge coming in. After you transfer, you go from being the best to just being average. And that’s perfectly normal. The pace of classes here is fast, very fast. The amount of material covered in a “basic” class is often twice what you would learn in a year’s worth of classes at a CC. No, there are no honors CS classes. If there were, chances are you really wouldn’t want to be in them. Honestly, every CS class might as well be honors already.</p>
<p>I transferred from Foothill a year ago, I ended up just taking the entire 61 series. The only one you might get partial credit for is 61B, which you can finish up by taking 47B. I didn’t go that route so I don’t know the details or what the exact requirements are. But expect to retake a lot of the lower div CS (or EECS) classes after transferring. Side note, “partial credit” for circuits from Foothill doesn’t actually get you anywhere and they’ll make you take EE40 after transferring.</p>
<p>You should probably be taking CS classes at your school, even if they won’t transfer to UCB. Remember that admissions are unpredictable, and you need to have a plan B. Chances are, your plan B UC is going to want a pile of CS classes as well, and they’ll all transfer nicely there. I’ve never heard of lynda.com, but I doubt it counts as actual credit, and getting articulations would be trickier.</p>
<p>Also, note that there are two CS majors at Berkeley… L&S CS is a BA and a bit more humanities focused. I think they want IGETC completed for that. Admissions is a bit easier, but you’ll have to declare your major after transferring, which can be stressful. EECS is in CoE, and is a BS. You can focus on EE, or you can just do CS, whatever. But IGETC doesn’t get you anything with EECS, and it has different pre-reqs which are really math/physics heavy. EECS also admits directly into the major, so admissions are tougher but there’s no declaring nonsense to worry about. Make sure you know which one you’re going for and that you’re on track for that program.</p>
<p>Also, pre-reqs are super important. Check assist.org to see what pre-reqs you’re expected to complete, and which classes from Foothill will articulate at Berkeley and other UCs (have a backup!).</p>
<p>Being behind:
Yup, hard to avoid. You might get partial credit for 61B. Expect to take 61A, 47/61B, 61C, CS70, EE20N, and EE40 at UCB. It’s a lot of lower division stuff to make up. You’ll probably have to double up on the 61 series, and do bad things like taking 61A and 61B at the same time. People will tell you not to, but most transfers do it anyways and you’ll be fine if you’ve already had CC level data structure/java classes. Summer session is also really helpful. I took 61A and 61BL during summer session (bad combination) and it made scheduling a lot easier, and meant I could start upper div classes in the Spring.</p>
<p>Extension is good too, if you can get into the classes you want… remember that Extension students get last priority, though. One trick is to pick unpopular sections, ones that are 8am or late at night. Those tend to be less popular, and if you can get into a section you can get into the lecture/class. There’s also 61AS, the self paced Scheme version of 61A. I don’t know how useful the class is or how well it relates to the normal 61A class. (Despite being an “intro” class, 61A is interesting and you will learn stuff in it.) The priority stuff doesn’t apply during summer session, so those classes are easy to get into.</p>