<p>Oh my goodness. My daughter was just admitted to UC Berkeley as a freshman.... BUT for Spring quarter (not Fall). She was all set to join her brother in San Diego in Sept -- but now this extraordinary opportunity! </p>
<p>She could go up in the Fall, take a Berkeley Extension program (would have to live off campus, I think, makes me nervous). ... then start regular Berkeley classes in January (and, hopefully, move into a dorm). Or, she could take classes at our local CC until then (or even not go to school at all from what I understand). </p>
<p>I was <em>so</em> hoping for the full 'freshman experience' for her, but this might be too good to pass up... any opinions, words of wisdom out there! </p>
<p>Her intended major is physiology and she has aspirations to become a physical therapist (or <em>possibly</em> go to med school) I know this is a quality problem to have and we're very excited, but we need all the info we can find before she decides! This is a tough one!</p>
<p>If you are talking about the Fall Program for Freshman, students can live in the dorms with fall-admitted students. </p>
<p>I wasn’t in FPF myself, but my floormates were - and I was able to become very close friends with them. I doubt your daughter will miss out on the “freshman experience”.</p>
<p>I originally read that “housing cannot be guaranteed for Spring” at first and was bummed only later to learn that IF they do the Extension program in the Fall they can get housing.</p>
<p>Are the FPF students generally blending right in with the rest academically? Or, is there a feeling that they were “marginally” accepted and, perhaps, not quite as strong?</p>
<p>She’s worried about being “at the bottom of the heap.”</p>
<p>I had looked into this program when looking into UCB for my daughter and I thought it looked FABULOUS; better than regular Fall admission. The kids live in the dorms and are indistinguishable from regular Berkeley freshman. The classes are MUCH smaller than the regular freshman classes. The professors are apparently part of the regular Berkeley faculty. The professors run the discussion sections themselves without TAs. The classes are mostly in one building - a great looking building - a block or two from the biggest dorms. ( forget which ones). The kids are eligible for all UCB activities, incl Greek system, except for participation as a player in a NCAA sport. It is a much smaller community so the kids get to know each other. The grading is apparently much easier but the grades count towards UCB GPA. Some of the classes are on the main campus so there is exposure to the larger community. If my daughter were going to Berkeley, I would be THRILLED for her to be in this program. The only downside is the limited course selections, but at least you know you will be getting the classes you select. And the credentials of the kids are basically indistinguishable from the rest of the entering class. It’s a big program-- something like 800 kids?-- so it’s not as if she will be alone.</p>
<p>A lot of students won’t even realize that she’s a spring admit unless she tells them. Even then people usually just react with an, “Oh,” and move on. She’ll definitely get the full freshman experience if she does the Fall Program for Freshman. Spring admits are able to live in a dorm mixed with fall admits (my roommate last year was a spring admit), join a sorority, and all of that stuff.</p>
<p>My daughter and her friend were accepted for spring and the FPF and her friend is a National Merit Honorable Mention Scholar, so I don’t think this is for “marginal” students. I love the option of getting smaller lectures and seminars led by the instructor rather than a TA. As long as the experience is the same and units transfer it sounds great!</p>
<p>In my experience, FPF students are indistinguishable from fall admits. As anneeexp said, no one would know unless you tell them. One of my close friends was also admitted to Cornell, but she chose FPF - there’s no worry of being considered a ‘marginal’ student. </p>
<p>I think (but I’m not sure) that FPF students can also take a class on the main campus during the fall. And of course, come spring, they just fully transfer over. There’s really no difference, academic or otherwise, between FPF and fall admits. </p>
<p>I don’t think FPF would be a problem at all - it’s a great opportunity. Living in the dorms will take care of the ‘blending in socially’ bit. FPF shouldn’t stop your daughter from attending Cal.</p>
<p>I’m a graduating senior and I use to be in FPF as a spring admit. I guarantee there’s almost no real distinction between spring admits and fall admits unless you specifically mention it, even then most people won’t care. Actually, after all these years, I actually forgot I was a spring admit until I saw these posts and remembered.</p>
<p>If your daughter acts <em>quickly</em> and gets into the FPF and secures a spot in a dorm (they fill up quickly) she is part of UCB in every way and will have the full experience and then some.
All the spring admits I know personally have been stellar admits with many other offers from super-selective universities. Nothing to cough about.</p>
<p>I was accepted as a spring admit last year and decided to attend Berkeley. No one cares here because getting accepted as a spring admit vs. a fall admit is very random. So rest assured she will integrate incredibly well and meet a lot of other spring admits. Its a pretty large group at Berkeley. :)</p>
<p>Yes. Some one help. Admitted to UCLA, UCSanDiego, CAL today!!!</p>
<p>Money is an issue: out of state.</p>
<p>SanDiego is giving a significant college grant.
LA connected us to our state’s alumni group to apply for their scholarship
No idea about CAL,but not expecting help or
stay here where dual credits and AP’s mean graduate at 20 and have $160K for grad school. What to do. Summa cum laude at CAL will open more doors back east for grad school, but what if no-can-do. For sure at u in my state a high GPA is doable, but can I get admitted to a top grad school from this school which is at the bottom of first tier.??? can’t even do my major here: Econ, cause their program is remedial nothing, would have to change to chemical or materials engineering where they’re a bit more reputable and minor in renewable energy - this place has the most money being sunk into it from the feds for geothermal, wind, solar alternate E. oh what to do. </p>
<p>California here I come, right back where my Mom started from…</p>
<p>The housing problem for FPF is actually pretty severe since space are very limited.
If she wants to come to Berkeley for this fall, she needs to make that decision ASAP and secure one of the dorms. But yes, I agree with everyone else that it is a fine program and ultimately, no one cares that you are a spring admit.</p>
<p>Hi all,
On my portal it said I was admitted to Spring Term 2014 to College of Letters & Sciences. However, it doesn’t say anything about the major I applied to which was Cell and Developmental Biology. Does this mean I am going in undeclared? Thanks</p>
<p>One thing to note is that there are no lab science courses available in FPF, so that she will have to wait before taking the typical chemistry and biology courses needed for the Molecular and Cell Biology or Integrative Biology major if she does FPF. The non-lab Molecular and Cell Biology 32 (Human Physiology) can be taken in FPF as an introduction to the subject, although it is not required for the major.</p>
<p>All frosh entering the College of Letters and Science enter as undeclared. L&S students declare their majors after completing the prerequisites. Some majors require applying with a high GPA to declare, but the biology majors do not have this requirement.</p>
<p>So a student can’t apply for FPF until April 22, right? Is that also when you’d apply for housing? And I thought dorms were given out by a lottery system, does applying early help? Thanks in advance!</p>