<p>Thanks rider! And when I apply for UCB and I declare my major as biology, how much is that going to affect my classes and stuff? Would there be less impact because it would be freshman year and freshmen get the general credits out of the way first? </p>
<p>Is it recommended that we declare our major when we apply for college? Or is it better to be undeclared?</p>
<p>Declaring doesn’t do anything (except in that you define if you are entering the College of Engineering which is harder to gain acceptance). Most students enter into the College of Letters and Sciences (L&S) which includes all the biology majors. L&S ignores what you listed and brings you in as undeclared. You declare your major typically after your second year. </p>
<p>Majors have a set of classes that you must have taken prior to declaring. This means that you do not have a front end of general stuff and then a back end of the major, but instead the two are intermixed over your four years at UCB.</p>
<p>For the major of Integrative Biology, to use an example, these are the required courses. You can declare when you complete “a majority” of these - it used to be 6 of the 8 but the criteria is slightly looser now.</p>
<p>Math 16A - semester of Calculus
Chem 1A - semester of inorganic chemistry
Chem 3A - semester of organic chemistry
Chem 3AL - lab associated with 3A
Chem 3B - second semester of organic chemistry
Chem 3BL - lab associated with 3B
Bio 1A - semester of introductory biology
Bio 1AL - lab associated with 1A
Bio 1B - second semester of introductory biology
Physics 8A - first semester of introductory physics
Physics 8B - second semester of introductory physics</p>
<p>Completing the major involves taking another six courses in your final two years.</p>
<p>The UC system, Cal, and the college of L&S all have requirements you also must satisfy for the degree. Some are waived based on high school classes, AP scores, or community college stuff. These include things like foreign language, american history, american culture, reading/comprehension, and a minimum number of courses in various areas called the breadth requirements. </p>
<p>When you satisfy the classes for your major, the hodgepodge of requirements in the paragraph above, and take enough additional coursework to get to the minimum of 120 units, you have earned your degree.</p>
<p>As an entering freshman, you will attend a session called CalSO during the summer. It provides advising, an intro to the school, and helps you register for many of your first semester classes.</p>
<p>Basically, you start with the list of majors you might take, listing all the required courses for those. You sprinkle in the obligations like reading/comprehension and breadths, which gives you a set of candidates for your first semester. From that, you look drop classes that are already filled, those that conflict with each other for the day/time they are given, and come to your targets for registration. </p>
<p>Cal has an interesting system where you register for classes in batches - phase I for the first set, up to 10.5 units worth, then later in phase II you complete the course load for the semester. Since L&S has a minimum load of 13 units for a full time student (and a max of 20.5), you have to divide your classes into those for phase I and for phase II. You use the popularity/demand of the class to decide, along with the relative urgency for your situation. If you are sure of your intended major and the class is often filled quickly then that is a phase I priority. If it is a breadth but there are many possible classes and many future semesters in which to address the breadth, then it is a phase II class.</p>
<p>For a potential bio major, it doesn’t matter one bit whether you list yourself as bio or undeclared.</p>
<p>I have signed up for Polisci 179, which is Wed 4-5pm, and another class, in a Discussion that conflicts with PS179. I’ll certainly be trying to switch sections, but since the latter is webcasted, can I just not go to any lectures for this and only show up for the final exam (it does not have an exam group assigned)? Or will telebears automatically drop me from one of the classes?</p>
<p>If you’re enrolled, you’ll be fine. You can skip the class and just watch the webcast. Don’t skip the final, which is not on a “Final Day” but the last day of regular classes.</p>
<p>I’m buying textbooks for my kid who’s taking Math 1A from Christ. The text book requirement is Stewart calculus 6th edition. But it says CUSTOM edition, I guess especially for Cal. New price is about 160, used 153. What?? The standard 6th edition I can get used from Amazon for $3.32. Yes. $3.32. What gives here? I can find other “Custom” editions for Purdue, Univ of Kansas, and generic Custom editions. But not “for Cal”? I also notice that the Cal website does not give the ISBN of the required textbooks. So how can you shop? Short of calling the prof and asking him why I have to pay $150 more for a Custom edition with the same number of pages, same print date, and same edition, can someone tell me whats happen’in here?</p>
<p>Frustrated Dad</p>
<p>Thanks smallz! I guess I’ll skip the last day of my other discussion then (:</p>
<p>I heard they’re intentionally unhelpful on the bookstore website so they can make a killing. I’m going to buy the regular version since non-custom editions just have more chapters which are irrelevant (I hope).</p>
<p>Does anyone know if “international editions” are a good idea? My dad’s travelling to a non-Canada English-speaking country in the next couple weeks and int’l books are significantly cheaper. I’m just concerned about the homework problems and such if they don’t match up.</p>
<p>Jturley try looking on Neds bookstore for UC Berkeley: [Welcome</a> | Ned’s - Berkeley](<a href=“http://www.nedsbooks.com/ucb/]Welcome”>http://www.nedsbooks.com/ucb/)</p>
<p>I just looked up the Math 1A book and it is currently selling at Neds for $66 new and $49.50 used, much lower than what you listed! I think the discrepancy is the $100 + books you have looked at are the FULL editions of the book. The reason why Cal uses a “custom” edition for Math 1A is because the courses only cover a certain number of chapters in the book, which is what these custom editions have. As you said, I’m not sure if you can find the Berkeley version of Calculus book anywhere else online. Try Half.com.</p>
<p>For books that I can’t find on other sources on the internet, I usually buy at Ned’s as it is marginally cheaper than what they sell at the Student Store. I only go to the Student Store as a last resort as everything there is expensive.</p>
<p>If you end up buying at Ned’s, you want to order it online and select the “in store pickup” option. Don’t buy it at the actual store as there are very long lines since everyone is scrambling to get their books.</p>
<p>How do I look for the required books for a class?</p>
<p>The Berkeley Tele-bears system tried to make this as easy as possible for you.</p>
<p>There should be an option after you login to telebears to “Purchase eBooks” or something like that, and you should be redirected to the bookstore with your classes selected.</p>
<p>ISBNs are not available online. You can try your luck with getting the appropriate ISBN by searching the title/author combo, but your chances are slim with specific science and math editions.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s just something Cal does to protect its Student Store!</p>
<p>is 15 units manageable A’s and B’s for first semester freshmen (considering that I will be joining different clubs and activities) ?</p>
<p>How competitive is the engineering program at Berkeley? What are competitive stats for admissions, SAT, GPA etc…</p>
<p>has anyone ever taken CLASSICS 34? mondays and wednesdays 4-5:30?..how’s the class and the readings? any information at all about this class?</p>
<p>Wilber: I would recommend 14-16 units for the first semester. I say 14 with three four unit classes for your major or university requirements (R1A/B, AC, etc.) and a two-unit no discussion breadth class or just four classes straight up. Either way, it’s very do-able and manageable.</p>
<p>As a transfer student how difficult is it to get into the Economics program? </p>
<p>I hear its capped, how does this effect admissions? Do I have good chances with 3.95 GPA and extra curricular?</p>
<p>How’s Cheney Hall? Views, noise etc.</p>
<p>How do you deal with a snoring roommate?</p>
<p>How long does it usually take a university of undergraduate admissions adviser to email you back? So far it’s been 3 days. It’s an urgent matter and I’m kind of worried.</p>
<p>Agneisse: </p>
<p>I’ll be living in Cheney too next year, but I had friends in Cheney last year. Depending on how high up you are and which side of the building you are on, you either get a good view of the school with little sun (if you’re high enough and you’re on the side of the building facing north) or if you’d get a view of Durant street (northside but lower levels) or you see the Unit 1 courtyard and get plenty of sun (any floor southside). </p>
<p>gdavge2003:</p>
<p>If this is big deal for you, I’d say invest in earplugs or go to sleep before your roommate does. Otherwise I’d say just learn to tolerate it and fall asleep despite the snoring. From my experience though, most of my roommates were sleep talkers thought they sometimes snored too. More often than not, I’d be surprised when I hear my roommate talking or giggling when I thought she went to sleep an hour ago.</p>
<p>abbccc:</p>
<p>Well, it’s summer so admissions advisors may be on break. Plus, there have been university staff furloughs. Whatever question it is, you may need to seek out other sources of information if it is really, really urgent.</p>
<p>im a norwegian student comming to california in 2 weeks… i will study at berkeley to mid-december and maybe take another semester if i like it. since im norwegian and never been in the states before, im obviously not to familiar with uc berkeley, social activities etc. do you guys know a good way to get in touch with nice ppl willing to help me out and maybe make friends. i was thinking of a website/forum thingy so i can talk with them before im leaving norway. if its anything like that on this forum i’d be happy if u could direct me to the thread, and feel free to add me as friend (i hope it does’nt sound to desperate, but im traveling alone). sorry for any typos, im norwegian remember 
thanks in advance.
Ole.</p>