<p>How much harder is it to get in to the eng school vs the other programs at berkeley? also how much do AP scores (chem, physics, calc, etc) factor in to being admitted because my school barely offers any APs.</p>
<p>Could you post your stats (GPA, SAT, APs, etc...) if you were admitted to the eng school? It would be a great help, thanks.</p>
<p>"How much harder is it to get in to the eng school vs the other programs at berkeley? "</p>
<p>a lot</p>
<p>If you want to get into engineering, expect to have good stats (but not spectacular) if you're in CA, and spectacular stats if you're out of state. I did it with a 1520 SAT, 800-790-780 SATIIs, and a high GPA (3.93 UW, 4.8W, rank 6/600). You don't need stats like that just to get in (although they will help you get a nice scholarship), but I'd say look around top 5-10% of your class, 1400-ish SAT (I know, new system, I have no clue how it works so I can't comment on it), 700+ on SATIIs.</p>
<p>I think the most important thing, however, is take the hardest classes you can. If there aren't that many, then oh well, at least you tried. Take AP everything. I took a ridiculous amount (like 13 or something) with some 5s, some 3s, and a whole boatload of 4s.</p>
<p>As long as you take the maximum possible amount of AP courses at your school and maybe even take some outside of school (which I'm sure you did, I dont know how I know, im just psychic) you should be fine. What I'd like to know is what kind of ECs are they looking for?</p>
<p>ECs...always the tough one. The reason why is because you can only really speak from personal experience. Personally, I focused on just two ECs in particular: orchestra and tennis. I did well at both (relatively speaking, 2nd chair of orchestra, varsity for 3 years in tennis). I did the other clubs, the CSF, NHS thing, which I think were pretty worthless overall. But they were there, and all the smart people did them, so I figure they are worth joining just in case they are worth something.</p>
<p>Heck, IMO, if you're a normal student with interests and hobbies, and you make an effort to go out and act on those interests and hobbies, you'll do just fine with ECs. I never felt like I joined anything that was a burden, or "just because" I needed to get into college. Do stuff you want to do, since there's plenty of that in high school that will count solidly as ECs.</p>
<p>eudean: what'd you play in orchestra, violin? my high school years were like yours - clarinet in orchestras/bands , and tennis many years.</p>
<p>Yeah, violin. Still playing in Cal's orchestra and taking private lessons. No tennis anymore, though, since the tennis club hours conflict with that of the orchestra. I've considered just sticking with private lessons, quitting the orchestra and then doing tennis, but I haven't really committed to any change like that yet. Plus I've been told the IM soccer team is looking for some people and their schedule looks compatible with mine (at first glance), so I may just have another hobby it seems...</p>
<p>Considerably harder: In those engineering brochures that they send home, the average scores/grades/etc for engineering was higher in every category than Berkeley as a whole. Some rough numbers of Engineering admits in 2004:</p>
<p>Mean GPA: 4.42 (high school) / 3.80 (college transfers)
Mean SAT 1: 1435</p>
<p>Couldnt find the other info online. I know numbers arent everything, but its the only tangible records I could find. Regardless, I dont think anyone who knows would refute the statement that Berkeley Engineering is significantly harder to get into than the other programs there.</p>