<p>Good grief! My DS is very interested in Berkeley. We visited in this past Spring and he'll apply within the month. Somehow we missed seeing this VPA requirement til just this minute. He's science/math/physics oriented and hasn't taken music or art since middle school. We'll be calling the Admissions office about this, but I was hoping to hear from anyone who may be familiar with this (I also posted on the Colleges Forum). Could he do a second semester art or music class and then a CC class over the summer to equal a year? Does anything else ever count for this like a technology class?? I can't believe I didn't notice this before....</p>
<p>Bekeley does not automatically give credit for OOS community college classes, so I'm not sure that would help. Technology classes generally do not count. (See if you can compare classes he has taken to the A-G UC classes that count.) You definitely should call admissions. Is there any way he can test out of...say...a music theory class first semester? Or art history? (In my state high schools have to allow students the opportunity to test out of any class--except PE, I think.)</p>
<p>He can take a CC class next semester and it will fulfill the VPA requirement for UC Berkeley. Plus, it will be weighted! It will not do him any good to take one high school semester AND a CC semester as the CC semester counts as a HS year. My son took a class one night a week at the local CC to fulfill his VPA requirement. Students can take some very easy classes with little homework that will fulfill this requirement. It will have to be done next semester as he will not be likely to gain admission without having completed/be on schedule to have completed his requirements by the time he graduates from high school. Many of the CC classes can be taken online if that's easier. There is usually a list in the CC class catalogue that tells you which classes are accepted by the UC's.</p>
<p>Oops, just noticed you are OOS. Call Berkeley and ask them which classes at your CC will be accepted for transfer. Good luck.</p>
<p>Oh dear, this is the requirement that often trips up OOS applicants. Sometimes I wonder if it's put in there for that reason. :( We live in state and even so, our DS's GC was STRONGLY suggesting he complete the requirement by the end of junior year so that he's be competitive for the top UC campuses. Same issues here, since our S is a math/science guy. We squeezed it in this year by forgoing continuance with Spanish so he may take AP Spanish V next year.</p>
<p>Some kids DO meet the requirement by taking community college classes over the summer. If, at this stage, you find out from UC that this can still be done, be very careful that the VPA class taken will be accepted by them as meeting the full requirement. I've heard of students being rudely surprised on this.</p>
<p>Good luck! Berkeley is an excellent school, but I'd be watchful how the state's budget crisis will impact the UC system. The Gov is calling the legislature back in session next month JUST to deal with the budget. Dr. Peter Navarro, an economist at UC Irvine is already calling for the state to go bankrupt in a year to a year and a half because they've passed budgets by "papering things over with bonded debt." I've been a public finance professional for 25 years and while I don't know about his prediction, I do agree this year's budget is particular was a sham, shell game.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks very much all. I'm not in a total panic now, just a mild one! He can definitely fit in something next semester if they'll accept it. Interesting thought about finances, too, findaplace.</p>
<p>My son also initially liked Berkeley but had the same art issue. In the end we saw it as nature's way of warning us off a system with a lot of irrational requirements for undergrads. An in depth look showed us that $40,000 plus per year with all the problems CA schools are having made them no bargain.</p>
<p>Interesting food for thought--thanks.</p>
<p>whoa. a year of art in high school is an irrational requirement? I'm hoping that is not what hmom5 meant.</p>
<p>that said, CAL certainly gives one an education in bureaucracy in addition to whatever else you are studying. CAL is very good, but not for the faint of heart. (S1 is just finishing up his undergraduate degree at CAL)</p>
<p>The whole UC system has this requirement that they initiated not many years ago - I think just before my older D applied. I think they imposed it to ensure more 'well-roundedness'.</p>
<p>This requirement can be fulfilled by more than just an art class. It also includes drama, certain jazz/music/choir courses, photo, art history, graphic design, and some others. Take a look at the following UC site. Maybe your S already took a class that qualifies -
University</a> of California - a-g Guide</p>
<p>If none of those apply, maybe it's worth checking with admissions to see if they have any exceptions for OOS. It seems that they might since it wasn't until the UCs imposed this relatively new requirement that California high schools put themselves in alignment to offer the classes. I'm sure there must be a way to get this done and it seems like a trivial thing to discourage one from a college they're otherwise interested in.</p>
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CAL is very good, but not for the faint of heart. (S1 is just finishing up his undergraduate degree at CAL)
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<p>Just a quick shout out to avoidingwork... my S will be finishing his degrees at Cal this spring, too. Seems impossible that it's gone this fast!</p>
<p>U of Missouri Columbia offers HS classes in many subjects, I am pretty sure including art. Their semester courses are far from being challenging, and can easily be completed in 3-4 weeks. their server is down at the moment, but you can easily Google them:
University of Missouri Center for Distance and Independent Study
cdis.missouri.edu/</p>
<p>Could he not take two second semester art classes in highschool to equal the year?</p>
<p>Avoidingwork, I'm all for art, DS just chose other electives per his interests. What surprised me were the GE requirements.</p>
<p>thanks much all. Will let you know what I find out. Chuy--he' taking advanced math and compsci classes next semester that reflect his strong interests, challenging schedule. I don't think he should switch out to fulfill this because that might make him less attractive to some of the other schools he's applying to. Better to go the CC or on-line route, I think.</p>
<p>The UC system is very exacting with their A-G requirements, for which one could create an entire thread just to debate them. It doesn't stop the applicants. Last year, UCLA had over 50,000 applicants. College counselors I know are predicting this will increase substantially due to the economic crisis. Ditto for the CSU system and on down the line.</p>
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I don't think he should switch out to fulfill this because that might make him less attractive to some of the other schools he's applying to.
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<p>Not necessarily. As a example, look at it from MIT's perspective: a gazillion apps from math-science types, most with 800's on math-science subject tests. What may standout is an app from a math-science type that is also strong in humanities-lit. After all, even MIT has non-math-sciecnce profs and they need kids in their departments, too.</p>
<p>Bluebayou:</p>
<p>I'll ditto your comments for MIT. They have a lot of students there who are quite talented in music, and perhaps the largest participation in club sports than any other comparable university.</p>
<p>Appreciate the thought and it's no doubt a good one for those still shaping their HS transcript/resume, but at this point in the game, he is who he is and a second semester Sr. year art class isn't going to fool anyone! Thanks tho.</p>
<p>m-i-v, you are absolutely right. And 2 art classes in 2nd semester senior year for a kid who had no previous interest in art will look like a fluff that it is.</p>