<p>Hello ppl, does anyone have an idea of what the racial mix is in Berkeley engineering, specifically EECS? Thank you!</p>
<p>Take a guess</p>
<p>Jon’s experience with EECS majors:
Dominantly Asian
Secondly white
Thirdly Indian</p>
<p>I’ve yet to meet an EECS major outside of those three, though a few of my friends in the major tell me they know some black and hispanic students.</p>
<p>That being said, if the racial mix is any way relevant to your decision with regards to applying or attending, there’s a bigger problem at hand.</p>
<p>^Lol, Indians ARE Asians. (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Sri Lankans are collectively referred to as South Asians).</p>
<p>I hate how American colloquialism has made the term “Asian” refer exclusively to East and Southeast Asia. In the UK, it’s the opposite- “Asian” means South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, ect), and Oriental means East and Southeast Asian.</p>
<p>[Original message redacted for reasons of good will]</p>
<p>1) This is a forum is for discussion relating to a Californian University, justifying use of Californian terms for different ethnic groups. I’m a citizen of the U.K. and well aware of the differences in terminology.
2) Mindless, obnoxious pedantry has very little place on a forum designated for Q&A about University life, coursework, et al.</p>
<p>[University</a> of California: StatFinder](<a href=“http://statfinder.ucop.edu%5DUniversity”>http://statfinder.ucop.edu) shows the following for 2008-2009 entering freshmen:</p>
<p>American Indian: 24 (all majors)
African American: 17 (math + physical science + computer science + engineering)
Chicano / Latino: 44 (computer science + engineering)
Asian / Filipino / Pacific Islander: 18 (computer science), 401 (engineering)
White: 9 (computer science), 202 (engineering)</p>
<p>(Apparently, it lumps major groups when the numbers in the base groups are too small. Given the small numbers for computer science, that may refer to L&S computer science only, not EECS.)</p>
<p>For transfers enrolling in 2008-2009:</p>
<p>American Indian: 19 (all majors)
African American: 6 (computer science + engineering)
Chicano / Latino: 15 (computer science + engineering)
Asian / Filipino / Pacific Islander: 94 (computer science + engineering)
White: 7 (computer science), 51 (engineering)</p>
<p>Hey guys! Thanks for responding, actually the reason I asked is because, being an Indian myself, I did not want to go to Berkeley and end up hanging around only Indians, one of the main reasons I’m studying in the states is because I want to gain more international exposure and also integrate properly with Americans. P.S I did not create this thread with the intent to discriminate against any racial group.</p>
<p>Don’t worry, you’ll find it so easy at Berkeley to meet other people, as long as others are just as willing. You don’t even have to hang out with EECS majors, there are plenty of people who have most of their friend network outside of their majors. Join a student group that shares your interests, take up a new hobby, and so on. You’ll find an eclectic mixture of Americans. Don’t be so quick to judge even if the group is predominantly Asian, White, Indian, whatever it may be. Everyone has a unique background, though it might be hard to figure out at first. Most Asians consider themselves rather more American, and most Berkeley students are American anyway…so you’ll be “properly” integrated if you just make friends with anyone here, regardless of race.</p>
<p>You’re so right! Thanks man!</p>
<p>Live in the dorms (I’d recommend unit 3 lol), you will get to know people of all races and make a lot of friends instantly. There are groups of Indians who only hang out with other Indians but that is by choice. There are a lot of Indians with diverse groups of friends and I am one of them 
So yeah don’t worry about that.</p>
<p>and I agree with jonnosferatu - We all know that Indians are also Asians. But Indians are their own racial group and it makes a lot more sense to separate them from other Asians when talking about things like the racial mix at Berkeley. There are much more obvious differences between Indians/Oriental Asians than between, say Chinese/Koreans. Lumping Indians/Asians together is like losing a lot of data, especially when the numbers are so high at Berkeley. If you’d prefer to use ‘Oriental’ go ahead but don’t expect anyone else to start.</p>
<p>Seconding PlatosCave - you’re very unlikely to be stuck associating with one ethnic group.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Remember, though, that the cultural habits of the population you meet as a Berkeley undergraduate in EECS may differ from other American subcultures in the following ways:</p>
<ul>
<li>University students versus others.</li>
<li>EECS or engineering majors versus other majors.</li>
<li>California versus other parts of the US.</li>
<li>San Francisco bay area versus other parts of California.</li>
<li>Urban / suburban versus rural.</li>
</ul>
<p>@jon- Oh sorry, I didn’t mean it as a personal attack or anything, I was just giving my personal thoughts. Sorry about that.</p>
<p>There is no majority race. At least this is how I feel in Berkeley and especially in Engineering department. However, if you want to meet really good-looking blonde girls, take an upper-division psych/sociology class.</p>
<p>Thanks guys, I really can’t wait to go to the States, freshman excitement peaking!</p>