<p>My son got into Berkeley for Spring 2015 semester and was honored and humbled to have received admission. We didn't even know of the whole concept of Fall versus Spring admission. In any case, we looked into the FPF Program which would allow him to live on campus, enjoy the benefits of having a student card, take classes through the extension program (located right next to the campus) and then start classes on campus beginning Spring semester 2015. Sounded like a good deal, right? Only problem, FPF Program apparently filled up in nano-seconds and he's now wait listed for program and bummed. Don't currently know what number he is on the wait list.</p>
<p>FPF program seems (seemed) like great option for Spring admits. Only problem is Spring admits are at slight disadvantage because they are forced to commit immediately or risk not getting into FPF Program and miss the opportunity to start bonding with other students during Fall semester.</p>
<p>Anyone got answers to the following questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How often do USB Spring admits get converted to Fall admits , if at all?</p></li>
<li><p>Does anyone have experience with being wait listed for FPF program and then getting in? When did you find out when you got in to FPF after being wait listed? Would appreciate your thoughts, suggestions, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Don't want to seem ungrateful but does it make sense to appeal Spring admission versus Fall admission especially in light of him being wait listed for FPF program?</p></li>
<li><p>Assuming it looks like son is not going to be able to get into FPF program, what are best options, if any, to have son feel better about Spring admission and ease sense of showing up late for the party and missing the full freshmen experience?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks very much.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Berkeley and two of his friends are 2014 Spring admits. One appealed but the decision was not changed, she was told that appeals are rarely successful. She lived at home and took transferable community college classes and moved into my son’s suite at Foothill in January, replacing a girl who dropped out. She is moving into a non-university north side apartment with her two roomates next year. Another friend, from his high school, did the FPF program and really enjoyed it. He is living at Clark Kerr, but next year will be in an apartment in Martinez Commons with my son and two other roommates. All of them are math or statistic majors and want to live together so they can study together easier (and they are all good friends and like living on south side). I’m sorry I don’t have answers to your questions, but just wanted to share that being spring admits did not prevent these students from integrating with the fall admits. </p>
<p>The Spring admit threw us for a bit of a loop and before we knew it the FPF program was full - ugh! The current plan is to discuss options with FPF advisor. How has the Berkeley experience been for your son and his friends? My son had Cal, USC and Boston College as his top picks. Any other advice/comments you might have for a new student and parent of a new student at Cal would be appreciated. My son is coming from Southern California. Thanks for the response. </p>
<p>@socalfather My daughter is also a Spring 2015 admit and we had many of the same thoughts and feelings you’re expressing. After a lot of quick research (we saw the FPF spots disappearing before our eyes!) my daughter decided to submit the SIR, the $100, and get in FPF immediately just to ensure that she will have the option. My D is pretty sure she will choose Berkeley and FPF but having a few other good choices she still wants to further investigate them to make sure she’s making the right decision. If in the end she decides another school is going to be a better fit for her, we will lose the $100 and another student will get her spot. I imagine lots of other students and their families have done the same thing and with the caliber of student Berkeley admits I have no doubt they all have other good choices and may in fact end up forfeiting their $100 and their spot opening it up for someone else. </p>
<p>As for your being a bit unsure about Spring, we were comforted by many things not the least of which were testimonials from former FPF students and Spring admits that chose a gap semester or to go to a local community college and earn transferable credits There is a Facebook group called UC Berkeley - Class of 2018 (Official Group). The group welcomes both Fall and Spring admits and has a document (under the FILES tab) specifically for FPF. It was really informative and the info came direct from an FPF professor and students who went that route. On the whole there seems to be very little difference between Fall and Spring admission. One difference is that Spring admits may not participate in sports until they are an on campus student as opposed to FPF which might also account for why some kids are Spring admits, they don’t play Fall sports. Spring admits taking part in FPF move into the same dorms, at the same time as Fall admits. I have found little to no evidence that being a Spring admit is detrimental in fact quite the opposite. I think FPF provides a better transition for some students with it’s more intimate class sizes and sense of community amongst participants. </p>
<p>If your son chooses Berkeley I recommend staying on the wait list for FPF and maybe checking in with them periodically to see if he can check his waitlist status (maybe high interest = getting a spot or maybe it’s first come first served, I don’t know) If FPF ends up not being an option, I would tell him to consider taking classes at a community college that would satisfy some of his core or breadth requirements particularly if any of those classes are hard to get at Cal. Best of luck to you and your son from another SoCal Spring admit parent 
</p>
<p>Do you know what your son’s number is on the waitlist? A good number of people get off the waitlist each year, so I would recommend that you and your son visit the campus on Cal Day. All of the FPF advisors will be available then to answer questions.</p>
<p>Don’t know the number yet on the waitlist but we are planning on visiting the campus for Cal Day.</p>
<p>Bummer about the wait list. I don’t think it hurts to call and find out position on wait list and express your interest. Hopefully it will work out. Attend Cal Day. Lots of people around to answer your questions. Good luck! </p>
<p>I share many of the same feelings as above.
I am still uncertain what my daughter wants to do considering other options and now that FFP program is full it is not even an option .
Berkeley was her first choice among UC schools although now UCLA is in consideration too. I had no idea of this program existing and what it means and wasn’t ready to jump in and reserve spot.</p>
<p>So what are other options if FFP is unavailable?</p>
<p>Can they study abroad in the fall ?</p>
<p>How can we find out which AP classes would be accepted and can AP classes and college credits make up for that one semester ? </p>
<p>I don’t want to be ungrateful but it seems so inconvenient from academic and social standpoint.
I appreciate if anyone has answers to any of my questions.Thank you.</p>
<p>I hear your concerns. Hopefully someone more familiar with Spring admit can help answer. </p>
<p>Perhaps your D can get in contact with other a Spring Admits and maybe rent an apartment together. </p>
<p>The college Academic Adviser can help answer AP credit info. You can also try searching the specific colleges website for AP info. For example, College of Engineering has different AP credits vs. Letters and Science. </p>
<p>UCBChemEGrad, you have had some great input - thanks. I am very honored that my son got into Cal and am hoping everything works out. Thanks again.</p>
<p>SoCal father - regarding my son’s experiences at Cal. He is a freshman and we are from central California, a rural agricultural area. My son loves Cal, especially the excitement of an urban area and the feeling of being part of an elite institution where important things are happening. He is living in Foothill, on the quiet north side of campus. Many engineering majors like Foothill as the dorms are close to the engineering buildings, the rooms are larger, and rooms are grouped in suites. My son has found it is too quiet for him and will move into university apartments in Martinez Commons on the south side next year. This is the livelier end of campus, near Telegraph Avenue, frat row and the units (high rise dorms). I would recommend your son stay in the dorms, at least his first year. The Resident Assistants keep a good eye on the kids and plan lots of social events (movie nights, scavenger hunts, etc) to help the kids bond and feel less homesick. </p>
<p>My son has met most of his closest friends in the clubs he joined; swing dance, math competition and snow boarders (although there is little snow this year). It’s interesting that 10 students got accepted at Cal from his high school this year - a record number. 8 plan to go and 3 of them are spring admits. </p>
<p><a href=“http://ls-orientation.berkeley.edu/spadmits.html”>http://ls-orientation.berkeley.edu/spadmits.html</a> describes options for spring admits to Berkeley L&S. School options are FPF or community college.</p>
<p>I wonder if it would be an option, if FBF didn’t work out, to live in a private dorm (like The Berk, which is right next to school) first semester and to take classes at Berkeley City College. </p>
<p>I spoke with with someone at the FPF office, and the person told me that there is typically a lot of movement among those who signed up for the FPF, so many spots open up. </p>