<p>Ok, so I heard graduates take into account that Berkeley is a hard, competitive school... so when they view your GPA, they take that into account. Is this true? (I'm considering pre-med btw).</p>
<p>:)............</p>
<p>I want to know too!
I heard cal has grade deflation... what exactly is that?</p>
<p>it means you work your balls off for four years and might get into med school</p>
<p>It's most likely true that graduate and professional school take into account the difficulty of your undergraduate school. I say most likely, because I have only heard of it through other people but have never seen it on an admission website. My friend who applied for med school told me something encouraging-- when she was interviewed at Cornell, Columbia, and Penn, the only public schools represented at the interviews were UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UVA. So, I guess grad and professional schools differentiate between top public schools and other public schools.</p>
<p>I don't think Cal has grade deflation as a whole. The average GPA of Cal students have steadily risen in the past few years. So, if anything, Cal has grade inflation. But this grade inflation does NOT apply to science courses since they have rigid curves.</p>
<p>that kinds sounds depressing. i mean.. everyone knows berkeley is pretty hard compared to other UC's.. ugh.</p>
<p>but what is grade inflation/deflation?</p>
<p>Not for the top Ivy League medical and law programs. In fact, Cal graduates have consistently gotten into HMS, Yale Law, etc. at far lower rates than those from HYP, despite having higher average grades.</p>
<p>Stats like these speak for themselves:
<a href="http://www.princeton.edu/hpa/handouts/2006Statistics.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.princeton.edu/hpa/handouts/2006Statistics.pdf</a>
Career</a> Center - Medical School Statistics</p>
<p>By the way, the only professors who spread myths like these tend to be the ones who support grade deflation themselves. Avoid them at all costs.</p>
<p>So... it's better to go to UCLA and have the higher GPA?</p>
<p>If you want a high GPA, don't major in the hard sciences...</p>
<p>Do people really go to college just to get high GPA's now?</p>
<p>aren't UCLA and UCB somewhat similar with regards to degree of difficulty?</p>
<p>@Duckydodger: well I've looked at a lot of threads, and for med-shool... you do need a relatively good GPA.</p>
<p>Agreed, you're absolutely correct. I'm a 3rd year pre-med btw, I decided on berkeley primarily because of the educational/research opportunities and figured with hard work I would do fine. Currently, I'm studying for MCATS and gearing up for apps, and it seems I'll be ok.</p>
<p>Duckydoder--finally someone I can as more about pre-med. </p>
<p>Ok.. so is berkeley major competitive--like is it possible to get a 4.0 (what GPA do you need for pre-med)? What major did you choose for pre-med school? What pre-med school are you applying to?
I dunno. I just heard berkeley's pre-med courses are killers.</p>
<p>Sorry if it sounds like I'm bombarding you w/ ?'s... but I need to talk to someone about pre=med.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is berkeley major competitive?
[/quote]
The university itself is not incredibly competitive. One can major in plenty of easier fields besides biology. All of the lower division pre-med classes (bio 1a/l, bio 1b/l, physics 8A/b, chem 1a/3a, math 1a/b) are quite difficult in the sense that most of the classes are designed to be intensive and challenging. AP Biology is really nothing compared to Bio 1A/B in my experience.</p>
<p>I've also hard that some students are reluctant to share information with one another, this is certainly not consistent with my observations and experiences; all of the lab partners and people I have had have been working with have been fully forthright and helpful on assignments; I'm sure there are some scum somewhere though, they are the ones that are scowling in the corner sitting alone... </p>
<p>The curve generally helps alot though and rarely hurts; for example, when I took chem 3b I remember that the class average on one of the midterms was just 50%...I had scored a measly 70% or so and ended up with an A. I've never had a curve hurt me, I suppose it happens but I haven't seen it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
is it possible to get a 4.0
[/quote]
I guess its possible, I don't think it happens too often as even an A- is a 3.7. I imagine its quite rare to get a perfect 4.0 for 4 years.</p>
<p>
[quote]
What major did you choose for pre-med school
[/quote]
I chose MCB, (CDB Emphasis). The MCB department was particularly enticing because alot of the lower division classes were the same as premed requirements and upper division classes align directly with my interests and they are great prep for MCAT exam material. (ie MCB 130- Cell Biology, MCB 102- Biochem). Of course, you can major in anything that you want provided that you finish the prereqs. CDB is also an emphasis which allows for alot of wiggle room if you are interested in many different things, at the cost of specialization.</p>
<p>
[quote]
What pre-med school are you applying to?
[/quote]
I'll be applying broadly, I still have to think about this some more.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I just heard berkeley's pre-med courses are killers.
[/quote]
Granted, the pre-med courses are hard. I imagine this is the case at all reputable schools, if this isn't the case let me know. The classes are killers if you don't have the natural talent or study skills necessary to do well; they prepare you extremely well for the MCATs if you really learn the material. If you have the skills needed, then obviously you're set. In other words, it depends on who you are.</p>
<p>This may be useful: <a href="http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/MedStats.stm%5B/url%5D">http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/MedStats.stm</a></p>
<p>Send me a pm if you have other questions.</p>
<p>between sd and berkeley, which should I choose if I am going to be a premed student? I really want to get into med school, but if berkeley seems just too hard, i might choose sd.</p>