<p>I'm a female, want to go into Engineering.. However I want to take other courses such as a semester of psychology and philosophy, possibly economics as well. Is it possible to have a major in something but take several other courses at berkeley? If so, should I get a bike to travel from the different colleges, or are they close enough to walk?</p>
<p>Also, I've been to private school my whole life and I'm afraid if Berkeley wouldn't be right for me. I was considering going to Harvey Mudd (for those who know of it) which is a very reputable Engineering private school in California. However, from what I hear the people there are extremely smart and study excesively.. basically leaving the regular high school straight A student having around a 2.8 GPA. I'm used to being in the top of my class, which I don't mind not being, I just don't want to be in a place where I feel completely inadequate and idiotic.</p>
<p>I don't know if i want to go to Berkeley and get lost in the crowd, and just be another number. Where at a private school I'd get a more personal education.</p>
<p>However, I hear berkeley has a very good student to teacher ratio, is this true? I'd be completely fine being in a class of around 30 students or so, but not in a lecture hall full of hundreds of students.</p>
<p>Lastly, how are the dorms divided? Are they divided by major? Are they huge?? As a female going into Engineering, would that mean my dorm would be a lower percentage of girls?</p>
<p>I appreciate all your comments! I have yet to tour either Berkeley or Harvey Mudd (but I will be soon).</p>
<p>I believe the student to teacher ratio at Berkeley is 15:1</p>
<p>Most of your intro classes at Berkeley are going to be way bigger than 30. A couple hundred is standard from what I hear, but they are always supplemented with small discussion sections with a TA (around 20-30 students each).</p>
<p>Dorms are not by major. Anyone can be in any dorm, except there is one exclusively girls dorm and one exclusively boys. You should definitely go check the dorms out because there are some differences.</p>
<p>Yes, it is possible to major in engineering and take courses in other subjects. In fact, engineers are required to take courses in areas outside of their major. Berkeley has amazing, world-class programs outside of engineering, so there will be no shortage of other subjects to explore.</p>
<p>And you'll be able to walk to all of your classes, although a bike can make it easier. Here is a solid example if you need one: UC</a> Berkeley Map
In the morning, I walk from Unit 3 (around E3) to Heart Mining (around B5). It takes me about 15 minutes.</p>
<p>If you don't want to be just another number, I'd probably go with Harvey Mudd. Engineering here can be pretty relentless at times. (Take a gander at the topic "Is It Hard to Graduate From Berkeley")
And as aforementioned, your required classes (esp. as a freshman) will be much bigger than 30 people. (You do have smaller discussion sections, but depending on your GSI, the section may or may not be helpful at all.)</p>
<p>I had a similar decision to make regarding Berkeley vs. a private college, in my case, Mills College. I chose Berkeley because overall it would give me more of what I wanted for a lot less money. Not to knock Mills, they just don't offer my major. I went to a public high school, but then went to a CA community college in which most of my classes were around 20 people. So I was intimidated at first to think that some of my classes at Cal would have 200 up to 700 students. I thought I would be just one more face in the crowd. Besides this, I was intimidated about being on a campus with 33,399 other students. </p>
<p>But it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The 400 student classes really don't feel that large. I was surprised to learn that one class last semester held that many, I thought it was closer to 150 students. The discussion sections help a lot to keep a "small class" feel in a large class format. Also, by forming smaller communities, either by networking with fellow majors or by joining clubs or by making friends in the dorms and/or in class, the school as a whole starts to feel a lot smaller. I'm surprised at how often I see the same people every day, and by who I see randomly. </p>
<p>You'll probably experience some culture shock. But it doesn't last long.</p>
<p>Having been to private school all my life before Berkeley was a shock for me as well, but I believe I've become more independent as a result. Berkeley is not a school where counselors and professors will hold your hand. You think Harvey Mudd engineering is hard? Berkeley engineering is just as or even more hard. Definitely visit both campuses. I've never been to Harvey Mudd, but I'm pretty sure that Claremount and Berkeley are very different. Ask yourself if you want to tough it out in a large school in a city that I would describe as gritty and filled with more homeless than your hometown (I'm guessing). </p>
<p>As for the dorms, there is a specific dorm for women in engineering, if you're interested, called Wise. Other than that, there are varied dorm living situations from units in the more commercial Telegraph area and others in the cleaner, quieter north area.</p>
<p>Thanks, that helps.. and from what I hear actually harvey mudd would be a lot harder competitively in engineering with a harder work load (I've heard from both sides, and it tends to way heavier at Mudd) That, and mudd is known for not having really any grade inflation, making the mart A high school student have around a 2.8 GPA and be considered average.</p>
<p>You're right about the homeless part though haha.. I live in the Palm Springs Area. Don't see much of that at all around here.</p>
<p>It appears you posted in two locations. I wrote my comments in the other, if you're interested.</p>
<p>Also, Berkeley engineering is how hard you make it. The difference between Mudd and Berkeley difficulty is simple: Mudd makes it hard no matter what. Berkeley is deadly if you choose to put yourself through more difficult workloads. </p>
<p>You can make Berkeley much harder than the average Mudd student makes it for himself/herself, but the difference is you have the choice not to. Large public school with top resources = freedom. Mudd = much more attention, wonderful programs, a boot camp which will whip you into shape without a question.</p>
<p>Berkeley has zero grade inflation in engineering. Known to slaughter grades, actually.</p>
<p>"You think Harvey Mudd engineering is hard? Berkeley engineering is just as or even more hard. Definitely visit both campuses. I've never been to Harvey Mudd, but I'm pretty sure that Claremount and Berkeley are very different. "</p>
<p>Would you consider EECS at Berkeley to be one of the hardest engineering majors? If so, a good friend of mine is a senior in EECS and we've compared class material. She admits that HMC engineering is insane compared to her EECS major. (I also have talked with friends in PreMed, Business, Computer Science...)</p>
<p>I've also sat in on a few classes at Berkeley (spent almost a week on campus) and I have to say that academics are much more grueling at HMC. I also have to say that it appears that you don't know what you're talking about.</p>
<p>"If so, a good friend of mine is a senior in EECS and we've compared class material. She admits that HMC engineering is insane compared to her EECS major. (I also have talked with friends in PreMed, Business, Computer Science...)"</p>
<p>Guys, come on...these discussions ought to stop seriously. HMC is undoubtedly more grueling on average, but Berkeley can be as grueling as you decide to make it. The bottom line is at Berkeley, you have much more of a choice on what you want your education to be like. </p>
<p>A few classes can give a picture...but only a picture. There are basically uncountably many more undergrads in Berkeley than at HMC, and it's only natural HMC's self-selected pool will sit in tougher courses on average. But you can make your life hell anywhere. HMC is also more grueling than MIT, no? Well one of our math grad students at Berkeley took around 6-7 technical type courses [I would think he would have to petition to be even allowed to] - majored in math, EECS, and economics, and for one thing was accepted to our Ph.D. program [i.e. had enough math coursework to impress them].</p>
<p>The schools' educational philosophies are genuinely apples and oranges...I know people accepted to both who made either choice; I happened to choose Berkeley.</p>
<p>If you want to talk city, I can tell you that Claremont is a pleasant place to stay. A bit boring sometimes, unlike Berkeley with all its happenings at any time. Nevertheless, it's cleaner (in terms of street trash and etc, not air quality haha).</p>
<p>"that academics are much more grueling at HMC." </p>
<p>"I also have to say that it appears that you don't know what you're talking about."</p>
<p>Come on Rocket, I genuinely respect your views + posts immensely, but this really amounts to sounding like you're selling your school [though your intentions may be otherwise]. When you mention academics are more grueling, you should always preface it by "on average," even if you already meant that, to be clear. </p>
<p>I mean, how can you possibly expect to generalize how academics are at a school like Berkeley where there are anywhere from hippies sitting on trees doing no studying at all, to students coming in winning awards in EECS for their work ahead of time, and essentially spending undergrad as if they are grad students given how advanced they are...</p>
<p>It takes some transitioning to get used to the system here. You can definitely take other classes. Most dorms are co-ed and do not go by major, at all.</p>
<p>In regards to class size, it also depends on how good the professor is (good prof ==> larger class) and how popular the class is. CS170 with an average prof has about 60 people; with a GREAT prof it has about 250 people!</p>
<p>Check out schedule.berkeley.edu to get a feel of how big the classes are for last and current semester.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Mudd is more for those interested in grad school, research and academia; Cal is more for those wanting a job. Choose according to your goals.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is not true. In fact, for computer science, industry incessantly complain that Berkeley teaches its students too much theory and not enough practical skills. If more people from Berkeley go into industry after graduation, it's because Berkeley sits in Silicon Valley and high tech companies recruit very heavily from Cal, thus luring away prospective graduate school students. I don't know what it means that "Cal is more for those wanting a job" but Cal definitely gives you the necessary resources to get into top grad schools and the skills to succeed there.</p>