<p>I need to decide between the Regents at Berkeley and Stanford ( I only get $1000/yr for Regents). I am in-state resident and accepted for economics. I've heard it's hard to get your classes at Berkeley and hard to graduate in 4 years. Also heard that you need to apply for the economics major at Berkeley after you have completed the pre-requisites. Is this true? If I'm already accepted for economics, does this apply? If I change majors (decide to major in history or psychology), will this be possible at Berkeley? I'm trying to decide whether the additional cost of Stanford is worth it. Your thoughts?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also heard that you need to apply for the economics major at Berkeley after you have completed the pre-requisites. Is this true?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes it is true. </p>
<p>
[quote]
If I'm already accepted for economics, does this apply?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes it still applies.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If I change majors (decide to major in history or psychology), will this be possible at Berkeley?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Psychology is also impacted.</p>
<p>Does impacted mean that you can't do that major unless you were originally accepted as a psychology major? I'm not sure what impacted means since it sounds like the fact I was accepted as an economics major is meaningless since I will still need to reapply for the major once I am at Berkeley. Does impacted mean you can't get classes in that major, can't major in that field or what?</p>
<p>Berkeley undergrad seems industrial to me. Go to Stanford, be a person. <--- Completely off-the-cuff, nonsense opinion.</p>
<p>No, impacted means that you cannot major in it without finishing the requirements, which are on the website. the GPA requirement will probably not be a limiting factor- a 3.2 is less than a B+ average, and as you got into Stanford and Berkeley, you're probably far more than capable. </p>
<p>"I've heard it's hard to get your classes at Berkeley and hard to graduate in 4 years."</p>
<p>I don't think it's that hard to get your classes or that hard to graduate it four years. Some students graduate in three years, three and a half years. Many students graduate in four years. Many who don't choose to take time off, or would rather take lighter loads than average and study abroad, or have other things going on. As to course availability, I know I've had much more luck than my friend at a Northeastern lac. I'm not sure how it compares to course-availability at Stanford. </p>
<p>I think there are some perfectly sensible reasons to choose Stanford over Berkeley. Ability to switch majors more easily might be one for you. There's a lot of other considerations, but know that you will probably do well at either school. </p>
<p>But are you even seriously considering Berkeley? If not, that's fine, but is this post just to reassure your decision to cross it off of your list?</p>
<p>There is a significant financial difference between the two. I also know that Berkeley is very strong in economics. I prefer urban to suburban. Nevertheless I don't want to have problems being stuck in the wrong major or unable to graduate because I can't get the courses I need, and I'm trying to determine whether this is likely or a remote possibility.</p>
<p>Well, being unable to graduate is probably not going to happen if you take normal loads, and you probably have AP or IB credit, maybe even some college credit from other college courses already. Classes are fairly available, and often, even if a class is full, someone will drop it. Talking to professors with full classes that you're trying to get into is generally the best plan. I'm unsure how many classes fill to capacity and have no people drop, but the number is probably very slim. Doing the work for a class you're not formally enrolled in means that you could have spent lots of time and energy one something without receiving much benefit.</p>
<p>You have some chance of getting stuck in a major you do not want to finish, this is true. For the majors you're considering, a major constitutes at least 1/3 of your courses, at most, perhaps 1/2 for psych because of the pre recs (probably under 1/2). I think that if you can get into stanford for academic reasons, you could probably get at least a B+ average in the pre-psych courses, as well as a B+/A- average in the pre-econ courses, given you are serious (not deadly serious, but farly serious). But you do have a possibility of not being able to major in econ, or psych. I'm not sure what people who aren't able to major in psych do, but many people unable to major in econ do Political Economies of Industrial Socities, a sort of combination of economics and international studies (with regard to politics).</p>
<p>Go to Stanford</p>
<p>Stanford has very happy students and a great undergrad experience. From what I've read and heard, Cal students have more mixed reactions--some love it and some hate it. Definitely go to Stanford. You'll have many more doors open to you there and after you leave. Good luck!</p>
<p>Wow, you know that Berkeley's undergrad program is terrible when every time someone makes a post about deciding between schools, Berkeley's own students try their best to drive them away.</p>
<p>^^^Let me ask you something, mr. master of logic, would telling someone to go to Harvard over Cornell mean that Cornell is terrible, or would it just mean that Harvard is a one of a kind school that shouldn't be turned down?</p>
<p>Ow.
I see a fatal flaw there.</p>
<p>Student, your logic sure does fail. But really, should we be brainwashed dogmatists, or try to help people?</p>
<p>There are basically two Berkeley alumni camping here who diss the school. The 100,000 alums who are satisfied have lives and don't post here. I came here to check out colleges for my nephew who will be a HS sr next year.</p>
<p>Collegebound36, students who pick Cal over Stanford and are on the Regents are extremely unlikely to be either unhappy or academically unsuccessful at Cal. Those who don't succeed or are bitter of their experience generally tend to hate the Berkeley environment right off the bat but put up with it because it's the most prestigious diploma they could get.</p>
<p>Most Stanford grads I know loved it there, but many would admit that Berkeley's environment is a lot more interesting and stimulating. Some of us Cal grads like to refer to the Farm as a "hotbed of social rest", that pretty much sums it up AFAIC...</p>
<p>It's not hard at all to graduate in 4 years from Cal if you start within the same major and don't have to put in a whole lot of hours to pay for school. Worst case, you can take a summer session or two. It's not hard to change majors at Cal either, unless it's for the better engineering majors (EECS, ME, ChemE), Bus Ad or some premeds. The requisite GPA for Psych is 3.2, which is actually below the campus avg of 3.25.</p>
<p>By and large, you'll have to be serious about your academics the first year or two. The grading gets easier afterwards. If you're half serious about your studies, you'll have no problem changing majors or graduating in 4 years with a decent GPA, particularly given the fact that you come in with academic credentials that are above the campus norm.</p>
<p>Go for it, C36!</p>
<p>CalX, do you even have to stick with the same major from the beginning? As long as you've started near the beginning feeling around in some subject or subject area, wouldn't you say four years is quite doable?</p>
<p>
[quote]
There are basically two Berkeley alumni camping here who diss the school. The 100,000 alums who are satisfied have lives and don't post here.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Either that or they don't care about the school. A lot of people simply seem to believe that if nobody ever talks about the problems at Berkeley, that they will just magically cease to exist. I assure you, they will not. If anything, the problem of impacted majors has actually gotten worse in the last decade, not better.</p>
<p>DRab, 4 years is definitely doable in most cases even with some switching. I did it in 5 because I changed my major after the third year and did an econ minor and over-maxed out on my electives. And perhaps also because I was having a great time as well... ;)</p>
<p>Unlike many other schools, Berkeley is not a rah-rah, cookie-cutter environment that churns out cheerleader types (though I guess I sometimes sound like one here :) .) It's more urban and urbane, not just a bubble campus where students are cuddled and told that they are the greatest. It's much closer to the real world, for better or worse. Those applicants who tend to be attracted to it find it to be better. Those who are going in only for the degree and the prestige like it less.</p>
<p>The real issue here is to weigh "the problems at Berkeley" (as you refer to) vs the great and unique qualities that Berkeley offers, as they pertain to each particular request on this board. </p>
<p>We already have a very good grasp of the "impacted majors", having posted the cutoffs for the majors the OP was interested in, and warned him about those other impacted majors. It looks like you've driven that message 4,231 times already here... It would be nice if you could also overcome the biases from your negative experience and provide a more balanced description that also encompasses the positives of Berkeley, which the great majority of alumni have benefitted from.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The real issue here is to weigh "the problems at Berkeley" (as you refer to) vs the great and unique qualities that Berkeley offers, as they pertain to each particular request on this board.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have stated several times what the positive aspects of Berkeley are. For example, like I said before, and I'll say again, the graduate programs at Berkeley are top-notch. Especially the doctoral programs. </p>
<p>
[quote]
It would be nice if you could also overcome the biases from your negative experience and provide a more balanced description that also encompasses the positives of Berkeley, which the great majority of alumni have benefitted from.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's funny, coming from you. You're accusing me of being biased? You know how the saying goes about pots and kettles. </p>
<p>How about this. I will make you a deal. I will talk more about the positive aspects of Berkeley if you will talk more about the negative aspects of Berkeley. Deal?</p>
<p>Saying that the only positive aspect of Berkeley college experience are the graduate departments is obviously a jab.</p>
<p>For me, to talk about the negative aspects of Berkeley reminds me of confession at church on a good month when I was a kid, something I had to think about or just make up. OK, the placement is better at the Ivies, though I did get a great job offer. I could say that the grading is tougher too, but I did get into Wharton's MBA program with a B average at Cal Engineering because I didn't really study that hard? Maybe they know about that program in Philly...</p>
<p>It seems hard for you to conceive that there are many Cal grads who adored their college experience. If any of the hundreds of Cal alums that I know where as disillusioned or negative as you, i would have an easier time seeing your point of view. Maybe I should hang out at the FedEx warehouses more?</p>
<p>That would be "coddled", not "cuddled" in the post above. There actually is a whole lot of cuddling going on at Cal... :)</p>