<p>You know how CAL's classes are graded on curves...
Are students really competitive against one another in their classes?</p>
<p>For instance, I was told that often times, classmates won't ever let you see their notes if you missed class and other stuff like that.
Rather than being supportive colleagues or study buddies, people are only thinking about themselves and striving to grab the apex of the curve.
Is it true?</p>
<p>I would really like to hear some feedback from current CAL students or alumni. </p>
<p>I'm thinking that your question would be better aimed towards the CAL board... Someone their will definitely be able to give you some insight...</p>
<p>Even though I haven't taken any class at Berkeley yet, I've taken a few teachers who also taught at Berkeley.
My Chemistry, Poli Sci, and Sociology professors had perfect 3:3:3:1 or 1:3:3:3 curve(A:B:C: D or F), so everyone had to compete each other.
I, for example, didn't share notes or participated in study group because the worse the others did, the better I stood in the class. If I needed help, I went to tutoring center or visited the professor in office hour.
I don't know if it is same for others, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes.</p>
<p>The person who called me from Cal to congratulate me on being accepted said he rarely, if ever, had a class that was curved. He thought it was interesting that I asked since the person he called right before me asked the same thing as well. He wasn't sure where the rumor began.</p>
<p>2 out of my 4 classes last semester were graded on a curve and 1 out of my 4 classes this semester is being graded on a curve. I have found that allot of legal studies classes are graded on a curve. I have not had any problems getting notes from others in class when I have been sick and missed lecture but maybe that is because I usually make a couple of friends in each of my classes every semester. Besides, allot of professors post their lecture slides on bspace anyway so if thats the case you won't miss anything. </p>
<p>I am also really good about emailing notes to a classmate if they missed a lecture. I figure that my grades should reflect how I am as a student and not because I'm playing some game of "lets not help anyone else out"... its bad Karma and will come back to you in the end. One day your going to need someones help.</p>