Aren’t all UC schools based around the quarter system? What schools in SoCal are based around a semester system?
Merced and Cal are only semester based UCs. All CSUs are semester now except cal poly
Berkeley is on semester system. Didn’t know Merced was also.
The quarter system requires that you hit the ground running so to speak so I would recommend any Freshman to take a slightly easier course load Fall quarter so you can acclimate to the fast pace of the quarters. I know my son at UC Davis really was surprised how fast the classes moved during the quarter and also my niece whom attended SLO. If you are on a 10 week quarter, you can have your first mid-term scheduled after 3-4 weeks followed by a 2nd in week 6-7 and then finals at the end of the 10 week quarter. #1 rule of thumb is do not get behind in your classes.
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I went to UCB when they switched to semesters so I have experienced both. One good thing about quarters is that if you don’t like a class, it goes by fast.
Cal Poly SLO has been our daughter’s dream school. She just learned of her acceptance on Monday of this week via email. HURRAY!! She is in Food Science.
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@jntwinmama: I agree. I went to Cal Poly Pomona when they were on the quarter system and I really liked it. It does keep you on your toes but I really had no issues with the fast pace of the classes. I guess the transition from HS where most classes are much slower paced can be difficult in itself along with the newness of college and the many other distractions that go with College life.
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@Caliboundboi I think you have to plan out your major requirements and the premed classes. I’ll be candid and say that Gen Chem, Physics, Organjc Chem, Bio, (+ one year of english and math/stay class) are not easy. I don’t think they’re anything like the AP classes in hs. It’s in-depth and the good professors make you demonstrate the application of what you learned vs a regurgitation of the quizzes and homework.
In terms of crowded classes, I think you will have to deal with that reality with a lot of CA public schools. Even in 1993-94, I would have to call the Uw phone system once undergrad registration was opened at 5am to get into the classes I needed. We had 400-person Chem class or 800-person psych classes even back then. Make sure you plan for when you take your MCAT (summer or sophomore year before your junior year) or you may have to do a gap year. That is not bad, either. You’ll be in med school and residency for a while so don’t rush and risk the GPA and if you had to take a gap year to make up the classes, it’s ok. You can do scribe, EMT, research, etc to pad your resume for med school app.
I graduated from the UW (1/4 system) and it was fine. You can’t put things off. You have to put in the work because (having family members who are doctors) you cannot fall behind. The curve was set at 2.7ish for the premed science classes at my school. I think you may find that at most schools other than maybe Ivies and a handful of others. You have to do 2 standard deviation above the curve to get that A. It’s do-able. Go to all the lectures, take great notes, go to office hours. Put in the time and if you will have a solid shot. No one will tell you this, but the bigger the classes in GE, the better it is if you put in the work. 60% will not make it to the med school app round from the start of day 1 of premed dreams. Put in the work you can be the 40% that make it through.
Also, med school is harder than premed classes by a factor of…a lot. And you have to learn a lot in an even more compressed time. If you’re truly meant to be a doctor, premed classes is only going to prepare you for the reality of med school.
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Does anyone have any idea when more acceptances might come out? Anxiously refreshing the portal. 
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Best free advice I’ve have seen in a while!
@Caliboundboi Keep repeating this phrase “There’s no free time” over and over. Half joking, half serious.
Just remember all those A students in HS get “stretched out” to A’s, B’s, C’s, etc. in college. It’s an adjustment, no doubt. I’ve already warned my D21, there’s no getting behind in a quarter system.
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Last year my daughter was accepted at SLO into her 2nd major, which was a very different major than her 1st choice. (STEM vs Liberal Arts.)
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The students that I have seen in the past that were admitted for their alternate majors were competitive applicants with STEM related majors as their first choice with alternate majors that were in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Agriculture. Selecting an alternate major within the same College did not seem to be an option for consideration. I am sure there has been exceptions.
For those who have been accepted, did you get an email later to confirm you got accepted? I’m thinking of waiting for that vs asking my S21 to check. You kids don’t need the extra stress from a simple question by a parent!
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My daughter got an email afterwards.
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My son got an email a few hours after his portal update.
We saw that the portals updated at 3:30. Emails came at 7:12.
Same. Confirming email came a few hours later.
Does anybody know when art + design programs notify of admission? Portfolios were not due till 2/23 so I assume those admissions wouldn’t be announced till the end of the Cal Poly admission notifications.
My son got accepted Wednesday, NorCal Chemistry.
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