<p>So, I am a chemical engineering major who will be coming this fall as a freshman. I went to Calso on June 11th and already signed up for some classes. The classes I signed up for were:</p>
<p>And I was planning to sign up for Scandinavian(4 units) to satisfy my English requirement.</p>
<p>But I recently found out my AP grades and they were:</p>
<p>Calculus BC - 5
Physics B - 5
Chem - 5
English Literature - 3
English Language - 4
Macroecon - 4
U.S. Gov - 4</p>
<p>This leaves me the option to switch my math class into Math 53... but would people recommend it? I hear that even though 5 in AP calc will get me to Math 53, not many people do well in it. But on the other hand, people say that Math 1B is a weeder course and that the curve is murderous...</p>
<p>Also, Would the 4 in English Language mean that I don't have to take Scandinavian(or English.. or African American studies, Asian American studies, etc.. for that matter) because a 4 in English Language satisfies Entry Level Writing, first level English composition course with 4 units of credit toward the breadth requirement?</p>
<p>i'm a sophomore chembio major, and i had basically the same 1st semester schedule as you're planning, with the whole debating between 1b or 53 b/c of 5 on the BC test.</p>
<p>people say 1b is ridiculously hard, but i actually found it kind of fun and did better in it than in 53 (granted, i don't understand how ridiculously careless i was on 53 exams..). For a lot of people, the 1b is the last math class they have to take, and so they haven't had exposure to 53 and 54, which are harder a lot of times. The curve is actually really generous in 1B if you stay ahead of it..50% when i took it was a B- or something. </p>
<p>Overall, whether you choose to take 1b or 53, you'll probably have to put in a good amount of effort either way. Who knows, maybe you could get a fairly easy A in 1b, and that never hurts to have! If you're good at math and pretty confident that you'll be able to do well with sufficient effort, then you could take 53 and be done with math after spring semester. For me, 1b was a good idea i think. </p>
<p>and yes that's correct about English. Just have to finish the R&C B requirement.</p>
<p>i agree...think you should take 53. i took it last year first semester as a freshman. it was hard, yes, but 1b would have been just as difficult given that it is berkeley...and it is math at berkeley. this way you'll be getting ahead and not wasting a semester by taking 1b. i think it would be sensible to opt for taking 1b if it were a guaranteed easier A, but this isn't necessarily the case, especially with 1b.</p>