I will join Berkeley this fall and am now choosing courses for my First semester. I am having difficulty choosing between the Gender and womens studies course and the Introduction to Culture and Natural Resource Management course (ESPM 50AC). These courses are to help me fulfill my American cultures requirement. Can someone please tell which course is easier?
Pick the course you are interested in studying…not the one that is “easier”. Challenge yourself.
And look at each teachers Rate my Professor to ensure you don’t get a really bad prof.
Easy - you’re in college. You got into Berkeley. If you want easy, drop out and go to a CC.
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Keep in mind…Rate My Professor posters are more likely to post about professors they didn’t like for one reason or another than those who were terrific.
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Actually at both my kids schools it’s both. Abd they were very accurate. Both loved and not loved - very accurate.
But looking for easy classes - not why you go to college.
You can check the website berkeleytime.com for grade distribution. This will give you a sense of which class is easier to do well in.
You haven’t even stepped foot on campus and you’re already trying to game classes? Wasn’t part of what got you into Cal your ability and desire to challenge yourself? Isn’t that the whole point of going to a selective college? But now you are trying to avoid challenge. Not a good start to your college career. Take the class you are interested in. Period.
Well let’s be honest - at some high schools, kids barely work. Maybe this is one ?
But agreed wholeheartedly.
I think RMP is helpful. You can sort reviews by each class that the professor teaches. Often one can glean info such as if the course requires term papers, if attendance is mandatory, how many exams there are and what the weighting is for each exam.
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Why are we shaming this kid?
There are valid reasons for choosing an “easy” class. My son is taking multi variable calculus and mechanics and relativity for his physics major first semester. We specifically told him to take easier classes and the minimum number of units to round out his first semester schedule. There is absolutely nothing wrong with weighing two gen ed requirement classes and deciding on the easier one. The transition to college will be tough. Going to a school like Berkeley will be extremely rigorous. Trying to craft a balanced first semester schedule sounds like a wise idea to me.
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Asking which class is easier isn’t gaming the system.
OP, it depends on how you define easy. A class can be academically challenging and not have a lot of work. Likewise, a class can have mandatory attendance, weekly quizzes, two papers and a final and be mind numbingly boring.
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That’s fine, but I personally have a different view. You get one shot, 4 years, to challenge yourself and learn everything you can. There are no cutting corners. An easy semester to me means taking 4 classes rather than 5, not finding some easy way around course requirements. And what about students who are genuinely interested in the proposed classes, who really want to be in those classes, but get shut out because others take up spots not because they looking to learn about the subject but because they want to avoid challenge? Sure, students have every right to do that, but I personally think it is a bit jerky.
We’re talking about GEs here. The purpose is to expose students to topics and discussions that will give them a well rounded education. Few students are genuinely interested in every GE course they take. However, sometimes, a GE course will inspire a student. They may change majors, add a minor or, graduate with a different perspective on life.
OP has narrowed it down to two classes that interest them. OP was accepted to UCSD as a microbiology major. Taking that into consideration, Natural Resources might be more STEM based. Gender Studies would be different than your other required courses. It will likely require paper(s).
Welcome to Berkeley. Students signing up for classes aren’t thinking about whether a spot should be left for someone else who wants it more than them.
There are many reasons a student may want to choose an easier class. Pre med students need the highest gpa they can muster. Many required classes will tax and test them. No shame in finding an easier class to balance out a harder class. A class can be fascinating and have a light workload. A class can be boring and onerous. That berkeleytime.com website exists for a reason. Students want to see how the teacher distributes grades and if they will be able to do well. Rate my professor exists for a reason too. There is no shame in using these tools to choose classes wisely.
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it’s how they asked.
Besides, to one kid a class is hard, another it isn’t.
But mainly it’s how they asked…
And balance doesn’t mean easy. It may mean less hours, etc. but not easy per se.
The best way to find which course is easier is to ask people who previously took the class. Register for both and drop one after arriving on campus and talking to kids a year ahead of you. Easy or hard will also depend on the instructor. So you need to ask the older kids with full information on who is teaching the course.
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My S22 took ESPM50AC with Spreyer. Really enjoyed the class and it was a pleasant yet interesting diversion from the grind of his CS/Engg/Math classes. He highly recommends it. Also, Its pretty hard to get anything less than an A- in that class (anyone above the 18th %ile got an A-).
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One thing to remember…easy for one student might be hard for another. A pleasing professor for one student might be less so for another.
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Thanks for the link @tsbna44.
OP, make sure you sort RMP ratings by course taught. Looking at the ESPM50AC reviews, it looks like lectures might be available online. Other points that may or may not matter in helping you make a decision:
- his class had a lot of reading
- large amount of assignments
- project you have to create
- you have 2 months to work on your final project
- tests are essays and multiple choice
- weekly MCQ quizzes w/ 5 attempts, & 30 points of EC options
- expect to write 2 midterm papers & 3 other papers in addition to 2 final exam essays
- lecture participation matters and he checks them at the end of the semester for grades
- not difficult to get an A with all the extra credit and quizzes
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