<p>Hey everyone! I was accepted to College of Chemistry for Berkeley. Anyone else? Also, anyone who has any information of how College of Chemistry is, and how it differs from being accepted to College of Letters and Sciences, that would be really helpful. If anyone could give me some information as to how great (I know it's supposed to be like ridiculously amazing) it is and some first hand experience about the program and how the school is. </p>
<p>Some questions: how would Berkeley's B.S. in Chemistry rank to an Ivy League school degree in Chemistry, like say Harvard? Or not even Ivy League with Stanford? Is Berkeley still better to go to than the other top ranked schools? How's grad school placement? Thanks everyone!!!</p>
<p>If you want to major in Chemical Engineering, you can do it only in the College of Chemistry.</p>
<p>If you want to major in Chemistry, you can do it in either the College of Chemistry or the College of Letters and Science, with different breadth requirements.</p>
<p>The Chemical Biology major in the College of Chemistry and the Molecular and Cell Biology major in the College of Letters and Science have some similarities but are not the same.</p>
<p>The College of Letters and Science has 80 or so other possible majors, most of which have nothing to do with Chemistry.</p>
<p>I was just reading that flutterfly! Thanks! does that hold true for undergraduates too though? Ah I never know</p>
<p>And thank you very much ucbalumnus. I applied as either a Chemistry B.S. major or Chemical Engineering, which is how I was accepted into College of Chemistry. It’s very interesting, though, the differences between similar programs from different colleges within Berkeley. Thanks for the info!!</p>
<p>Hello mochabubble, congratulations on your acceptance!
I was also accepted to the UC Berkeley College of Chemistry. My major is Chemistry B.S. I’m really excited!</p>
<p>I’ve always known that UC Berkeley has a very high level chemistry program, so I am very excited that I can be a part of it.
I’ll keep an eye on this thread. Thank you for starting it!</p>
<p>I just checked and I’m Chemistry B.S. too! Haha I feel stupid for forgetting! Well, I just might see you in class next year? I hope we can get some good information going, since I’m having a hard time finding some good information about College of Chemistry.</p>
<p>Are you going to visit per chance? I’m going during my spring break. I’m so stoked!</p>
<p>Yes it holds for undergraduate as well. The #1 ranking means we have the best faculty and the best research, which you will get involved in as a chemistry major. College of chemistry does have mandatory advising sessions unlike L&S so it’s more like going to a private school anyway. I know a lot of chemistry majors here (including one who picked it over Harvard) and they’re all pretty happy here :)</p>
<p>That’s good to hear! I know Ivy Leagues aren’t out yet, but in case I do get into Harvard, then I would have a hard time choosing between Harvard and Berkeley. I applied to other Ivy’s but after visiting, Harvard was my favorite (I didn’t even want to visit, but I’m glad my parents forced me, because it was the only college I fell in love with during the trip).</p>
<p>CoC student here. and I love it here. At first, I thought that I might regret picking Berkeley over Yale. But after seeing all the opportunities for chemistry students here, I definitely do not regret picking Cal. I once asked my chemistry advisor about the placement for graduate schools and he stated that three undergraduates from his lab from the past year went to Cal Tech and MIT for graduate school. So yes, we have a decent placement for graduate school.</p>
<p>But if you are interested in research, Berkeley is definitely the mecca for chemistry research. Personally, I feel like there are so many research labs I could work for that I get a hard time narrowing down which one I definitely want to work for.</p>
<p>You may want to note that, according to the [career</a> center](<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm]career”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm), job and career prospects for Chemical Engineering are significantly better than for Chemistry.</p>
<p>Got in college of chem too…going to declare Chemical Biology major.
We people should be friends or study groups lol, since college of chem is the smallest college of Cal (only three majors - Chem, Chem Engineering, and Chem Bio.)</p>
<p>haha I think everyone needs a study group to survive this program!</p>
<p>Haha congrats to dodosteve too!
I think I’m going to need a study group too. :)</p>
<p>The information posted on this thread is helping me a lot.
I’m not 100% sure I’m going to attend UC Berkeley yet, but I am leaning towards that decision more and more.</p>
<p>Right, I might see you in class next year, mochabubble!
Edit: I’m live in Tokyo so I’m probably not going to be able to visit!</p>
<p>I’m interested in hearing about the advantages that College of Chemistry students have in terms of going to grad school as well.</p>
<p>That’s so cool! I’m Japanese! The rest of my family is in Japan. =D I used to live around Tokyo (Chiba to be exact) before I moved here. I’m not sure either if I’m going to Berkeley, but I’m leaning toward it too! </p>
<p>How is everything in Japan by the way? I hope you didn’t lose anyone in the earthquake and tsunami. I was so glad to find out that my grandparents, who live in the country side, are completely safe.</p>
<p>sorry just asking, flutterfly_28, where did u get that berkeley is #1 in chemistry?</p>
<p>What I do know is that for chemical engineering, depending on the different rankings, berkeley is anywwhere between 2nd to 5th. MIT usually tops engineering rankings.</p>
<p>Yay! We need more students in the College of Chemistry.</p>
<p>Welcome to Cal =)</p>
<p>@ Trivolve, flutterfly I think was saying that Berkeley is 1st in Chemistry, specifically Chemistry. I don’t think he was talking about Chemical Engineering, where you are correct, they go from rank 2-5. However, from all the rankings I’ve seen via google searches, Berkeley was 1st in Chemistry.</p>
<p>So I got into CLS for a B.A in chemistry…does that mean I have less research opportunities or any other disadvantage? Basically, I’m asking what the difference is between the CoC Chem B.S and the CLS B.A?</p>
<p>They have a similar core structure. The difference is in the breadth requirements. CoC requires you to do a bunch of science courses for those, L&S makes you do this thing called 7-course breadth (supposedly “liberal arts”). I don’t think the research opportunities are particularly different - it’s up to you to find a prof, ask around, etc. CoC students generally have more advising though, because it’s such a small college.</p>
<p>Anyway don’t worry about it. CoC traditionally has quite a number of students switching out because Chem 4A is such a killer. My advice: Take Chem 1A and 1AL, do well, and if you still like chemistry, go to CoC and tell them you want to transfer. There are a significant number of students who go the Chem 1A-Chem 4B route.</p>
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<p>@dodosteve, machobubble & 1000 Ducklings, congrats on y’all’s acceptance, we surely could make friends! btw I’m from China and declared Chem Maj. It’s so great I could know you guys.</p>