<p>If I want to major in Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, do I apply to College of Letters and Sciences or College of Engineering? My guidance counselor doesn't seem to know the answer... thanks!</p>
<p>You can major in either Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) in the College of Engineering, or Computer Science in the College of Letters and Science (L&S CS).</p>
<p>In the College of Engineering, you apply directly to the major and are either admitted or rejected (it is generally considered more selective than the College of Letters and Science for most engineering majors, though selectivity varies by major). In the College of Letters and Science, you would enter undeclared if you are admitted as frosh, then declare the major after completing the prerequisites (currently, a 2.0 GPA is needed, but there are strong rumors that the threshold will be raised to around a 3.0 GPA).</p>
<p>EECS includes additional physics and math courses, requires upper division humanities and social studies breadth courses, does not allow AP credit for the second reading and composition course, leads to a BS degree, and is ABET accredited (mainly of interest in CS if you want to go into patent law). EECS and L&S CS majors choose from the same CS courses, although EECS majors can choose to specialize in EE as well as CS. If you wish to double major in another L&S major (e.g. math, economics, history, etc.), then it is easier to schedule that with L&S CS.</p>
<p>Your other posts indicate that you are from New York. Be aware that UCs do not offer financial aid to cover the additional out-of-state tuition (about $22,000 per year), so the lowest possible net price for out-of-state would be around $31,000 per year (which would be unaffordable for someone who actually gets such a financial aid offer based on EFC = $0 and ESC = $8,500 – the ESC is generally assumed to be from Stafford loan and work-study). (It isn’t clear whether getting a Regent’s scholarship would cover that additional out-of-state tuition; it normally replaces the ESC with additional grant money.)</p>
<p>Fortunately, New York has a perfectly good school for computer science in Stony Brook University.</p>
<p>Thanks so much, I don’t think paying for tuition will be a problem.</p>