Computer Science Transfer Thread

<p>Hey guys, I'm planning a transfer to UC Berkeley as a Computer Science major. Any tips and recommendations to help strengthen myself?</p>

<p>Make sure you selected “COMPUTER SCIENCE” as major instead of Computer Science and Engineering lol It’s a bit hidden so you have to search for it when applies for Berkley on UCapplication. I and another person here at CC made the same mistake and screw up our chance haha Got into LA and SD though so its all good.</p>

<p>Hah, yeah I’m aiming for UC Berkeley. What was your UC-Transferrable GPA?</p>

<p>Not to get ahead of ourselves but I’d also appreciate any insight on the Comp Sci program AT UCLA/Berkeley. Your experiences with it and whatnot.</p>

<p>@NoRegret I think most of the transfers lurk at the UCLA section now for info about programs. You might get better a better response about experiences from upperclassmen here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/155712-ask-flopsy-ucla-engineering.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-los-angeles/155712-ask-flopsy-ucla-engineering.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>@Caliberse: 3.8 or 3.79 to be exact lol</p>

<p>How many CS pre-reqs, if any, did you finish before you applied?
Atm, it looks like I’ll only have CS61B done (excluding Calc and Linear algebra).</p>

<p>Looking at the Pre-reqs, why is UCLA’s Comp Sci program so much different than Berkeley? Or maybe it’s the other way around seeing as all the other UCs have similar pre-reqs like UCLA.</p>

<p>What proficiency of math should be expected at either schools? I don’t think myself as much of a math person. Took Calc AB in HS and struggled, snatching myself a C both semesters. (Note: the teacher had a bad reputation as a teacher).
I understand that Computer Science isn’t a degree focused on learning programming languages, but should I be worried that I am not mathematically gifted?</p>

<p>How many CS pre-reqs, if any, did you finish before you applied?
Yup, I got all the pre-reqs down except for Discrete Math but I am taking it right now.</p>

<p>What proficiency of math should be expected at either schools?
How well did you do in Linear Algebra and Discrete Math?</p>

<p>I will have finished Calculus I, II, and III. I’m only apply to Berkeley this fall so they have very few prereqs. Seems like its just Calculus I and II. Other than that I took some programming courses and got A’s in all of them.</p>

<p>@xcaliberse
Why are you limiting yourself to Berkeley? For example, I’m going to apply to Berkeley with CS, but will try Economics for UCLA but should be guaranteed admission with TAG at the other UCs as safeties.</p>

<p>@argothiusz
Since Comp Sci at UCLA is part of the engineering school, did the 7 breadth courses clear you with Berkeley as well? I assume it would have been hard to get IGETC and that done in 2 years.</p>

<p>I am a computer science transfer who was accepted into both UCLA and Berkeley. What I did was focus on completing UCLA’s prerequisites since they have so many. I also made sure I had the general requirements for Berkeley’s College of Letters and Science. Get good grades and spend a lot of time on the personal statements. I’m under the impression that Berkeley DOES use the personal statement as important criteria. Feel free to ask me any questions.</p>

<p>@XCaliberse, If I were you I would take all the math class and physics especially if you bet everything on CAL.</p>

<p>@NoRegret, It’s totally possible to finish IGETC and Major Prereqs in 2 years but you got to study hard and spend lots of time in school. I got rejected at Berkeley because I applied for Computer Science and Electrical Engineering while I had no Engineering class whatsoever haha I swear I couldn’t find the “Computer Science” major by itself anywhere on the major list under UCBerkeley at UCApplication. Be smart and dont fail like me when you are applying lol</p>

<p>@arcadefire1027 - Why didn’t you apply as an EECS major? That way you don’t have to do the GE’s. Also, what was your UC Transferable GPA? Did you get any comparable CS courses at your CC? (CS61A-C)</p>

<p>@argothiusz - I am a first year at CC. Berkeley doesn’t require Physics for a CS major in Letters and Sciences. I will ahve 60 units by the time I finish my first year. If I don’t get in as a CS major, then I will do my Physics, and all that other stuff for UCLA, UCSD… etc. Theres no way I can cram Physics into my schedule right now. Hopefully I can get in within one year :).</p>

<p>xcaliberse: I’m not interested in EECS. I transferred from another UC school with some comparable computer science classes and a GPA of 3.96. You should realize though that my UC to UC status was actually a disadvantage for Berkeley, and you definitely don’t need a GPA that high.</p>

<p>So how is the upper division? Is it extremely hard? How much studying do you have to do a day.</p>

<p>

How is your GPA a disadvantage?</p>

<p>UC->UC Transfer needs a much higher GPA. Especially for a major like EECS which is probably the most competitive major to get in for Cal.</p>

<p>He’s saying that since he was a UC to UC transfer (which put him at a disadvantage) he had to maintain a much higher GPA than normal to transfer.</p>

<p>So it appears it has escaped me that UC Berkeley offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science while the other UCs offer a Bachelor of Science. This explains the major pre-requisites differences.</p>

<p>The question is, how does a B.A. instead of a B.S. affect post-graduation job hunting? Looking at some major tech companies, they ask for a B.S., but would you really be turned away with a B.A.?</p>

<p>No, they don’t ask for a B.S. degree; they ask for a degree in Computer Science. I asked my friend who graduated from MIT about this same case. He says a B.A or B.S doesn’t matter. If you really are a bit unsure about this, you can go into EECS which offers a B.S. degree.</p>