Does it help to take the "strongly recommended courses" after application?(EECS)

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>Hi everyone.</p>

<p>So I am studying at a CC and would apply to Berkeley, UCLA, etc as an EECS major. I notice that there are some "strongly recommended courses" listed in the assist.org pages. Besides, I saw someone in the forum says they really help. I would like to know, if I can only take these classes in my second year (after my application is already sent out), do they still give me a better chance of getting in those schools?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>At least for Berkeley, if you can find them, yes, take them. Definitely. Completing coursework makes you more competitive. Also, if you do transfer, you’re going to need to take those courses anyways. And that chews up a good semester and a half of classes, when you could have been taking super cool upper division classes. (That said, 61B is easy-ish to find, A and C are a bit trickier, and 70 I don’t think you can take at CC.) Also, taking CS/EE courses shows you have an interest in what you’re studying, so things related to your major is always good, even if they don’t get to see the grades right away.</p>

<p>A quick note on grades:

  • Fall semester grades are added to the app around January, so they’ll see those.
  • Spring semester (at least for Cal) you need a 3.0 for the term, so don’t put all your hard classes there. :P</p>

<p>For UCLA: No idea. Probably a similar story.</p>

3

<p>Yes, completing as many of CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 61C, CS 70, EE 20N, and EE 40 will mean that you have fewer courses to “catch up” on after transfer. Students who started in Berkeley EECS as freshmen will have taken them in the first two years.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, most of these courses are hard to find at community colleges. Based on your location:</p>

<p>De Anza: CS 61B (partial)
Foothill: EE 40 (partial)
West Valley: CS 61B
Ca</p>

4

<p>Hey ucb, bit of a side note, but EE40 at Foothill is useless. No partial credit for it, according to my counselor. (Also, both of the Foothill professors are sorta awful, just saying.) Foothill and De Anza are also on quarters, so they don’t fit well with other schools’ schedules.</p>

5

<p>Thank everyone!</p>

6

<p>Thanks ucbalumnus!!!</p>

7

<p>On assist.org there 2 bio courses under “recommended” for my major. I emailed the department at UCSB and they said those courses are just that, recommended. They said I don’t have to take them and my app won’t suffer if I don’t.</p>