EECS at Berkeley

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I was admitted into Berkeley for EECS with Regents, and I'm leaning toward the CS aspect. I was wondering if any current EECS students could tell me about their experience and provide their general thoughts on a CS/EECS education at Berkeley. What're the great benefits you've experienced from choosing to attend Berkeley?</p>

2

<p>Loved the experience, lots of flexibility, and lots of opportunity.</p>

<p>If you’re leaning towards the CS side, you take more upper division courses that are in that area. If you’re leaning towards the EE side, you do the same.</p>

<p>I’m graduating this semester. Even though I’m an EECS major, I leaned heavily on the CS side and the most advanced EE course I’ve taken is the required EE40. I’ve only taken one upper-div EE course: EE122 (Computer Networking), but I see that as more general EE / CS than anything actually EE. Other than that, the closest I’ve taken is CS150 (Digital Design), which is all about designing chips / digital electronics.</p>

<p>I’m already working full-time as a startup and find myself applying concepts (but not technologies used) from a huge variety of the classes I’ve taken. My startup is actually building a webapp platform. Although almost every piece of technology I’ve touched is new, I was able to apply concepts I’ve learned throughout the four years to help me understand those technologies in a matter of minutes.</p>

<p>On top of that, I’ve met some of the smartest people I know in the world, had a bunch of fun, and feel ready to take over the world.</p>

<p>Flexibility and depth is what sets Berkeley EECS apart from other similar programs. You can have two EECS majors who only share common knowledge about lower-div class stuff.</p>

3

<p>^what excelblue said.</p>

<p>EECS at Berkeley is definitely solid. They’re also continually updating the classes to keep it relevant(though sometimes there are weird hiccups in curriculum). Requirements are not too heavy, many people graduate in 3 years.
I’ve met some pretty cool people, and there are all sorts of ways to get involved in CS stuff outside the normal classes: hackathons, special topics classes, Decals, various societies, etc.
If you’re into theory, there’s plenty of CS/EECS majors taking math classes, which is pretty cool imo. Also if you find out EECS isn’t your thing you can switch out to pretty much any other major.
Career-wise, people can get internships easily after taking the 3 61-series classes. I’ve never heard of an EECS major having trouble getting a job, and average salary out of college is $80K
<a href=“https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/EECS.stm[/url]”>https://career.berkeley.edu/Major/EECS.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Thanks for weighing in on this. I’d also be very interested in research and internships. How readily available are these for undergraduate students in EECS, and during what year do they typically delve into these? Also, I’ve heard about the deadly curves at Berkeley, and I was wondering how hard the classes with regards to me if I’m leaning towards the CS side for EECS. </p>

<p>I’m just having a tough time deciding between EECS at Berkeley or CS at Carnegie Mellon’s School of CS.</p>

5

<p>Research is easily available to any undergrad who deserves to do so, and internships are easily available to those who have the skills and can search. You will have to seek out and earn those opportunities though; nothing is handed to you on a plate. I’ve even seen many top-notch freshmen do some real research.</p>

<p>There is no typical; some people get research and/or internships as early as freshman year, others graduate without ever doing anything. If you want to be successful, just start as early as possible and make sure you don’t overload yourself.</p>

<p>Deadly curves: they’re there, but when you consider that even a 2.5GPA will take you far, they’re just something you get used to. According to the career survey stats, 90% of EECS graduates have jobs after graduation and their average salary is just over $80k. A good amount of the remaining 10% went to grad school.</p>

<p>If you’re cut out for computer science, the curves are nothing to worry about. Lower-div classes are curved to a B- (2.7) average and upper div classes are curved to a B/B- (2.9) average.</p>

<p>Don’t know too much about CMU, but I do have to say that one of the advantages of being at Berkeley is the campus and culture. The weather is nice, SF is under an hour away, and the protests are sometimes funny. People in humanities majors are also plentiful, which allows for a few extra opportunities to round out your life.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for being straightforward about the curves. I do work hard and earn straight A’s in high school right now, but I’ve never felt intensely pressured before, and I’m just a little worried about the dramatic increase in difficulty at UC Berkeley as compared to high school.</p>

<p>As for the part where “research is available to any undergrad who deserves to do so,” I know there’s no cut-paste perfect description for such an undergrad, but can you give a few examples of how to describe an undergrad who deserves so (eg. what the undergrad does, etc)?</p>

<p>Lastly, how hard is it to graduate in 3 years for EECS (or what would one have to do to attempt to), and is it a good idea?</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>There is a stated policy to that effect, but actual grades these days are significantly higher. The stated policy dates from the 1970s-1980s when there was less grade inflation; data from UC Statfinder and Hilfinger’s 1999 study on EE and CS grades indicates that actual grades are higher than in that policy.</p>

8

<p>With regards to the 3 years graduation, it’s generally because often EECS students have already finished Math 1a/1b (i.e. Calc BC) or more, as well as AP Chem/Physics Mechanics. The required units for EECS is much lower (around 45 units engineering all told) than other engineering majors, and again, open-ended, and if you don’t have any particular interest in sticking around, it’s not too much trouble to just graudate early. This is not to say it’s a cakewalk to graduate or get through those project courses, just that you don’t need to take that many courses.</p>

9

<p>What do EECS majors usually do after their freshman year? Is it common for rising sophomores to find internships or research to do in the summer?</p>

10

<p>It depends on how far you’ve gotten through the CS 61 series.
In the past people were able to use AP to skip 61b so many people would be done with the series after freshman year, which means they’re ready for internships. However, you might only have finished 61a by freshman year (for example, you take CS3 in the fall). In this case you might have a harder time (I haven’t heard much about this kind of situation). I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to do any interesting research; and in any case it’s not really expected for sophomore EECS majors to do internships or research in the summer.</p>

11

<p>For those taking EECS as their major, what will my freshman classes/schedule mostly be like? Are the general ed requirements for EECS students the same as those for other majors?</p>

12

<p>A typical freshman EECS major schedule would be:</p>

<ul>
<li>CS 61A</li>
<li>Math 1A, 1B, H1B, 53, 54, or H54 – see <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/1305840-freshman-math-faq.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/1305840-freshman-math-faq.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
<li>Physics 7A or H7A, or some other science (usually Chemistry 1A or 4A) if taking Math 1A</li>
<li>Reading and Composition or other Humanities or Social Studies course</li>
</ul>

<p>More information can be found here:
[New</a> Freshmen — UC Berkeley College of Engineering](<a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/new-students/information-for-new-freshman.html]New”>http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/new-students/information-for-new-freshman.html)</p>

13

<p>Can you post your stats on how you got in please? GPA, Scores, ECs, Courses… I apply next year and I want to see if I can get in to UCB.</p>

14

<p>What are some of the known hard classes that I’m probably going to encounter in EECS leaning towards CS?</p>

15

<p>

I never felt “pressured” as an EECS major. In most cases the curve is there to help you, not to hurt you. In don’t think they are deadly at all, and the averages are usually significantly higher than mentioned above.</p>

<p>

It really depends on your talents, background knowledge and interests. Classes that are hard for one person can be incredibly easy for another, and the other way round. For example, lots of people found CS61B with Hilfinger difficult (the exam average was something like 35%), for me it was a breeze because I had previous programming experience. I spent an insane amount of time on CS150 (Digital Systems), but other people didn’t seem to have remotely as many problems as me in that class. If you can’t wrap you head around proofs CS170 (Algorithms) will be very difficult, for some it’ll be very easy. And the list goes on. There are no “hard” classes by definition, but in general the “major design” classes (150, 162, 169,186, etc) will have much higher workload than the others, but they are not necessarily difficult.</p>

16

<p>Thank you for all the information and help everyone! I think I’m set for Cal now. I was wondering how TELEbears/scheduling classes worked, especially if I have priority enrollment as Regents. Here’s what I have roughly planned out. Is any of this a bad idea (in terms of what classes I’m taking first/simultaneously)?</p>

<p>I can waive English1A with my AP test. I also have AP Chemistry, Calculus AB/BC, Computer Science A, Physics B, World History, and Chinese to waive/skip classes or stack on spare units.</p>

<p>Freshman Fall:
Physics 7A
CS 61A
Math 53 (multivariable)
English 1B</p>

<p>Freshman Spring
CS 61B < extremely time consuming
CS 70
Math 54 (linear algebra)
Physics 7B</p>

<p>Sophomore Fall:
CS 170 (Upper Div 1)
CS 188 (Upper Div 2)
EE 20
Humanities 2</p>

<p>Sophomore Spring:
CS 162 (Upper Div 3) < very time consuming
CS 161 (Upper Div 4)
EE 40
Humanities 3</p>

<p>Junior Fall:
CS 164 (Upper Div 5) < extremely time consuming (P/NP)
Americulture Humanities
CS 61C(?)
CS 172(?) < helps with CS164</p>

17

<p>Take CS 61C sophomore fall, since it is a prerequisite to many upper division CS courses including 161, 162, and 164.</p>

<p>If you want to take both 172 and 164, take 172 before 164. Also, you are supposed to take major courses like 164 for a letter grade.</p>

18

<p>If I place CS 61C in sophomore fall, which course should I push back to sophomore spring, and then to junior fall?</p>

19

<p>There’s not clear cut answer, it’s a tradeoff. CS61C is not horribly difficult but can be quite time consuming because of lots of projects/assignments/etc.</p>

<ul>
<li>My choice to push back would be EE20. I found EE20N to be useless anyway. However, it’s easier than 170 or 188.</li>
<li>188: The knowledge of 188 won’t really help you in any other upper div classes. However, it’s a relatively easy class to get an A in (because of the curve and Cogsci majors taking it, no offense) so it may a good fit with 61C. And it’s interesting (if you’re into AI).</li>
<li>CS170: Can be pretty time consuming as well, depending how good your math/proof skills are. On the other hand, I wouldn’t push it back because its knowledge will really help you with your future CS classes.</li>
</ul>

<p>61C + 170 + 188 is doable, but can be a though schedule. CS170 is one the the classes that’s very easy for some but hell for others, it depends. In terms of future usefulness I’d say that this schedule is #1. </p>

<p>61C + 188 + 20N: Easiest schedule out of those, but you’ll lose the benefit that 170 gives you for later CS classes.</p>

<p>61C + 170 + 20N: At least you’ll get your lower divs out of the way :wink: In terms of time/easiness it’s somewhere in the middle.</p>

20

Is there any way someone who did EECS at Cal can post high school GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, etc.?

I’m applying there now and really want to get a feeling of the caliber of people they accept into this program.

For me right now:

  • 32 ACT (taking it again very soon, hope this will go up to a 35/36)
  • 800 Math SAT II
  • Will take Physics SAT soon (hopefully will get 750+)
  • Using the UC system of calculating unweighted GPA from soph/junior year: 3.9
  • average weighted GPA from sophomore year: 4.3
  • average weighted GPA from junior year: 4.45

Extracurriculars:

  • Speech and Debate Captain
  • Senior robotics member for FRC
  • VEX robotics Captain
  • research club
  • stock market club
  • competitive computer programming (club)
  • college programming courses in C++ and Python at Foothill and UCSC

*some engineering awards - participates in various engineering competitions and hackathons

I absolutely love engineering (EECS) and have had a natural passion for it since 6 (when I started robotics).

^^ basically sums me up

I’d love to know where I stand based on those who have gone or are attending EECS at this fine university.

Thank you!