<p>some people have told me that even if you aced ap english (both the class and the ap test) and if you are pretty good at writing essays, you should take some kind of an english class at cal to get a feel for the rigor or what not. is this true?</p>
<p>That’s not something that’s “true” or “false.” Yes, English at Cal is legendary. Yes, English department is the best in the country, and I daresay, one of the best in the world. </p>
<p>If you got a 5 on AP English Lit, you don’t need to take R1A or R1B. If you don’t give a rat’s ass about English classes, then don’t bother. You won’t appreciate the rigor, and you will just find it to be unnecessary. However, if you’re enticed by literary analysis, learning about different writing styles of authors from different time periods, etc., then you’re at an university that will rock your world. If that’s the case, then yeah, take an English class when you have time. </p>
<p>Even between that dichotomy, there are several confounding factors that you should consider.</p>
<p>Good answer!</p>
<p>That said, I highly recommend EVERYONE take at least one heavily analytical/compositional literature class while at Cal, regardless of major or preparation.</p>