<p>Sorry if I sound like an idiot, but I felt that the website was not explicit enough and would like a solid answer.</p>
<p>I have above a 680 on my SAT Writing section, so does that mean I have fulfilled the requirement?</p>
<p>yes, you have fulfilled the requirement. Your status may not be recorded by the time you go to CalSO, but since you qualified by your score on the writing section of the SAT I, you will be marked as satisfying this requirement sometime in the next several months. Don’t register for an entry writing class, move on to register for R&C or other requirements.</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Why do I remember that the minimum is 700</p>
<p>no idea why you mis-remember it as 700, take a look at [CWP</a> - Advanced Writing Placement Exam](<a href=“http://writing.berkeley.edu/newsite/awpexam.htm]CWP”>http://writing.berkeley.edu/newsite/awpexam.htm)</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Sry, got it wrong.</p>
<p>Do you guys think I should focus on fulfilling all degree requirements first, or if I should also try to mix in some classes of my intended major as well in the first year?</p>
<p>it is best to mix - take pre-reqs for your likely major(s) plus some of the other requirements like AC, breadths, R&C. While you have four years for many of the general degree requirements, some like R&C should be finished in the first two years. Leaving some of the general requirements for later gives you flexibility - if a class you want for your major or an elective is full when you try to register some semester, you can find an appropriate breadth, AC, etc class instead and reshuffle your plans for next semester.</p>
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<p>What is your intended major?</p>
<p>If your intended major has long lower division prerequisite chains (e.g. Physics 7A, 7B, 7C for the Physics major, Chemistry 4A, 4B, 112A for the Chemical Engineering or Chemistry major, or CS 61A, 61B, 61C for the Computer Science major), then you want to get started on them as soon as you can to avoid delay.</p>
<p>Ah I see. So the overall message I’m getting is to get started on my major ASAP (whilst taking SOME courses that fulfill my breadth requirements, particularly for R&S, which I should start soon because they should be done in the first two years). If I don’t take courses for my major, then I may experience delays if I am not able to take those classes certain semesters, and may not be able to graduate on time.</p>
<p>For the prerequisite chains, do I take one per semester? Or can I take, e.g., Physics 7A and 7B during one semester?</p>
<p>“Prerequisite chain” means that you have to take a sequence of courses. For example, normally, you have to take Physics 7A before 7B, and 7B before 7C. So completing Physics 7C to prepare for upper level courses in the Physics major would take at least three semesters. If you have no credit for Math 1A, then the prerequisite chain is four semesters deep, since you need to complete Math 1A before taking Physics 7A.</p>
<p>On the other hand, someone majoring in History needs four lower division History courses to declare the major, but none have any prerequisites, so it is possible to take all of them together in the second semester of one’s second year and still not be delayed in progress toward one’s degree. (Actually, since upper level History courses typically have no prerequisites, the main constraint is that one has to have a major by around that time, not that one needs any prerequisite courses.)</p>
<p>Math, science, and engineering majors typically have the longest prerequisite chains (some upper level engineering courses are at the end of a seven semester prerequisite chain), so students doing or intending those majors need to be especially careful about selecting courses.</p>
<p>What major(s) are you considering (or are in if you are in the College of Chemistry, Engineering, or Natural Resources)?</p>