<p>I would like to thank this board for helping to ease an international student into the daunting process of easing into Berkeleuy. :p As again, I have some questions regarding classes and scheduling - hope you can reply!</p>
<p>I'm a Regent's and Chancellor's Scholar with the most finicky thinking pattern in the world - and I'm hyper. So if you see a hyper finicky-minded person at Berkeley, that will most probably be me! :p</p>
<p>* Anyway *, I digress.</p>
<p>I haven't decided yet what course I want to major in (I'm in Engineering - Undeclared), but I'm pretty sure it'll be EECS, with a double major or minor in either Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering. (Has anyone done this kinda thing before? If so, it'll really be kind if you could see if the bottom is a good schedule.) I kinda made that decision after looking at this board. Anyway, I wanted to submit the following first semester course through Virtual CalSO:</p>
<ul>
<li>Math 1A</li>
<li>Computer Science 61A</li>
<li>Chemistry 4A (Chemistry 1A is not available this late, argh)</li>
<li>English R1A / Theater R1A / Rhetoric R1A (for R&C)</li>
<li>Bioengineering 24 (Hopefully help me decide)</li>
</ul>
<p>I dropped Computer Science 70 from an earlier selection since that'll up my units to 21, but am planning on reinstating it if ever I can get advanced placement (still waiting to see whether the Indian Board I studied other can get credit). Is that a good idea, or will either Math 53 or Chemistry 3A/3AL or Chemistry 4B be good replacements and decision factors? Either way, I think I'll have to spend two of the first four semesters with 20 units... :( I just don't want it to be my first.</p>
<p>A question about the Humanities and Social Studies Requirement - will taking the 'A' and 'B' of an R&C course that are on the Comprehensive List count as 2 of the 6 humanities courses I am supposed to take during my Berkeley career? That would mean I would only have to get 4 humanities courses outta the way after completing R&C. Am I correct in thinking that?</p>
<p>Again, many thanks, much obliged, see you at Berserkeley.</p>
<p>Hey, caughtbehind - well, Chem 1A is available, but very few seats are available this late (dang my procrastination and inability to attend CalSO), and extremely hard to schedule beside Math 1A without using a Time-Turner. Hence, the Chem 4A... which could be more beneficial in the long run. I could be wrong here...</p>
<p>Just curious - are you able to AP out of Math 1A/1B? I'm bioengineering and decided I don't want to go thru the weeder process - so I'm starting at 53.</p>
<p>Hey quasimoto... Eh, I'm trying to place myself out of Math 1A/1B since I took an entirely different educational system altogether. I was educated under the Indian system of education (the CBSE, for those who know), and I am an international student, so I'm trying to negotiate. I've contacted my Student Affairs Adviser, who guided me to an Admissions Officer, who's on vacation, so this could be a while...</p>
<p>Has anybody under the CBSE or any foreign educational system - and currently at UCB - been able to place out of courses using what they have studied in high school? Would really help if you could expound over here...</p>
<p>Wha'ts the 'weeder process' though, quasimoto? Just curious... :):rolleyes:</p>
<p>Basically what I've been told, is that Math 1A and 1B are taken by many many many people (class sizes are HUGE) and all of them are striving for the 4.0 GPAs because it is a common requirement for students going for Medical school, and many who are Haas bound. Not to mention, anyone else who wants a good record. In both cases, GPA is a big part of this. Unfortuneatly, even with a large class size, there are only so few As and A-s available, so the class becomes cut-throat competitive, and more difficult than it really should be. For instance, Math 1B is known to be the class with the highest fail rate.</p>
<p>But then again, these are probably just exaggerations. Work hard, just reward, i guess.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I haven't decided yet what course I want to major in (I'm in Engineering - Undeclared), but I'm pretty sure it'll be EECS, with a double major or minor in either Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>First off, I think it's a bit insane to try to complete a double-major in engineering, with the exception of those prepackaged engineering double-majors. That's because those prepackaged double-majors are not 'true' double-majors but really more like "1.5-majors" in that a lot of coursework gets thrown out. They say they are double-majors, but they really aren't. However, what you are proposing is to create a true double major. Trust me, just a single major in engineering at Berkeley will have you working like a dog. </p>
<p>Furthermore, honestly, a double-major really isn't that useful. Truth be told, nobody really cares that you have a double-major. Hence, you should complete a double major only for your own self-satisfaction. It's not really going to help you in terms of getting a job or getting into graduate school because, like I said, nobody really cares. If the purpose of what you are doing is to get a better job or get into graduate school, then you are probably better off taking the time you would have spent in getting that second major or that minor and instead use it to get a master's degree. </p>
<p>Hm.. I'll look into that, sakky, thanks... But yeah, I'm an insane kinda guy.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, can anybody help me in deciding between English, Rhetoric and Theater? Please. Pretty please. With sugar on top.</p>
<p>And.. eh, I was thinking of buying a laptop with the earnings from a job - d'you think that's a good idea to buy one here (in Oman), or there (in the US), or is it even necessary during the first few semesters - to do homework, take down notes (I'm faster - as are most people - at typing than writing), researching, stuff and so forth? Advice, as always, appreciated (alliteration!)</p>
<p>If you enjoyor want to practice speaking do Theater, reading - English, and writing-Rhetoric</p>
<p>At least that's been my experience with the lower level req courses. Theater, I didn't take, but my freshman year roomate did and he seemed to have to do a lot of oratory, as expected. </p>
<p>In the English class that we took, we did a LOT of reading but only wrote three essays, whereas in Rhetoric the readings were shorter but there was a lot more written analysis of the text. It varies a lot based on the instructor and what you're studying. Of the two, I prefered Rhetoric, but I've heard of English classes where the main text is the Harry Potter series...</p>
<p>
[quote]
And.. eh, I was thinking of buying a laptop with the earnings from a job - d'you think that's a good idea to buy one here (in Oman), or there (in the US), or is it even necessary during the first few semesters - to do homework, take down notes (I'm faster - as are most people - at typing than writing), researching, stuff and so forth? Advice, as always, appreciated (alliteration!)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wow, I'm quoting myself :p Bump! Can anyone help me here please? Thanks a million^pi^e^(-(e^(i*pi)))!</p>
<p>I also wanted to know - from any international student matriculating at UCB or already at UCB, and any Cal student - did anybody take their high school textbooks along with them to UCB - for extra reference, sums and stuff. 'Coz, let's face it, many first semester courses are just deeper versions of their high school counterparts, so I was wondering if anyone dug out and used their old high school textbooks at UCB, and whether any classes could use a few supplementary textbooks than those prescribed. Oh, and by the way, where does one go to check course textbook prescriptions? 'Coz I was also thinking, I might as well just buy the books here if I can - could even save money in the process...</p>
<p>If laptops are cheaper in Oman, then buy there. Otherwise, buy here.</p>
<p>I'd say go your first semester without a laptop (but only if you have a desktop already--don't go without a computer of your own). That way you can gauge how much you really need a laptop, then can decide to buy one later.</p>
<p>As for bringing high school textbooks to college, you could, but I don't think you'd find them very useful. If you have a text book that you already like and know it well as a reference, then bring it. But don't bring just any book you think might come in handy, because it'll just take up space.</p>
<p>As for buying books, check <a href="https://www.efollett.com/%5B/url%5D">https://www.efollett.com/</a>. If you select UC Berkeley, you can browse a list of classes and choose your classes to see what books are required. Then you can buy them wherever you want. Note that not all classes will have books listed (some professors are late adding such information).</p>