How hard is it to enter UC Berkeley’s Nuclear Engineering Programme?

Hi guys,
I am currently a high school junior with immense interest in pursuing either physics or nuclear engineering with a specific interest in plasma and fusion sciences. I have looked deeply into both programmes at UC Berkeley, and quite honestly, as for UCB, Nuclear Engineering sounds like a more interesting choice. I’ve heard the department is very small, as well. All this being said, how hard would it be to get in? I am aware Cal’s engineering is very difficult to get into, especially compared to their L&S college, but considering nuclear engineering’s popularity and department size, I was thinking that it may make it easier. I’m assuming I need to have an SAT score above or equal to a 1490 (I’m not a California resident), but do I still need to take a subject test? Also, I haven’t done anything engineering-related in high school; we have BotBall, but I associate that more with mechanical engineering, so I didn’t do it. Do I still have a chance given (a) I have a 1490-1520+ SAT score, (b) decent volunteering and extracurriculars, © decent essays, and (d) 3.8+ GPA with AP Physics, AP Chem, and having taken single variable and multivariable calculus? Any response is appreciated,

Thanks.

Unfortunately, there is no public information about the relative selectivity of different UCB CoE majors at the frosh admission level. At the junior transfer admission level, NE is the least selective of the UCB CoE majors listed at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major .

But note that a 3.8 unweighted GPA is probably around a 4.1 UC-recalculated weighted-capped GPA (see https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/ ), where UCB in general is considered a reach (see https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/freshman-admissions-summary , which shows 13% admit rate to UCB in 2017 for 3.80-4.19 GPA).

Also, there is no financial aid for non-California residents at UCs, except for those who earn rare merit scholarships.

Thank you for your reply. My current unweighted GPA is actually a 4.0. Do you think if emailed them, they would give information, or be very vague about the information they give? Thanks.

I’d email them. It can’t hurt.

Are you an international student?
It would be even more difficult for admission if you are an international candidate.

Going into Engineering would require 2 subject tests, a Math Level 2 and in your case probably Physics.

You can make the assumption that you’d probably need a 1500+ to be a good candidate for any major in CoE excluding EECS.

No, I live in another US state

I thought on the website they only say one subject test - either Math II or Chemistry? In this case, would it be wisest for me to simply apply L&S and go into a physics major? Luckily, I plan to take both, and strive for a 1510 on the SAT, but I thought you only needed one… are there general scores submitted on the subject tests, too? Probably 770+ I’d assume?

From the UC Website, the recommended SAT subject tests.

Berkeley:

College of Chemistry and College of Engineering: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) closely related to the applicant’s intended major.

It’s Math 2 and a relevant science test for college of engineering:

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/examination-requirement/SAT-subject-tests/index.html

As for admission, it could be easier as ucbalumnus hints at, for nuclear engineering since it’s not that popular a major as physics.

In a general sense, your odds of getting into L&S will be slightly better than CoE. Say 15% as opposed to 10% or something like that. You can transfer to Nuclear in CoE later on if you want if you take this route (For those of you thinking of doing a transfer from L&S to EECS - perish the thought, can’t be done).

Changing from L&S to any CoE major is competitive: https://engineering.berkeley.edu/admissions/undergrad-admissions/change-college .

If you really want to do NE, apply for NE.