International Student Bound for UCB - Course and Housing Doubts

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

<p>Hey all. I'm glad I found this really helpful board 'coz there are some really pertinent questions I'm dying to ask, and which I hope y'all can respond to. I'm an international student based in the Sultanate of Oman (anyone close by, PM please!) receiving the Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship (the only way I can afford a US educaiton :p) and a freshman for the Fall Semester 2006.</p>

<p>Had a few questions regarding the Engineering course lineup for the first semester - I have taken up EUD, and am not sure which option to specialise in under EECS (which I'm 95% sure I'll be switching to) - but I've narrowed it down to probably Bioelectronics, Computer Systems, Computer Science, or General - the Announcement is very confusing! Here's what I hope to do the first YEAR:</p>

<p>= Math 1A Calculus
= Chemistry 1A
= Computer Science 61A
= Computer Science 61B
= Chemistry 3A/3AL <em>though I feel stronger towards CS as a better option, I'm still willing to see if Bioengineering is my mettle - hence this course, which satisfies Bioelectronics requirements; I'm very indecisive</em>
= Physics 7A
= Math 55 (is this necessary for EECS? I don't see it under any of the options in EECS)</p>

<p>Haven't decided on the attractor course and seminars yet, nor on my other university requirements. First, lemme get the above outta the way, or is that a bad strategy?</p>

<p>I hope that's not too much of a course load for my first year, 'cause I'm really worried if it is - the workload might dampen my chances for a 3.00 GPA, which is what I need to maintain the scholarship. Any help in choosing the correct classes, and any insight as to which option is the better one, would be appreciated, since I'm really confused. Oh, and I haven't - nor couldn't - go to CalSO, since I haven't gotten my I-20 yet, and so couldn't apply for a visa. Will that dampen my chances any? And could someone please help with the Online Schedule of Classes - there are so many courses for the same thing - Computer Science 61A, for example... (don't worry, I read the FAQs.. they're still confusing.. any interesting and helpful experiences and advises welcome - please!)</p>

<p>And Move-In Day is August 20, right? I'm arriving at Berkeley - if all goes well - on the August 13. Anybody has any good tips on where to stay temporarily for the week, with a father in tow?</p>

<p>Much obliged for responses! :)</p>

2

<p>I don't know how early you have to plan for your concentration- I'm no science or engineering specialist, but I think the courses you take as a first year underclared engineering students is pretty standard if you already know which type of engineering you're going into. I might be wrong, though. </p>

<p>Do you plan on going into calc 1a? Do you have to? Can you bypass it with satisfactory AP test scores? Did you take it, and if you did, what'd you get? </p>

<p>I think the college of engineering gives out some advised general schedules. Most of these have 3 or so science/tech classes, sometimes 4, and with many of the 3 sci/tech classes one humanities/social science class. Hopefully some CoE person can be more helpful in these areas.</p>

<p>Not going to CalSO will most likely only mean you won't get first or second or sometimes even third choice lecture and lab times. Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe not. You will have to wait and see. </p>

<p>What help do you need with the online schedule of classes?</p>

<p>For staying in Berkeley, many use the Durrant Hotel or the Bancroft Hotel, both right near campus (the Bancroft across the street, the Durrant with a block inbetween it and campus). I've never been in the Durrant (besides its restaraunt), but the Bancroft is cool. Somewhat small rooms, but a great place to stay for many reasons, including its location, atmosphere, history, breakfast. I've heard of many staying at the Holiday Inn (I beleive) in Berkeley and getting to campus. The Claremont Hotel is nearby and looks amazing from the outside, but I think it's kind of pricey. If you search the internet for Berkeley travel advice articles (and be weary of the advertisements), you will find a lot of helpful information.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the reply, DRab.</p>

<p>Well, I did fashion the above curriculum based on the general course outlines given in the Engineering Announcement, so if anybody from CoE can help me determine whether the above is a good schedule or not - I'd be really grateful.</p>

<p>I can't go to CalSO :( because I'm an international student and haven't got the visa yet - argh, does that mean my course choice is very limited now? As regards to the online schedule of classes, I'm way confused - I know how to make my way around and everything, but there are so many options for every course you take (Computer Science 61A) that I'm not sure which class to take when, and whether it would conflict with the timings (both class and exam) of another class, when I don't even know which options are available to me until after CalSO. Can anybody give me tips on how to plan the darn schedule??</p>

<p>Oh, and I studied under the Indian educational system (CBSE). Is it possible to 'advance-place' myself in classes based on what courses I took (since I didn't take either AP or A-Levels or IB or anything, just normal CBSE Final Examinations), and how do I go about this? Can anyone from the CBSE system and currently at UCB help me with this?</p>

<p>Bump, and thanks!</p>

4

<p>I can help you. I'm in EECS. Congratulations on being in RCSA, by the way. I'm in that as well.</p>

<p>First of all, don't worry about choosing an option. It is COMPLETELY irrelevant. It will affect 2 things: 1) who your advisor is and 2) what your diploma says. If you choose to specialize in electronics, they will try to pair you with an advisor that is a professor that specializes in electronics. The only affect the option has on your diploma is if you choose option IV (Computer Science), your degree will be for Computer Science and Engineering, while for the other options, it will be Electrical and Computer Engineering. Whoopee! No difference. Further, you can change your option at any time by filling out a tiny form, so don't worry about what you choose.</p>

<p>Now, regarding CalSO, don't worry about it. A lot of people in the states don't go, either. It's completely optional. All you need to get it your advisor code. That's what allows you to sign up for classes. Contact them to get that code and you'll be fine.</p>

<p>The Schedule of Classes lists all lectures, discussions, and lab sections for whatever class you search for. In general, for a class like CS 61A, you will need to sign up for the lecture, a discussion, and a lab. They will be labeled as LEC, DIS, and LAB, usually with a number after it, such as LEC 01 (usually there is only one lecture section), DIS 02, LAB 02 (meaning you signed up for section 2 of the discussion and lab sections). It doesn't matter which discussion and lab you pick. Just make sure they work with the rest of your classes (don't have a 61A lab and a Math 1A lecture overlap).</p>

<p>As for where to stay for the week, you can definitely stay at the Hotel Durant. It is perhaps the closest you can be to campus. However, it is expensive for what you get. There are options in the nearby town of Emeryville that are nicer and cheaper. It is only a short drive away (maybe a 10 minute drive). I realize you may not have a car, in which case the closer the better, and I wouldn't recommend staying in Emeryville in that case.</p>

<p>Regarding CBSE, I have never dealt with those since I'm from California, so I can't help you there. I would highly recommend talking to an advisor, though (check <a href="http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/advising.html)%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/advising.html)&lt;/a>. If you can show you've taken an equivalent course in that system, say a year of Calculus, you can probably get out of taking Math 1A and maybe 1B.</p>

<p>Regarding the classes you intend to take for your first year, they look fine to me. I can't comment on Chemistry since I haven't taken any myself, but Math 1A, CS 61A & 61B, and Physics 7A are all very standard first-year courses. You can take Math 55, however, I would recommend instead taking CS70. CS70 is only required if you choose option IV (computer science), though. If you choose to focus more in EE, then you can also take a statistics course or EE126 (which is like a probably and statistics course focused in EE). I personally took and enjoyed CS70, so there's nothing wrong with taking it. I would recommend it over Math 55 in general, since the course tends to be more interesting. My only other comment would be if you find that your CBSE exams can place you out of any of the preliminary math or science courses, then skip those.</p>

<p>By the way, it is possible to do a double major in EECS and Bioengineering if you really want to. I know one person that is doing this. You'd have to talk to an advisor for details, but keep that in mind in case you really can't decide between the two.</p>

<p>Finally, I wouldn't worry about keeping a 3.0GPA. It isn't hard at all. If you were offered the R&C scholarship that means you're good at getting high grades anyway, so feel confident regarding that. Let me know if you need any more help.</p>

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<p>Thank you so very much for that reply, eudean - it helped clear so many of my doubts.</p>

<p>However, I would just like to know whether the .5 unit Physical Education course is indeed necessary, and whether every entering freshman must have that. And I'm wondering, out of the 15 or so units we have to sign up for, which ones should constitute the 10.5 that I have to sign up for during Phase I, i.e. which should I focus upon registering, given my course outline above ^^? Any specific rules, tips or suggestions?</p>

<p>Regarding the placement, I didn't really think of that, but I've asked my adviser Bryan Jones for comments. Is anyone else from the CBSE system entering - or has entered - Cal and can help me here?</p>

<p>For the Humanities/Social Studies requirement, the French, German and other assorted language courses - are they * really * language courses or merely literature and history? 'Coz that would just suck if I took French (I only had 4 years of high school French :() and didn't understand anything. :( Waitaminnit, d'you have to have a basic knowledge of French or German to take these courses?</p>

<p>I've seen that some courses, like Computer Science 61A, have entrance exams. Are these common standard for many of the courses that I have to take for freshman year - I have to clear an entrance exam?</p>

<p>And, one last thing to bother you guys with (sorry): as eudean said, some courses have to have a lab and discussion class along with the lecture class. My question is: how will I know whether a course will need either, or all, of these three?</p>

<p>That's all... thanks for your time!</p>

6

<p>There is no requirement to sign up for a physical education class. The courses you should sign up for in Phase I are ones that are in high demand (like Math 1A, Chemistry 1A, which a lot of students have to take). You don't have to sign up for all 10.5 units in Phase I. Just sign up for two 4-unit courses, and if you decide to take a 2-unit or less course, sign up for that too.</p>

<p>Regarding the humanities requirements, for the college of engineering, the choices are VERY flexible. You do not have to take any language courses, like French or German. The requirements are as follows:</p>

<ul>
<li>R1A & R1B</li>
<li>American Cultures (a course ending with AC)</li>
<li>Series Requirement</li>
<li>Two upper division courses</li>
</ul>

<p>There is a total of six humanities courses you must take. The R1A and R1B courses aren't necessarily English courses. You can take them in a number of areas. This document has more information on that: <a href="http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/hssreq.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/hssreq.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>You also have to take one course that ends with "AC", for a campus-wide American Cultures requirement. The series requirement means you have to take a lower and upper division course in one humanities field. Then you have to take a total of 2 upper division courses. You must take a total of six courses. Your CBSE courses may be able to place you out of up to 2 of those courses (again, your advisor may be able to help you determine this).</p>

<p>Although CS61A says it has an entrance exam, it actually does not. That is old information from the late 1990s and has since changed. You will almost never have to take an entrance examination for a course. I've finished two years and never took one.</p>

<p>You'll know a class has a lab and/or discussion by searching schedule.berkeley.edu. If you search CS61A and it shows a lecture, lab, and discussion section, you'll know you have to sign up for all three. When you register for courses in Telebears, it will force you to sign up for every part of a class that is necessary.</p>

7

<p>Also, read this for all of the details on college of engineering degree requirements:</p>

<p><a href="http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/advising06-07.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/advising06-07.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

8

<p>
[quote]
For the Humanities/Social Studies requirement, the French, German and other assorted language courses - are they really language courses or merely literature and history? 'Coz that would just suck if I took French (I only had 4 years of high school French ) and didn't understand anything. Waitaminnit, d'you have to have a basic knowledge of French or German to take these courses?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Most language courses are in the language and about some subject, sometimes the language itself but often the history of a country or language or the literature of a country or language. Each course will say, but I'd say often if a lanaguage isn't mentioned, it's in the language of the department. Some people who took a language for years start in the second or third level of the lanaguage. Different departments have different policies. Some are nearly fluent and start in advanced literature courses. What you should take depends on you and your abilities. To take the fourth level (aka the fourth semester) of French, or German, or whatever language, you should generally have some proficiency. Anything above that, you should have general proficiency. For the third level, you should have some ability, probably less than profiency but more than minimal ability. For the second level, you should have some experience. For the first leve, no experience is expected. Different departments talk about what they expect on their websites, or if they do not, call the undergraduate advisor.</p>

9

<p>Cool, eudean and Drab... thanks so much for the replies... I've pretty much whittled down my course outline to the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>Chemistry 4A</li>
<li>Computer Science 61A</li>
<li>Math 1A</li>
<li>Computer Science 70 (thanks for the suggestion, eudean!)</li>
</ul>

<p>Now I just have to fulfill the Humanities and Social Studies requirement, which I hope you guys can help me with. Can someone who has already taken the class and/or has a general idea about the class please tell me what the following deal with, and how they deal with it, and what do you need for the classes (like high school knowledge or w/e). Thanks again so much!:</p>

<ul>
<li>English R1A - R1B</li>
<li>English N1A - N1B</li>
<li>French R1A</li>
<li>Rhetoric R1A - R1B</li>
<li>Rhetoric N1A - N1B</li>
<li>Linguistics 11, 16, 21, 55</li>
<li>Economics 1, 2 and 3</li>
<li>Film R1A - R1B</li>
<li>Sociology 1 and 3</li>
<li>Southeast Asian - 10A</li>
<li>Linguistics 11, 16, 21</li>
<li>Psychology 1, 2, 14</li>
<li>Mass Communications 10</li>
</ul>

<p>I've tried using the Online Schedule of Classes to help determine what these classes might contain, but some of the descriptions are downright vague and/or absent. I would appreciate it if someone could give me their insights.</p>

<p>Cheerio, and thanks!</p>

10

<p>Do you intend to take this all your first semester? If so, I'd just do the four you mentioned. Doing 5 courses is a lot--that would put you at 20 units, while 15 units is considered "average". I haven't taken any of those humanities classes, so I can't really give any advice on them. If you want better descriptions, though, you can find them in the online catalog, which is here: <a href="http://www.berkeley.edu/catalog/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.berkeley.edu/catalog/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

11

<p>You could add a course later if you feel you have too much free time or something, but otherwise, I would really agree with eudean. 20 units, especially including harder courses such as chem and cs 61A, will be plenty for you to deal with your first semester. If you want more, you could do it, and some do, but I would advise you stick with those four.</p>

<p>I think you have to be a second year in order to take mass com 10.</p>

<p>Econ 1 is like econ 2 but harder and includes more future econ majors and pre-haas people. Psych 1 is for future psych majors, psych 2 is not. Once you understand what R1A and R1B classes are about, the subject attatched will be what the class is about (although there is much variance within a subject).</p>

12

<p>Hey eudean and DRab.. thanks again...</p>

<p>Em, yeah, I did realise that 20 units could be too much of a bother, but I wish to complete my Reading and Composition requirement as soon as is possible, hence the above dilemma with the courses ^^. Any idea or suggestions as to which one I can - and should - drop right now, or as soon as I get advanced placement (in the event that I ever do)? I'm leaning toward English, French, Rhetoric, Psychology or Sociology. Any idea what these courses might contain and/or which one is preferable?</p>

<p>Regarding advanced placement, I've asked the guys at Berkeley, specifically Mr Bryan Jones, who directed me to Ms Gail Wentler, who's on vacation. Argh, I'll have to wait. :(</p>

<p>Thanks so very much - I really hope to meet you guys soon.</p>

13

<p>I don't know of any R and C course that the pscyhology or sociology departments offer. Maybe they do, but I've not heard of them. I had a good experience with my French course, and it was taught by a very great lecturer (as opposed to a GSI). Most R and C courses are taught by GSIs, and like professors, they vary in quality. C'est la vie. I would say take whichever course has the most interesting theme/reading list for you. Especially look into rhetoric and English.</p>

<p>Glad to help.</p>