<p>So I recently applied to UC Berkeley and have a 3.2 gpa by the end of this Fall. I applied under the Humanities Division for the major "Classical Civilizations." I talked with my counselor about this and she said I should get into Berkeley because this major is "not impacted" and most have not heard of it. I am doing TAP for UCLA, which looks good and Im on the Phi Theta Kappa at my community college. I also volunteer a good amount on the side. The counselor also said for some nonimpacted majors applying to Berkeley, it could be as easy as "1,2,3" getting in. She told me that most people dont apply to "Classical Civilizations" and so its not hard getting in unlike business, or psychology at berkeley.</p>
<p>Lol just because its not impacted doesn’t mean its easy as “1,2,3”. Berkeley is the #1 public university in the nation, incase you didn’t know, and they will reject you even if the major is nonimpacted. If they have a few applicants for said unimpacted major and they have mediocre grades, adcoms will most likely reject all of them to maintain the school’s reputation. Instead of trying to convince yourself that a 3.2 will suffice, try raising your grades.</p>
<p>So im not going to listen to your words, because my counselor would know better. A 3.2 GPA is good, but dont forget this is not a “Top Major”, you are quite disceieved. I have heard of others who get into berkeley with 3.0, 3.1 for majors like these. Most people are not smart enough to apply to unimpacted majors</p>
<p>If you’re not going to listen, then why did you bother posting here? Hsandovaljr is right. They don’t just accept anyone into a non-impacted major just because it’s non-impacted. </p>
<p>“The counselor also said for some nonimpacted majors applying to Berkeley, it could be as easy as “1,2,3” getting in.”</p>
<p>Could and some - hardly words to take in confidence. </p>
<p>Just because a program has the room for new students, doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to admit students if the applicant pool isn’t strong enough. They have general standards that they’re trying to meet and a 3.2 - no matter what your major - could be a lot stronger. </p>
<p>If you’ve already applied then good luck. I wouldn’t rule you out because I have no idea what your EC’s and essays were like, those could give you an extra push into getting in. I don’t know. However, a 3.2 isn’t stellar and I wouldn’t count your chickens just yet.</p>
<p>you listen to what you want to listen to.</p>
<p>Even if it is from UC Berkeley, your degree in “Classical Civilizations” will at best qualify you for a job as a waitress or a greeter at Walmart. There is a reason why very few people apply for these kinds of majors.</p>
<p>with a 3.2, you’d need good ECs, essay, special circumstances to offset your GPA. </p>
<p>and “Most people are not smart enough to apply to unimpacted majors” in Post #3
for real? X.X are you just applying to Berk for the prestige?</p>
<p>^^really? that sounds ridiculous.</p>
<p>Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought Berkeley doesn’t admit directly to a major? As far as I understand it you get accepted into the school and then are allowed to declare your major the first semester. Berkeley’s always been different from the other UCs in terms of admissions.</p>
<p>^ this is true. You get into L&S only, and they take under advisement what major you might want to be in. Nobody who responded to this thread is “disceieved”; with a 3.2 you need other great stats to set it off and personal statement is probably the most important thing in the humanities. They want to see the reasoning behind why you want to major in classic civ (or whatever else) and what you plan to do with it specifically. If there’s no coherent connection between the CC classes you’ve chosen to take, your intended major and your statement, then it won’t make sense for that department to want you.</p>
<p>3.2 gpa ? you are in</p>
<p>@Lemaitre1</p>
<p>Not everyone goes to college to make a ton of money. Some of us are more interested in personal happiness than annual income.</p>
<p>This is UCLA, not Berkeley, but still: [Profile</a> of Admitted Transfer Students, Fall 2011 - UCLA Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof11.htm]Profile”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof11.htm)</p>
<p>22 transfer students applied to Classical Civilizations in 2011 with an average GPA of 3.5. UCLA admitted 10 students with an average GPA of 3.66. If Berkeley is similar to this (and I expect it is), a 3.2 is not in the right range. The volunteer hours/a good essay if you have one may help, but it’s probably not going to make up for the GPA if Berkeley thinks yours is too low. It’s true that you don’t need a 3.8-4.0 that majors like psych or business need, but Berkeley still has loads of applicants with GPAs in the 3.5-3.7 area to pick from.</p>
<p>Also, notice Russian studies, for example. UCLA preferred not to take in any student in order to avoid lower GPAs entering the system. These schools have a lot of students to pick from, and they don’t necessarily need to fill up every single spot available in each major.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m wrong, but I really don’t think it’s likely.</p>
<p>OP:you can still believe your counselor, though. that can give you some comfort in a polar icy night of darkness and hardness.</p>
<h1>1) Never listen to your counselor; they are one of the worst advisers for transfer–EVER!!</h1>
<p>I couldn’t help but laugh when my “counselor” told me I had to send official transcripts to EVERY school I applied to.</p>
<p>First of all, I don’t agree with the ridicule of counselors. Yes, they’re not as well-informed as we’d like them to be, but that’s because they are extremely overworked. I admire them for sticking around. </p>
<p>And yeah, Berkeley has a unique way of accepting students. One of my philosophy buddies got in as a spring admit with barely over a 3.0, but he’s older, has other things to show for himself, and is in love with philosophy. Very humble and honest student. That’s hard to fake on a college application.</p>
<p>“Is it true that you can transfer easily into UC Berkeley with a 3.2 gpa?”</p>
<p>Not as easy as you’d like to believe. That’s just wishful thinking. Certainly there are people who got into Cal with low GPA’s but they are few in number and they most certainly had other things to compensate for their low grades such as an incredible personal statement or very impressive extra-curricular activities. And also, just because a major is not impacted does not guarantee someone an easy shoe-in. Otherwise we’d see more people under those non-impacted majors getting accepted just for the sake going to a prestigious university.</p>
<p>Perhaps you should work on getting that GPA up to increase your chances if you really want to get in.</p>
<p>Easy…no.</p>
<p>Possible… yes.</p>
<p>Not sure if trolling.</p>