<p>Well, IB 132 is a horrible class anyway. You don’t learn anything useful, especially with Brook’s horrible teaching style. I heard MCB 136 is much more useful and well-taught. Mabye I should take MCB 136 for ****s and giggles.</p>
<p>Maybe MCB should get rid of IB 131 too. It’s pretty much a useless class as well. Everybody takes it to get the easy A.</p>
<p>I would suggest anyone who’s premed spend more time exploring different majors at Berkeley. You have 2 years because you need to take all these premed requirements that basically enable you to major in any bio-related majors like MCB, IB, and those in CNR. I am doing a major in MCB with minor in chemistry, and my personal experience is that the MCB upper division courses are pretty difficult comparing to lower div. The professors in MCB department expect you to work hard and you definitely need to put in the work to get that A. If you are not doing so well (like getting C’s) in your lower div (o-chem, physics, math…etc), then you should think twice if you want to major in MCB because it is not an easy major. </p>
<p>I personally think the harder emphasis in MCB are BMB (biochem), GG&D(the old genetics track, not the new developmental one), immuno track 1. But anyways, you should only major in MCB if you are interested in molecular biology. On the other hand, don’t let other people to scare you away from MCB. I have meet many people who are really bitter about MCB because they themselves could not handle it and had to switch major. However, that’s not the case for everyone. I do know many very hard working MCB majors who are able to get 3.9 GPA so don’t let this “average GPA” thing scares you away. It’s a doable major and I personally really love it!</p>
<p>I know that I come off as very bitter, because I am. But…</p>
<p>Perhaps the most interesting observation that I’ve made is that the most successful MCB are not those who work the hardest, but those that actually don’t need to and still do well. </p>
<p>What does this mean? I see it as “Find an outlet, a way to vent.” If you are in the state where you are falling behind for every moment you’re not working, misery will quickly set in. Having to spend every night and weekend in the library for hours on end just to stay afloat is not a way to live. When you’ve gotten to the point where you see weekends, holidays and Spring Break as just days to get work done without the interference of classes, GET OUT! I’m at that state, and it’s not pretty.</p>
<p>However, if you can effectively expend that pressure, spread it out by working closely alongside other MCB’ers, or simply not have to work that hard in the first place, it won’t be that bad. My roommate is somehow able get on the honor roll (~3.9+)while only really studying for 1 week out of every 5-7 per midterm. The rest of the time, he keeps with the material, but isn’t really engaged in it. Depends on the person I guess.</p>
Responding to anon5524485’s list of average grades in different majors: I keep seeing these lists showing that MCB is a GPA killer. Not sure the source of the discrepancy (it may be the passage of time), but here is a current comparison.
I am a Cal professor and have access from the administration to average cumulative grade data for all majors as well as average major grades for some. Between 2010 and 2013, the average major GPAs at Berkeley for MCB majors was 3.25, and for IB majors it was 3.11.
In terms of cumulative GPAs here are some averages for the 2010-2013 period:
IB: 3.28
ESPM: 3.36
PMB: 3.15
Public Health: 3.44
NST: 3.34
MCB: 3.42
So please do not make any decisions based on faulty data! MCB majors do very well.