<p>So I realize that I can have sophomore standing at Berkeley. I want to graduate in three years in order to go to graduate school at either Caltech or MIT. If I do have sophomore standing at Berkeley, is it possible to double major in mathematics and MCB and still graduate in three years? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>-Ty</p>
<p>To figure that out, you need to go to the MCB and Math websites. Check out the major requirements. I do not believe that either of those majors will allow you to use AP scores to replace lower division prereqs, which means you are going to have to take all the LD and UD classes for both majors. I doubt that it is possible, and if it is you will be taking nothing but major courses for all three years.</p>
<p>Basically, I was SUPER bored right now so I went ahead and did this for you:</p>
<p>You're going to need to take the following Lower Division courses (this is all the courses for both majors): Math 1A, Math 1B, Math 53, Math 54, Chem 1A, Chem 3A and Lab, Chem 3B and Lab, Bio 1A and Lab, Bio 1B, Physics 8A, and Physics 8B. Assuming you can't use AP credit to pass out of any of those, that's 11 lower division courses. </p>
<p>These are the Upper Division Requirements (for both majors, as before): There are 6-7 courses for MCB depending on your concentration. For Math you need Math 104, 110, 113, 185, and 4 Math Electives of your choosing. So thats a total of 14-15 upper division classes. </p>
<p>In addition to these major classes, you need to fulfill University Requirements. Assuming you passed out of the R&C Requirement with an English AP and the Quantitative Reasoning requirement with a math AP, you still need to complete the 7 course breadth requirement because AP credit isnt allowed to be used here. </p>
<p>So that all combines for a total of 18 lower division and 14-15 upper division classes, 32-33 total courses. The average amount of courses is probably 4 per semester, so 8 per year. That's a 4 year load of courses right there. </p>
<p>So it looks like you wont be able to double major and graduate in three years without summer school. And you'll mostly be kicking your own ass the whole time. You should probably just go for 4 years or reconsider the double major. </p>
<p>Wow, sorry this is longwinded. I was really bored. Obviously.</p>
<p>Haha that was nice of you, easymack</p>
<p>imagine maintaining a high GPA with that courseload, too...wow</p>
<p>okay wait a sec. first, thanks for your input. but i am maybe under the illusion that my AP scores will take care of the prereqs. is this incorrect? because if my AP scores arent going to help me get advanced standing and graduate in 3 years with a double major, then ill just go to caltech and spend four years there. if my ap's DO count for prereq's, i have a 3/4/5 on these exams:</p>
<p>biology, chemistry, ush, calc bc, enviro sci, psych, eng lang and next year eng lit, span lang</p>
<p>upon entering berk. i will have semester units for music appreciation, multivariable calc., physics 1, diff. eq.</p>
<p>so this stuff isnt going to help with my prerequisites and i will have to take stuff like biology 1a over again if i want to double major in molcular/cell bio and mathematics?</p>
<p>if so.....i need to do some serious rethinking of my plans. any updated input would make my day.</p>
<p>You'll just go to Caltech instead? Either you got into both schools, which would mean that its far too late to be making any choices, or you haven't even applied yet, which makes you very arrogant in assuming that you can pick and choose which school you go to.</p>
<p>I doubt you will be able to get out of many pre-req's for your major...but, this could be changed...maybe. I am really hoping to get out of the US History course req. for my major with my 5 and 800, but I have to go talk to the Department personally. In other words, pre-req's are not granted automatically, but there are cases where you <em>might</em> petition the department. I guess I will find out this fall (and I still doubt I will get out of it because AP credits really don't impress any of the professors I have ever talked to) either way I really don't mind graduating in 4 years and I like US History anyway :)</p>
<p>easymack was fantastically thorough (bravo! I might need to ask you for some help with my own schedule!) You may be able to get out of some of the L&S breadth req's with your semester hours...but Berkeley is picky about Community College Credit (they tend to treat them like AP). I have 8 units (2 - 4 unit classes) from Harvard SSP which the counselor at Berkeley told me took care of 2 of my 7 Breadths.</p>
<p>AP scores can generally get you units toward graduation, but in many departments they cannot be used to bypass a prereq. I'm not sure if this is true of math and MCB, but it is true of American Studies (my major) so I would imagine its true for those. Basically you should not count on finishing anything at Berkeley in three years. Thats a bad idea. </p>
<p>And I agree with GentlemanandScholar.</p>
<p>plus, what's the rush?</p>
<p>agreed. Spend a year or two abroad, gradutate in 5 or 6 years. Enjoy your life. But hey, maybe you want to be out of college asap, in which case, to each his own.</p>
<p>Can someone with Natural Science major study abroad? (isn't it supposedly for Social Study majors only?)</p>
<p>Haha anyone can study abroad, no matter what the major. Obviously it is more useful for some people, particularly those interested in other cultures, those that want to expand their views of the world, ect, and those who can use the credit they get towards their degree. You probably won't get many physics or engineering classes in study abroad programs, BUT they do exist- if you want them, you can find them. I dont' know much about any non L and C college, but you have various requirements that can be fulfilled abroad WHILE having a great freaking time! What's to lose, unless your goal is to graduate in 2.5 years by taking 20 units a semester and starting with many units anyway?</p>
<p>isn't there a cap on the numberof AP credits you can earn? I might be wrong, but I can't seem to find it (at least on the L&S website.)</p>
<p>Also, the website ( <a href="http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/faq/ap.html%5B/url%5D">http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/faq/ap.html</a> ) says:</p>
<p>"Consult individual departments such as Mathematics, History, Spanish, etc., for course equivalencies." </p>
<p>Does that mean that courses could be challenged?</p>
<p>Basically, yes. You can challenge it. I dont think there is a cap on the amount of AP credits you can count toward your degree, but I know they dont often replace classes.</p>
<p>The mindset of most universities, I have come to understand, is that AP/IB classes are good, but that once you come there it is important to take the college course and forget about the high school "stuff". </p>
<p>The only class I am really considering challenging is in History, specifically American History, but I doubt I can get out of a pre-req' for my major.</p>