<p>Hello!
I am a bit unfamiliar with the US education system so could anyone please answer a few quick questions?</p>
<ul>
<li><p>What are the classes like? I mean do we have classes for Phy, Chem, Math, etc. just like high school? And what will be the subjects I would be studying for EECS?</p></li>
<li><p>Like many other institutions, is Berkeley's first year of engineering common for all engineering majors? Is it easy to change my mind and opt for a diff. engineering course after my freshman year?</p></li>
<li><p>Do I have to study Chemistry at all? When is the soonest I can drop it? I hate the subject and am pretty bad at it!</p></li>
<li><p>Is it true that EECS is Cal's most competitive and hence most prestigious major?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>EECS does not require any chemistry, although many students do take chemistry to fulfill the rest of the science requirement (11 units of science including Physics 7A-7B, which is 8 units; Physics 7C, Biology 1A or 1B, Astronomy 7A or 7B, or MCB 32 are allowed in addition to Chemistry 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B).</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Programs/Notes/12-13ugradhandbook.pdf[/url]”>http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Programs/Notes/12-13ugradhandbook.pdf</a></p>
<p>For frosh courses, math and physics are common with other engineering majors, but the different engineering majors vary in frosh engineering courses. EECS frosh typically take CS 61A and/or CS 61B, while some other engineering majors take courses like Engineering 7, 10, and/or 28. All engineering majors have humanities and social studies breadth requirements, but have a very large list of courses to choose from for these.</p>
<p>Note that it is common for students with high AP, IB, or A-level scores in math to start in a more advanced math course than Math 1A (calculus).</p>
<p>There are many classes in each department (yes, including physics, chemistry, and math), and you take a selection of those every semester. Of course, many classes have prerequisites, and it is strongly recommended you take a class’s prerequisite before you take it. Most people take 4-5 classes a semester, with the standard load for engineering majors being 3 technical classes and one non-technical class. But you are free to choose which classes you want to take (as long as you can get into them!) every semester, subject to the approval of your adviser (though I’m not so sure they actually check).</p>
<p>You can check the classes you have to take here: <a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/curriculum-degree-checks/EECS%202010-2013.pdf[/url]”>http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/curriculum-degree-checks/EECS%202010-2013.pdf</a> As you can see, you have to take two semesters of physics, an additional science course, math through multivariable calculus and linear algebra/differential equations, EECS courses, and humanities/social science courses. The additional science course (which can be fulfilled by AP credit) could be anything from astronomy to biology to geology, so you don’t strictly have to take chemistry.</p>
<p>Many engineers will be taking similar math and physics courses with you, but while you take EECS courses, they take classes in their major department. You can switch to another engineering major after your first year, but you have to make sure you have taken some of that major’s required classes; otherwise, you may fall behind.</p>
<p>The EECS major is indeed one of the most competitive to get into, but the program itself does not tend to be competitive; in fact, the culture is more cooperative. (Premeds and business majors tend to be more competitive.) As for prestige among Berkeley’s majors, it doesn’t really matter that much (I’m not sure if there’s a clear ranking), and it shouldn’t factor into your decision at all.</p>
<p>Thanks energize, I am also wondering, do a lot of EECS students work while pursuing their undergrad degree? Does it hamper their studies?</p>
<p>And what kind of jobs do undergrads get? How much money do they make?</p>
<p>It is not uncommon for students to be doing part-time jobs, whether it’s working in the dining halls, coding for the residential computing services, or doing research. Whether someone can handle it depends on the individual. The wages i’ve seen have have been somewhere around 10-20 USD/hour.</p>