<p>Is the following doable? Am I going not going to have a social life? </p>
<p>16-17 units total.</p>
<li>Chem 4A (required) - 4units</li>
<li>Chemistry C96 (required) - 1 unit, weekly frosh seminar</li>
<li>Math 1B (math is required; I might be taking Math 53 though, depending on my AP Calc BC score; possibly honors so I can avoid large classes? is it worth it?) 4 units</li>
<li>English Composition: possibly classics/philosophy/econ class? any recommendations? (got credit for English R1A for sure, maybe Rhetoric R1B as well, if i get a 5 on AP Eng Lit… so if i finish both, am I done for the lower div req’s?) 4 units</li>
<li>Breadth: possibly french. or another foreign language. 3-4 units </li>
</ol>
<p>Any help would be appreciated. </p>
<p>I am thinking of pre-med, but I want to keep my options open → possibly a double major in econ/etc</p>
<p>I have taken 12 AP exams total, with some 4’s and most of them 5’s. I have 2.7 + 5.3 units of credit toward my Breadth req for Group II. Other ones = placement.</p>
<p>Also, why is the “Planned Class Schedule” for CoC due May 22 for incoming freshmen? I thought we’re supposed to sign up for classes during CalSO?</p>
<p>^French lower division courses are 5 units apiece</p>
<p>yea, french is just a thought. most likely not.</p>
<p>if i don’t do english comp or breadth at all, can i just skip right into physics 7a?</p>
<p>That’ll be doable, and it sounds a good load. Chem 4A is something of a weeder, but it’s probably going to be interesting to an extent at least – vaguely seen the syllabus to that. Partially, I am convinced it won’t be totally boring because Chem 4AB is taken by many Chem-E students, and it’s not simply grade-shark premeds. I heard from a Chem-E major friend that Chem 4B was more fun because it’s less of a weeder class, but 4A is still interesting.</p>
<p>Recommendation – if you’re doing a Reading/Composition class, take an R5A or R5B, not R1A/B, because the R5AB are probably both easier graded and more interesting in my opinion (for instance, you can take various foreign literature classes – conducted with English translations of course). </p>
<p>Also, if you don’t have to do the breadth, try Physics 7A instead. Do not try Physics H7A unless you consider yourself very good/hardcore at physics though; I rarely caution people about classes, but I heard that class is very, very hard from some of the few people I’ve met whom I consider very intelligent 
</p>
<p>Not sure how H53 is, but honors upper division math classes are populated almost exclusively by the relatively smartest math majors. Also, my two (smart) EECS major friends took H54 at some point. They didn’t find it too easy to do well in, and the only reason they took H54 is that it was the only section that didn’t fill up or something when they signed up. Personally I don’t think H53 or H54 is bad, but then again, I’m a math major myself and 54 material is like the alphabet to a math major! Lots of engineers struggle with it.</p>
<p>I see. 53 is not an upper div class…?</p>
<p>and lol Chem 4A is required, so I kind of have no choice, and I hope it’s interesting.</p>
<p>Do you know why they want a planned class schedule by May 22? I mean, Calso is in June/july. I’m guessing this isn’t official, so what’s the point it?</p>
<p>I think I will do the following:</p>
<ol>
<li>Chem 4A (required) - 4 units</li>
<li>Chemistry C96 (required) - 1 unit, weekly frosh seminar</li>
<li>(Honors?) Math 1B (or Math 53) - 4 units</li>
<li>Rhetoric 1B ---- are the 5 series available to freshmen? it says that 5 in AP Eng Lit places out of R1A and R1B, so does it apply to 5? Well in any case, I’ll be taking English - 4 units. </li>
<li>(Honors?) Physics 7A - 4 units </li>
</ol>
<p>17 units total.</p>
<p>chem 4a/4b isn’t that terrible, sort of depends on the professor</p>
<p>skip 1b if you can, worthless if you understood calc bc at all</p>
<p>H series classes are very hardcore (especially physics) so unless you really really like the subjects I would not advise it. Do normal 53, it’s not any more difficult than 1b (probably easier)</p>
<p>That course load looks fine if you don’t have horrible study habits your first semester like so many freshmen do</p>
<p>also if you plan on your second major being something in L&S while you’re in CoC, remember that you have to fulfill that silly 7 course breadth thing that all L&S majors require.</p>
<p>also, they always require the PCS every semester to make sure that you aren’t screwing around or that you have some idea of what you want to do within the college of chemistry (because to get it approved after your first semester you have to go to a mandatory advisory session)…it also lets you get your adviser code which you need to use telebears the first time each semester</p>
<p>Taking 53 Honors to avoid large classes isn’t wise. You should only take that if you are extremely interested in, and good at, theoretical math.</p>
<p>so the other colleges don’t have this kind of “planned course sched” requirement? </p>
<p>I don’t know if I can get out of Math1B, that’s the thing. I self-studied for AP Calc BC while taking only Calc AB at school. I don’t think I did that well on the test, and I mean, even if I did somehow miraculously pull off a 5, I think it would be better if I take Math1B. That’s what my AP Calc AB teacher said, at least.</p>
<p>Can I get more information about the double major thing at CalSo? Or should I just look into now…? AP credits count towards the 7course breadth thing, right? I actually have more breadth credits than I posted originally…</p>
<p>I don’t know if i’m extremely “good at theoretical math”… I actually don’t know what I am particularly good at anything, all i know is that if i try my best in everything pretty much, I can do well. Is that good enough? Is the courseload for honors math/physics really that much worse than the regular classes?</p>
<ul>
<li>don’t take honors, esp not first semester. regular classes are hard enough.</li>
<li>i know l&s doesn’t have the PCS</li>
<li>you can get more info at calso</li>
<li>you only need 60% on calc bc for a 5, it’s possible :)</li>
</ul>
<p>Alright I’m sending in my PCS:</p>
<ol>
<li>Chem 4A (required) - 4 units</li>
<li>Chemistry C96 (required) - 1 unit</li>
<li>Math 1B (or Math 53, if a 5 on Calc BC) - 4 units</li>
<li>Rhetoric 1B, unless i get a 5 on Lit. In which case, I will find a replacement - 4 units</li>
<li>Physics 7A - 4 units </li>
</ol>
<p>17 units.</p>
<p>Oh yea, I don’t think I got a single point on TWO of the CALC BC frq’s. Yea, I don’t think a 5 is probable/beneficial (if were i skip 1B)</p>
<p>blueducky> 17 units is a lot @ Cal, and as someone who has gone through all the cr*p, I would strongly recommend against a 17 unit first semester here. You should take the minimum of 13 for the first semester, both to ease yourself in socially, academically, and psychologically, then gear up and take a higher load in the spring semester if you feel the first semester was ok. </p>
<p>I would suggest you sign up for the electives, to get a spot, then drop the one that you feel you might have trouble with (bad prof, bad gsi, bad time, etc). Remember, there is always summer for the lower div classes if you really want to take these classes.</p>
<p>Well Phys 7A can be my “elective”, because the example they gave in the CoC handbook had the sample student taking Phys 7A second semester. I’m using my AP Credits for my English Comp and Breadth req’s for the first semester, so I am going to get a head start on Phys 7A. If that does not work out, then I guess I can drop Phys 7A? Btw, the 1 unit seminar is a pass/fail course, so there’s really not that much pressure there. So it’s just four “classes” total.</p>
<p>blueducky> Well, do you need Physics 7A as a prereq for future optional majors? I took it in a summer session and that was perhaps one of the most boring classes I have taken here. Classical Newtonian physics… <em>cringes</em>; avoid if possible or take the 8 series.</p>
<p>The seminar is there just for the extra unit you need to stay at minimum, so keep it. The reason that I am recommending a minimum unit load is because you are semmingly aiming for a physical science discipline here, and the physical science disciplines are no pushovers, so you have less room for slacks as with humanities or social science disciplines.</p>
<p>The point I am trying to make here is that college life IS a big change, it was for me, and for anyone. A 13 unit load is designed so that you can have time to socialize, make friends, get to know the area better, and have more time to study. I have heard too much horror stories of 20 unit frosh who get so stressed out and end up with barely staying out of academic probation. Of course, there are people who can do it, and maybe you may be that person, but you should first test out the waters here for the first semester, then go for that 20 unit cap.</p>
<p>I would drop the rhetoric. You’re going to have plenty of work to do with those three technical courses, and it’s a good chance to see how you can cope with college level classes. </p>
<p>And a caveat…this “if I work hard and try my best I can do well” mantra that might have served you well up through high school does not necessarily (and in many cases, just doesn’t) hold in college, especially at a university like Berkeley. Everyone else is trying and studying just as hard as you too, but there are going to be a lot of people who are just, to put it bluntly, smarter than you. So the moral is, just ease in and see how you measure up, and if you feel just fine, then go for 17+ units your second semester.</p>
<p>Physics 7A is required for my “main” major, Chemical Biology. Can’t skip.</p>
<p>So I can’t drop midway?</p>
<p>For those who CAN do 17 units their first semester, what are they like, as students I mean?</p>
<p>I mean, having four classes really doesn’t seem that bad? Maybe I am rather naive, but I took 5 AP’s plus one regular class my senior year and I was able to do two sports, and I had solid A’s in all my classes. so you still advise against it?</p>
<p>Equiether is right, I took CS 61C for my sophomore year and I had a 10 year old kid as my partner, and I was like “holy *****”… yeah so the smarter guy principle definitely applies. But hey he was cool though, helped me out a lot, and in the end I ditched the idea of going for CS and went for Poli Sci instead, and will graduate in December.</p>
<p>blueducky> The midway drop deadline is the end of 5th week of instruction, and you can’t drop anymore after that. From my experience, those who can do more that 16 units are the students that are a) bright, b) dedicated, c) able and willing to sleep less than 5 hours a day, and most importantly d) excellent time organizers. </p>
<p>Sometimes there are just people who can grasp the material in half the time you can, and those are the ones that I would classify as “bright”. On top of that, they are “dedicated”, meaning they are willing to sacrifice some social/entertainment time for work, and hey everyone has only 24 hours, and it’s their choice what to do with it. The “less sleep” thing is a given, no way around it; and as for “great time organizers” it’s just what they are - they work according to schedule, all day. </p>
<p>The key here is not what you COULD do in High School (notice the past tense), but it is that you are facing the unknown. For some, Cal is a breeze, but for some, it may not be. The 13 unit concept is a safety net, and it wouldn’t significantly delay your graduation time, unless you try it every semester.</p>
<p>But hey it gets a lot better at upper division here @ Cal, so cheer up.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>anyone telling you you would be better off taking 1b so you can learn the material is lying…the class is made to fail students. The useful stuff you get out of it (provided you don’t end up doing upper level math) is just basic integration techniques. The rest of it is pretty useless</p>
<p>OK 1B isn’t actually that bad if you take it with a reasonable professor (I know people who personally experienced this), it’s certainly not made to fail students, even if premeds do take it. As a remark, blueducky is a potential premed as well. I’m pretty sure that she should take it if she has plans for medical school, given that most med schools would like to see solid years of calculus with solid grades in them actually taken in college from what my own premed friend says.</p>
<p>blueducky does not have to take math 1a/1b for premed, she can take the 16 series as well. however, i think the math 1 series is required for chem/engineering/mcb majors, so for this reason she would have to take math 1b. medical schools are not going to care whether she took the more difficult math 1 series because they don’t know the difference between math and math 16; as long as they see “calculus” on her transcript, they’ll take it. luckily for us this semester, borcherds was teaching math 1b, however, yes, in previous semesters, math 1b has been much, much worse. if she changes her mind to a major that doesn’t require math 1a/1b specifically, then it might actually be in her interest to take the easier math classes. another important factor for premeds is ,of course, GPA, and if being overly ambitious by taking unnecessary difficult classes takes a hammer to your GPA, you’ll be worse off then if you had just taken the easier courses.</p>