<p>Sorry this is a repost. I should have used a better title.</p>
<p>I think someone needs to bravely create a survivals guide for incoming freshmen like me. In order to be successful, we all have to act nicer and smarter around our peers and professors. Some people are so professional that they don't even know they are faking it, just like everybody else.</p>
<p>So come on. One of you brave hard-headed CAL kids. Tell us the truth. Type as long as you want. Tell us how to approach our GSIs, professors, peers, and academic advisers. Tell us how scary Cal really is and how you still wake up feeling like you are lost and sad. Tell us how to maintain a 3.0. Tell us how you survived the competition and how we can too.</p>
<p>Let's admit it, UC Berkeley isn't everybody's cup of tea. Tell us what you have suffered through and what you have learned.</p>
<p>I’m really not sure what you are asking. As with every school, you should be professional around those with authority and do your best to look well prepared and ask insightful questions. To get good grades, study hard and never be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Most importantly, don’t fall behind.</p>
<p>The competition is really not that bad. You will find that most of your fellow students are more than willing to help you out if you need and ask for it.</p>
<p>Would you stop making these stupid threads? College is about experiencing and learning things yourselves, not having people write an essay so you can study and prepare beforehand like it’s some kind of exam. One way or another, you’re going to have to learn to cope with things by yourself without someone holding your hand. Might as well start now.</p>
<p>And quite frankly, all this presumptuous, ridiculous ******** you’re perpetuating, talking about “surviving” Berkeley like it’s some kind of boot camp, is just utter nonsense. The bottom line is that Berkeley will be as good or as bad as YOU want it to be and life here is completely contingent on how YOU choose to go about it.</p>
<p>It’s not PMSing, it’s just someone being blunt. You really do have to experience these things by yourself and it isn’t as hard as you make it out to be. Make mistakes and learn from them. That’s life.</p>
<p>AVNevis is also right. That’s all you can really do. Of course it would be nice to be handed everything and have no obstacles but that’s not the way it is.</p>
<p><em>sigh</em> Equiether is right, you have to learn to cope and stand on your two feet if you ever want to succeed in life. But with that said, here are some tips:</p>
<ol>
<li>DO attend a study tip info session at least once in the dorms.</li>
<li>DO visit your college advisors every semester.</li>
<li>DO go to office hours at least once for each of your classes.</li>
<li>DO experiment outside the mold, it helps you to be in perspective of your life.</li>
<li>DO NOT cut classes. </li>
<li>DO NOT b*tch about stuff all the time, it won’t help and it will only put yourself into misery. </li>
<li>DO find a source of outlet.</li>
</ol>
<p>High School achievements mean jack s**t once you get to UC Berkeley; get over yourself, leave that leatherman jacket in your closet, and get your butt into working mode once you get here. You are not the only one with a national merit scholarship, a science award, or whatever ECs you hyper buff during High School here at Cal; these thing help shape who your are, but they do not define you and if you need to mention this constantly during CalSO or what not, seek professional help right away because chances are this mentality will come back to haunt you.</p>
<p>To succeed? Work ethic + perseverance + open mind - HS seniors beware, if you let senioritis get to you and carry it over, you are going to have a handful once you get here, so be warned. </p>
<p>Also, face it, if you are struggling in a field, you are probably studying the wrong field. NOT every premed can end up being a doctor, and NOT every prelaw can end up being a lawyer; there is “wishful thinking” and then there is “REALITY”, learn to deal with it.</p>
<p>Most important thing to have is work ethic: don’t procrastinate, go to all classes, and do all your own work and take all your own notes with high quality.</p>
<p>While friendly, people show no mercy and have little pity for you academically, everyone is looking out for their own grades. Information is key, lots of people withhold information. You might what they are doing and they say “nothing”. Later on you see them joining some professional club or at a job interview trying to boost their resume. Don’t even bother to ask to look at another person’s notes, you’ll get a passive aggressive brushoff.</p>
<p>As long as you have yourself put together, you need not worry about the competition.</p>
<p>What makes it all worth it in the end then? What makes Berkeley stand out when compared to Private schools where they help you and treat you like how Berkeley’s athletes get treated? Is it true that athlete’s get so many privileges that its not even funny? How about the kids who are taking physics 7a and math 53 and E7? I WANT TO SURVIVE and maintain a 3.0. I am willing but is work ethic + perseverance + open mind enough?</p>
<p>I think the most important thing is having an outlet. No matter how much ***** is on your plate or how stressed out you are about grades, if you have someway to relieve your anxieties, everything else will fall in place.</p>
<p>What makes it all worth it? A marketable diploma and the skills, mentality, and independence that you know will help you to succeed in life - once you have seen a taste of real life (either through jobs or internships). </p>
<p>If you are envious of the athletes’ privileges, try out for a team here and see what it is like; if I remember correctly, Cal sent about a dozen or so athletes to the Beijing Olympics last year. ANYONE who can compete athletically on a national (or international) level deserve some leeway IMO.</p>
<p>All we can do here is provide general tips for you incoming frosh; keep in mind that you are all adults now and YOU should be the one taking hold of your life - whether academically, professionally, and socially. We will never be able to tell you what you can do or what you cannot do, as each individual is unique in their own way. For me, work ethic + perseverance + open mind is what got me through the crap Cal threw at me over the years, but everyone here can tell a different story in their own way. </p>
<p>Talking the talk and walking the walk are two very different things, and I would suggest that you walk the walk first and then make your own adjustments.</p>
<p>Don’t fool yourself thinking that coming to Berkeley means that you will have a rewarding experience. It might never be “worth it.” The truth of the matter is that Berkeley may indeed be comparatively more difficult than other private schools or even public schools. But that’s just how it is and it’s what you signed up for. In the end it’s just up to you what you want to make of it. Berkeley stands out simply because it’s a great public school with an outstanding graduate program, nothing more. And the truth of the matter is, a lot of people are here purely because they had the grades/scores, but nothing else.</p>
<p>For me, the most important thing is to remember to never let up. You’re in from the moment classes start and if you fall behind you’ll never catch up. I don’t hesitate in saying this because, for most people, they’ll either do it, or they won’t. Having someone say it to them won’t change anything, they usually already know. It’s all about yourself. You’ve either already made a conscious choice or you’re going to, but either way you’ve got all the cards. Sure work ethic and perseverance help, no doubt. But they’re all just words and talk. It’s like WWI, all drudgery and trenches, but you let your guard down and you’re going to get hit. And maybe you’re recover, but you’ll want to avoid that anyway.</p>
<p>But maybe that’s just me cuz I’m in engineering.</p>
<p>Did you guys have time to regret your decisions or have the time to be scared? I am really not sure if Berkeley is a right place for me. Honestly I had pretty OK grades. I won my admission from my essays and personality. Plus I applied to be a math major, I am really in regret for not applying to IEOR because I didn’t know anything about the major at the time of applying. I cannot really see myself as a math major since I suck in Calc.</p>
<p>I will be taking some courses like E 10, Physics 7a, chem 1a, and E7 that I wont even need for L&S because I wish to transfer into IEOR with a 3.0 min. GPA. If I don’t make it and end up having a bad GPA because I took all the wrong classes, then I will be extremely depressed. See, I am not as mentally strong and hard as you guys. I have always been independent though, never really had a friend growing up. Maybe continuing that trend will help me succeed. But thanks guy, I really wanted honesty, that’s y i posted such a harsh proposition.</p>
<p>Clear my mind> GPA and academics does NOT define who you are as a person. Unless you are going for grad school or some jobs (consulting, business, etc.), no one will care about your GPA, period. Are you going to ask someone you met for the first time in your life, “Hey what’s your GPA? I have a 3.5!” ? If the answer is yes, then you really need to see a psychiatrist regarding insecurity.</p>
<p>To me, you are just experiencing fear - a fear of change and heading into the unknown. It is normal, and I had the same thing when I entered Cal. What you need to do is set up a goal for yourself and work as hard as you can towards that goal, and that might help ease your mind a little. </p>
<p>And mark my words, IT IS OK TO FAIL! Let me repeat - IT IS OK TO FAIL! People fail all the time here at Cal, no biggie; IT IS WHAT YOU DO AFTER YOU FAIL that is important. Like I said, there is “wishful thinking” vs. “reality”, sometimes you just can’t do the stuff that you wished to do, and it is normal. But don’t take this as an excuse for not working hard, you get what you get for the amount of hard work you do - but sometimes you will learn to realize that there are just times when your abilities are better suited for some stuff that you never knew or considered, and this is where open mind comes in. </p>
<p>There is only one answer to a test - a correct one or a wrong one; but there are numerous answers to life. What you should learn are the skills that can keep you on top in life, rather than numbers on a transcript. </p>
<p>Wow so insightful. I am in complete envy right now. What about making friends? is it even necessary? And i do want to go into grad school. You mentioned that professors can recognize talent in another post. How do they recognize your talent? Simply by reading your transcript? Are they mean and impatient because they expect themselves to be doing better things, like their research?</p>
<p>Clear my mind > What do YOU want for social life? Instead of asking us, you should ask yourself: do YOU want a lot or only some friends? what type of friends do you want? what type of relationships do YOU want to forge with others? </p>
<p>Just as in any place, there are jerks and there are sweethearts, and this is the case with professors. Some professors are jolly old fellows who enjoy teaching and are passionate, while some are tough as a devil and will throw tons of crap at you. YOU will have to decide how to deal with them, and trust me, they will know talent when they see one - you just have to let them to have a chance to know you.</p>
<p>Hmmm. Grad School - To go or not to go? That is the question. =P </p>
<p>Here is a reality check list from my advisors:
Grad Schools are for people who are passionate about what they are doing. Chances are you are going to spend 6-7 years doing the same stuff over and over, and if you are not sure about something, you WILL have a hard time.
Do you want to spend several years living close to poverty? Grad Schools cost a lot, and although you will get financed, the amount might not be to your expectations.
Do you want to take a break from school or not? </p>
<p>If you decide to go for it, then GPA becomes pivotal, and you just have to be mentally prepared for the stuff thrown at you as an undergrad here at Cal. Like IVIAuric pointed out, it is a war zone here, and personally I have seen some fallen - either they fall into academic probation or flunked out.</p>
<p>I’ll be honest - the top grad schools and top jobs (not to mention the top salaries within those jobs) want strong grades and a good out-of-class track record. And there are people who get 4.0s or very close. Add that to the fact that grad schools are taking their pick of students from around the world, and it’s not surprising that getting into an undergrad program at Berkeley is quite a bit easier than getting into their grad programs for the more recognized departments.</p>
<p>If you want a professor to recognize you, you need to approach them and have something to offer, whether that’s your brains, good effort, or maybe a lot of experience in a field that can help with the research you’d like to be a part of. Three ways to get attention are to: get an A+ (admittedly, this often comes down to luck) in the course the professor taught; to go “above and beyond,” as they say, on a big assignment in the course; and to attend office hours and ask insightful questions that show not only a strong understanding for the material but also an interest and appreciation for it. </p>
<p>Professors are most often nice people who send brief emails. Usually, they want to see you succeed; they’re not therapists or counselors and nor will they bump your grade up freely, but they will often point you to good research opportunities, interesting classes, helpful supplemental materials, etc. In short, they’re normal people who are busy (aren’t we all?).</p>
<p>Independence is good, but be sure to have at least one or two people you can rely on. You will have homework questions that confuse you even after you mull over them, and it’s always good to ask a friend. A mix of independence and collaboration can help you succeed; if you are overly dependent on others to help you understand the material, chances are you will not do well on the exams, and exams basically determine your grades (sometimes as much as 90% of them). So being independent is good. But if you never were able to talk things over with friends and let the subject matter boil for awhile, you might lose some potential.</p>
<p>Look, do the best you can. If you screw up somewhere, make up for it by working hard and aiming for the top - I’ve seen this happen several times. I had one semester where I was exhausted near the end but I worked incredibly hard so I knew that whatever happened in the end, at least I tried my best, and that’s something to be proud of. Now every class seems a little bit easier ;-)</p>
<p>Cal has a lot of good opportunities, but they won’t come to you naturally, you have to go out and reach (and also compete) for them.
But what bsd said is right. Grad schools and jobs care more about what you do than rather where you go to for college. That means they weight more emphasis on your grades (GPA), your extracurricular activities (awards, community service), job experiences (jobs, internships), and etc. Berkeley is competitive, and there will always be students that are better than you. But the purpose of the college experience is not the destination, it’s the journey. It’s learning that counts, and you will learn a lot at Cal.</p>