transfer jitters and doubts

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

I’ve been feeling kind of melancholy this last month because I think I made the wrong choice (UC Berkeley).
I was also accepted to UCLA and UCSB and I started having doubts/regretting choosing Cal within a few days of submitting my SIR.

I’m an engineering major and I keep hearing about how it’s super competitive/cutthroat and not that collaborative (especially compared to other UCs) and that it’s very gray/cloudy/rainy (and I’m a SoCal person who needs the sun to be happy).

Instead of enjoying my summer, I’ve spent the last month feeling really anxious about making the wrong choice and thinking about how stressful everyone says Cal is going to be.

I’m worried I won’t be able to do well there academically (thinking about it statistically, I don’t think anyone would choose to go there if they thought they wouldn’t be academically successful and yet the average grade seems to be a low B). I know grades aren’t everything but I’m also thinking about going to grad school, where they care much more about your grades (amongst other things like research, etc.) than where you went to school (if being compared to other UCs).

Please let me know if you have any tips/advice.

2

If you really aren’t looking forward to attending Berkeley, then withdrawing sooner than later is the way to go so that you can communicate with UCLA or UCB about your circumstance and have a chance to attend.

I never thought engineering in Berkeley is competitive or cut-throat. It’s hard, but collaboration is the more familiar environment since we’re all in the same boat trying to survive and advance. Find some good study buddies rather than trying to solo and the experience should be a lot more bearable.

If you have plans to go to grad school, then I think Berkeley is actually the best option - unlike undergraduate admission, having a proper statement of intent with relevant background and letters of recommendation carry significant weight and Berkeley will certainly have that solid.

3

Thank you! It’s good to hear from an engineering student that it’s more collaborative.

4

Also, while it might be less sunny than SoCal at times, it can be very sunny and warm in August/September and in the spring.