<p>Right now I'm at a CCC, my ultimate goal is to transfer to Berkeley as a chemistry major. I will have my 60 units by the end of fall, however (particularly because I am behind and math and can't take physics next semester), I won't have all the required major classes until at least after spring and even then I think I'll still only have one of the "two additional courses toward the major." And since they only accept fall admissions, I'd hate to have to stay in community college for an entire year for one class. So, my questions:
1) Is it possible and at least somewhat feasable to transfer to a UC from a CSU as a senior (a CSU would be easier to get into and then I can at least work on some upper division courses while finishing my lower division)?
2) Would transfering as a senior from a UC be any more possible or feasable (none of the other UCs have as strict entry requirements as Berkeley)?
3) How much harder would it be (both acceptance and the work load) to enter Berkeley as a grad student with a degree from CSUN (Bachelors or Masters) than from Berkeley?
4) What would be a good second UC choice for a chemistry major (right now I'm thinking San Diego as second and UCLA as third)?
5) Any other advice?</p>
<p>Right now my GPA is 3.57, I have all As and Bs, and I should have the IGETC completed after fall semester.
<a href="http://chemistry.berkeley.edu/student_info/undergrad_info/prospective_undergrad/admission/transfer_students.php%5B/url%5D">http://chemistry.berkeley.edu/student_info/undergrad_info/prospective_undergrad/admission/transfer_students.php</a></p>
<p>I have to go to class in a minute so I can’t answer all this but I’m a Chemical Bio major that just was accepted to Cal. I can tell you that the College of Chemistry is incredibly strict on pre-req requirements. I’m taking an optional class (Phys 7C) and I have to get a B in it or I will be rescinded (in addition to requiring B’s in ALL of the pre-reqs you’ve taken including the ones I’m taking this semester). I highly doubt they will accept you as a transfer from CSU especially as a Senior transfer. They barely take UC Reciprocity Junior transfers as it is. I would just assume that if you go to CSUN, that you will need to finish your degree there. San Diego is awesome for chemistry and as long as you keep above a 3.5, you can TAG in the Fall, just make sure the TAG requirements are done in the Fall as well. Personally, I would choose SD over LA for Chem. I would also suggest applying to UCI since they tend to have strong science dept all around. I don’t know much about the Cal Polys or CSUs to suggest any of them. If you have any questions on my particular stats (classes I’ve finished, grades, etc.) feel free to message me.</p>
<p>Yeah, looking at things, transferring from a University doesn’t seem like an obtion (without a degree, at least). As for graduate school, well, I keep picturing this scenario of Berkeley admissions laughing at me when I try to apply their with a degree from CSUN 8), thus my query about how much better off I’d be applying with a UC degree than a CSU degree.</p>
<p>A CSU degree is not any less respected than a UC degree. Besides, where you got your degree as an undergrad isn’t nearly as important as what you scored on your GREs and your cumulative GPA.</p>
<p>Aside from respect and prestige, whether there’s a difference or not, would I at all be better off with a UC degree? Would I learn more at a UC (I know at Berkeley I’d at least have to work harder)? Would it be easier to get into a graduate program with a UC degree? Would I have to retake any undergrad classes if I attempted a graduate program with a CSU degree?</p>
<p>Usually i don’t think the school you goto would really matter but in the case of the college of chemistry at Berkeley it is a completely different matter. Just take a look at the number of nobel laureates coming out of the program and elements discovered there. Its seriously in a league of its own. The education and opportunities you would get at one of the top programs in the world would definitely make a difference. However, i would not bother staying a year because the acceptance rate is 16% and your gpa is pretty low ( A 3.62 was 25th percentile for Berkeley last year).</p>
<p>As for getting into the graduate program at Berkeley, its way way harder than getting in as an undergrad . You pretty much have to be one of the top chemistry students in the world to get in. Also, unless you have a significant amount of research experience i think you should aim a little lower with your gpa or at least apply to more lower ranked schools. Berkeley, LA, and SD are all top 20 programs and the type of students they take all have extremely high GPAs from top programs with significant amount of research experience.</p>
<p>Well UCSD of the three at least has TAG. As for Berkeley, I know my chances of admission are low, I’m more interested in knowing how much lower they would be if I applied as a graduate from CSUN than from a UC or from Berkeley (assuming I miraculously managed to get accepted as an undergrad).</p>
<p>what killmyentourage said is true.</p>