My name is Jonathan and I’m a current student at UC Berkeley majoring in Media Studies. I transferred this semester from a CCC as a pre-econ major. There’s a program on campus that I’m involved in called Starting Point Mentorship Program (SPMP) where we help students transfer to UC Berkeley. We are designated a few mentees but I had some free time and I decided to jump on this forum to help more of you out.
Look forward to helping you all become Cal Bears. Ask me anything and I’ll try to answer to the best of my ability or direct you to the right person. Go Bears!
@Gobearsss, Hi Jonathan, i plan to apply to uc berkeley for the fall 2017 sem as an anthro major. I’ll be applying with a 3.8 gpa, due to an expected downward trend in grades this fall. Will such a drastic trend hurt my chances?
Also, does cal care about extracurriculars?
Also, is it true that cal admits transfers by divison? I find it hard to believe that someone like a development studies/anthro major is held to the same standards as an applicant to a much more competitve major such as econ.
@genieforuboi While I’m not an admissions officer, I can only give you my opinion from personal experience. Because anthro is in L&S you’ll be coming in undeclared and have to declare your first semester here. The 3.8 gpa still keeps you at a competitive GPA and I know plenty who were accepted with that gpa in to L&S. I would definitely mention why you had the downward trend in your “Additional comments” section if it was for medical reasons, etc. Were those grades in major courses?
I meet people here everyday that didn’t have the perfect 4.0 gpa, but have outstanding extracurriculars. I also fell in to the bucket of not having the highest gpa but my extracurriculars are, I think, what got me in. So yes, definitely make sure that you write extensively about any extracurriculars you have.
You’ll be admitted in to L&S as undeclared and while you’re put in to the same admissions pile as other majors, they do check your preparedness/interest for your particular major. I confirmed that last year with an admissions advisor. This is why so many people use the loophole of applying to a certain major they think they have a better chance in, and then switching to the major they want. Some majors are capped (econ like you mentioned) and are tougher to get in to. However, the capped majors sometimes aren’t so easy to switch to once you’re in. For example, econ only has limited spaces for the classes you need in order to declare, and you wouldn’t be able to take them if you didn’t come in as a pre-econ major. This goes for other capped majors as well.
All that being said, as an anthro major, as long as you show interest in your writing and are prepared (via completing pre-reqs), you have a great shot in my opinion.
I wanted to share two webinar events that are coming soon in which you’ll all benefit. I personally attended them last year when I was preparing my application and they were SUPER helpful!
-------UC Berkeley Transfer Admissions-------
Learn how to submit a competitive transfer application to the Berkeley campus. We will discuss admissions requirements and how we use the personal insight question responses in the selection process.
@Gobearsss, so are all applicants who apply to a pre major under l&s get the same weight in review no matter how competitive their major is? Say an anthro major being held to the same gpa standards of an econ major.
@genieforuboi I definitely believe that the capped majors are more difficult to get in to because there are more applicants for them and thus capped spaces. This is the reason some transfers try and use the loophole of applying for another major and then switching once admitted. That is a risky tactic and does not always work out because of the limited class spaces.
With all that being said, I personally recommend my mentees to apply to the major they are interested in… at the end of the day, if you’re prepared (via completing pre-reqs) and show interest, that will shine over a lower GPA any day of the week.
Major classes: completed, including all recommended classes
EC:
-private chem, bio, and math tutor (I was working at a math tutoring center first year, but my schedule this year was tighter, so that’s why I’m private tutoring)
-shadowing the pediatrics department (dream job is to be a pediatrician)
-charity runs
Here’s the thing though, most premed students major in biochemistry, molecular biology, etc in the College of Letters and Science. I mean, I’m pretty sure I want premed, but I also like chemistry and the chemical biology major in the College of Chemistry. There’s no major you have to do for premed, but I just. A Berkeley admissions rep came to our CC and told me I’d be competitive for both colleges at Cal, but I’d be even more compeetive applying for Letters f Science. But there are like 400+ students who graduate from LOS as biochem majors vs like 70 from COC as chem bio majors. Insight? I guess at the end of the day, I should choose the major I like, but the fact that LOS is noted for premed while COC for research and pharm school…
@Gobearsss, I know that every UC (including berkeley) says that your chances for admissions won’t be affected at all as long as you complete major pre reqs by the SPRING semester prior to transfer. However, I only have 2/4 pre reqs completed. I am finishing the second one right now, I plan to do the third one next SPRING prior to transfer, and the fourth one isn’t offered at any community college within my area (so technically only 3 pre reqs).
I know people ask this time and time again, but does berkeley have any “soft preference” for those who finish all pre reqs by the FALL semester prior to transfer?
@genieforuboi They want to see some pre-reqs done in fall so they can evaluate you on work that’s actually pertinent to your major.
Also, you’ll want to double check that your major will accept you with missing pre-reqs, even if they’re not offered in your area. Some programs at Berkeley will see that as an automatic denial.
Course selection: no easy course at all; all math, all cs, and unique course choices
requirements in assist : will be finished by winter 2016
Leadership: PTK VP of Leadership, Student Govt (By-laws & Sophomore Representative), Chess Club instructor, Event Organizer of my nationality’s student association, 9 years being a class president since 3rd grade elementary school until senior high school
Achievement : National Geology Olympiad (province level finalist), 4th place National geology quiz, representing my capital city to compete in National floor ball competition, 3rd place recycle competition in province level, 1st place in arts and cultural competition in my cc.
Job: math tutor, Student ambassador
volunteer : geology tutor, office aid, help statistics in an organization
Hi everybody! I am a UC hopeful in the process of completing the extracurricular section of the application. I was wondering if it is generally discouraged to include high school awards/honors/activities?
All my other academic prep programs, jobs, extracurriculars, and volunteering will be from my time here at CC, but I do have a service recognition award and a business presentation competition (both from my senior year in high school) that I’d like to also include. This is my third year at CC if that helps.
@exlibris They don’t care about what you did in high school, they want to see what you’ve done while in CC… Unless you cured cancer in high school, leave it out.
@genieforuboi Yep, what @briank82 said is correct. I’d double check if your major has a hard requirement on finishing all pre-reqs. You can always contact the major advisor for your major and ask them as well.
@exlibris On my application last year I definitely added some extracurriculars I did while in high school. If they are significant, then yes, definitely add them!
@whataremychance I’m not a fan of “chancing”, however, it looks like you’d be a strong candidate. Because you’re not transferring from a CCC it may be a bit tougher but your stats seem competitive. Also, your leadership activities are great and I can tell you that Berkeley definitely looks for students with leadership skills. Good luck!
Hello I’m currently considering UC Berkeley as a school to transfer too but I’m not to sure because it is highly competitive. I would be an out of state transfer more specifically I am from Washington state. I actually have applied to transfer early to the University of Washington but if that does not work out I would stay in my CC to finish my AA and then transfer in the fall but I’m looking for more than just one university to apply to but not many have really good Asian Studies programs like the UW and UC Berkeley. I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out if I would even stand a chance. Here are my stats:
Current GPA: 3.83 (we go by the quarter system)
I currently have 55 quarter credits
Phi Theta Kappa member (Honors Society)
I would be receiving a American Ethnic and Gender (AEGS) Certificate
Also if I were to stay at my community college one of my professor’s wants me to serve on a committee as the student representative that decides if a professor will get tenure.
Not sure if this helps but I am African American, Spanish, and Native American (I have the documents to prove it) I’m not sure if UC Berkeley will ask but I know the UW asks for some documentation to prove if you are Native American.
@Giantfloss Have you completed your UC App yet? You don’t even get to input any non-transferable courses.That means they will completely ignore all the non-transferable courses and even if they want you to send your transcript, it’ll happen after you receive an acceptance letter. They will judge your app only solely based on transferable courses. They won’t even get to see any non-transferable courses until you’ve sent your transcript. But, again, that’s after you are admitted.
Yes, you do put non-transferable courses in the application. You do it manually. Failure to do so could lead to disqualification. They won’t count toward the GPA, however.
^I second what ohm888 said. You have to manually input the courses that do not show up on the UC, IF you don’t, your reported grades will not be the same as your transcript. This is grounds to have your acceptance revoked a few months after you’ve already told your family and friends what college your going to.