*UC Berkeley Class of 2025 discussion**

Thank you @Gumbymom for your succinct explanation!

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Thank you very much for the GPA chart!! Is there a chart that shows GPA range for incoming freshmen class by major?

I haven’t seen it but Gumbymom is the master of UC data so she may know.

A few years ago students put out this. The school’s page could have been in response to it.

Here is a 2018 Daily Cal news article about what was then newly released OPA data.

https://www.dailycal.org/2018/04/19/integrative-biology-computer-science-sociology-majors-lowest-gpa/

Thank you so much! My kid is very eclectic and a bit of a beatnik so she prefers the vibe of Berkeley. She is also very competitive having played over 10 years of club soccer. But here is where it gets complicated
she also values a collaborative environment (i.e. teamwork). Hopefully competitive and collaborative is not mutually exclusive at Berkeley.

The only UC where they list the enrolled UC GPA by major incoming Freshman is UCI but is not for incoming 2021 Freshman, it is for previous years Freshman class.

https://www.oir.uci.edu/Data-Hub/Undergraduate-Admissions-Dashboard.php

I have not been able to find similar data for any of the other UC campuses. Some UC campus will post Freshman UC GPA for enrolled students by College such as UCSB but again not real time, only for previous years.

http://bap.ucsb.edu/institutional.research/campus.profiles/campus.profiles.2020.21.pdf

I think you previously said that she preferred an urban setting. If so, it sounds like Cal might be the better fit. Is she by any chance in the College of Natural Resources?

As a Cal grad and 28 year local resident, my opinion is that the town still has a beatnik/hippie vibe but the student body have lost much of that vibe over the years as the acceptance rate has plummeted.

Yes she is Environmental Science major with a concentration in Social Science. How’d you know?

You posted it here :grinning: *UC Berkeley Class of 2025 discussion** - #1965 by tboooe

I visited my older daughter at Cal two weeks ago. The campus is open for walking but most buildings are closed, except for research labs (which are card keyed for staff and approved students) and the student store in Sproul Plaza which is open if you want to buy gear :wink:

There were a a fair amount of people on campus - some prospective students with their parents, Cal students meeting on the glade for study groups and/or relaxing, and quite a few older people walking dogs that probably live in the adjacent north side neighborhood.

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For everyone who can point to a low stat getting into Cal, another person can point to a low stat person getting into UCLA (one kid from my child’s school was a UCLA surprise cause low stats). We didn’t read essays or know what the AOs liked, but the UCs all have a pretty low yield, especially compared to their rank, so clearly they aren’t yield protecting.

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My understanding is Rausser CNR is more collaborative. And they are known for their excellent advising. My D is an MCB major in L&S and considered transferring to CNR at one point because she heard so many good things from friends there. That’s one reason my son chose to apply to CNR this year, and we’re happy he was admitted.

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Also, this practice has been going on for a while so it shouldnt be a surprise, though this doesnt make the disappointment and frustration any less. I remember when I applied to UCs back in late 90’s, students and parents were complaining about low stat kids getting admitted. Just looking at the GPA/Test acceptance distribution charts shows this. What we do know for sure is that its super competitive trying to get into UCs so regardless of what your stats are there are no guarantees. I for one will be advising my second kid to consider alternative options, perhaps out of state schools too.

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Thank you so much! The more we read about CNR the more we feel that is the place for my kid.

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Can a Cal alum or current student suggest what might be the best place to park this week to do a self guided campus tour? Thx!

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Agree 100%, but some parents are promoting inaccurate reasons for rejections (or acceptances). Having some genuine safety schools and realistic expectations eliminates a lot of disappointment, although the unpredictable nature of admissions will always be hard to accept if it doesn’t go your way. The secret to happiness is expect the worst but hope for the best as they say.

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Anyone who walked around, was there enough going on/enough people there that it was worth it to get the vibe, etc? We are OOS and are weighing the cost of a trip to see Cal, UCSB, UCSD and UCSC. Would really appreciate folks’ opinions, especially the students’. :wink:

Having toured UCLA, UCB, UCD, UCSD last summer I believe you can still get the vibe of the campus just based on its layout, decor, and architecture. Just as important though is to explore the surrounding area and city. That will contribute to the overall feel of the school. Having graduated from UCSD and UCLA, I will say the feeling I got from La Jolla and Westwood/LA is very similar to how the campus felt.

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Thank you!

Hey y’all! I was admitted the other day for the Industrial Engineering Operations Research (IEOR) major in the college of Engineering. Does anyone know any current students in the program/can provide advice? There seems to be very limited information online about it, other than really their website. Would appreciate the help!

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