<p>Hi, I'm currently a community college student in California and hoping to transfer to UC Berkeley or UCLA in Fall 2010. I'm a math major and, if all goes well next semester, I should be applying with a 3.77 GPA. I'd have all A's in my math classes and in everything else, but with a B and a C in 2 physics courses, which Berkeley doesnt even require. Do I have a chance at admission? Also, can anyone tell me about the Berkeley math department. I appreciate any and all help.</p>
<p>If you keep getting A’s in everything else you’ll probably get in since math has a pretty high acceptance rate for people with 3.7+. I highly recommend you take discrete math even though it isn’t required by berkeley to be admitted. You’ll have to take it at Berkeley anyways since its a graduation requirement for transfers coming in Fall 2010 so you can save yourself some money and time. Also, your exposure to proof based mathematics is rather limited with what you’ve taken at community college and discrete mathematics will teach you the basics to proof writing. All the upper division math courses are proof based, there isn’t much computation like there is in lower division calculus. Instead, you will focus on proving theorems nonstop. For example, in linear algebra at CCC you are asked to calculate eigenvalues but in Math 110 at berkeley you will be asked to prove something like: Every operator on a finite dimensional, nonzero, complex vector space has an eigenvalue.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. are you a math major at UCB? if so how do you like it?</p>
<p>yes i’m a math/econ major at uc berkeley. I was accepted a couple months ago so feel free to PM me if u have any more questions later on. The department is incredible and full of world renowned professors. Definately make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into though. Many students expect upper division math courses to be similar to the lower division classes they took at CCC and end up changing majors. If possible try to expose yourself to as much proof based math as possible because thats all you’ll be doing. What math courses have you taken so far? If you want to take a glimpse of what kind of math you’ll be try skimming through this: [Linear</a> algebra done right - Google Books](<a href=“http://books.google.com/books?id=BNsOE3Gp_hEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=axler+algebra#v=onepage&q=&f=false]Linear”>Linear Algebra Done Right - Sheldon Axler - Google Books)</p>
<p>I’m positive you’ll be accepted. I was accepted to UCB for math with ~ 3.6 and a C+ in electricity & magnetism but also had all A’s in my math classes. Just have all the prereqs done and you’ll be accepted, I had no EC’s or anything like that either.</p>
<p>I didn’t know there was a Math/Econ major at Berkeley.</p>
<p>I also heard that Rudin, Principles of Mathematical Analysis was an excellent book for Math 104. I was planning on taking the honors sections of the undergraduate core courses, especially the Analysis course. Would it be helpful to start studying that book as well as to prepared for the honors course, which seems rather difficult</p>
<p>@Logic</p>
<p>There isn’t a major called Math/Econ, but there is Applied Mathematics. Those who major in Applied Mathematics must choose a concentration and take classes pertaining to that area. It is very similar to UCLA’s Math/Applied Sciences. Berkeley simply lumps all those (17) concentrations under Applied Mathematics.</p>
<p>[Course</a> Requirements: Applied Mathematics - UC Berkeley Department of Mathematics](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/undergraduate_major_require_applied.html]Course”>http://math.berkeley.edu/undergraduate_major_require_applied.html)</p>
<p>when i said math/econ i guess i should have been more specific. i’m double majoring in applied mathematics and economics but i usually just say math/econ when people ask me since its easier. Also Math 104 is one of the most difficult courses in the undergraduate curriculum. The honors verseion is extremely intense and you need to have a very soilid proof background.</p>
<p>@JetForce</p>
<p>Have you already declared both majors? When you applied you could only pick one. If you applied and got in for Econ, picking up applied math should be no problem. But if you applied and got in for applied math, picking up Econ could be difficult.</p>
<p>I myself am thinking of double majoring in Math and Econ (as of right now doing the interdisciplinary major Math/Econ) @ UCLA. Once I complete a bunch of the Econ courses I’ll probably talk to advisers about possibly declaring the separate majors. But I’m not 100% this is kosher. Is your situation somewhat similar?</p>
<p>i got in for math and am doubling in econ. It is actually a very easy thing to do compared to UCLA where you have to get into the major to be accepted. If you get into any major in L&S you can pretty much switch to any other major as long as you meet the requirements. For econ at berkeley you must apply the first semester and have at least a 3.0 in statistics and an intermediate economics course. In fact, at orientation they had special handouts for people who got in as another major but wanted to switch or double in economics.</p>
<p>Oh wow, I had no idea, dang maybe I should have applied to Berkeley (haha, though I would have still probably chosen to go to UCLA).</p>
<p>So then they were giving handouts specifically for Econ? What about for other majors? Or has doubling in Math & Econ become really popular these days?</p>
<p>Also, if you’re doubling in Applied Math & Econ, will you be selecting a different (not Econ) concentration for Applied Math? Are you allowed to major in Econ and major in Applied Math with a concentration in Econ as well?</p>
<p>these handouts were given out at the economics major advising session during the major advising portion of the orientation. It basically just said “you were admitted to another major but here’s how to apply and get in to the economics major.” The application process is the same as those who got in as econ. So basically there is no benefit to applying to the econ major because you still have to apply to the major after you get in anyways.
I will be selecting the econ concentration for applied math because there’s no way i’d be able to graduate on time if i selected something like fluid mechanics or computational biology.</p>
<p>Wow it’s that easy? Getting in for Econ is substantially more difficult than getting in for Math. Do many people apply for less competitive majors and then switch into Econ?</p>
<p>yes some peopel do it. the thing is though that they look at your econ prereq grades when you apply to the major. So you can have c’s and b’s in your econ prereqs and try to get in a philosophy and switch in. You econ gpa would be too low.</p>
<p>Hello there,
I applied to UC Berkeley recently as a math major from a community college. I already completed the calculus series, differential equations and linear algebra, and will complete the IGETC by the spring. I would like to know if you had to take further general education classes (e.g. history and political science) when you transferred to Berkeley as a math major. If so, what classes? Thank you.</p>
<p>first follow major prep then IGETC</p>
I’m planning to apply as Math(Applied) this semester from a CC. I will most likely have gpa of 3.82, only thing I concern of is that the B I got in Calc 3. Do you think I’ll still have chance? Not related but I got all As in my compsci classes(since I wanted to do computer science first), and I will finish IGETC by spring. - International Student
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major says that for 2015, the 25th-75th percentile GPAs and admit rates for transfers applying to UCB were:
3.74-4.00 / 35% Applied Mathematics
3.71-3.91 / 22% Mathematics
Thanks for the answer @ucbalumnus Even though I may be in good position, that B in Calc 3 bugs me a lot…