<p>I am a physics major at a community college looking to transfer in the fall 2012 term to UC Berkeley. I have a 3.906 GPA however my only 2 B's were non UC transferable courses so I think ill be transferring with a 4.0. I am also done with all my GE's. The thing that is going to hurt my chances is that I wont have all my major prerequisites done by the time of transfer. Ill still need to take electricity/magnetism, linear algebra/diff equations, and chem. Im pretty sure id be able to finish all these my first semester there though. Also I have a bit of extra curricular, but not that much.
So what are my chances? and more specifically how strict do you think Berkeley will be about finishing prereqs prior to transfer?</p>
<p>Also I noticed a small typo in my application essay. there was a random question mark at the beginning of one of my sentences. Is this a big deal?</p>
<p>Chemistry is only recommended for those who have not had a decent high school chemistry course.</p>
<p>But if you are missing Physics 7B (but have Physics 7C) and Math 54 and will have to take them after transfer, your schedule will have little room for error if you want to graduate in four semesters, even if you are admitted. Assuming that you have to take Physics 7B and Math 54 in your first semester, you will have three semesters left, and the longest prerequisite sequence is three semesters long: Physics 137A - Physics 111 (3 units) - Physics 111 (3 more units).</p>
<p>If you do get admitted, you may want to consider taking Physics 7B and Math 54 or their community college equivalents during the summer before your first semester at Berkeley.</p>
<p>You may wish to contact the transfer admissions office and the Department of Physics to ask whether completion of all prerequisites is required for admission.</p>
<p>Am I only allowed four semesters to graduate? I know thats the standard, but if I can Id go a bit longer so I could take electives in physics. I was also kind of just assuming I would start the 2 years of upper division after my first semester in which I would finish the remaining lower division classes, if thats possible.
Im at the point where Id finish my prereqs next fall and have a spring semester sitting on my ass waiting to transfer, so thats why I want to do it now. </p>
<p>Also do you know of anywhere to take those classes (7B and 54) during the summer? I would if I could but my college doesnt offer it then.</p>
<p>If you take more than four semester from entry as a transfer, you are subject to the [unit</a> ceiling](<a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html]unit”>http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html). Basically, if you have more than 130 semester units (but no more than 70 community college units will be counted), you will not be allowed to register for a fall or spring semester beyond four.</p>
<p>You need at least eight upper division physics courses (counting Physics 111 twice) for the physics major; if you need to take Physics 7B and Math 54 in your first semester, you will have three remaining semesters, which could theoretically fit up to about twelve courses at normal course load. However, you need to plan carefully, since some elective physics courses also sit at the end of three semester prerequisite sequences. In addition, some upper division math courses are also recommended.</p>
<p>What community college do you go to? It seems odd that your school does not offer those courses, since those are among the most common courses at community colleges.</p>
<p>You can use [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) to find courses at other nearby community colleges that are accepted for Physics 7B and Math 54. Or you can take them at Berkeley in the summer.</p>
<p>Example schedule if you are accepted for transfer and must take Physics 7B and Math 54, but have L&S breadth requirements or IGETC done:</p>
<p>Fall: Physics 7B, Math 54, 2 non-major electives (American Cultures if needed)
Spring: Physics 137A, Physics 105, Physics 110A, Physics 112
Fall: Physics 137B, Physics 111, Physics 110B, Math 104 or 121A or elective*
Spring: Physics 111, Math 185 or 121B or elective<em>, 2 electives</em></p>
<p>If you do complete Physics 7B and Math 54 before fall, then the schedule pressure is relieved:</p>
<p>Fall: Physics 137A, Physics 110A, Physics 105, elective* or American Cultures if needed
Spring: Physics 137B, Physics 110B, Physics 111, elective*
Fall: Physics 112, Physics 111, Math 104 or 121A or elective<em>, elective</em>
Spring: Math 185 or 121B or elective<em>, 3 electives</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Physics, Math, or non-major</li>
</ul>
<p>More information here:
<a href=“http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_view_req?p_dept_cd=PHYSICS[/url]”>http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_view_req?p_dept_cd=PHYSICS</a></p>
<p>I go to Cabrillo College, I think its due to budget cuts that our summer and winter schedules are so limited. I found an online class that could potentially substitute for physics 7B; [BYU</a> Independent Study - Online Courses](<a href=“http://is.byu.edu/is/site/courses/description.cfm?title=PHSCS-106-101]BYU”>http://is.byu.edu/is/site/courses/description.cfm?title=PHSCS-106-101)
I need to make sure it actually prepares me as well as any other class though.</p>
<p>However is it worth taking 7B over the summer if I cant also take math 54? I imagine Id still not be able to begin my upper division my first semester since those classes probably require math 54 to be completed. </p>
<p>Also do you have to take non major electives like american studies? and if I wanted to get ahead/catch up during following summer sessions does berkeley offer all these courses then? and how would taking summer courses affect the unit ceiling issue?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the help. Its really useful looking at a potential schedule, and realizing the issues im gonna have to solve if i get accepted. I really want to avoid not being able to take as many electives as are interesting to me, which is probably more than i could take anyways but still.</p>
<p>also I took chemistry in high school but that was so long ago I feel like I should fit it in if i can.</p>
<p>According to [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) , completing all of Physics 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D at Cabrillo fulfills Berkeley Physics 7A, 7B, 7C. For Berkeley Math 54, take Cabrillo Math 6 and 7.</p>
<p>West Valley, Gavilan, San Jose City, Evergreen Valley, and De Anza all of the needed physics and math courses.</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) indicates that Cabrillo does not have any course that fulfills Berkeley’s American Cultures requirement. If you transfer to Berkeley, you need to take a course that fulfills that (most of these courses are suffixed with AC after the course number, so they are not hard to find in the catalog and schedule). More information here: [Welcome</a> to American Cultures | American Cultures](<a href=“http://americancultures.berkeley.edu/]Welcome”>http://americancultures.berkeley.edu/)</p>
<p>According to [Search</a> Summer - Online Schedule Of Classes](<a href=“http://schedule.berkeley.edu/srchsmr.html]Search”>http://schedule.berkeley.edu/srchsmr.html) , both Physics 7B and Math 54 are offered at Berkeley during the summer.</p>
<p>Chemistry should be of lower priority than actual requirements, key prerequisite courses, or upper division courses, since it is only recommended, and they only expect high school level chemistry knowledge anyway. If you feel that you need to take it, you can take it at any time at any community college (i.e. do not use your schedule space at Berkeley for chemistry if it would displace any math or physics courses).</p>