<p>First of all, I think it is shameful that Cal has begun doing Spring admission this en masse.<br>
2nd, the fall extension program is expensive and LIMITED. If you can't take everyone, then just limit admission.</p>
<p>That aside, what no one says about Spring admission is how much you miss out. Freshman year is sooo important for transitioning to university life and meeting new people many of whom will become friends for life. By starting in Spring, students miss out on so much of this important period in one's college career. </p>
<p>I think people should come clean about that. As much as it is sugar coated that "everyone will be the same" fall admits have a huge advantage in the critical 1st year. </p>
<p>What's up Cal? Your institution is better than that.</p>
<p>Instead of sulking in their dire situation, my FPF/Spring Admit friends actually made their situation a bit better by doing a few things to ease their transition into Cal. Here are two stories:</p>
<p>One FPF student is on the same dorm floor as me, and although he did not get to take classes on the Cal campus, he DOES get to experience firsthand what dorm life is like. And lucky for him, while everyone else was struggling with Calculus in the fall semester, he was taking the equivalent course in the FPF program with an immensely smaller class size compared to our lecture hall of students. On top of that, now into the spring semester, he knows a very close-knit group of fellow FPF students whom he hangs out with from time to time. Academics? Check. Social life? Check.</p>
<p>Another story: a Spring Admit friend of mine unfortunately did not get housing. However, she found some privately-run dorms to move into the FALL. Why did she do that, when she could have saved a semester’s worth of rent? She lived here for that fall semester so that she could take classes at Berkeley City College (not too far from Cal), and so that she could heavily involve herself in clubs and campus activities such as Marching Band.</p>
<p>Sometimes, I myself wish I was an FPF student, just so that I could EASE into the campus. This campus is huge, and all the academic/culture/social shock that you will experience will come at you all at once. Why not take it in one at a time?</p>
<p>And @vociferous, it seems like from your post that YOU were the reason why you missed out on your college career. Carpe Diem - seize the day. Cal is an institution that does NOT hold your hand; you have to seize it for yourself.</p>
<p>Cal has been admitting people for spring for over 25 years.</p>
<p>FPF students actually have a plus over fall admits as we tend to have higher GPAs upon graduation. I was an FPF student in Fall 2007. We are equal to Fall admit students.</p>
<p>Also FPF is not really that expensive. For OoS students it is actually really cheap compared to their normal OoS tuition. It is slightly more than in-state tuition, that is all.</p>
<p>Spring admission and FPF will be exactly what you make of it. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and make friends. You are allowed to join campus clubs, etc.</p>
<p>“And @vociferous, it seems like from your post that YOU were the reason why you missed out on your college career. Carpe Diem - seize the day. Cal is an institution that does NOT hold your hand; you have to seize it for yourself”</p>
<p>Haha. Hmm okay. I have a doctorate and for grad and undergrad I turned down Cal for admission-TWICE. I think I did okay but thanks for the concern.</p>
<p>I would be curious to know the retention rates between fall and spring admits.</p>
<p>*
Haha. Hmm okay. I have a insert bullcrap degrees here to make me sound bigger and I turned down Cal for admission-TWICE**, which is why I have the perfect second-hand knowledge of spring admissions to warn others about without looking kinda foolish**. I think I did okay but thanks for the concern.</p>
<p>I would be curious to know the retention rates between fall and spring admits. *</p>
<p>Honestly, it doesn’t really matter between Fall or Spring Admit. It is really the individual that makes the difference. </p>
<p>The only thing that I have against Spring Admit is the underlying assumption that some of the Fall Admit will drop out by Spring semester. Although it is a fact, I still find it rather unethical. Other than that, the idea is rather fine.</p>
<p>You are misunderstanding the situation. This has nothing to do with freshman dropouts.</p>
<p>It has to do with people like me who are taking 9th semesters and people who go out on EAP in spring,</p>
<p>A large number of Cal students are double major or simult. degrees. In many cases, we have two majors that are completely unrelated so completing both in 8 semesters (counting FPF as a semester) can be very hard. So we take 9th semesters.</p>
<p>When we submit a double major application, they block your registration after your last intended semester (ex. for me my last semester is Fa11, so they blocked my registration for Sp12). People who apply for EAP for spring semesters do it well in advance of freshman being admitted (or at least so I believe).</p>
<p>So in short, they already know about how many people will be leaving for spring.</p>