Since its founding, Cal has nurtured its faculty, students and alumni to scholarly achievements comparable to Ivy League and other highly selective universities. Here is the short list of laudatory successes: 29 graduates who became Nobel Laureates, more than any other public university in the US; 2nd only to MIT in its production of Sloan Research Fellows; 1,300 graduates received National Science Foundation fellowships from 2004 through 2013, more than any other U.S college or university. If you are a Chemistry enthusiast, you may know that eight elements of the Periodic Table, including Berkelium, were discovered at Cal. If you are a physics enthusiast, Cal is the home of the world’s first cyclotron.
Students admitted to UC-Berkeley have grades and test scores comparable to those needed to qualify for admission to exceptionally selective private universities. The average unweighted GPA was 3.9 among admitted freshmen and only 17 percent of the students who sought to join the freshman class in 2017 were offered admission.
Those who can get into UC-Berkeley usually stay. About 98% of freshmen return for their sophomore year, a retention rate also comparable to other extremely selective colleges. Students typically graduate within four years, although the 72% 4-year graduation rate receives a boost from California’s community college transfer students who enter as juniors. Within six years, just over 90 percent of those students earn their undergraduate degree.
Remarkably, all of Cal’s academic departments are world-class, but the most popular majors include social sciences, biological and biomedical sciences, engineering and language studies. And students who declare one of the less popular majors will likely receive a more personal experience than those who declare one of the most popular ones—a fact of life in most public and even some private colleges nationwide.
UC-Berkeley expects all students to choose an undergraduate division, when they apply. But unlike most other large public universities, Cal does not allow freshmen to enroll directly into their world class, Haas School of Business. Those interested in business are advised to check undeclared—pre-business administration as their major. The undergraduate program is a general business degree with concentrations (accounting, business communication, finance, marketing and organizational behavior) instead of majors.
Hustle and bustle characterizes the UC-Berkeley campus community and adds to its unique culture. Student tables in open-air Sproul Plaza, near the east end of campus, Sather Gate, are a long-standing tradition. Students encourage engagement, and often community action and political activism. The campus life is legendary with more than a half-century of commitment to free speech. There are over 1,200 recognized student groups, including clubs and organizations built around many cultural, political and social viewpoints. The neighborhood immediately surrounding campus off Telegraph Avenue, has an “urban-bohemian” feel. Shops and restaurants lean towards the entrepreneurial and student-oriented. Mass transit into San Francisco and Oakland is plentiful and inexpensive.
UC-Berkeley’s career center is excellent with more resources than most diligent students would ever have time to use. Of special interest there are more than 15 internship and career fairs on campus as well as Spring Break Employer Trips and Externships. Over 900 employers participated in the job and internship fairs held last year. This is one of the few universities that hosts internship fairs during the fall and the spring. That being said, a student must reach out to use the plentiful resources available and there is no one holding your hand at Cal.
Those students who do not need handholding, who can survive large and occasionally even jumbo sized classes at freshman and sophomore grade levels, and have a scholarly approach to academics, including well-honed study and time management skills, are likely to find academic and social success at Cal.
Elizabeth LaScala Ph.D. guides college, transfer and graduate school applicants through the complex world of admission. Elizabeth helps students identify majors and career paths, and develops best match college lists; she offers personalized essay coaching, and tools and strategies to help students tackle each step of the admissions process with confidence and success. Elizabeth guides students from all backgrounds to maximize scholarship opportunities and financial aid awards. For more information visit Elizabeth Call (925) 385-0562 or email her at elizabeth@doingcollege.com
