University of California-Berkeley Top Questions

Berkeley is a pretty unique place and I am very glad I decided to come here. One thing I love about Berkeley is how it is set up physically. Most college campuses are very enclosed, the dorms and the classrooms are all in the same area and when you leave campus, you are in a whole new place. The dorms of Berkeley are technically off-campus, mixed in with the city of Berkeley. Because of this, you get to know the whole city, not just the campus, very early on and it doesn't feel so enclosed. It is very much a college town, which can sometimes make you feel smothered, constantly surrounded by school but with San Francisco being just a short BART ride a way (20 minutes!), it is easy to escape the monotony of a college town. Berkeley is a very large school which has its pros and cons. On the upside, there are always people similar to you. While there may be stereotypes of a typical Berkeley student, with so many students there are an infinite number of places to "fit in". Also, whereas in High School you may have dealt with everyone knowing everything about your life in a small school, at Berkeley you can escape the gossip and rumors. So few people know you on such a large campus that it is hard to have a "reputation". The bad thing about such a big campus is it takes more to stand out and you don't have the same strong sense of community as you do at a smaller school. Maybe you like walking through campus and waving at everyone you know. At Berkeley, you won't run into students you know nearly as often.

Berkeley is a HUGE school. For some, this may be a negative, but for me its one of my favorite things about Berkeley. Going to a large school keeps things exciting. Every weekend when I go out, i meet someone new, see new faces. It never gets old. My best friend goes to a really small school and she's constantly complaining about how she's sick and tired of being with the same people. There's a lot more drama at those small schools and they seem very juvenile and high school in my opinion. I like that at berkeley, the largeness and diverse student body allows you to have all different types of friends. I hang out with a group of nerdy kids that were in my dorm freshman year. I also have my sorority sisters and frat guys. Additionally, I play on an intramural volleyball team so I have some athletic friends as well. I have friends in my classes, friends on Cal athletic teams. It's great! Another thing I love about UCB is the pride and the spirit. Everyone is so proud to be a Cal bear. Multiple times when I have worn Berkeley apparel away from the campus, alumna have looked at me and yelled "GO BEARS!". The football games are an excellent example of our spirit. They are wild! On game days, everyone parties and the streets of Berkeley are packed. Then, at the stadium all the students in the student section come together and cheer on their team. Its a great feeling of unity. One game experience that I'll never forget was my freshman year when I went to "The Big Game" (Berkeley vs. Stanford) at Stanford. I remember looking at the Stanford section and everyone was so calm and proper. Their band went on and was horrible. Then I took a look at the CAL section. Everyone was out of their seats, some drunk, screaming, cheering, going crazy. Some Berkeley students even dressed up as Stanford students, and when they were being filmed in the Stanford section, they ripped off their clothes, exposing the blue and gold underneath. Berkeley people are so passionate and crazy and proud to be bears. Our band then went on the field and DOMINATED! We won that game on Stanfuurrrd's turf!! Wonderful memory. I'm always very proud to tell people to go to Berkeley, and I can tell people are always impressed. UCB has a very good reputation academically. It's the number one public school in the country! While I LOVE going to a big school, I suppose there are a few downsides. It's hard to get classes. They fill up quick. And often its hard to get any attention from faculty and school administration. While smaller private schools hold your hand and guide you through college, Berkeley lets you figure it out on your own. I once waited in a 45 minute line to meet with a counselor. And after only 5 minutes he was already scooting me out the door to meet with his next student. Additionally, since classes are so large, you may go an entire semester without your professor ever knowing who you are. If you want help or want to speak to your professor you have to go to office hours and wait in line to meet with him/her. If you're independent, you will do very well here. But, if you're not, I would still recommend giving Berkeley a try. I came from a small private all girls school with only 100 girls in my graduating class. The first semester of Berkeley was definitely overwhelming, but I have adapted. Going to Berkeley builds character, and it has made me a stronger person. After living such a sheltered life, I'm glad I'm getting this more practical real world experience.

Huge, competitive, cut-throat, diverse and extremely academically rewarding. Berkeley tends to turn people into selfish study machines who only have time for a select group of friends and social activities. However, I found it was very rare for me to not love my classes and professors/graduate student instructors, especially in the French department where I never had a class with more than 18 students. If you thrive in a competitive environment and can go out of your way to find a group of friends, Berkeley may be the place for you!

I love UC Berkeley. I love that the material in all of my classes is relevant and that the quality of instruction is superb. I love the campus, too -- not too sprawling, but still open and gorgeous on a sunny day or sparkling at night. I also value the diversity that challenges individuals to discover an identity for themselves at this pivotal time rather than imposing one on them. In a student body this large, you absolutely must take initiative, seize (plentiful) opportunities, and stay on top of yourself or risk getting carried away in the current of the semester. Cal is a school that gives you access to every resource you could possibly desire, and then challenges you to take advantage of them. All you have to do is remember to read your e-mail, and what seems like the whole world is literally at your fingertips.

I'm sure in any school you have the freedom to choose how you use your time. Studying, partying (lame), playing music, exercising, studying... etc. I chose the study route, with martial arts on the side. Except it's not just study, really. It's a complete inundation with knowledge from any sort of source. Textbooks are okay, but office hours and discussions are better. If you really throw yourself into academics at Berkeley, you will get bruised and battered - mentally and physically. It's great. If you take it, and really get into it, you'll find it's not the challenge of studying for a test, but the challenge of taking as much information you can get, making it your own, making something new, then sharing it. As many times as I thought Berkeley was killing me, I can't imagine a better defining experience.

I'm sure in any school you have the freedom to choose how you use your time. Studying, partying (lame), playing music, exercising, studying... etc. I chose the study route, with martial arts on the side. Except it's not just study, really. It's a complete inundation with knowledge from any sort of source. Textbooks are okay, but office hours and discussions are better. If you really throw yourself into academics at Berkeley, you will get bruised and battered - mentally and physically. It's great. If you take it, and really get into it, you'll find it's not the challenge of studying for a test, but the challenge of taking as much information you can get, making it your own, making something new, then sharing it. As many times as I thought Berkeley was killing me, I can't imagine a better defining experience.

Cal is a wonderful school--it is challenging but extremely rewarding, the opportunities are endless here!

I cannot imagine myself being anywhere else. Berkeley is one of those schools that just open you up to the world. It is close to 1) a large homeless population, 2) San Francisco, the financial capital of the West and 3) Silicon Valley. Can you imagine the type of diverse experience you get from the years you spend here? Some do complain about the homeless, but I think this makes the experience unique. Another thing I also love is the energetic and entrepreneurial atmosphere in this area, something I have never experienced so intensely in my life. The organic movement was a joke until I saw how it gets carried out in this area. It's amazing. Attending to UC Berkeley, you are almost always the center of attention because so many things are going on. Only this year, we went through protests and Nobel awards that got us national attention. Quite a strange combination, but this is exactly what makes Berkeley different. Known as a liberal school, but Berkeley is a safe haven for people from all places of all different ideologies. Berkeley proximity to San Francisco also allows a fast access to fun. Day fun touring around the many different sights in the City and night fun going to the different attractions even at night! Overall, I would say that, Berkeley is a place that allow people and ideas to thrive. When I visited on Cal Day 2004, I told myself, this is where I want to spend the next four years of my life.

Great!

The best things about Berkeley are the opportunities you are presented with. As such a historical school there are so many amazing speakers and presentations from so many different fields that come here. We have so many great resources and I know I'm no where near to utilizing them all. There is always something fascinating or interesting happening on campus. One of my favorite things is just walking from class to class and overhearing people's discussions and the truly interesting things that they are talking about. Berkeley has a spirit unlike anywhere else I've been.