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The University of California - Berkeley

How this student rated the school
Educational QualityA Faculty AccessibilityB
Useful SchoolworkA- Excess CompetitionB+
Academic SuccessA- Creativity/ InnovationB
Individual ValueC University Resource UseC+
Campus Aesthetics/ BeautyA FriendlinessB+
Campus MaintenanceC+ Social LifeA
Surrounding CityA+ Extra CurricularsA-
SafetyB-
Describes the student body as:
Friendly, Approachable, Broken Spirit

Describes the faculty as:
Friendly, Helpful, Arrogant

Male
SAT1360
Quite Bright
Lowest Rating
Individual Value
C
Highest Rating
Surrounding City
A+
He cares more about Campus Maintenance than the average student.
Date: Oct 08 2007
Major: Chemistry (This Major's Salary over time)
Cal is a great school in awesome area, but don't expect anyone to hold your hand and guide you through college. The university is large and can be very impersonal if you don't put yourself out there, this applies to both faculty and other students. I've found that even in a class with hundreds of people the professors are available during office hours. there are lots of amazing things happening on the campus all the time but you have to take the initiative. People complain about profs being absorbed in their research. I think doing research as an undergrad was when I learned the most useful skills

Is started out at Cal in the college of letters and science intending to major in biology but in my 2nd year I decided to switch to the college of chemistry and major in Chemical Biology. I found the chemistry major classes to be much more difficult, but I also felt very strongly that everyone in them was actually interested in learning and not just part of a cutthroat race to medical school. I also found the advising staff of the college of chemistry were much more friendly and less overworked than their MCB counterparts.

I found most the people in my major to be friendly and very bright but to be blunt, really big nerds who spent their weekends in the library (maybe thats why they got better grades…oh well). I did, however make lots of friends outside of my major, (mostly through student groups and the housing co-ops, which I highly recommend if you are into that sort of thing www.usca.org) with so many students there has got to be someone for everyone to hang out with. I was able to find people to go snowboarding with as well as vegan hippies to dance naked with. And yes there are attractive people at Cal. The only people that I have personally heard complain about ugly girls there where sexist frat boys who define attractive as too drunk to have consensual sex, coated in make-up, and barely clothed despite cold rainy weather. Unfortunately the diverse (though not so much racially) student body includes a small but vocal group of patriarchal assholes.

On the topic of unpleasantries Berkeley is not the safest city at night; I think most students at least know a friend or two who has been mugged. I think that this is the case in most major metropolitan areas and isn't that big of a deal if you are smart about when you go where (and not carry a bunch of expensive shit with you) or take advantage of the free night shuttle. That said, the campus is beautiful and its just a bart ride away from San Fransisco.

All in all Cal is definitely what you make of it. I think I was able to get a good education as well as "college experiences" especially considering the relatively low cost of in state tuition.

Responses
questionHi!
I'm a parent of a prospective freshman @UCB. I heard that changing the college is extremely difficult to near impossible. How did you do it? Thanks in advance veena
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The University of California - Berkeley
The University of California - Berkeley
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