UC Berkeley. You're into the big leagues now. No joke. You think you're set huh? You think you're going to have it easy now that you've gotten into UC Berkeley. Now that you are a Bear. Well, think again buddy. I'm sorry to break it to you, but you think you got it rough right now, think again. Just getting into Berkeley was tough right? Well, you're in for something...and it ain't pretty.

UC Berkeley is one of the most prestiges public schools out there. No simple minded everyday Joe gets in (no offense to simple minded everyday Joes out there). This school has one of the top education systems out there. You learn or you die. Simple as that. You find a way to get homework done, assignments turned in, study, cram, do well on pop quizzes, midterms, and the big cheese...the final. Yeah well, you might say, college, it's a time for fun and enjoyment. My butt!!! I'm sorry, but I have not gotten a good nights sleep for the past 3 months and I guarantee I'm not going to get it for the next 2 years (if I survive). Sorry to scare you, but that is just the beginning.

First off, there are no "easy" courses at Berkeley. All professors are hard core and mean business. There's none of that, "Sorry, I had to do some other work for my other class. Can I turn in my homework late?" All you will get is a "Haahaa" in your face and a handful of heartache. You do or you don't here at Berkeley. My god, and to think, you want to be a Computer Science major heh? Oh, it's just another major you say? Let me get you in on a little info. The minimum GPA requirement to get into L&S Computer Science is a mere 3.35. That is just a tad above a B+. That's easy enough right? WRONG!!!!!

I myself thought that it was going to be easy to get into Computer Science. I learned first hand that nothing comes easy in Berkeley, not even finding parking. First you have to go through a lowered required classes known as the "61 series" or better known as the "highway to hell" for me. You have to go through those classes, as well a engineering class (EE 42 - Intro. to Circuits). Don't think these are simple classes. Trust me, they're not. I barely got out alive from those classes and I ended up with only a 3.3 (B+). I am currently enrolled in the EE42 class and if I don't get an A in that class, guess what, I'm going to be finding myself as a Philosophy major.

Because the classes I'm taking right now are only to fulfill the CS requirements, not any other major. So basically, you're screwed and then some if you don't get in. Now granted there are always ways around it and you cna declare yourself into another major and minor in CS. Sure, but hey, you want to get the CS major so you can brag to all those would be dot-com companies to hire you and make you a millionaire. Man o man, why does life have to be so hard?

This major is definitely one of the toughest to get into for Letters and Science. By no means am I saying that other majors are a piece of cake. But this is the only major that I know is that is compacted and has restrictions on prior GPAs to get in. Now you tell me, how crazy is that? Of course there is the Haas Business School and the Engineering Department as a separate, but that's not Letters and Science. With Letters and Science, your best bet is to major is Mathematics and minor in CS. Not trying to scare you, because I know I'm scared, but you just have to face this reality; maybe this major isn't right for you after all.

I see myself giving it my all and going at it one last try. If I fall short by a measly .05 point from my GPA or they don't think I can do it, then damn them, because they are the ones that can say that. I guess I'll just have to settle for a different major or go to a different school. Either way, it's not the same of having a UC Berkeley degree saying I graduated under Computer Science.

The program is rigorous anyway you look at it. From beginning to end, it turns from bad to worse until you can't see the light of day anymore. I would have to say the only positive is that once you get in, you're in. You cna then maintain a simple 2.0 GPA. Haahaa, even then a 2.0 GPA isn't going to be easy. I guarantee that there will be many nights you don't get to sleep, many nights you sleep in the Computer Lab, many nights that you have nightmares about programming. But hey, not to scare you or anything, just being real right?

Is this what life has come to? A rigorous task to see how much we can absorb without falling apart? I don't think it should be this way, but that's just the way it is as a CS major in Berkeley. Don't take my word for it. Just give it a try. Apply to Berkeley, see if you get in. If you do, fantastic. That's only the beginning. If you don't want to listen, that's fine with me, but I think sooner or later, I'm going to just break down and surrender to the cold hearted enemy known as UC Berkeley. Until the day they tell me, "Get out of here, you're not good enough," my hopes will remain high and pray one day I will be a CS student.



Recommended: No