University of California - Berkeley

I did have a nice time at Berkeley overall, but I felt at times that it was unnecessarily difficult. A lot of academics focused on weeding people out, and on focusing on the tiniest irrelevant details as opposed to general high quality learning. It felt like a large part of attending was suffering for the sake of suffering. The admin really does not care about the student body, who is largely mentally unwell. Everyone I know experienced drastic mental health improvements upon graduation. Despite... Read More this, I look back on my time fondly. The campus is nice and I made some wonderful friends, and there is no question that the name carries prestige.

Although my time at UC Berkeley was impacted by COVID-19 (resulting in my sophomore year being online and my junior year being a hybrid), I genuinely enjoyed my time there. While Berkeley has a stellar repuation for being one of the top (arguably, the top) public university in the world with a powerhouse roster of distinguished alumni, some prospective students are put off by its notorious reputation for being competitive and cut-throat.

In full transparency, the rigor of many classes (especially... Read More the lower division pre-requisites) were challenging and the school did attract some high-strung, but extremely motivated students. However, it is truly one of the best universities in the world for academic and networking opportunities. For example, I was able to conduct scientific research for a semester abroad in Japan due to the university being well-connected and well-regarded in the scientific community. Likewise, I was very well-prepared to enter the workforce due to the coursework and internships I chose to pursue during my time there.

Similarly, I had a great social life in Berkeley because I chose to spend time with people who value work-life balance like myself. The university has a student population of over 30,000 students, so you are bound to find your community! Many Cal students and alumni are very proud of attending Berkeley and community events are always lively. Even years after graduation, I still talk and meet up with friends I made there. I definitely recommend going to "Cal Day" and experiencing the beautiful campus and all the wonderful opportunities Berkeley has to offer before making your choice.

My experience at UC Berkeley was exceptional. I had access to friendly and enthusiastic professors who taught material that they were leading experts in. Thus, the education not only is exceptional in the competencies around learning about certain subject matter, but there is added knowledge imparted on the cutting edge and future directions of the field. Professors were very accessible during their office hours and for making private appointments to talk about research opportunities and discuss... Read More class topics in more detail. The campus facilities are like none I've ever seen. There were at least a dozen libraries to choose from, all of which were constantly clean. I found the campus to be very safe as well. Additionally, there are dozens of student groups to get involved and make friends through. I highly recommend this institution to anyone applying for undergraduate education.

UC Berkeley is a world-renowned institution, and when you tell people you went to Berkeley, heads will turn. If I could go back and do one thing differently, it would be to get involved in research earlier. Groundbreaking research is always taking place, and as an undergraduate at Berkeley you have the rare opportunity to learn from leaders in the field about their discipline. I graduated from the department of Integrative Biology. I'm currently pursuing a PhD in Hydrology, but if I continued down... Read More a path of Biology, my background from Berkeley would have prepared me very well. The student life on campus is diverse, teeming with life and opportunities, and simply one of the finest experiences I've ever had. I highly recommend looking into the Berkeley Student Cooperatives as a place to live during your stay at Berkeley. It's affordable, unique and filled with UCB students from all colleges. What brings them together is a mutual desire to live cooperatively, and through the Berkeley student coops, I met some of my best friends.

UC Berkeley is truly a remarkable institution teeming with innovation, great resources, and the right mix of crazy that truly inspires and provides scholars with the resources and training needed to be leaders in this world. With its reputation of continuously being a worldly institution, while boasting a year after year declaration of being the #1 public institution around the world, it is no surprise Cal has been on the forefront of progress; whether it is helping find a handful of elements on... Read More the periodic table (i.e. Berkelium, Lawrencium) to leading the Manhattan Project to being associated with a multitude of award recipients, Cal is one remarkable and one of a kind place to get an education. Not only is Cal amazing, but the College of Natural Resources (CNR) provides students with that small college feel on a large campus. The Molecular Environmental Biology (MEB) degree program is the perfect major to be a part of. It is the right major for anyone looking to explore the possibilities biology has to offer, from deciding whether to purse healthcare to being a bioethicist, CNR's MEB degree program is perfect for any scholar exploring the science of life. It is with great honor that I received my B.S. from Cal. It has truly inspired me to be a person that wants to make a positive impact in this world and has equipped me with all that it could have to truly prosper in my life. Cal will truly challenge you, not for a sadistic pleasure, but will challenge you mentally, emotionally, and on deeper levels to really make sure it mints a remarkable individual that will later be on the forefront of innovation.