UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley, or "Cal" as it is often referred to by its students and alumni, is a large, urban school located in the heart of the city of Berkeley, known worldwide for its liberal political reputation. In this high-energy area, the scene of past student demonstrations, some of the spirit of the 1960s can still be felt among the local hippies, street vendors and bookstores that line the streets around campus. But just outside of campus, the Berkeley Hills and Tilden Regional Park offer students a scenic escape with hiking trails and beautiful views of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. Berkeley is only about a 20-minute drive across the Bay to San Francisco and is also located within a couple hours of Santa Cruz and Sacramento.
Student Body
Berkeley has approximately 30,000 students, two-thirds of them undergraduates. After UCLA, it has the second largest student population of any UC school. The student body is extremely diverse; no one ethnic group makes up a majority. UC Berkeley ties with UCLA as the UC school with the highest percentage of African American students of any UC campus. About 90 percent of the students come from California. According to recent figures from the University of California, underrepresented minorities (blacks, American Indians, and Latinos) account for approximately 17.1 percent of the student body.
Academics
Berkeley is a large research university. Many classes, especially introductory-level and science classes, are large, averaging 300 to 500 students each. Berkeley has prestigious faculty members who have won many awards and who are often occupied with intense research projects. However, the classes generally have good graduate-student teaching assistants who get to know students in smaller discussion sections. These teaching assistants are usually easily accessible to answer student questions. Upper-level classes are often smaller and provide more interaction with faculty.
Because of their research commitments, professors often have limited time to spend with students. Students can get to know their professors, however, by making an effort to contact them and visit them during office hours. Students sometimes have difficulty getting into the classes they choose, so they must be aggressive and persistent.
UC Berkeley features one of the best university libraries in the country, Moffitt Library. It also includes more than 20 specialized libraries on campus. Several recent surveys have rated Cal as the best large public university for undergraduate education in the United States. And according to the U.S. News and World Report ranking of major US universities, 10 different Cal graduate programs placed in the top 10 in their respective categories.
Berkeley has a variety of ethnic-studies programs, including African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies and Chicano Studies.
About 90 percent of freshmen return for their second year and 73 percent graduate within five years. Students can turn to a wide variety of support and tutoring services, including the Summer Bridge Program for qualified students of color.
Health Opportunities
Because the university and its professors focus on research, students can take advantage of opportunities to assist in research projects. UC Berkeley has a School of Public Health, School of Optometry, and a School of Social Welfare on campus. The university also sponsors a program with the UCSF hospital and medical school, located across the Bay in San Francisco. A wide range of nearby hospitals and community clinics provide opportunities for student work and health training.
Financial Aid
Berkeley offers a variety of need-based, merit-based, and athletic scholarships: 97 percent of scholarships are need-based. More than 70 percent of freshmen and 60 percent of upperclassmen receive financial aid. On average, financial aid meets 80 percent of a student's needs, and loans cover about half of a student's tuition. A third of the students work, and there are good part-time opportunities on and off campus. Berkeley also has cooperative programs, including one in the health professions, that allow students to work in areas of interest while going to school.
Transportation
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) and public bus systems serve Berkeley and the Bay Area. A student does not need a car to live happily in Berkeley; in fact, parking can be difficult around campus. The area is hilly, and though biking is possible, students often choose to walk to their destinations.
Housing
Only about 20 percent of students live on campus, mostly freshmen. Freshmen are not required to live on campus, and upperclassmen often have difficulty finding housing on campus. Affordable off-campus housing is available but may take some effort to find. About 15 percent of students join fraternities or sororities, which have their own houses, and enrollment is on the rise.
Student Life
Berkeley is a politically active campus, with opportunities for involvement in a huge variety of organizations, from varsity and club sports to religious organizations to ethnic organizations. Along with UCLA, Berkeley has the largest number of registered student clubs and organizations of any UC school: more than 500. UC Berkeley is also consistently the No. 1 contributor of Peace Corps volunteers of any university in the United States. Students enjoy a wide variety of cultural opportunities through on-campus galleries, museums and presentations and at nearby venues in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area.
Cal hosts one of the nation's all-around finest athletic programs with 26 varsity sports for men and women, including men's and women's basketball, crew, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and water polo; men's baseball, football and rugby; and women's softball, volleyball and field hockey. It is also a member of the PAC-10 Conference.
UC Berkeley May Be for You If....
You're an independent, motivated person who takes initiative and searches out opportunities. You enjoy involving yourself in social causes and extracurricular activities and you thrive in an urban environment offering a lot of energy and action.
Go to http://www.berkeley.edu to learn more about UC Berkeley.