Student Perspectives

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I’ll be honest, Cal wasn’t my dream school but it was definitely my target school. I decided to apply when I opened the UC application. I wasn’t sure what UCs to apply to but I knew Berkeley was kind of a long shot for me. My GPA was pretty good but I remember looking at average SAT and seeing mine I was scared. My older brother that joined the marines pushed me to apply and told me that if there was anyone in our family that could go to a star school like Cal it was me. I owe it to him.

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I wanted to apply to UC Berkeley because this university is recognized for its prestigious research programs and I this was one of the few schools that offered my major that I was interested in pursuing. I am a commuter student and I am fortunate that I live close to the campus so that I can participate in my extracurriculars and have access to the academic resources from the College of Letters and Science. I am a transfer student and I am grateful for my community college experience that has motivated me to apply to UC Berkeley.

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I applied to Berkeley because I heard that they examine your application in a much more "holistic" manner (whatever that means for you). The decision to apply was also based on proximity; I was born and raised in the Bay Area, so it was important for me to attend a college that was nearby. I also applied to Berkeley because of the competitive but prestigious academics; if I could survive Berkeley MCB/premed, I knew I would be able to handle what came next much easier than if I hadn't.

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I applied to Cal as a transfer student with the hopes of being able to participate in Berkeley's wonderful research culture. I was primarily interested in Cal because of how students are led to understand the material rather than focus on memorization. There is a difference between surface versus deep comprehension of material and Berkeley places an emphasis on ensuring that students have the resources to understand the material outside of the class such as through office hours and tutor groups. This is integral because it allows individuals to make connections with other subjects and this furthers the progress of research and discoveries. 

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I never had a dream college that my heart was set on; from the very beginning, I just told myself I would go wherever I got accepted. However, that nonchalant attitude of mine immediately washed away the moment I placed within the Top 4 of a huge Speech and Debate Invitational at UC Berkeley during my senior year. Now, this university was no longer another checkbox on my list, it was the home of the revered Sather Gate that I walked under right before my final round, it was the place where I had boba for the first time on Bancroft, and it became the environment where I thought to myself for the first time, “Huh, this is where my life is really going to change”. I may not have had a specific reason for applying, but as a senior excited to graduate from UC Berkeley, I can definitely tell you why I stayed.

Why did you decide to apply to UCB? 

I applied to UCB because I knew that I wanted to become involved in research during my undergraduate years, and UCB’s commitment to the advancement of the science is world-renown. In addition, many of the faculty at UCB are well-known leaders of their respective fields, and I wanted the opportunity to learn from their expertise.