academics

My Favorite Classes at Berkeley

October 13, 2023

The University of California, Berkeley has thousands of classes for its students to take, regardless of major and interest. As a third year at Berkeley, I have taken my fair share of classes at UC Berkeley and I would like to share them with you! As a brief introduction about myself, I am a molecular and cell biology major who is emphasizing in neurobiology, however, I have taken a good spread of classes in many different areas and will provide an even spread of classes in many different areas.

Biology 1B: General Biology Lecture and Laboratory

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Being Undecided is Okay!

April 20, 2023

For most of my life I have known that I wanted to do something related to books later in life. I’ve almost always either wanted to be an author or work in publishing. So when applying to college, it was only natural for me to put English down for what I wanted to major in.

The summer before I came to college, I spent a lot of time talking to people about going to Berkeley and began doubting my choice of major. English made sense to me and what I wanted to do, but a lot of people seemed judgeful of it as my major. I worked in a small coastal...

Schedule Planning 101

March 21, 2023

Schedule planning can seem like a daunting and arduous task, but as a type A person, I love the idea of planning my classes. Here’s some advice from a soon-to-be-graduate on how to get the classes you want and plan out the perfect schedule for you!

Step #1: Make a Plan

Scary, I know. But having some semblance of a plan can really ease your stress when it comes down to actually choosing your classes. You don’t need to have every specific class laid out, and honestly, not even a four-year plan is necessary. Just...

Pre-Law to Pre-Social Work: And You Can Too!

March 9, 2023

When I came to Cal, I came super *super* passionate about being a lawyer. Like, Pre-Law was all I could think about. I joined all the pre-law clubs, all my friends were pre-law, and I was really excited about going to law school. Then… I saw the costs, the practice LSATs, and got a little scared, in all honesty! However, I persevered and thought maybe, I could still go to law school. I became very interested in family law and education law. I was curious how the two intersected so, I visited the UC Berkeley Career Center (like any other curious undergraduate would)....

All About the Global Management Program (GMP) Experience

February 28, 2023

When I first visited UC Berkeley during college application season, I was sure that I would not be attending. Coming from a small high school with less than 60 people in my graduating class, I imagined Berkeley to be too large and lacking the specialized study abroad programs and major I was looking for. All of that changed when my campus tour guide introduced me to the Haas Global Management Program, which she was an inaugural member of. After being accepted into this special program, I am now one of its biggest advocates. It is a truly amazing opportunity that most...

A Semester in Washington, D.C.

December 23, 2022

As I stood inside the Capitol Rotunda, offering a tour to a group of constituents, suddenly a huddle of U.S. Senators emerged from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and quickly breezed past me to make their way to the Senate floor. As they traveled past me, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to work inside our nation’s capitol and intern for the U.S. Congress. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would never have been possible without my involvement in the University of California, Washington D.C. (UCDC) program. ...

Course Highlight: L&S 12, The Berkeley Changemaker

April 18, 2021

As a campus ambassador, some of the most common questions I get on my tours are: what are some of the best classes to take? And, this one is a big one, but why Berkeley? What makes our university different from the rest?

The answer to these questions lies in L&S 12: The Berkeley Changemaker, a 2 unit course that students can take on a pass/no pass basis.

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How I Got Into Haas Without Joining a Business Club

March 10, 2022

Totally not clickbait! No, but seriously. My name is Mikayla, and I am a Business Administration major at the Haas School of Business. After hearing that, most people assume I’ve climbed the ladder through a Haas-sponsored consulting club or competed in finance case competitions for years when, in fact, none of that is true. I’m here to tell you about how I got into the Haas School of Business without joining a single business club.

To begin, I want to touch on a passion of mine: music. (I promise this all ties together in the end). I’ve been inspired by music...

My College Application Journey (Applying to Colleges, Receiving Admission Letters, and Getting Waitlisted at Cal)

April 5, 2022

Working at the campanile and meeting many of the newly admitted/waitlisted students, as well as many prospective students looking into colleges and deciding where to apply, I couldn’t help but reminisce back to when I was a high school senior doing the same, and reflecting on how those experiences led to where I currently am today. So that being said, I decided to use this opportunity to share my experiences as a high school junior and senior and how I found the right college for me. I know that not everyone will agree on what type of college they would want to attend, but hopefully, this...

Deciding the School That’s Right for You

April 19, 2022

Congratulations, high school seniors! You’ve survived 4 years of hard work, a grueling college application season, and the agonizing waiting period before decisions are released in March. Whether you applied to Berkeley or elsewhere, pause and give yourself a pat on the back – taking the first step toward higher education is a huge accomplishment and you deserve to be proud of yourself.
Most people I knew had a decision to make at the end of their college admissions process. Some were lucky enough to have a clear choice. However many schools you’re choosing between, here are a few tips...