Major Problem at UC Berkeley

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the only thing bad about mcb is the terrible curves (B- average in most classes). no one will sabotage your o-chem experiments. people are generally just as you expect them to be: hard-working, somewhat sociable and friendly

GPA-friendly bio majors: MEB, MolTox, IB and other majors in CNR.
Chem Bio has the same problem as MCB, except it's even harder.

Avoid: the guy who wrote your o-chem textbook, engineering classes, protests, horror stories, neuroticism 🙂
 
What's with all these UCB posts all of a sudden?

Anyhow, I don't think any science major is particularly GPA friendly here, but MCB seems to have the highest concentration of pre-meds along with fewer interesting (in my opinion) classes, which would make me avoid that as a major. I haven't heard of chem bio being more difficult than MCB before, but I think the courses are more interesting. I also think the professors are a bit better for chem bio than they are for MCB.

I also suggest avoiding Vollhardt (the textbook author lemoretired was referring to). I recommend Pedersen or Bertozzi for organic (Frechet is done teaching), and Francis for any chem/chembio classes you can get with him.
 
Why not study something you enjoy? I know the ultimate goal (as with any pre-med, like myself) is to eventually be a doctor of some sort, but your undergraduate shouldn't be a means to an end, in my opinion. Avoiding majors simply because of GPA worries is a bad idea, as you may end up with something easy that you don't enjoy. Any science class that I have taken has had B- averages or lower. If I had taken as easy bio major I would have hated it and probably performed worse because of that.
 
Chill man! Don't psyche yourself out even before you enroll! MCB is not that bad. Nor are the students!
 
austinap said:
What's with all these UCB posts all of a sudden?

Anyhow, I don't think any science major is particularly GPA friendly here, but MCB seems to have the highest concentration of pre-meds along with fewer interesting (in my opinion) classes, which would make me avoid that as a major. I haven't heard of chem bio being more difficult than MCB before, but I think the courses are more interesting. I also think the professors are a bit better for chem bio than they are for MCB.

I also suggest avoiding Vollhardt (the textbook author lemoretired was referring to). I recommend Pedersen or Bertozzi for organic (Frechet is done teaching), and Francis for any chem/chembio classes you can get with him.
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I agree.. let me rephrase my post

Compared to MCB, the more GPA-friendly bio majors are in CNR -> but we're talking about 2.7 averages vs. 3.0 averages (not like those humanities/social sci majors where the average is like a 3.7)

in terms of professors, it's really hit or miss for mcb. I've had terrible mcb profs, but I've also had a friend who took a class with an mcb prof who took them out drinking after finals...
 
MEB! You get more choices for your upper div classes and the advisors were amazing. Also no 7-course breadth, although there are other espm classes you have to take instead.
 
So I just read this and have no freaking clue what half of you are saying.
 
Any major in the College of Chem = not GPA friendly, trust me on that. Most of UCB is not GPA friendly, actually. Plus, don't quote me on this, but I think Chem Bio has to take Chem 120A&B with the rest of the chem majors, which, unless you're really great at the more math-intensive side of physics & chemistry, will be rough-going. Molecular Cell Biology takes the easier class (Chem 130, I believe). All in all though, I've heard good things about Integrative Biology (IB) as a pre-med major.

ETA: If you want to stick with MCB, I heard the easier emphases are CDB & immunology. Genetics and Biochem are harder.
 
Linka said:
Any major in the College of Chem = not GPA friendly, trust me on that. Most of UCB is not GPA friendly, actually. Plus, don't quote me on this, but I think Chem Bio has to take Chem 120A&B with the rest of the chem majors, which, unless you're really great at the more math-intensive side of physics & chemistry, will be rough-going. Molecular Cell Biology takes the easier class (Chem 130, I believe). All in all though, I've heard good things about Integrative Biology (IB) as a pre-med major.

ETA: If you want to stick with MCB, I heard the easier emphases are CDB & immunology. Genetics and Biochem are harder.
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120 A/B are more intensive than 3 A/B, but I also think the series is taught better on average. Also, groups tend to be smaller, so there's some chance you could actually end up knowing your professors. I don't think any of the science majors are GPA friendly at Cal, but in CChem, at least your classes aren't all filled up with premeds. You're also more likely to get research spots if you're in chem compared to MCB because professors aren't going to question your motives as much. MCB undergrads have a (less than awesome) reputation among the grad student population, and that can make it harder to get research positions on campus.
 
austinap said:
120 A/B are more intensive than 3 A/B, but I also think the series is taught better on average. Also, groups tend to be smaller, so there's some chance you could actually end up knowing your professors. I don't think any of the science majors are GPA friendly at Cal, but in CChem, at least your classes aren't all filled up with premeds. You're also more likely to get research spots if you're in chem compared to MCB because professors aren't going to question your motives as much. MCB undergrads have a (less than awesome) reputation among the grad student population, and that can make it harder to get research positions on campus.
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Are you referring to organic chemistry? Because 112 A/B is the corresponding organic chem series for chem majors, analogous to the 3 series. When I referred to 120 A/B, I meant physical chemistry, which I know is required for chemistry majors and I'm pretty sure it's required for chem bio students as well. Chem 120 A/B is a lot harder than the 130 series, but, depending on the professor, is usually better taught. As far as the science majors being GPA friendly or not, I can't comment on all of them since I don't know enough about them all. I just heard that IB is easier than MCB and MCB's easier specialties are immuno & CDB. As far as the groups being smaller, yeah, 112 series is smaller than 3, but the class still fills up the Lewis Hall lecture room. If you want your professor to know you, your only shot is office hours. Or if you had an awesome special project poster presentation while taking the 4 series and they attended the event.

As far as research, if you're going to be doing research for the chem department you're going to have to sacrifice a lot of your time doing it. I think the reason they scrutinize your motives is because they want to make sure you're serious about putting the time/effort into it. I can't speak to MCB research, but I think most people who are pre-med would rather spend their time studying to get As and preparing for the MCAT than sitting there on the bench tracking a reaction by TLC and spending hours running a column.

ETA: http://chemistry.berkeley.edu/student_info/USLI/chemistry/#core core curriculum for chem & chem bio majors. In addition to the 120 series (physical chemistry), you have to take more intensive math courses such as multi-variable calculus and linear algebra and physics for scientists and engineers (although not sure if they still do this, they used to accept the 8 series for the 7 series). It all depends on the individual. If you're more physical science/math inclined, go for it and go the college of chem route or physics or engineering. But don't pick any of these majors because you think it'll be "easier" to get As. All of these majors require hard work and are super competitive.
 
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Linka said:
Are you referring to organic chemistry? Because 112 A/B is the corresponding organic chem series for chem majors, analogous to the 3 series. When I referred to 120 A/B, I meant physical chemistry, which I know is required for chemistry majors and I'm pretty sure it's required for chem bio students as well. Chem 120 A/B is a lot harder than the 130 series, but, depending on the professor, is usually better taught. As far as the science majors being GPA friendly or not, I can't comment on all of them since I don't know enough about them all. I just heard that IB is easier than MCB and MCB's easier specialties are immuno & CDB. As far as the groups being smaller, yeah, 112 series is smaller than 3, but the class still fills up the Lewis Hall lecture room. If you want your professor to know you, your only shot is office hours. Or if you had an awesome special project poster presentation while taking the 4 series and they attended the event.

As far as research, if you're going to be doing research for the chem department you're going to have to sacrifice a lot of your time doing it. I think the reason they scrutinize your motives is because they want to make sure you're serious about putting the time/effort into it. I can't speak to MCB research, but I think most people who are pre-med would rather spend their time studying to get As and preparing for the MCAT than sitting there on the bench tracking a reaction by TLC and spending hours running a column.

ETA: http://chemistry.berkeley.edu/student_info/USLI/chemistry/#core core curriculum for chem & chem bio majors. In addition to the 120 series (physical chemistry), you have to take more intensive math courses such as multi-variable calculus and linear algebra and physics for scientists and engineers (although not sure if they still do this, they used to accept the 8 series for the 7 series). It all depends on the individual. If you're more physical science/math inclined, go for it and go the college of chem route or physics or engineering. But don't pick any of these majors because you think it'll be "easier" to get As. All of these majors require hard work and are super competitive.
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Sorry, you're right about 120/130, I confused 120 with 112.

If you're going to be doing research for anyone, you'll have to sacrifice a significant amount of your time to do it. Our lab usually requires undergrads put in something around 20 hours a week. The reason we scrutinize your motives is because we don't want to put in the resources to train an undergrad who is only doing research so that they can add a line to their resume. However, as most ~top 20 schools want, if not require, research experience in applicants, a lot of premeds try to do research, and MCB students have a harder time getting spots.

I'm actually a little surprised that chemical biology requires the chemistry versions of everything. In the grad division, chemical biology students can come from one of several departments, and those from MCB often haven't taken multivariate calc or p-chem. I can really only speak to the upper division courses, but the upper div courses for chembio are taught very well. Some of the best chem bio researchers are at Cal, and they just happen to be some of the most personable professors I've interacted with here. I've only had a few lecturers from MCB, but they've all been terrible.

Nothing you choose at Berkeley will be easy, but if it's something you're interested in, it will be worthwhile. Make the most out of being here, work your ass off, but learn how to have fun and balance everything. My best advice would be to choose something you're really interested in. It's easy to study something fascinating for days at a time, but it's brutal to study something you don't care about for even an hour.
 
I'm between chem bio or mcb immuno, leaning towards bio chem. I'm just worried about the math requirement.

I wouldn't be able to do any majors in the CNR, I'm not interested in any of their majors.



How do you guys feel about Public Health. The major looks interesting, maybe I can double major since their aren't many upper div requirements.







By the way, thanks for all the input. I really appreciate your time guys.
.
 
if you care about your grades (and having a life), for the love of god don't do chem bio.

honestly IB is definitely the "easiest" route.

and mol. tox. / nutri sci. physiology are definitely very fun/interesting
 
So....I actually got shafted at UCB- got my notes for the final got stolen twice at group study sessions organized by the GSI 🙁 (once for chem and once for physics). Just be careful, and find people you can trust-you'll see the same people in most of your classes, and you can probably take to the ones that will help you out and not screw you over 😛.

Public Health is pretty cool-I'm in the major, and the people are a bit nicer- my sociology class was definately the top of the list for friendly people- we got together in a study group, and people contributed 😛. Also I feel as though public health is extremely relevant to the field of medicine today, especially as our health care is being reformed- it will definately show you the intracacies of the system, depending on whether you want to be a scientific research doctor or a humanistic social welfare doctor.
 
berkeley is just not gpa friendly. as for the other majors.. well consider the following.
if you know what major to avoid to obtain higher grades, i'd imagine a good amount of school admissions will know that too. Berkeley is definitely not a new school on the list, and the students are pretty well represented in the pre med application pool. It's kind of like arguing whether going to a school thats known to be competitive with a low avg GPA like Berkeley gives you an edge over less competitive undergrads.

thats just my theory, i just graduated MCB. i dont think mcb is the killer..i liked most of its upper divs. its the pre reqs that you have to take for pre med that kills you.. the few on the most peoples list is mcb102, chem3a/3b and bio1a/1al etc...
 
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