Why UC Berkeley? What to expect, academics, extracurriculars, social life, stereotypes, and more!

[@haaskaiiitt]

thank you for this video! I recently got admitted into engineering and love the school but started getting worried about all the negative stereotypes perpetuated on some forums. But your words have given me comfort, I can't wait to officially commit!

[@anniexpan]

congrats and glad it helped! :)

[@Juiceboy3005]

Thank you for making this video, I got admitted to Berkeley last and this is the most helpful video I’ve seen

[@sallygoose]

Thank you so much for making this video! I am also interested in design and computer science. I had no idea Berkeley had design-related classes. The internet really ruined the idea of attending UC Berkeley and now I am excited about this school :))

[@anniexpan]

Congrats on getting in! There are a ton of opportunities for Design + CS (clubs/orgs, classes, outside opportunities) even though it's not as widely marketed as they are at other schools. I would also look into the Jacobs Institute of Design Innovation at Cal as they offer a ton of design innovation/tech courses and events. Let me know if you have any additional questions :)

[@monicac6157]

OMG me too this video rlly helped since I want to pair CS and design!!

[@gloriachu177]

Really helpful n insightful video!! Also you're so pretty uwu looking forward to more videos from you :DD

[@anniexpan]

appreciate it

[@nay4443]

Very informative video! It definitely helped me get a better idea of what it's like to attend Berkeley. Looking forward to watching more of your videos, you're amazing!

[@anniexpan]

thank you! appreciate it :)

[@AZNwill81]

Such an informative video ! Almost felt like I’ve known you for a while but not at the same time 😅

[@ellakeym]

this was the best tip video about berkeley i've seen so far! i'm an international student planning on going to berkeley but is still really hesitant about it due to the amount of says about its unsafe and stressful environment. one major factor to why i want to attend is because i am aware of its setting and how i can search for internships and jobs. do you have any knowledge on whether international students with a visa still have the chances to get those opportunities? this was so helpful, thank you!

[@anniexpan]

Hey Ella! First of all, congrats on getting into Berkeley! I'd definitely agree that there are plentiful opportunities both within the Silicon Valley area and within the school (the school has research programs, startup internships, etc. that tend to be unpaid). In terms of the visa issue, a lot of my international friends are still able to intern here, but I think it depends on the visa. You may have to double-check based on the visa you have/any working restrictions, but for the most part, part-time internships could be an option for international students. Hope this helped :)

[@daphney7877]

The area around UC Berkeley is not as unsafe as everyone says!! Yes, the bay area suffers from a homelessness crisis but Berkeley is a very affluent area. The vast majority of the homeless individuals are harmless and just people. They may be alarming to people who have been sheltered their whole lives, but this is the reality of our country. It's so disheartening to see people who come from the suburbs making these claims. As long as u know how to navigate around a "city", the transition should be ok. GO BEARS!!

[@oolongtea4013]

very helpful video. also, side note, you're very well spoken.

[@anniexpan]

thank you :)

[@arinmkrtchian4443]

Thank you for the video! Despite to all the stereotypes, this video gives me hope!

[@nehajacob9049]

Annie! This was so great ❤️

[@pearlhay5033]

what is a consulting club?

[@megandhingra3449]

where did you get that berkeley pennant that’s in your thumbnail?

[@luccarodrigues781]

"The walls are not very soundproof" Oh boy 😳

[@rigira]

really informative, thanks for the vid!

[@zacharyertengrass892]

That is an extremely good point about the variety of students and their academic abilities. People from super competitive high schools will be a bit shocked, honestly, in some cases.

[@TechVHD]

can you explain as in its tough classes?

[@zacharyertengrass892]

@@TechVHD No, I mean that some students just aren't very smart while others are geniuses. There is a wide variety at Cal.

[@katherinecheng6484]

this was a really helpful video!! Just what I needed lol since I haven't been able to visit. I'm admitted to L&S and deciding between UC Berkeley and USC. I've heard a lot about how USC's alumni network helps students land jobs, but what about Berkeley? Does a degree from Berkeley/Haas make up for the difference?

[@anniexpan]

hi~ thanks for stopping by! First of all, congrats on getting admitted to 2 really great schools! At Berkeley, the Haas name does help a lot & looks really good in recruiting (keep in mind that you'll have to apply to get into Haas your sophomore year). I think at Berkeley in general, nothing is "spoon-fed" to you and you really get a glimpse of how the real world works by having to actively seek opportunities, which is what drove me to choose Cal over USC as well. Haas (and econ) students end up landing amazing jobs (there's a link in my vid description that has detailed information about salary, occupation, etc. of each major). Long story short, at Berkeley you may have to work a bit harder, but it's definitely worth it if you're willing to invest the extra effort. lmk if you have any more questions :)

[@katherinecheng6484]

@@anniexpan Wow, thank you!! :) I appreciate your help

[@shannonkuo5672]

love you annie!!

[@anniexpan]

love ya

[@eueli0s]

thank you so much for this video!!

[@helibalsara7249]

This was so helpful! what year are you in?

[@laurynmartin5571]

I was the 1,000th view💫🥳

[@anniexpan]

thank you for watching :)

[@joyceben2201]

hi! thank you so so much for this video, loved it : ) I was wondering if clubs that are not pre-professional are also as competitive to get in to?

[@anniexpan]

hello and thank you! Are there any interests you're thinking of in particular/types of clubs you have in mind? Generally, the pre-professional ones are the competitive ones and others are not, but some dance groups, acapella groups, etc. would require auditions. lmk if you have any more questions :)

[@joyceben2201]

​@@anniexpan thank you!!! i was thinking more clubs that are more interest-based, not really sure lol also, are intramural/club sports are really difficult to get into?

[@anniexpan]

@@joyceben2201 intramural is open to anyone (it's just playing for fun) and you can form your own team. for club, you'll have to tryout (could be a bit more difficult but you should be fine if you ever did club in high school). But generally, interest-based clubs should not be as competitive :)

[@sriramdiyyala963]

is grade deflation real at berkeley?

[@anniexpan]

it varies per department, but it's not extreme. Many classes are graded on a curve, so it goes both ways (if everyone does well, then it may be curved down a bit, but if everyone fails, it will be curved up). It's more of a contextual gpa where the curve is determined based on how others in the class perform/the class average, but it usually doesn't make that big of a difference.

[@nny4363]

Hi! My dream school is Berkeley and I'm wondering if I still have a chance to get in. In my sophomore year, I didn't really care about my grades so I had a few C's, but my cumulative GPA is 3.92 tho. I had 5's and As in the AP courses that I took. I'm gonna take the SAT soon and I've been getting 1500+ consistently during practice tests. My ECs are varsity volleyball (might quit), mun club, volunteer in a community service group, (potential) volunteer internship in a club sponsored by Google, and founder of a non-profit along with a few of my friends as I maintain a leadership role that is running since middle school. I'm still planning to engage in more impressive ECs throughout hs and shoot for the highest GPA I could get. Feedback would be greatly appreciated :D (I'm a rising junior btw)

[@anniexpan]

Hi! Definitely don’t give up on that dream! Berkeley reviews applicants holistically, so having meaningful extracurriculars and compelling essays could only help you. As for grades, generally, it’s favorable if you are taking challenging/rigorous courses (but still manageable for you) and there is an upward trend in your performance over time! But again, I can’t stress enough how important extracurriculars and essays are because they really put in more personality into an application & take advantage of it to “craft a story” for yourself. It’s hard to judge a profile because it also depends on your school I believe (might have higher standards if your peers have higher grades/scores? unsure but this has been a trend for my high school), but I’d say that it’s great that you’re taking advantage of leadership opportunities (!!) and are aiming to keep that upward trend going for junior year. Let me know if you have any other questions and best of luck!! you can do it :))

[@nny4363]

@@anniexpan Thank you for your advice! Your vids are very helpful :))

[@chloehu7164]

you are so pretty omg

[@anniexpan]

aw thank you:')

[@alliinaak]

What is the UC Berkeley meme page?

[@anniexpan]

UC Berkeley Memes For Edgy Teens!

[@everyonesaidmynamewasstupi3713]

amazing video sister! i was wondering, have you known anyone going on the optometry path? do you have any specific insight about that? thank you so much! ps: you are so gorgeous and i loved the cozy vibes of this video!

[@anniexpan]

hi, and thank you! I actually don't know of any undergrads pursuing optometry personally, but this may be helpful if you haven't seen it already: optometry.berkeley.edu/admissions/preparing-for-admission/undergraduate-timetable/ also I know some people pursue integrative human bio/molecular bio or related paths as their major in undergrad and Berkeley is also a research-heavy school so there are undergrad opportunities to do research at the school of optometry - hope this helps!

[@everyonesaidmynamewasstupi3713]

@@anniexpan yes, thank you so much! i appreciate it

[@paulrivera5231]

Why Berkeley? Because I got rejected by Stanford. JKNR

[@kavishtrivedi7868]

hey annie!

[@anniexpan]

hi kavish!!!

[@TechVHD]

Omg UC Berkeley really is cut throat? Omg