5 Tips for Declaring Computer Science at UC Berkeley | 2020
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’d like to win the pusheen sticker! Leave a question for our upcoming Q&A, drop a bear emoji, or just say hello!
My sample four-year plan:
tinyurl.com/CalCSSampleSchedule
Sign up for Bear Pair mentorship here!
tiny.cc/bearpair2021
Check out our website: a2fberkeley.org/bearpair
Timestamps ⏰
2:08 - #1: Start with a well-planned schedule
4:06 - #2: Use old exams as practice tests (SAT/AP style)
5:12 - #3: Join Berkeley Computer Science Mentors and use the resources available
6:20 - #4: Take summer classes during freshman/sophomore summer
6:52 - #5: Find good teammates! (Use 61A as a grace period of sorts)
Course Websites if you’re interested:
CS 61A: Structure and Interpretations of Computer Programs
cs61a.org/
CS61B: Data Structures
www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs...
CS 70: Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory
www.eecs70.org/
Stay safe! See you in the fall!
#UCBerkeley #CS #berkeleybound
Music Credits to:
- Beautiful Light by Uppermost
- Hummer by Reaktor Productions
- Harder Than You Think (Instrumental) by Public Enemy
Stay tuned for Part 2! I just started work so life is a little busy, but I'm aiming to release it by next next Wednesday.
I just got a few more stickers, so I'll randomly choose five comments at the beginning of the fall semester!
Stay safe! Thanks for watching! :)
Hi Emmett, great video! It's nice to get some advice from someone who has gone through L&S CS. Looking forward to the next video! Also, those stickers look awesome.
Thanks for the advice! That last bit really struck home.
Thanks Adam! Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the advice, and I highly recommend Bear Pair haha!
ayo Emmett could you make an internship guide video? Also another guide to NOT stressing out? Entering my last year but watching these calms me down lol
I think you said "alright" 16 times :))
Awesome video!
Great vid! Please also make a video on the new P/NP rule and what CS students should do about it. Thanks = )
solid advice, thanks emmett!
Thanks, man this really helped me out.
Hi ! Thank you so much for the advice. As an incoming CS FPF Freshman I was worried if I would be able to declare CS as my major! This video really helped. Hope to see more UC Berkeley CS videos and advice !!
thanks, uh... a!
Hey Armaan, I'm also an incoming freshman through FPF intending to declare CS. Nice to see someone in the same boat as me!
Nitin Nazeer Hey man ! We should definitely connect then!
Scared for 61A next fall but this advice should get me ready to crush it
Good luck! :D
Thx! This rly helps! ☺️
Are you pretty much in if you get the 3.3 in the 4 CS classes? Or is it more of a cutoff for consideration and fighting for limited spots each semester you apply? Thanks for the video....super helpful!
Super helpful, thank you!
:D
Hi!! I can't believe I just saw this video and that magestic Pusheen sticker ;-; this was so helpful!! I'm kind of in the same boat w/barely any coding experience, and I'm not sure if I should just take CS 61A to really focus on that or add another technical. I'm considering EE 16A, but I heard it's pretty difficult if you're not very good at physics and I took phys C with 0 physics knowledge in high school, and to this day, I only know f = ma...
Hello! Sorry for the late response!! If it's still in time, physics don't tie into EE16A much; it's mostly linear algebra and circuits. I think focusing on 61A is a good move, but either should be pretty doable.
ceo of good posture and hand gesture
i am curious why berkeley has two cs tracks which are L & S BA and EECS BS. i kind of understand why because L & $ doesnt havent any science involved compared to EECS but i wish CS can add some science courses like sjsu so that it could be called Bs because on ther eecs site both majoes take EECS courses so why have one say BS and BA
Nearly done with 61A this semester, had no coding experience but did pretty well on projects and midterms. Unfortunately am too introverted to have found a study buddy, and never really bothered to get help outside of labs and discussions. Got me kind of scared for 61b ngl, I guess I should use these help resources in place of a study group?
Hi! Sorry to hear that :( These resources will be here and hopefully we'll add more soon, but feel free to hit me up at npward@berkeley.edu with any questions as well!
solid tips!!
Thanks Marlon! Good luck on your soph year as well! :D
Im kind of confused. What can I do in my high school career to get into UC-Berkeley CS or what where your stats? I want to major in computer science but I feel like I’m not doing enough. So what did you do or what do I have to do to get there? Thank you! Great video
1. take AP/honors classes; 2. GET tutoring in & outside of school don't flounder alone on tough courses & to get ahead in math, science etc; 3. take summer classes to get ahead in math; 4. take leadership roles in clubs & invent something if you can or get published on something etc (haha, not easy for sure but get help and ask people for ideas/interviews, so many people want to help); 5. volunteer/raise funds for a good cause; 6. try to get at least a 4.3 GPA; 7. take classes in community college during summer/winter (credit can transfer to high school);
what would your advice be to a fpf admit :) on when to take cs61a,b and 70 ? (assuming that I would also prefer to complete cs170 and cs186 before junior summer as recommended)
Nice! You're in the same boat as I was. Check out the sample schedule in the description! Pretty similar, but I would stagger classes back by one semester, respectively. You can also audit 61A during your FPF fall.
I took CS61A my freshman spring, CS61B my freshman summer, and CS 70 my sophomore spring, although I would have done CS 70 in the fall were it not postponed for medical reasons. :D
tysm! and when did u take cs170 + 186?
@@jafaranba1833 I took CS 170 my Junior fall, and CS186 my Junior spring, so "just in time". For reference, I got my first internship (with an old connection) with just 61A, 61B, and 70. (and the knowledge from those three classes was enough for me to do well). I applied to my second internship (in SF) in my junior fall with CS 170 and CS 61C, and interviewed and got the offer in the Spring while entering CS 186 and CS 161 :D
Hey Emmett! Could you build a sample schedule for eecs students ;)
An EECS schedule would be similar, although it's hard for me to make a conclusive recommendation because I'm not EECS. :) I would put Physics 7A and 7B somewhere in the first four semesters and possible compact 61B with CS70, but other than that it would mostly be the same.
Okay that's a cool pusheen sticker
3:00 What's this "breath" class?
Big Brain
Hey, I had a question: I am an incoming freshman at UC Berkeley and I'm super excited! For engineering, I have to take either cs61a or data 8. Do you have any recs/info for either??
hello! i’m currently studying CS at berkeley and I’ve taken both of these classes so I wanted to share some insight!
cs61a is the intro computer science class that all computer science majors have to take. it gives you an introduction to fundamental cs concepts that you will need to continue taking cs classes in the future. you also learn how to put it all into practice with coding assignments projects.
data 8 is an intro data science class that all data science majors have to take. it teaches critical concepts and skills in computer programming (specifically working with data) and statistical inference.
cs61a is more coding heavy and data 8 is more math/stats heavy. i found data 8 to be “easier” because the material was more straight forward, but i personally enjoyed cs61a more. i would suggest picking a course based on what kind of courses you want to take in the future: cs courses or data science/stats courses!
hope this helps :)
@@amyduong1487 ok thank you so much!!
Hi there, I'm an incoming freshmen. What do you think is the best way to prepare for declaring CS before school starts? I am currently just trying to grind out the projects in 61A and 61B because I want to be "productive" while being stuck at home. I know this may not be the ideal way to prepare. What are your thoughts on the best way to prepare as a second term high school senior?
Hi Winston! That's actually a pretty good start! Doing the coding assignments is an excellent "SMART goal", especially if you're self-studying. If you're ambitious, you can actually shadow the summer session of CS61A, during Session C, which starts on June 22nd. (go to cs61a.org and the assignments and pacing will be released online as the course progresses)
Generally I would recommend watching lectures and do labs/homeworks with a friend, since that's a healthy and realistic balance of getting ahead and still being able to enjoy your summer, but enjoying the summer seems to be a little out of the question right now. :')
You can still do well in CS61A without a lot of prep during the summer, so don't stress yourself out if you're falling behind on goals.
*The most important piece of advice I would share,* as counterintuitive as it is, is to take at least 2 or 3 weeks off before right school starts to rest, to pack your stuff, and to reflect and think ahead.
Berkeley will be plenty stressful and busy on its own, so no need to stress yourself out. There'll be a time to grind 61A, but summer isn't quite it. Resting gives you time to mentally prepare and reduces the risk of burnout later.
Feel free to add me on Facebook if you have more questions or get stuck on a problem! :)
great!
Hi! I am a freshman at Berkeley as energy engineer. I decided to change my major to either CS or EECS. I am taking Physics7A , Math1B, and a breadth, Cs61a. I flopped at midterm1. Should i drop it and take it next semester with preperation. I feel worried taking 12 units would be too low as a lot of people on quora said this is very low, and 4 classes is the optimal choice. Thank you?
Hello! Ah, I'm sorry to hear that! :/
1. In general, I recommend against dropping and re-taking classes unless there was a clear external factor which hindered your academics (family trouble, mental health, sickness/injury). In terms of career prep and overall bang-for-your-buck of college, it's more beneficial in the long-run to take more classes over re-taking classes to get a higher grade.
2. 12 units is not too low; it's not uncommon for people to take two technical classes and one elective each semester. :D (That's what I did; check out the scheduling video) Four classes isn't necessarily optimal; I prefer taking fewer classes so that I can focus and go in-depth on both topics while still maintaining a work-life balance. :P
3. Midterm 1 is not too significant in the overall scheme of things; it's possible to come back and still do well after a disappointing mt 1 if you're able to adjust your study habits. This is a longer topic out of scope for CZcams comments, but your midterm 1 score is not the end-all. :)
I'm late in replying but just wanted to say something! I'm a 3rd year CS major and, after looking at my transcript with relation to course load, my grades definitely started dropping after I moved from taking 2techs+1breadth+2-unit-class to 3techs (with 61C counting as a breadth) to 3techs+1breadth. This is after I got A's in all the CS lowerdivs too. So in my opinion, 4 classes is definitely too much and should not be (and probably isn't) the norm. Strike a balance that works for you!
Hi Emmett! I am a transfer student, and I want to apply to Berkeley as a CS major. Can you please give me some information about the difference between being an Electrical Engineering&Computer Science major and Computer Science major in L&S? This question has confused me for so long. Again, thank you so much for the tips, really helpful!
Hello Haitong! It's a slightly complicated question so here's the summary:
1. L&S students need to get a 3.3 GPA to declare, whereas EECS engineering students do not need any particular GPA or declaration once they're admitted
2. L&S is slightly easier to get in to; EECS and engineering is a little more competitive.
3. In terms of required classes there is virtually no difference; if I recall, EECS just requires Physics 7A and 7B, EECS has a 12 unit minimum instead of L&S's 13 units, and has slightly differing technical requirements to graduate.
Is that helpful?
@@EmmettLing Thanks for your information, that's really helpful! I am getting a better picture of it now, appreciated!
Does all of this apply to transfer students as well? Or only freshmen?
Hmm, this mostly applies to freshmen, since it spans four years and spreads classes out accordingly. Feel free to add me on Facebook or something if you'd like help going over a transfer schedule!
Wish I knew this before taking 61a haha
Excellent work with the stickers! :D My section loved them!
If we already fulfill our calculus reqs, would you recommend taking Math 54 first sem?
Hello!
Sort of! :P Math 54 is significantly harder than Math 1A and Math 1B. (it's linear algebra, which is unlike anything you've ever seen before in high school). It's not uncommon for people to take CS61A and Math 54 together so it's doable although it might be difficult depending on your math and CS background. I personally wouldn't, but only because of my class track. (Math 54 isn't required for L&S CS, but it's useful if you're heading towards machine learning/Math double major/minor). Why are you interested in taking 54? :O
@@emmettling5066 Helloo! Well I've already taken the AP Calc BC test, so Math 54 is on route for me. I'm interested in taking Math 54 because I believe students coming in 2017 fall and later have some different reqs (with Math 54 being one of them).
@@TiffanyYeh Sort of. My understanding is that Fall 2020 freshmen (or freshwomen) must take EE16A or Math54 AND EE16B. So, 16B must be taken no matter what, but you can choose between either EE16A, or Math 54 and a circuits connector course.
Check out the second orange box: eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/cs/degree-reqs-lowerdiv
You can still take 54 if you think it'll be useful, but otherwise it's not necessary, to my best understanding :)
Emmett Ling ahhh yeah I’ll look into ee16a and maybe end up changing my schedule. Thank you!!!
Anyone else taking 61A 2021 Fall?
nope, just finished the cs10 final😣.. wby
OOOOOO Pusheen stickers
Occupation: hacker! :D
@@emmettling5066 Haha :) Great video, although I am not a CS major (I'm MSE), but just watched to get a general vibe as I do plan on taking 61a, and also I saw Pusheen stickers hehe.
Oh nice! That sounds like fun! MSE is a rare breed but all of my MSE friends love it
I’m so lost where are the stickers 😭
@@TechVHD 10:50 :D
Wow Emmett you're so cool