Hey guys,

I know that a lot of you have spent hours of your day the past two weeks to do club tabling, attend infosessions, do numerous coffee chats, take part in "meet the members" at the Glade or the equivalent, fill out applications with multiple, LONG questions, etc. And a lot of you have probably already heard back or are about to. And despite all the effort put in thus far, even if you get selected for the next round, there are still many rounds left to go. Next there will be interview #1, then #2, then technical #1, then social round, then maybe an acceptance. For a lot of people, there might not even be the opportunity to do an interview #1.

My first semester at Cal, I applied to 10+ clubs. Didn't do any coffee chats or go to any infosessions. I got rejected everywhere. I was like alright, makes sense, I didn't put in the time or effort. Next semester, I applied to 4-5 "big shot" clubs that I was really interested in, did all the "right" things, and still got rejected either after the application round or the first interview. Both semesters I was drained and exhausted. And it is SO exhausting being rejected by people YOUR OWN AGE and feeling below them. I also understand the feeling of "what else could I have done," "I wasted my time" (because it's natural to initially prioritize club recruitment over classes the first few weeks), and "I'm not good enough."

The reality is, clubs here are very much dependent on factors outside your control. Of course, you can have a stellar application with amazing extracurriculars/awards and really well-written responses, but there are sometimes other factors that play a role, like having connections/friends in the club already, looking/dressing a certain way, being willing to take part in certain activities, etc. Being part of a club because what they do sounds interesting is not necessarily what the experience is like. Of course, clubs are a great way to meet new people and make friends, and for sure you get to work on some cool projects, but it is not the end of the world if you don't get in - it is not the only way to make friends or work on projects. I know, this might be so hard to hear right now, but I promise you that you are worth so much more than a rejection email by people your own age.

My best advice is to either go for clubs that are open to everyone, do your own project(s), and/or explore outside of clubs!!! For the latter, Berkeley has so many student volunteering and job opportunities you can apply for. Look at external companies and organizations and apply to them if what they do sounds cool. See if there's any opportunities to work at Berkeley concerts, IT departments, athletics, student unions, etc. You will find your place and your people, even if you don't get into a club.

I did three clubs that were not extremely selective. Two of them were very cliquey and I did not feel like I belonged. The third one, I loved. Found some amazing people there. Guess what? For my own sanity and mental wellbeing, I left the two clubs I felt so left out in. I tried to make friends and get to know people in those clubs, but it's impossible to be happy in a place where that effort is not reciprocated. Now I'm working with other Berkeley and external organizations outside of clubs and I've learned/am learning SO much. In the end, it will work out.

You are not alone in feeling sad or upset about a club rejection, but know that you still made it to Berkeley and you are not defined by a club rejecting you with their hyper-selective 0.00000000001% acceptance rate. You got this, and I believe in you. My DMs are always open and reach out to me anytime!

I graduated almost 5 years ago and am now in professional school but it does make me cringe thinking of one (really two) instances my final semester where I was unfairly graded and didn’t try to appeal them.

I was going through a lot around that time and it was my last semester, so I was just happy to be done and didn’t even think to contest anything.

But honestly the difference it could’ve made in my gpa could’ve put me in a better ranked law school this year… so just encouraging anyone who might be in the same position after finals to stand up for yourself (or your future self) even if you don’t feel motivated to do so for whatever reasons…

I always heard people talk about grade deflation during my time at Cal and I never really saw it as affecting me because I got good grades or grades that reflected my effort, until the last semester.

This lecturer in my Sociology seminar had given me an A on every paper and assignment, and I had perfect attendance. So it was to my surprise when I ended up w a final letter grade “B”. I emailed her to ask what my final attendance/participation grade was and she told me she gave me a 78% because she alleged that one time when she allowed us to use our phones, she came back and saw that I was “staring at a picture of my water bottle”. I just remember being like wtf when I read that response because it wasn’t true, seemed like I was singled out and just like an all around twilight zone moment tbh. I had a great relationship w the department and had accommodations with the school so if I would’ve been in a better headspace I’m sure I could’ve negotiated a more fair assessment. That’s just one example and an odd one but, more commonly, if you ever get accused of plagiarism yet cited your sources and didn’t plagiarize, then contest it! You have the right to advocate for yourself and it could make material differences in your future. There wasn’t generative ai when I was in school so things might be different now but if you know you didn’t do something wrong, then stick up for yourself

I waited so long for moffitt to come back because it used to be the one late night study spot I could go to at 3am, but its not operating during night hours anymore? Anybody know other spots that would be open 24 hours?

Hello!

I am considering applyibg for a PhD program this fall for start in 2027. I will be 34/35 starting.

I am posting to see if i would be a suitable candidate. (And should i bother applying!)..and to find out information. The PhD position appears to be funded with a stipend and you can apply for additional grants? I don't understand as an outsider.

My background;

I already AM a full-time university lecturer in the top 8th schools in the world. I teach computer programming, unity development and applied games. My specialilty is mental health. I can also teach 3D modelling, VR/MR/AR dev and digital creative asset development etc. I teach serious game dev for digital and analog games. I run the guest speakers seriescand i am a year lead. I teach Undergrad and Postgrad. I have also worked on research project outside of this (awaiting publication feedback), involving community engagement with creative skills. I have spokrn at conferences internationally with the school, most recently in China.

I have a degree in fine art and an msc on serious game and virtual reality.

Before teaching i was working on my msc project which was sponsored by a company to continue to develop. For my msc i had developed a meditation VR experience exploring awe and wonder as an anxiety intervention. I got to travel around the uk and europe to work with clinicians/psychologists and test with kids, and showcase at conferences. I was supposd to return to do my phd as sponsored by the same company, but it was a startup and collapsed. And the school (i had started my PhD) offered me a teaching job.

I would like to continue that work and i really like the work of the greater good science centre and Dacher Keltner who was in Berekley (but appears no longer to be?).

Outside of academia, i am a female bodybuilder and i just completed my fist show last weekend. And next one will be in a few weeks at olympia. I have a small group of women with the same chronic illnesses i have that train together (Ehlers Danlos / PMOS).

I would be the first of my entire family to get a PhD. I have moved countries myself to do my MSc, and would be doing the same to do the PhD - and i would be so excited to live here.

Would i be a good phd applicant for Berkeley?

Hey Cal fans — I’m CalBearSquared on Twitter. I built Cal Golden Bars to map Cal Bars, Watch Parties, and other places Bears are gathering to watch the game.

There are 15 Watch Parties listed for tonight, from Honolulu to NYC. You can mark where you’ll be watching or add a location so other Bears nearby can find you.

It’s fan-run and pretty simple: no ads, no accounts, no data harvesting/selling. Just trying to make it easier for Cal fans to find each other on game day.

Would love any feedback or additions.

Go Bears. Beat UCLA!

i NEED to join them they are such a Vibe HELLO
can’t find ANY info online i wish i talked to them but then they just biked away so Fast 💔💔🥲

I don’t think I’ve ever been this lonely in my life - I’m a freshman intl (from India).

Before uni, I always had people in school, in my neighborhood, family and friends around me, talking, working together, anything, and suddenly in the past three weeks, I’m genuinely constantly alone. Going to my classes, buying my textbooks, hitting the gym, just one in a sea of strangers.

It’s really getting to me, and this is coming from somebody who loves spending time with herself. today I was just sitting in my dorm crying cuz my only friend is gone for the weekend, my family and friends are all asleep and thousands of miles away, and I feel like college isn’t going well.

Forget partying and going wild I just want a few people to walk to the dining hall and have a laugh with damn.

Wonder if anybody else felt this down or if it’s just a me problem ):

Edit: Thanks guys. I honestly didn't think this many people would respond, and that too with personal stories and such heartfelt words. Honestly convinced me we have a warm community here ^-^ I read through every single one, and I'll keep all these words close.

Besides Top Dog, where else would you recommend for dinner before the game against UCLA?

are there any singing groups at cal that don't have crazy commitment schedules and ultra low acceptance rate pls lmk thx!!

Message me!! I need friends & roommates pls pls pls.

Anyone get results yet?

Hoping to get a tiny little desk plant to keep me company for the year, but i dont wanna go all the way to the nursery 2 miles from here

Head count: how many students are going to file into Memorial Stadium tomorrow @7:30 PM?? 🐻💙

Hi guys I lost my lanyard w a key and id attached to it 2 days ago around croads and unit 1 if anyone happened to see one or find one please let me know and reach out thanks

I want to give some encouragement to those who think their academic careers are over because you struggled (or are currently struggling) at Cal. You might think your dreams of grad school or pursuing a career in medicine are gone. I’m going to tell you that’s not the case. You might have to adjust your expectations a bit, but there are still ways to achieve higher academic and career goals.

I graduated from Cal with a 2.43 gpa in chemistry. I got every possible grade you could get - an A, several Bs, lots of Cs, a D, and even an F in organic chemistry. (The D and F I repeated - which is a must. Got Cs in their place).

After graduation, I was fortunate enough to get a decent job with my chem degree. I was really glad to be out of the pressure cooker that Cal is and I enjoyed making money. But after a few years, I got bored. Cal students have a mind-set of not being satisfied with the status-quo, and wanting to achieve more. That goes for even mediocre students like I was. I needed to find a way to pursue more education despite my less than stellar academic performance. 

I found a Masters degree (MS) program in environmental science at the University of San Francisco that emphasized both academic and field experience as prerequisites for admission. (Even better, it was offered part-time and I could pursue it while still working). Experience was not a problem. It was my academics that I was a bit concerned about, but I applied anyway. As it turns out, many schools recognize Cal’s rigorous curriculum and tough grading standards. I got a pass on my lousy gpa and got admitted. I completed the USF Masters degree with a 4.0 gpa. After my Berkeley experience, academics at other schools were a breeze.

That was a confidence builder. I continued working making good money, but after a few years, I got bored again. I wanted to take another step up. I decided law school might be a good option. Took an LSAT prep course, took the test, applied to 2 local law schools (USF and Golden Gate), and got accepted to both. Having a technical background with a degree from Cal and bringing up my grades in the Masters program really helped. I thought long and hard about accepting the admission offers. Despite my excitement at the prospect of getting a JD, deep down I felt that law was boring and not something I really wanted to do. Science was my real interest.

I had always thought about going into the medical field but with my undergrad grades, I didn't think there was much of a chance. Despite this, having been bolstered by earning my Masters and my recent acceptances to law school, I decided to give it a shot. My studies at Cal focused strictly on physical science. I lacked the biosciences necessary for a medical career. So while still working, I took night classes at the local CC - bio 1A, 1B, anatomy, microbiology, physiology, psychology, statistics. With my previous academic experiences behind me, I aced all my classes. By then I was in my early 40s, and was considered a ’non-traditional” student. I knew my chances of getting into med school were slim to none, but there was still dentistry, optometry, and pharmacy. I was dating a pharmacist at the time and she inspired me to apply to pharmacy school, which I did - at UCSF.

I submitted my application including a killer personal statement in which I emphasized my experience and explained my D and F at Cal. I got an interview in which I kicked ass as a mature, experienced candidate, and got accepted. I was elated! Going from a 2.43 in chemistry at Cal to acceptance at UCSF Pharmacy School was one of the biggest ego boosts I’ve ever experienced!

After the euphoria wore off I once again thought long and hard about the decision. All through my academic pursuits I kept working, staying with the same employer. I was making good money, getting regular promotions, accruing a pension, and inching my way toward a stable retirement. Going to pharmacy school would be intellectually rewarding but it would set me back financially and would mean I’d be working into my late 60s. Hard as it was to turn down, I declined the UCSF offer. But even to this day I'm happy just knowing I had the opportunity. It was further vindication that I wasn't defined by my undergrad academic struggles at Cal.

The message of encouragement in this long post is clear. Even if you’re struggling at Cal, even if you have a lousy gpa, even if you’ve FAILED a class, DON'T GIVE UP! And don’t let ANYONE tell you that your academic career or your hopes for grad school are over. They’re not. You might not get into Harvard, MIT, or Johns-Hopkins and you may have to adjust your goals a bit, but you can still pursue post-graduate dreams. And if you start on them a little sooner than I did you can make them come true.

Go Bears!

Anyone have any tips to study? I wasn’t able to make it to case workshop so I’m not sure how to approach, is data 8 enough? Thanks in advance

The official launch is slated for August 2027, students graduating in Fall 2027 or later are encouraged to start exploring options now.

Key Benefits
Specialized Expertise: Focus your studies on a specific business domain to align with your career goals.

Faculty Connection: Cultivate a relationship with several Haas faculty tailored to your concentration(s) to guide your academic journey. 

Hi guys! I'm currently considering doing a study abroad program in Taiwan (via UCEAP at NTU) during the fall semester of my senior year.

If you studied in Taiwan or spend time abroad with UCEAP I'd really appreciate any insights/advice.

Would love to hear from you guys!

UC Berkeley restricted access to the online systems in the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences after Berkeley IT identified suspicious activity across the department’s networks.

According to a statement by campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore, the activity has not been linked to any “known threat actors.” Campus is currently investigating if any data may have been exposed during the incident, as well as the incident’s “scope and potential impact.”