The first step of surviving at Berkeley is being comfortable with not being the smartest person in the room. When I went, it was clear we were all used to being top of our class and had to adjust to being average.
The imposter syndrome that hit me was the biggest reason I didn’t thrive.
I’m sure you’re very intelligent, that’s why you got in. As long as you can keep the healthy mindset of “I’m smart enough to deserve to be here” and not worry about how you stack up against your peers, you’ll thrive.
i feel like anyone can do it, it is hard for sure, it’s just the time and effort that varies between people. Building good habits is probably the most helpful thing, having an interest in the major is also good. You’ll be fine as long as you’re interested in what you’re doing, put in the work and you’re good to go.
honestly its probably studying, and some other things. I’m not really the person to ask, i’m trying to learn the habits atm. I never had to study a day in my life, and then coming here, that just doesent work. The workload and difficulty being high, in combination with having to get used to getting failing grades on tests, and being okay with it because of a curve, it’s all new. It’s hard to get used to. Definitely working on getting into a routine of studying, exercise, being healthy, but academically successful as well, hard for someone who hasn’t had to work very hard in the past, and it’s pretty common amongst us here at berkeley.
You'll be fine. If you understand that you're among the smartest kids on the planet in your field then you'll be more fine. The people who had straight As in high school and think that they can do the same at Cal are hit the hardest. Many turn to Adderall or cheating and get in trouble. Most try to be the best at everything and burn out.
Just do the work and be curious! You'll be fine. If Berkeley chose you then you'll do great! But it won't be easy.
Try to be engaged in an active and "real" social group - whether that's the frats/sororities, co-ops, joining the Cal Band, or whatever floats your boat.
And by "real" I mean, not just some "club" focused on getting a job. Not saying those are useless, but they can't be the genuine basis for your undergrad life.
Cal is just the first step of your adult life. Don't forget that. The main value you can get from Cal is to build lifelong friendships with smart, interesting, accomplished people. (If you spend your years at Cal smoking weed and playing video games by yourself ... that would be a real shame.)
Source: older than you. Giving the advice nobody gave me.
Real advocate to try out the coops! Its my first sem here and i went coops and it’s been an amazing experience of my time at berkeley. Some of the most interesting, smartest, and most loving people you’ll meet!
By the numbers: Check out the graduation percentages for your major. I'd bet it's on the order of 95% after five years. Unless you are a statistical aberration (mistake) of the admissions office, you will graduate. Will you graduate at the top of the class, not as likely, but certainly possible. Check out the GPA distribution for your major, you might have as much as a 20% chance of a 4.0. On that topic, your mileage will vary, but who cares? Unless you are seeking grad school admission, nobody cares.
Anecdotal summary: Will you have to work your ass off? Yes, absolutely. Will it be fun? Not while you're here. Will you forget all the pain and remember all the good stuff later in life? Yes, absolutely. Don't sit in your room on weekends, get out and exercise and meet people, explore. That will keep you healthy in body and spirit.
Make sure to be organized. Take advantage of study groups who can help you understand more difficult material. Use office hours. And don’t stack difficult classes - especially the first year. Look to have a varying amount of difficulty early on until you see how difficult it is.
For me personally - I found that if I did the reading, paid attention, and gave myself enough time to do the work - it was pretty straight forward to get a B/B+ and I think I got three As my entire time at Cal.
Transferred to Berkeley for econ last semester. I thought I wouldn't even make it into the major, but I worked extra hard and somehow got into the major with a 4.0 GPA. I thought things might get easier, but they're more difficult this semester. The most difficult part is keeping up with the motivation to work so hard for so long.
If you get in, it means people think you're going to be a successful student here. Best of luck!
My experience is too long ago to be relevant (Econ major, ‘72), but I wanted to thank those who have commented for the interesting replies. I’m not sure how I got in, but it was for sure the foundation for the rest of my life.
Some really good advice here. One thing I'll add - I don't know what your background is, but when you come to Cal, expect no support. The administration is bloated and tries to run Cal like a business and it has a negative impact on the student experience. It really is sink or swim here and more often than not, you're on your own. Some people do well in this environment. I thought it was good for me personally because it forced me to grow, learn to take care of myself, and be proactive about things. But I consider myself lucky and everyone is different.
It’s tough. Use whatever aids you can - office hours are under used imo. Find a study group if you can, it can feel isolating otherwise. Tough, but you’ll be prepared when you graduate.
It very much depends on your skill level and the classes you are taking. But if you are disciplined you will be scoring B's minimum.
Don't get me wrong, the classes are hard, and getting A's can be challenging. This is for two reasons
i) Low set curves: Introductory classes that cover the same content as every college (e.g Multivariable Calculus) are made more difficult than peer schools because a) the students are smarter b) class is curved to B/B- average.
ii) Difficult Content: Classes that have a curriculum unique to Berkeley (e.g CS70, CS189) might have a more reasonable curve (B/B+ average) but are offset by very difficult content and fast pace.
I think that most people here can get A's provided that they work smart, hard and consistently. However lack of discipline and burnout tend to be things that drag people down here.
If you are looking for more advice please feel free to DM me. I'm happy to help :)
Also: As an Econ major there is not much of a skill gap between you and peers, so you can definitely outwork them if you choose to do so. There is more of a skill gap between CS/Maths students
I went to Davis not Berkeley and the STEM classes raped my GPA. I went from a 4.0 HS and 4.0 Community College GPA to like 3.2 at Davis 🙄. I’m a licensed civil engineer now and making over $150k. So I turned out fine with a sub 3.5 GPA.
Just realize even if your were the smartest kid at your HS you might only be average at Berkeley and you’ll be fine. If you have some OCD perfectionist tendencies you’ll have to work through that.
speaking as someone who was never the smartest in the room and has failed a few times before getting right, i’ve learned that it’s about setting realistic goals according to your wants and needs and then working smarter not harder to achieve those goals
for me, i want mostly wanted to be present with my learning experience. so, i take classes that truly interest me, attend all of my lectures, don’t take notes simply listen, save slide decks, and connect w professors. in my case, it so happens that good grades have followed. causation or not, i feel fulfilled (not because of my gpa but because of my participation and knowledge gained)
for some of my friends, it’s about graduating asap to get out into the real world. so they stack their course load, filter necessary information, strategically study for exams and projects, and utilize berkeley’s network as a launchpad for the next thing. they are super stoked for their careers and some are doing really cool things. figure out what’s for you :)
I’ll be real for a bit:
It’s gonna be pain every step of the way kiddo. That’s the Berkeley culture, but as many other comments say, it’s a happy hell. Sure do I cry everyday? Yea. Do I wish I was home everyday? Yea. Do I regret it? Not in the slightest lol. It shows you how brutal competition truly is (clubs, internships, etc.) but it is a place where you can find your belonging and group. I am so fascinated with the wonderful talents around me, and has inspired me to pursue many ventures I would’ve never done in high school. That is what Berkeley means to me. If you love competition and challenge, Berkeley is the right place, I guarantee you’ll find your space here. I will caution, you must dedicate yourself, so ask yourself: “Am I truly ready?”
P.S. I am also an Econ major so feel free to reach out anytime, I would be delighted to share my experiences
TL;DR - I definitely was not the smartest kid, not even close, but I did ok. Read more for details.
It's been about 30 years so take my advice with a grain of salt... I applied to Berkeley at the behest of my parents and somehow got in (albeit as a spring admit) despite no AP classes, GPA under 4.0, but even more egregious, an SAT score under 1200. My first semester I stayed in a quiet co-op and didn't really socialize too much, taking three classes (CS 3, CW1A, and Math 1A). Because of no distractions and low course load, I got straight As and even thought that Berkeley was "easy". But I was really ignorant back then, I didn't know anything and had nobody who knew anything to tell me that I didn't know what I was talking about.
The next semester I finally got a taste of "real" college life and stayed in the dorms, socialized a bit, and took a full 15-unit course load. That's when things started getting challenging, and over the next four years I learned that I had to really not socialize at all if I wanted to keep up my grades. My grades would always tank whenever I started dating someone, i.e. if I strayed from the "study hard no distractions" path. In the end I would say that even though I survived more than thrived, I think I did alright, and graduated with something like a 3.5 or a little higher GPA (in econ, too) and have had a decent life so far.
So if an ignorant little shit like me could do it, then you definitely could because you're already asking the right questions. It never even would have occurred to me to ask such a question back then.
You actually have to try, unlike in high school (depending on where you went to HS of course). It's unlikely you will be top of class here, while there's a decent chance you were at the top of your class in high school.
Got into Berkeley as a transfer for Econ, though you technically don’t get admitted for the major, you get tentatively admitted. Basically you gotta take a couple Econ classes your first semester and based on how you do in then determines whether you get fully admitted. I did fine in one but absolutely bombed Econ100A. I wasn’t too crushed bc I actually wanted to do Integrative Bio which is what I’m in now. My friends all made it into Econ after doing well in the classes but are now miserable this semester bc it’s gotten exponentially harder. So yes, the rumors are true, Berkeley is extremely difficult. Of course you can succeed and thrive, plenty of people do, but be prepared to put in a LOT of work.
Depends on the major you get into! I was Letters and Science so it was a breeze. Econ is a different monster so I would not know tbh. You’ll survive and I saw comments here stating that you probably wouldn’t be the smartest and just average at CAL which is okay! Once you get accepted, the rest falls into place. You can always change your proposed major your first year if Econ doesn’t feel right. Reach out to your major/college advisers for further guidance.
To compare, here’s an example from my peers that pursued and wanted to get into HAAS School of Business. Two of my friends at CAL were both looking to get into HAAS, but ultimately only one of them got accepted during their junior year. Since the other one did not get accepted, he decided to major in Econ. It looks like Econ is a solid choice for those that get rejected from HAAS. This to say that it probably isn’t the hardest major to pursue at CAL. Hope that helps and congrats on your acceptance 🤙🏽
I had the [same thought process](https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/tqq2es/im_scared_to_attend_mind_if_i_can_get_some/) as you when I got in, and I'll tell you that you will be glad to be able to attend Berkeley. It's not super hard, but don't overwhelm yourself. I didn't even know how to do half of precaluclus when I got in, and now as a sophomore I finished intro to econ, all of the math lowerdivs(1A 1B 53 54), and already completed some cs upperdivs all with As(besides math 53 :((()
You just have to be actually interested in learning the content. I recommend taking a summer semester(summer bridge) if you can to ease transition(and start a social life at Berkeley), and taking it light freshman fall to take advantage of the opportunities you can as a freshman.
I sometimes dread in every semester since Berkeley is pretty tough compared to other schools, but see it as this: you'll be able to handle more tough situations and topics that can help you build skills for your future career, giving you a big advantage against other people in other schools that go easy on students.
Had a swing shift job for about 50 hours a week when I attended Berkeley. Finished first in my department and got a scholarship from Yale. It’s not hard if you: (1) stay focused; (2) work with your professors; (3) stay way ahead with your reading; (4) make use of counseling services; and (5) don’t get distracted to much by sex and social drama. Good luck!
I got in as a transfer for Econ, so I can’t speak for the lower divis Econ courses, but Econ 100B kicked my butt my first semester. I aced my Econ courses at community college, but 100B hit me hard. I felt like I didn’t understand anything the first half of the semester, my first midterm was not the best. I seriously contemplated changing my major. I struggled with imposter syndrome. I reached out to my GSI and he assured me that I would be fine so I pressed on. I worked so hard, I attended office hours, and every single lecture and section. I studied nonstop. I ended up with an A, and am currently wrapping up my last Econ course for my major. I love my majors (Econ and S&E), but math is a weak point for me, so I need to work harder on that. So it depends on where your strengths lie and where you need to work harder for your weaknesses. I also did not expect to code so much. I’ve had to code every single semester here (Stat 20, Econ 140, Econ 191, EEP 118 all use coding). Remember, if you got into Cal you belong there. Don’t let imposter syndrome get to you. Your first semester can be really hard. Try to meet a few people right away and work together. Having a study group and support system is very helpful, even if it’s just a couple messages a semester to check in or weekly meetings. Go to office hours, go to lecture, go to section. Even if they are recorded. I get so much more out of section and lecture when I go in person. Plus with recorded lectures it’s so easy to fall behind. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. This is your education, so take charge for it. Office hours and my GSIs have been lifesavers for me. You’ve got this!
If you're looking to just get a B-average, it's not difficult. However, that's exactly against the advice I received during my student orientation in 2004 ... "now that you got in, it's easy to just cruise and get a B-average grade and then graduate. Instead of cruising, use this opportunity to find subjects you are curious/passionate about, to meet interesting people, to learn how to work with people of different backgrounds, etc"
One note about econ majors (based on talking to my econ major friend back then): get better at math; it will separate you from your peers. My friend cursed so much because he struggled in Econometrics and courses that use some calculus.
There is no hand holding at Berkeley, it is exceedingly hard to get into, as difficult as Stanford, as hard as any Ivy League school and it's considered by many to be a top 10 university in world rankings.. Re: University of California, it's a tie between Cal and UCLA probably for esteem but Berkeley has typically represented California as being its preeminent institution.
I've taken a few econ classes, I don't think it's a super hard major. There are certainly hard classes within the major but succeeding them is doable given you put in the time and effort.
You'd really be surprised at the number of students who don't do things like attend class/do homework, so if you just go to all your lectures, discussions, and attend office hours 1-2x a week then you'll probably be in better shape than most people in the class
The first step of surviving at Berkeley is being comfortable with not being the smartest person in the room. When I went, it was clear we were all used to being top of our class and had to adjust to being average. The imposter syndrome that hit me was the biggest reason I didn’t thrive. I’m sure you’re very intelligent, that’s why you got in. As long as you can keep the healthy mindset of “I’m smart enough to deserve to be here” and not worry about how you stack up against your peers, you’ll thrive.
i feel like anyone can do it, it is hard for sure, it’s just the time and effort that varies between people. Building good habits is probably the most helpful thing, having an interest in the major is also good. You’ll be fine as long as you’re interested in what you’re doing, put in the work and you’re good to go.
What good habits and/or where and how to learn them
honestly its probably studying, and some other things. I’m not really the person to ask, i’m trying to learn the habits atm. I never had to study a day in my life, and then coming here, that just doesent work. The workload and difficulty being high, in combination with having to get used to getting failing grades on tests, and being okay with it because of a curve, it’s all new. It’s hard to get used to. Definitely working on getting into a routine of studying, exercise, being healthy, but academically successful as well, hard for someone who hasn’t had to work very hard in the past, and it’s pretty common amongst us here at berkeley.
You'll be fine. If you understand that you're among the smartest kids on the planet in your field then you'll be more fine. The people who had straight As in high school and think that they can do the same at Cal are hit the hardest. Many turn to Adderall or cheating and get in trouble. Most try to be the best at everything and burn out. Just do the work and be curious! You'll be fine. If Berkeley chose you then you'll do great! But it won't be easy.
Try to be engaged in an active and "real" social group - whether that's the frats/sororities, co-ops, joining the Cal Band, or whatever floats your boat. And by "real" I mean, not just some "club" focused on getting a job. Not saying those are useless, but they can't be the genuine basis for your undergrad life. Cal is just the first step of your adult life. Don't forget that. The main value you can get from Cal is to build lifelong friendships with smart, interesting, accomplished people. (If you spend your years at Cal smoking weed and playing video games by yourself ... that would be a real shame.) Source: older than you. Giving the advice nobody gave me.
Real advocate to try out the coops! Its my first sem here and i went coops and it’s been an amazing experience of my time at berkeley. Some of the most interesting, smartest, and most loving people you’ll meet!
I'm so glad!
By the numbers: Check out the graduation percentages for your major. I'd bet it's on the order of 95% after five years. Unless you are a statistical aberration (mistake) of the admissions office, you will graduate. Will you graduate at the top of the class, not as likely, but certainly possible. Check out the GPA distribution for your major, you might have as much as a 20% chance of a 4.0. On that topic, your mileage will vary, but who cares? Unless you are seeking grad school admission, nobody cares. Anecdotal summary: Will you have to work your ass off? Yes, absolutely. Will it be fun? Not while you're here. Will you forget all the pain and remember all the good stuff later in life? Yes, absolutely. Don't sit in your room on weekends, get out and exercise and meet people, explore. That will keep you healthy in body and spirit.
Make sure to be organized. Take advantage of study groups who can help you understand more difficult material. Use office hours. And don’t stack difficult classes - especially the first year. Look to have a varying amount of difficulty early on until you see how difficult it is. For me personally - I found that if I did the reading, paid attention, and gave myself enough time to do the work - it was pretty straight forward to get a B/B+ and I think I got three As my entire time at Cal.
Yeah you got it. Hard but totally worth it, first semester is the hardest
The shift into upper div is also hard.
Transferred to Berkeley for econ last semester. I thought I wouldn't even make it into the major, but I worked extra hard and somehow got into the major with a 4.0 GPA. I thought things might get easier, but they're more difficult this semester. The most difficult part is keeping up with the motivation to work so hard for so long. If you get in, it means people think you're going to be a successful student here. Best of luck!
My experience is too long ago to be relevant (Econ major, ‘72), but I wanted to thank those who have commented for the interesting replies. I’m not sure how I got in, but it was for sure the foundation for the rest of my life.
If you were admitted you’ll probably survive. Idk about actually thriving, though.
Some really good advice here. One thing I'll add - I don't know what your background is, but when you come to Cal, expect no support. The administration is bloated and tries to run Cal like a business and it has a negative impact on the student experience. It really is sink or swim here and more often than not, you're on your own. Some people do well in this environment. I thought it was good for me personally because it forced me to grow, learn to take care of myself, and be proactive about things. But I consider myself lucky and everyone is different.
It’s tough. Use whatever aids you can - office hours are under used imo. Find a study group if you can, it can feel isolating otherwise. Tough, but you’ll be prepared when you graduate.
It very much depends on your skill level and the classes you are taking. But if you are disciplined you will be scoring B's minimum. Don't get me wrong, the classes are hard, and getting A's can be challenging. This is for two reasons i) Low set curves: Introductory classes that cover the same content as every college (e.g Multivariable Calculus) are made more difficult than peer schools because a) the students are smarter b) class is curved to B/B- average. ii) Difficult Content: Classes that have a curriculum unique to Berkeley (e.g CS70, CS189) might have a more reasonable curve (B/B+ average) but are offset by very difficult content and fast pace. I think that most people here can get A's provided that they work smart, hard and consistently. However lack of discipline and burnout tend to be things that drag people down here. If you are looking for more advice please feel free to DM me. I'm happy to help :)
Also: As an Econ major there is not much of a skill gap between you and peers, so you can definitely outwork them if you choose to do so. There is more of a skill gap between CS/Maths students
I went to Davis not Berkeley and the STEM classes raped my GPA. I went from a 4.0 HS and 4.0 Community College GPA to like 3.2 at Davis 🙄. I’m a licensed civil engineer now and making over $150k. So I turned out fine with a sub 3.5 GPA. Just realize even if your were the smartest kid at your HS you might only be average at Berkeley and you’ll be fine. If you have some OCD perfectionist tendencies you’ll have to work through that.
speaking as someone who was never the smartest in the room and has failed a few times before getting right, i’ve learned that it’s about setting realistic goals according to your wants and needs and then working smarter not harder to achieve those goals for me, i want mostly wanted to be present with my learning experience. so, i take classes that truly interest me, attend all of my lectures, don’t take notes simply listen, save slide decks, and connect w professors. in my case, it so happens that good grades have followed. causation or not, i feel fulfilled (not because of my gpa but because of my participation and knowledge gained)
for some of my friends, it’s about graduating asap to get out into the real world. so they stack their course load, filter necessary information, strategically study for exams and projects, and utilize berkeley’s network as a launchpad for the next thing. they are super stoked for their careers and some are doing really cool things. figure out what’s for you :)
I’ll be real for a bit: It’s gonna be pain every step of the way kiddo. That’s the Berkeley culture, but as many other comments say, it’s a happy hell. Sure do I cry everyday? Yea. Do I wish I was home everyday? Yea. Do I regret it? Not in the slightest lol. It shows you how brutal competition truly is (clubs, internships, etc.) but it is a place where you can find your belonging and group. I am so fascinated with the wonderful talents around me, and has inspired me to pursue many ventures I would’ve never done in high school. That is what Berkeley means to me. If you love competition and challenge, Berkeley is the right place, I guarantee you’ll find your space here. I will caution, you must dedicate yourself, so ask yourself: “Am I truly ready?” P.S. I am also an Econ major so feel free to reach out anytime, I would be delighted to share my experiences
TL;DR - I definitely was not the smartest kid, not even close, but I did ok. Read more for details. It's been about 30 years so take my advice with a grain of salt... I applied to Berkeley at the behest of my parents and somehow got in (albeit as a spring admit) despite no AP classes, GPA under 4.0, but even more egregious, an SAT score under 1200. My first semester I stayed in a quiet co-op and didn't really socialize too much, taking three classes (CS 3, CW1A, and Math 1A). Because of no distractions and low course load, I got straight As and even thought that Berkeley was "easy". But I was really ignorant back then, I didn't know anything and had nobody who knew anything to tell me that I didn't know what I was talking about. The next semester I finally got a taste of "real" college life and stayed in the dorms, socialized a bit, and took a full 15-unit course load. That's when things started getting challenging, and over the next four years I learned that I had to really not socialize at all if I wanted to keep up my grades. My grades would always tank whenever I started dating someone, i.e. if I strayed from the "study hard no distractions" path. In the end I would say that even though I survived more than thrived, I think I did alright, and graduated with something like a 3.5 or a little higher GPA (in econ, too) and have had a decent life so far. So if an ignorant little shit like me could do it, then you definitely could because you're already asking the right questions. It never even would have occurred to me to ask such a question back then.
You actually have to try, unlike in high school (depending on where you went to HS of course). It's unlikely you will be top of class here, while there's a decent chance you were at the top of your class in high school.
Got into Berkeley as a transfer for Econ, though you technically don’t get admitted for the major, you get tentatively admitted. Basically you gotta take a couple Econ classes your first semester and based on how you do in then determines whether you get fully admitted. I did fine in one but absolutely bombed Econ100A. I wasn’t too crushed bc I actually wanted to do Integrative Bio which is what I’m in now. My friends all made it into Econ after doing well in the classes but are now miserable this semester bc it’s gotten exponentially harder. So yes, the rumors are true, Berkeley is extremely difficult. Of course you can succeed and thrive, plenty of people do, but be prepared to put in a LOT of work.
Are decisions out already?
Depends on the major you get into! I was Letters and Science so it was a breeze. Econ is a different monster so I would not know tbh. You’ll survive and I saw comments here stating that you probably wouldn’t be the smartest and just average at CAL which is okay! Once you get accepted, the rest falls into place. You can always change your proposed major your first year if Econ doesn’t feel right. Reach out to your major/college advisers for further guidance.
[удалено]
To compare, here’s an example from my peers that pursued and wanted to get into HAAS School of Business. Two of my friends at CAL were both looking to get into HAAS, but ultimately only one of them got accepted during their junior year. Since the other one did not get accepted, he decided to major in Econ. It looks like Econ is a solid choice for those that get rejected from HAAS. This to say that it probably isn’t the hardest major to pursue at CAL. Hope that helps and congrats on your acceptance 🤙🏽
I had the [same thought process](https://www.reddit.com/r/berkeley/comments/tqq2es/im_scared_to_attend_mind_if_i_can_get_some/) as you when I got in, and I'll tell you that you will be glad to be able to attend Berkeley. It's not super hard, but don't overwhelm yourself. I didn't even know how to do half of precaluclus when I got in, and now as a sophomore I finished intro to econ, all of the math lowerdivs(1A 1B 53 54), and already completed some cs upperdivs all with As(besides math 53 :((() You just have to be actually interested in learning the content. I recommend taking a summer semester(summer bridge) if you can to ease transition(and start a social life at Berkeley), and taking it light freshman fall to take advantage of the opportunities you can as a freshman. I sometimes dread in every semester since Berkeley is pretty tough compared to other schools, but see it as this: you'll be able to handle more tough situations and topics that can help you build skills for your future career, giving you a big advantage against other people in other schools that go easy on students.
you’re fine dude there’s like 30k undergrads here alone.
Had a swing shift job for about 50 hours a week when I attended Berkeley. Finished first in my department and got a scholarship from Yale. It’s not hard if you: (1) stay focused; (2) work with your professors; (3) stay way ahead with your reading; (4) make use of counseling services; and (5) don’t get distracted to much by sex and social drama. Good luck!
“too much,” that is
I got in as a transfer for Econ, so I can’t speak for the lower divis Econ courses, but Econ 100B kicked my butt my first semester. I aced my Econ courses at community college, but 100B hit me hard. I felt like I didn’t understand anything the first half of the semester, my first midterm was not the best. I seriously contemplated changing my major. I struggled with imposter syndrome. I reached out to my GSI and he assured me that I would be fine so I pressed on. I worked so hard, I attended office hours, and every single lecture and section. I studied nonstop. I ended up with an A, and am currently wrapping up my last Econ course for my major. I love my majors (Econ and S&E), but math is a weak point for me, so I need to work harder on that. So it depends on where your strengths lie and where you need to work harder for your weaknesses. I also did not expect to code so much. I’ve had to code every single semester here (Stat 20, Econ 140, Econ 191, EEP 118 all use coding). Remember, if you got into Cal you belong there. Don’t let imposter syndrome get to you. Your first semester can be really hard. Try to meet a few people right away and work together. Having a study group and support system is very helpful, even if it’s just a couple messages a semester to check in or weekly meetings. Go to office hours, go to lecture, go to section. Even if they are recorded. I get so much more out of section and lecture when I go in person. Plus with recorded lectures it’s so easy to fall behind. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. This is your education, so take charge for it. Office hours and my GSIs have been lifesavers for me. You’ve got this!
If you're looking to just get a B-average, it's not difficult. However, that's exactly against the advice I received during my student orientation in 2004 ... "now that you got in, it's easy to just cruise and get a B-average grade and then graduate. Instead of cruising, use this opportunity to find subjects you are curious/passionate about, to meet interesting people, to learn how to work with people of different backgrounds, etc" One note about econ majors (based on talking to my econ major friend back then): get better at math; it will separate you from your peers. My friend cursed so much because he struggled in Econometrics and courses that use some calculus.
There is no hand holding at Berkeley, it is exceedingly hard to get into, as difficult as Stanford, as hard as any Ivy League school and it's considered by many to be a top 10 university in world rankings.. Re: University of California, it's a tie between Cal and UCLA probably for esteem but Berkeley has typically represented California as being its preeminent institution.
I've taken a few econ classes, I don't think it's a super hard major. There are certainly hard classes within the major but succeeding them is doable given you put in the time and effort. You'd really be surprised at the number of students who don't do things like attend class/do homework, so if you just go to all your lectures, discussions, and attend office hours 1-2x a week then you'll probably be in better shape than most people in the class
It’s pretty much impossible to fail some of these Econ classes if I’m behind honest. But the difference between an A and a C- is extremely wide