Disclaimer: The information mentioned in the article is based on my own personal experiences.
Economics revolves around decision-making and studying the rationale behind those choices.What is interesting about economics is that does not always have to involve money, many of our everyday decisions are non-money related. UC Berkeley is ranked one of the top institutions in economics. Although the academic environment feels competitive at times, students must put in the work to succeed. I recently finished my first semester at UC Berkeley last fall. In this article, I will be sharing the things that I have learned and observed majoring in economics, especially as a transfer student from a community college.
Declaring the Major
All College of Letters and Science admits are considered "undeclared". If you selected "Economics" as your intended major on the UC application, then you do not need to submit a separate application for the major. The Economics Department has a list of students intended for economics and will notify you if you are on their "list". As a transfer, you need to have a 2.7 GPA or higher in yourpre-requisites as an economics major. This is because the economics major is capped which means that you need to meet the GPA requirements since space islimited. To calculate your GPA, check out the grading scale at UC Berkeley. If you do not meet the GPA requirement, do not fret. You would be allowed to provide additional information explaining your circ*mstances and plan on succeeding in the major. But you need to have a plan for an alternate major if your appeal does not go through.
Minors
It is possible to pursue aminoras a transfer student. Data science is a common minor that I have noticed among economic majors. However, this means that youhave to take on more units and take the pre-requisites for that minor. It is not recommended if you are not passionate about your minor because you also need time to complete your major requisites to graduate. Transfers are granted up to five semesters staying at Berkeley (summer semesters do not count). If you are considering pursuing a minor, be prepared to take on more units or classes over the summer. Only the major shows on your college diploma, the minor does not. Also, you could spend your time doing something else suchas participating in clubs or pursuing internships.
Selecting Classes
Registeringfor classes at Berkeley is more complex than community college soit is crucial to meet with a counselor before you register for classes. Make sure to check Cal Central (UC Berkeley Student Portal) for your registration date and register on time because classes fill up fast. Some helpful websites that help you with selecting your courses are Rate My Professor and Berkeley Time. If cannot find the information on the course website, just send an email to the professor and ask. Students who take 13 units or more are considered full-time.The College of Letters and Science class registration is split into different phases. For Phase I, you can enroll in 13.5 units max. And phase II is 17.5 units max. You would need to be approved if you would like to go over the unit limit.
A Typical Courseload for First Semester for Transfers
A typical course load for a first-semester student intended to major in economics consists of Microeconomics Analysis (Econ100A) or Macroeconomic Analysis (Econ 100B), Introduction to Probability and Statistics (Stat 20), and an American Cultures class. There is also an option for students to take Econ 101A/101B series but these classes involve calculus, and you are not required to take it. Usually, people take a 1 unit course to meet the 13 unit requirement. A 1 unit class that I recommend is LS 198 which is an introductory course for transfers because you get to learn about opportunities offered on campus and the work is minimal.
Major Electives
Along with the core economics courses, you are required to take five electives. It is totally up to you to decide which courses to take. Professors can either assign a lot of readings or homework that requires more technical skills. Ask your friends and upperclassmen who took those courses and ask what their experiences. It is totally up to you on which courses to take and what economic topics you want to focus on. You are allowed to take classes outside of the department to fulfill economics electives but there is a limit. UC Berkeley does not offer concentrations. However, you should consider pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies major, where you are required to write a senior thesis on a specific topic.
Problem Sets
You are assigneda Problem Set every week and it is usually due on Friday night. Problem Sets are very similar to theFRQ (Free Response Questions) format used for AP testing in high school. You are given a set of questions to answer and someof them involve using Excel. Be prepared to know thebasics of Excel because you will be using it a lot as an economics major. Another major core course requirement is Econometrics (Econ 140), which will use an econometric software called Stata. Collaborate with your classmates but submit your own work. Also, look onPiazza(a platform that is for Q&A) for hints. You will be using a website calledGradescopeto turn in your assignments.Besides, pay attention to the deadlines. Do not assume that all assignments are due at 11:59 pm.
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Student Learning Center
TheStudent Learning Center(SLC) offersassistance with various subjects. You will use this service a lot. Many of the concepts listed on the problem sets are difficult to understand so you will need a tutor to solidify the information. Come in ready with questions because it will help you to grasp the main ideas.A perk of the SLC is that a review session hosted when there is an upcoming exam. The tutors go over key concepts and practice questions to supplement your studies. SLC tutors work closely with the professor teaching the course to help you prepare better for the exam.
Academic Rigor
The academic expectations at Berkeley are very high. Since the academic workload is rigorous, expect to do homework and study on weekends. For example, in my Stats 20 class, I had two mini quizzes (4 conceptual questions) and one main quiz per week. The class used R language coding. The quizzes and exams are timed. Sometimes the graders are nit-picky so you have to ensure that you are turning in your best work and the answers are correct. Sometimes of the questions are very conceptual. Therefore, it is important to collaborate with your professors, GSI (Graduate Student Instructor), and classmates to make sure you understand the concept. One more thing to note, some classes are curved based on the overall performance of your peers so do not rely on the grade that you see on bCourses.Besides, if you have other obligations such as a job, there is an option to request a reduced course load. The unit threshold is based on how many hours you work per week.
Time Management
What takes up most of my time is studying rather than completing my homework. Some homework assignments may take some time to understand, but once you get them, it should be faster for you to get them done. You have to prioritize assignments and choose which ones to concentrate on from the most to the least. Some classes may not assign homework at all but the midterm and final is a significant portion of the grade so it is crucial to be self-disciplined. Many students useGoogle Calendarto help themselves keep organized. Of course, do not forget to set up a time for yourself to take care of your physical and mental health.
Lectures vs Sections
It is important to distinguish the difference between lectures and sections. A lecture is when the professor is teaching in class. On the other hand, the discussion section is a time where a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) / Undergraduate Student Instructor (UGSI) teaches you about the concepts taught in class in detail. Sections consist of a smaller group and are designed to be more close-knit and engaging. There are usually worksheets provided ahead of time so take a look at them to get a glimpse of what will be discussed. Lectures usually last about 1-1.5 hours and sections 1 hour depending on the class.
Office Hours
There are 40,000+ students at Berkeley so you do not only want to be a name/number on the roster. Take advantage of this opportunity to get to know your professors. When you go to office hours, your questions donot always have to be related to the content you're learning in class, it can be about anything like what research opportunities are available or what is his/her thoughts on current economic events. Be sure to go consistently so the professor knows you. Ask your professor about ways you can improve your study habits and what you need to know for upcoming exams.
Extracurriculars
There are plenty of programs on campus that you can participate in such as EOPS STEM, Transfer Center, Starting Point Mentorship Program (SPMP), research, etc. There are also economics student organizations that you can check out here. Berkeley is what you make out of it so you have to pick and choose which organizations that you would like to dedicate your time and effort to. It is better to be actively involved in one or a few clubs rather than multiple clubs that you are registered as a "member". Although I am not currently involved in economics/business-related clubs, I think that being a mentor in SPMP is a great way to gain leadership experience and give back to the community. In regards to research, Berkeley does offer undergraduate research opportunities. The Fung Fellowship is another great program to look into because it offers students the opportunity to make a positive impact in the community by solving real-world issues.
Career Opportunities
Opportunitiesare available at UC Berkeley. But it is up to you to do the work. No one will just come up to you and present amazing opportunities if you do not go out and look for them. Do not be hesitant about applying to internships because you are a transfer student although it is common to not hear back from companies after you applied. Therefore, you should take advantage of the resources that are available such as theTransfer Center,Career Center, andHandshake. I prefer applying through Handshake because these companies target students at certain schools and it is more convenient. Just be aware that some companies require you to submit an external application in addition to your resume on Handshake. The Career Center is like counseling, but geared towards what you want to do in the future. I usually register for events posted on the Career Center and find them very helpful because participants are UC Berkeley Students. Also, I highly recommend you connect with your classmates on LinkedIn and forming relationships with people. Whether you met a person at an event or worked on a group project together, add them on LinkedIn and send a personalized message. Also, reach out to Berkeley alumni on LinkedIn or Berkeley Career Network. These connections will help you to be open to opportunities.Majoring in economics allows people to work in a variety of industries including but are not limited to banking, finance, consulting, public policy, etc. I recommend checking out the UC Berkley Career Destination Survey for a better insight into what alumni do after graduation.
Final Thoughts
Overall, being an economics major at UC Berkeley requires a lot of work but the topics that you learn are interesting and applicable to the real-world. Many charts and graphs that are taught in class require analytical thinking and you have to be able to explain the concepts behind them. To succeed in this major, seek help when you need it, such as attending office hours and tutoring sessions. Form relationships with the people that you meet and check in with them consistently. You have to go the extra mile to do well in your studies. UC Berkeley students are challenged in many different ways and at the end of the day, their grit and perseverance drive them to become leaders of the future. Fiat Lux!
