Colleges University of California—Berkeley

UC Berkeley www.berkeley.edu

University of California, Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. UC Berkeley, often referred to as Cal, is situated on a 1,232-acre campus overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Typically, 95% or more of incoming freshmen at Berkeley choose to live on campus. There are more than 1,200 student organizations, ranging from political groups to a hang gliding club and everything in between. Berkeley also has a thriving Greek life with dozens of fraternity and sorority chapters. Berkeley is well known as a hub of liberal student activism: The Free Speech Movement – a 1964 student protest at Berkeley in response to the administration’s ban on political activity – gained widespread attention.

Academics

Berkeley is home to some of the world’s greatest minds leading more than 130 academic departments and 80 interdisciplinary research units. Berkeley has 14 schools and colleges, including a number of graduate and professional schools, such as the School of Optometry and the Graduate School of Journalism. Other graduate programs offered include those in the highly ranked Haas School of Business, Graduate School of Education, College of Engineering and School of Law. The student-faculty ratio at UC Berkeley is 19:1, and the school has 50% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Computer Science, Economics, and Cellular Biology.

Special Highlights

Berkeley Institute for Data Sciences. BIDS is a central hub of data-intensive research, open source software, and data science training programs at UC Berkeley. BIDS programs and initiatives are designed to facilitate collaboration across an increasingly diverse and active data science community of domain experts from the life, social, and physical sciences, as well as methodological experts from computer science, statistics, and applied mathematics. It continues to seek new and creative ways to cross traditional academic boundaries and engage a diverse community of researchers in a variety of disciplines.

Traditions of Berkeley. Berkeley’s long history has given rise to many traditions, rallies, and rituals. Blue and Gold: The campus colors were chosen in 1873—blue for the California sky and ocean and for the Yale graduates who helped establish the university; gold for the “Golden State.” RRR Week: This refers to Reading, Review, and Recitation week. Quizzes, projects, and activities are not scheduled to allow time to study and prepare for exams. 4.0 Ball: The stone ball in front of the Campanile is more than a century old, but this tradition is much newer. Just a few years ago, students began referring to the sphere as the “4.0 ball”. Rubbing it before taking an exam is considered good luck.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

The University of California was founded in 1868, born out of a vision in the State Constitution of a university that would “contribute even more than California’s gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations.” UC Berkeley is the state’s first land-grant university and was the founding campus of the University of California system. Berkeley was also a founding member of the Association of American Universities and was one of the original eight “Public Ivy” schools with a quality of education comparable to the Ivy League. It is often regarded as one of the most prestigious and elite universities in the world. Berkeley is classified among R1 Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activities. Thirty-two libraries also compose the Berkeley library system, which is the sixth largest research library by number of volumes held in the United States.

Student Reviews…

“As a freshman at UC Berkeley, my experience has been incredibly enriching. The academic excellence here is unparalleled, with top-notch professors and a stimulating learning environment. The diverse and inclusive community has been a highlight, allowing me to connect with peers from all backgrounds.”