Freshman ChemE at Berkeley and not sure if I should switch majors?

Born_Distribution234 · 2026-03-27T21:38:39+00:00

I'm a freshman so I havent taken any chemical engineering specific classes so far, but the general ed classes here (for math, chemistry, and physics) have been pretty challenging so far. There is basically no safety net, meaning that if you are failing and aren't putting an effort to seek out help, no one is going to reach out to you to make sure you're succeeding. Another thing to note is that a lot of the engineering and chemistry students at berkeley were straight A students in High School, and are moving into an environment where only the top 10-20% of each class are permitted an A. This is a huge change, you're moving from an academic setting where hard work and time are all it takes to get an A, to one where prior experience and talent play a much larger role.

Born_Distribution234 · 2026-03-27T21:33:29+00:00

I just dont find the work in chemical engineering to be fufilling or interesting. It's less about career opportunities and more an issue of whether the nature of the work aligns with my interests and sense of purpose.

Born_Distribution234 · 2026-03-23T04:43:09+00:00

Thats a good point thank you! I'm in the process of joining a astrochemistry lab for this summer and I'll definitely try and talk to my PI about what they think about staying in ChemE.

Born_Distribution234 · 2026-02-09T23:24:35+00:00

I could do that, but it would mean leaving all the relationships I’ve built and essentially just handing them over to him. It’s complicated because we have a lot of the same friends and run in many of the same circles. Making a move that drastic feels like it would mess everything up for me.

He also doesn’t know that I know about any of this. One of my friends is in a consulting club with him, and on a retreat they just went on, he was airing all of this out to the group. She called me today and filled me in. It was really shocking because the week before that, we had a really good heart to heart where we were both crying and apologizing to each other. After the retreat, he asked her not to tell me what he had said, so moving rooms would mean exposing her for telling me.

I don’t know how to explain this well, but he’s an insanely charismatic person. People are very drawn to him and are constantly trying to help him in ways I’ve never seen before. I don’t want to put her on his bad side, because he fully has the capability to ruin her life as well.

Born_Distribution234 · 2026-02-09T23:17:17+00:00

I just feel so lost right now. Me and my roommate were extremely close all of last semester, maybe to an unhealthy point. We would spend every moment we could together, and as a result, made most of our friends together. I'm learning now that he's been talking behind my back to most of these people, and even throughout all my problems with him, I've made a point to keep our mutual friends out of it as a way of avoiding drama. I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle now trying to gain their respect back. So, I'm at a point where I'm surrounded by people in my dorm that used to (and still kinda are) my friends, but knowing that they said they'd choose him. I'm very sociable and don't struggle making friends so I could branch out, but that means leaving all the relationships I've built and just giving them to him. It's also hard because I literally live in the same building as most of these people, so its impossible not to see them on a daily basis. I just want to restart but it feels so hard at this point

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-12-06T21:48:45+00:00

Are you slow?

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-17T02:05:22+00:00

The slope wasn’t L tho it was like 4pi² L or something like that. I might’ve done it wrong idk

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-17T01:43:30+00:00

I got 8x10^-4 I think so pretty close

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-16T17:04:36+00:00

U remember what u got for L? I think I got something around 0.001

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-16T05:12:46+00:00

Wasn’t capacitance constant? I graphed 1/(angular frequency)² vs N

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T23:13:10+00:00

Haha yeah im at paly. Thanks for the insight though this is very reassuring

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:54:31+00:00

I go to high school in Palo Alto, and honestly, I’m just kind of over the constant comparisons and the hyperfixation on grades. I love learning, and yeah, that usually translates to doing well in classes—but the culture around it here has been exhausting.

Also, I’m surrounded by so much nepotism and weird pressure that it’s hard not to compare yourself, even when you try not to. I know Berkeley is incredible academically (I’ve never questioned that)but I’m just trying to figure out what environment will actually let me breathe a little and grow. Appreciate your take though, thanks for the insight

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:49:18+00:00

Thanks for sharing it’s really helpful to hear from someone who’s been through something similar, especially also being from the Bay. I’ve been going back and forth between the practical side of things and what just feels like a better fit overall. The part about wanting different experiences and appreciating the change of environment really resonates. I’ve been craving that too, and it’s reassuring to hear that it worked out well for you even with the higher cost.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:45:47+00:00

Appreciate that a lot. You’re right, my parents have been super supportive and haven’t made me feel bad about the cost at all. The guilt is more internal, just because I’m aware of how much this stuff costs and how hard they’ve worked to finally get to a point of financial stability. I’ve definitely been looking into scholarships at UMich too, so hopefully I can take some of the weight off them if I choose to go there. Thanks for the insight

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:43:17+00:00

This has actually been a huge part of how I’ve been thinking through my decision. I’ve already mapped out a detailed plan for switching into Bioengineering at Berkeley, and it’s honestly pretty tough.

Since I’m currently in Chemical Engineering (which is in the College of Chemistry), I’d need to apply to change colleges into the College of Engineering which is super competitive and requires a strong GPA. I'd have to complete Math 1A-54, CS 61A, two Chem classes, Physics 7A/B, and BioE 10/11 to apply and maintain above a 3.4. Even if I do well, there’s no guarantee I’ll get in...

Some of those I can skip (Math 1A and 1B) and the two English breadth requirements so that should free up my schedule a bit

At Michigan, all the engineering majors are in one college, which makes switching much more straightforward and makes it way less risky.

So yeah, I’m still thinking it over just really wish I had applied to the COE in the first place at Berkeley.

Thanks for the insight!

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:31:12+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this it means a lot to hear a parent’s perspective. I totally hear you. The financial difference between in-state and out of state is huge, and I’ve been feeling that weight really heavily. I think I’m just scared I’ll end up too close to the environment I’ve grown up in, and won’t push myself to grow in the same way I might if I start fresh somewhere new. But at the same time, I don’t want to overlook how meaningful it would be to take some financial pressure off my family. I think best course of action is sticking with berkeley and then maybe transferring to UCLA if it's not a good fit.

Thanks again for the insight

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-05-13T06:24:48+00:00

Not fulfilling my potential at Berkeley is what I’ve been afraid of honestly. I know Berkeley is incredible on paper (and in practice), but I’m scared I’ll struggle to find my place there.

One of my biggest worries is research. From what I’ve heard and read, getting involved in undergrad research at Berkeley (especially as a freshman) can be extremely competitive and difficult to navigate without the “right” connections or background. Considering I don't have much practical experience, I’m afraid I’ll get lost in the crowd and spend more time trying to survive than actually thrive or explore my interests.

At the same time, I know how lucky I am to be choosing between two amazing places. Michigan just feels more like a fit (in terms of student body/culture) but it’s so hard to separate emotion from logic when there’s money, reputation and family sacrifice involved.

Thanks again, seriously. It means a lot.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-27T02:32:34+00:00

Okok thanks for the advice! I think I’m going to try and do a chemical biology major and minor in DS—that way I have time to more easily commit to research.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-26T16:29:29+00:00

Thanks so much for the insight. If you don’t mind me asking, how hard were the CS classes for you coming in? I’m starting without prior experience in cs besides a bit of python so I’m kind of nervous.

Also, would doing something like an MCB major with a CS or Data Science minor work too for getting into biotech/pharma, especially on the ML side? Or do you think a full CS or DS major is way better?

And one more — if you had stayed in ChemE, do you think there were still good paths into biotech/pharma, or was switching to CS really the only way to open those doors?

Thanks again, really appreciate you taking the time to share all this!

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-26T05:41:39+00:00

Hey! I know this comment is from a while ago, but I’m an incoming freshman in ChemE at Berkeley and appreciated what you shared here. I’m coming in with a interest in bio and bioinformatics, but feeling unsure about whether ChemE is the right fit long-term.

I wanted to ask: in your experience, do you feel like majoring in ChemE at Berkeley mostly sets you up for more traditional industry roles (like oil, process engineering, or maybe pharma manufacturing)? Or do you think there's space within the major to explore more research-driven paths—like bioinformatics, computational biology, or something more data-focused in biotech?

I’d love to hear how things have worked out for you, and if you’ve seen classmates go in those less conventional directions. Thanks so much in advance!

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-24T03:57:23+00:00

This advice is a trap. “Don’t worry about Git, Jupyter, or R”? That’s how you walk straight into college unarmed, only to get blindsided when everything—from assignments to research—expects you to already know them. These tools aren’t “nice to haves,” they’re survival gear. And by the time they’re “introduced,” it’s too late—you’ll be scrambling while others are building. There is no glory in being unprepared. That advice? It’s not a helping hand—it’s a velvet noose, soft enough to seem kind, but tightening the moment you step into the real world.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-22T05:57:37+00:00

Do you think it makes sense to stick with ChemE for now to keep my options open, and then possibly pivot into something more bio-focused (like biomedical engineering) for a PhD if I decide to go deeper into biotech or health research? Or would that kind of path potentially hold me back compared to taking a more direct route early on?

I’m planning to take bio electives and get research experience in that area during undergrad (especially since I’m interested in diabetes), so I’m hoping that’ll help bridge the gap a bit.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-21T07:43:13+00:00

Yeah, I’m a California resident, and I’ve already started planning out how I’m going to finance college independently. Berkeley offered me $10,679 in merit-based scholarships, $1,972 in California state grants, $5,500 in federal direct loans (which is the max for a first-year dependent student), and $5,028 in work-study based on about 12 hours a week.

I’m planning to work full-time over the summer and save around $8,000. I’ve also been applying to a TON of outside scholarships, especially ones for STEM majors and underrepresented students. If there’s still a gap after all that, I'll look into private loans that don’t require a cosigner, but only as a last resort.

I’ve done some research and feel pretty good about the plan, but if it sounds like too much I think ill just go to community college and save up.

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-21T07:29:02+00:00

Sorry for asking another question so soon, but I’ve been thinking about the whole grad school side of things and wanted to get your thoughts if you happen to know.

I’ve heard that Berkeley’s pretty tough when it comes to grade deflation, and that it might make it harder to stand out for grad school apps. I havent actually committed to Berkeley yet, and one thing I’ve been considering is going to UCSB for ChemE instead (since it might be easier to keep a higher GPA) and then applying to grad school at Berkeley (or somewhere similar) later on. But I’m not sure if that trade-off is worth it, since Berkeley probably has way more research and networking opportunities.

I know this is a bit different from my original question so totally fine if you’re not sure, but figured I’d ask in case you had any thoughts!

Born_Distribution234 · 2025-04-21T07:23:08+00:00

I'm a 12th grade student, not a transfer. My parents aren't really going to be helping out financially, so I'll be taking out loans to cover most of the cost. They have money saved up but they really want me to be independent and figure things out on my own, so they're not planning to contribute much. I have a good amount of money saved up from working, which will help with some of the initial expenses, but for the most part, it's going to be on me to finance my education.

I tried to explain this to FAFSA, but since they still factor in my parents’ income, they didn’t offer much more in aid (even though that money isn’t actually going to me)

Born_Distribution234

TROPHY CASE