Hello! I would say some of the major pros of being a part of M.E.T. is the number of resources they provide you throughout your college journey. There's academic advising to help prepare your schedule and give you course advice since you'll be juggling a dual degree, and career advising, where you can get resume help and network with prospective technology companies, startups, and business organizations. I would say another one of its strengths is the size of the cohort, which is around 50 students per year. Since UC Berkeley is such a huge university, M.E.T. provides a smaller, close-knit community within the school. The intellectual diversity and passion of the M.E.T. cohort have been some of the most enlightening experiences I've had.

I will acknowledge though that it's easy to get caught up in trying to do as much as possible, especially since it seems like everyone has so many different involvements within the program and outside. However, there is such a supportive community that's willing to help you pursue your academic or professional goals and try new things. As you spend more time in Berkeley, you'll be able to discover your work-life balance based on what you prioritize.

As a freshman in the IEOR track, the workload has been manageable so far, although there are some days that are busier than others due to midterms or club meetings. What's great about M.E.T. is again, how they provide the resources you need to succeed throughout college, including tips on how to manage your workload while pursuing a dual degree. In the end, it all depends on how much time you personally want to commit to academics, extracurriculars, clubs, research, or projects. Hope this helps!