University of California--Berkeley

Summary

University of California--Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,530 and its setting is urban. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of California--Berkeley's ranking in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 22. Its in-state tuition and fees are $10,868 (2010-11); out-of-state tuition and fees are $33,747 (2010-11).

The University of California—Berkeley, often referred to as Cal, is situated overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Berkeley guarantees two years of housing for incoming freshmen in a number of residence halls throughout campus. There are more than 700 student organizations on campus, ranging from political groups to a hang gliding club and everything in between. Berkeley also has a thriving Greek life with more than 55 fraternity and sorority chapters. The California Golden Bears, Berkeley’s athletic teams, compete in the Pacific-10 Conference and are known for their traditional arch rivalry with Stanford.

Berkeley is comprised of 14 schools and colleges, including a number of graduate and professional schools such as the School of Optometry, Graduate School of Journalism, and College of Environmental Design. Other graduate programs are the highly ranked Haas School of Business, Graduate School of Education, College of Engineering, School of Law, School of Social Welfare, School of Public Health, and Goldman School of Public Policy. Berkeley is well known as a hub of liberal student activity: the Free Speech Movement—a 1964 student protest at Berkeley in response to the administration’s attempt to remove student political groups from campus—gained widespread national attention. Distinguished alumni include former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley, and actor John Cho of the Harold and Kumar films. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project during WWII to develop the atomic bomb, was a physicist and professor at Berkeley.

School mission (as provided by the school):

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Applying

When applying to University of California--Berkeley, it's important to note the application deadline is November 30. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 31. The application fee at University of California--Berkeley is $60. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 21.6 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2009 acceptance rate	22%
Application deadline	November 30
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	December 31

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Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at University of California--Berkeley is 16:1, and the school has 60.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 96.5 percent.

Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio	16:1
4-year graduation rate	66% - High
Five most popular majors for 2009 graduates
Information not available

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Student Life

University of California--Berkeley has a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,530, with a gender distribution of 47.1 percent male students and 52.9 percent female students. 35.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 65.0 percent of students live off campus. University of California--Berkeley is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

See what students are saying about life at University of California--Berkeley.

Total enrollment	35,843
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

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Campus Info & Services

University of California--Berkeley offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of California--Berkeley.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	No
Students required to own/lease a computer	N/A

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Paying for School

At University of California--Berkeley, 50.7 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $13,976.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.

In-state tuition and fees	$10,868 (2010-11)
Out-of-state tuition and fees	$33,747 (2010-11)
Room and board	$15,308 (2010-11) - High
Financial aid statistics

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Student Reviews Ratings data provided by Unigo

ASF Junior

Located at a distance which allows for frequent trips to the cities of Oakland and San Francisco but at the same time allows for quiet nights dozing on the couch, UC Berkeley is a college perfectly situated in the suburbs of two major cities. While the adventurous can explore the bustling cityscape of San Francisco, the studious can spend weekends studying at the library without the noise of city life. For local attractions, Telegraph and Shattuck, the two streets running perpendicular to the Berkeley campus, offer various small boutiques and specialty restaurants, as well as street vendors... Read More

Sherry Freshman

Before I came to Berkeley, I didn't know who I was. I didn't even want to come to Cal. Four years later, I have been shaped by this place like no other experience in my life. I don't know now if I am Berkeley, or Berkeley is me. Sounds cheesy, but as I am about to graduate I very much like I owe Cal for what it has made me. Berkeley, on a sunny day (which is usually all of spring semester), is the most glorious sight. Students are littered across the various grassy areas of campus, sitting in groups, as the bustle of classes beginning or ending flows around them. Sitting on campus gives this feeling of happiness and belonging I cannot describe. I have school pride because my experience here has been wonderful and exactly what I would want out of college. Yet, I have only been to one sporting event in four years. That part of campus life, which is very popular, doesn't really appeal to me. I love Berkeley because of the people I met here. This place attracted people who are smart, interesting, and unique.

Allison Senior