Excerpts from a Student Survey (PDP Manual)

Comments

The selections below are from a recent student survey. Looking over them, you will see the range of problems and adjustments facing a typical PDP student.

Question: Were there any unexpected surprises that affected your academic work at Berkeley this year?

• Yes, I never had been so independent, being independent made me realize the great responsibilities that one has to face. The competitiveness at UC Berkeley makes the courses very difficult and I saw my GPA drop from an accumulative 4.5 GPA (in a magnet high school) down to a 2.9 GPA (at UC Berkeley).
• In high school I was able to get good grades without studying hard, so I lost great study skills from elementary school. I knew that I needed to use those skills in college, but I was lazy. Advice: No matter how easy school is, or how little work, always retain study skills!!
• Math here at Cal is no joke. Math 1A was difficult and my professor didn't really help.
• When I first came here, I didn't know how I fit in. Thus, most of my time attended to the finding of myself rather than my studies. Also, with the onslaught of new freedoms, distractions are easy to come by. Time management becomes essential. Setting aside a specific time to study every week ensures a consistent attack on the material.
• Yes, there were a few unexpected surprises that affected my academic work at Berkeley this year. One of the main surprises was the amount of reading that was required of me for just one particular class. I had to digest so much material, that it was impossible for me to do it all, and keep up in my other classes as well. Considering that I am a Math/Science person, I focus more on theses topics. However, reading and writing is extremely important as well. I suggest students get a head start in learning how to effectively summarize and skim large reading assignments!
• There are many distractions at Cal. Some which may take time away from your studies. You must stay focused and balance your time. You may have to settle for your second or third class choice. Classes are large and it's easy to get lost in the crowd. If you came from a small school you should be prepared to get less attention from your teachers. Classes also seem easy at the start, but if you relax and fall behind, you dig a hole which you may not be able to climb out.
• Classes here are nothing like the JC classes I attended during high school. Much harder, and your professor doesn't actually know you.
• Chemistry 1A was so time consuming and difficult for me, my work in other classes suffered.
• I pretty much had my priority going towards my academics because I wasn't satisfied with what my GPA turned out to be. It wasn't bad or anything, it just was lower than what I was use to getting. I use to have a 4.6, now I have a 3.3 --- that was a pretty big drop for me.
• I found it slightly difficult to balance my social and academic life. I feel that this 2nd semester I have applied myself more and found better ways to balance my time. I knew the courses I was taking were going to challenge me and I felt the competition between myself and other students. I never really felt competition in high school so that was a change for me.
• PDP really helped me be successful in my math classes. Though I did not get an A in the class, Fall semester, and I don't know my grades this semester, I know I really learned the material. I owe it all to the fact that PDP students really cooperate with each other, teaching each other and not putting each other down, but cheering us on when the course got really difficult.
• The work load was a lot but nothing too unexpected.
• In terms of unexpected surprises I had housing problems that really affected my studying.
• Yeah! Physics was a little tougher than I expected. So were Prof. Hald's tests! I also found out that some professors are much harder than others, and that this is a big determining factor in how you do!
• The importance of midterms really surprised me.
• No unexpected surprises. However, I've felt that study groups have really helped me out academically. Programs such as the Biology Scholars Program and PDP have really helped me to study and do well.
• Work load is Huge, especially the science class.
• I believe that the unexpected surprises were that Berkeley's level of instruction is higher than any other place you may want to attend. They expect much more than any "real" human being can produce.