University of California-Berkeley Top Questions

Most college graduates would say that the most important experiences they took away from college are the knowledge, the memories, or the lifelong friends. These are all true for me, but the most valuable lesson I have taken away is learning how to get along with different personalities. It is important that young adults learn to understand others' cultures, customs, and characters. Last year as a freshman, I had the privilege of dorming. I am grateful that I got placed into a triple room, because it was the challenge of living with two other roommates in a small cramped room that made me learn how to better communicate and cooperate with others. I do admit that I am by no means perfect, for at times I still struggle to understand other cultures or communicate with my roommate. Nonetheless, I do believe the multiculutral community Berkeley fosters has allowed me to grow tremendously from the two years I have been here. I hope that all college students challenge themselves with living with strangers and interacting with different cultures, so that the young people in this world grow to learn to love and respect one another, making the world a friendlier place.

The college experience has definitely brought out who I really am. In high school I was still stuck as a shy, young asian boy who did not voice out or stand up for anything. But as the years in college progressed, I slowly learned to become heard. Being afraid of rejection and put downs was no longer a concern, no longer a threat that prevented me from doing what I really wanted to do. Also the club involvements I've had helped me mature as a person. Being in clubs in college actually encourage a lot of leadership and communication actions. Having to step out of my comfort zone in order satisfy those requirements, I become matured. In terms of academics, I feel I will have more than enough knowledge to excel in the field that I am interested in--finance. The classes here has taught me to think critically and outside the box, and they have taught me to see things in ways that most people without an education would otherwise not have seen.

So far, my college experience has been great. I love the school I go to--my classes have been both interesting and rewarding and I have learned so much from them. Taking different courses has allowed me to explore what major I want to pursue as well as helped me to discover both my strengths and what I need to work on. The sheer number of groups and organizations on campus that you can join is great as well. I have found several clubs that could potentially be the "perfect fit" for me, and will make my big campus seem a lot smaller. It's truly worthwhile to attend such a school, for as much competition and stress I experience in my classes, I also enjoy every moment that I am here.

Cal has been valuable to attend because it has given me a sense of independence and self confidence. Cal offers so many opportunities to become involved, both inside and outside of class. Nobody at Cal is going to baby you or take care of all your problems, but it has taught me to be self sufficient and self motivated. While nobody will baby you, people are encouraging and willing to help if you are willing to actively pursue them.

My college education has equipped me with the experience and skills I need to pursue my dream: a career in pediatrics. Attending UC Berkeley has given me the invaluable opportunity to complete a summer internhsip at a successful biotechnology company, where I assisted in the development of vaccines for the Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and H1N1 influenza virus. Cal has also given me a chance to serve the community: I participated in a week-long service-learning trip to the Kumeyaay Native American reservation, where I explored the socioeconomic, historical, and ecological contributors to disparities in healthcare in this underserved population. I also volunteered at the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic, a non-profit organization that provides free alternative medicine treatments to low-income women with cancer. My experiences at CMCC and the Kumeyaay reservation showed me the importance of accessible healthcare in achieving a basic quality of life and strengthened my determination to help make high quality health care accessible to everyone. My resolve to address the health needs of underserved communities has become a motivating factor in my pursuit of a career in medicine and the education I received at Cal has prepared me to succeed in medical school.

The most important thing that my college experience has taught me is independence. In many ways I have learned to be less dependent on others to do work for myself and instead, to be more accountable for all the actions I make. I have learned to be more organized with both my academic work, volunteer work, and administarative work in the clubs I participate in, which is key in being successful at this school and what I believe to be key in life. I think that Berkeley's environment has successfully helped me accomplish this independence because of it's environment. Professors, supervisors, and employers are there to support you when needed, but they also don't hold your hand the whole way through every process, but rather they help you start and let you learn your way through. By allowing us to figure thing sout on our own, we mut really think critically about situations and learn that the decisions we make do have astounding affects, whether they are good or bad. I think this independence will allow me to succeed when I graduate in finding a job and being able to live or survive on my own.

MasterCard might like to argue that life’s greatest lessons are priceless. My parents would disagree. However, one semester at college, thousands of dollars, multiple sleepless nights, and ten pounds later, I can say the following with confidence: I am not who I thought I was, and that's not a bad thing. As a kid, I knew my ideals were not necessarily the accepted norm, but having to defend my position as a college student caused me to rethink how I formed those opinions to begin with. I met people that have questioned my personality, my intelligence, my career choice and my religion and left me feeling doubtful. Yet with that doubt comes a motivation to learn, experiment, and form my own informed opinions without hesitation or fear of being unaccepted. People often say that you find yourself at college but they forget to mention one key idea. You have to lose yourself before you can discover who you truly are. A building with new paint is not really a new building. In order to make it stronger, one has to destroy it and rebuild it from the foundations. The first cracks have been made, let the construction begin.

My school has changed me. My professors have motivated me to seek righteousness for those uncared for, to be the change I want to see, to make artwork unseen, and to just keep fighting through. I now aim to promote action from my work. My family and my life struggles have given me a unique identity enabling me to be no longer ashamed of my status, but instead, to desire to promote it because without self-expression and awareness, society is hindered from forward motion and my school has helped me see that lower-middle class minorities can do something, can make a difference, and can impact communities.

Attending the University of California Berkeley helped me realize that living in a city like Pacoima (my hometown) exposes its residents to fight for environmental justice. While being a co-instructor at Pacoima Beautiful, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the creation of a healthy and sustainable community, I had the opportunity to expose students to the environmental injustices in Pacoima. While working in the Office of Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes, I realized the lack of community involvement and awareness. My ultimate goal is to major in political science and go on to law school. Whether I become a politician or a lawyer, I want to bring change to my community. Limiting the negative advertisements, educating our community and encouraging individuals to pursue a postsecondary education, are just a few of the elements in my plan to change Pacoima’s negative stereo-type. One of the most successful steps towards creating change is education. I have observed how my peers underestimate their ability to succeed. Ultimately, I want to make sure individuals feel safe where they live, work and play. I know for a fact that with a thoughtful and committed group of people, change will come to Pacoima.

I learned how to navigate the world and find my own answers. Berkeley has given me a mental compass that will serve me for the rest of my life.

In the time that I have been in college, I found that college is the perfect time and place to explore. You have the freedom to search what you are passionate about, what you want to do with your life, what interests you, and what kind of person you want to be. You don't have parents behind your back dictating what to do with your life but intead, you have the responsibility. The opportunities and experiences available in college are rich and diverse. Not only do you expand your knowledge to different fields of study, but you also mature in a way that is unprecedented in your life. College provides a bountiful array of education and resources that you are unable to get elsewhere. In the short time that I've been in college, I found myself transform in ways I didn't think possible. You are also able to network with a great range of people which helps you to get a foot in society. It is definitely a life changing experience and sets the stepping stones for the rest of your life.

The most valuable thing I have gotten out of attending UC Berkeley is that I have learned to be a leader, something of which will make me successful in all my life pursuits. Berkeley has taught me the true meaning of leadership. To me, being a leader means motivating others to do all possible to strive towards a greater common goal, and also aiding others to see how beneficial and important their contribution is at all levels. All of the leadership work I have done and will do is concentrated on ending injustices that people face due to sexism, hatred, racism, and other diverse prejudices. Although I am grateful and privileged to be appointed as a leader in student organizations, these are activist areas in which I believe all people involved are leaders. I admire something about every single person I meet while volunteering, interning, being in the classroom, and organizing in these fields. I will take what I have learned about the meaning of leadership and the actions of being a leader into everything I do in the future to foster free living and equality for all people regardless of their identities.

I am currently enrolled in Sullivan College of Technology and Design, where I am completing my Associate's degree. My anticipated graduation date is June 2011. Being the first in my family to attend college is a great privilege. My degree gives me better knowledge of how people interact with their environment. My education taught me how light, color, and both private and public spaces can affect a person physically, mentally, and emotionally. After finishing my Associate's, I will begin an entry Bachelor/Master Occupational Therapy program at Spalding University. There are numerous people in the Louisville community who have disabilities and who are unable to complete even simple self-care tasks, such as putting on their socks, brushing their teeth, and even recognizing certain textures in their mouth. With your funding, I will be able to help people with disabilities learn how to live in their environment, as well as aiding the development of skills that will better allow my clients to live their lives independently, which most humans beings desire to do. Continuing my education will help me change the world one person at a time.

I have gotten the shock of my life here. There is no one here to baby you at a 4 year university and although there is help you do have to do alot of it on your own. The most rewarding thing however is just the entire experience in general. There is nothing like the feeling of being out on your own, studying with some world renoun professors, getting experience in cutting edge research, and meeting some pretty interesting people. It has been very valuable to attend because it has helped me grow into a more responsible individual as well as making me become more involved in things that affect the world. Being at UC Berkeley makes you want to help the community in any way you can and challenges you to excell where you never thought possible. It is humbling to be among so many important individuals, and to have followed so many others. However, being here at UC Berkeley has made me want to become one of those individuals who changes the world. I believe that kind of inspiration is found here, and no where else.

I couldn't be more glad that I chose one of the top schools in the nation. From being the top student in my class, I am only an average student here among the best, and it is one of the most valuable things I've learned and had to adjust with. Everyone comes into this school the same way and spends their first year learning this thing. But I have also found so many things to help me learn and be one of the best in my own way. The access to research, publications, opportunities for internships and careers that UC Berkeley provides are invaluable and should be taken advantage of. I have, and it has helped me decide what I want to do with my life and has helped me reach my goals. I truly don't believe I could have done that anywhere else in the world.

Coming to UC Berkeley was by far the best decision I've made in my 18 years. Even in half a year, it has taught me the value of self motivation and time management. The exposure I've had to different subjects, from International Relations to Philosophy, has made me a more well-rounded person overall. Not only am I exposed to different subjects, but my professors are the best in their fields. My philosophy professor, Hubert Dreyfus, has written books that every one of my friends taking philosophy courses in their respective courses have come across in class, while my Wealth & Poverty professor was Bill Clinton's secretary of labor, Robert Reich. Each course I've taken has been both challenging and rewarding, and the instructors seem to take great interest in both the subject matter and their students. Aside from the classes, UC Berkeley offers an array of student organizations and a diverse student population. It also has great weight in the career field; as a freshman, I have already been hired into the marketing department of Kaplan Inc. I can see my future falling further into place each day I spend here.

It's hard to describe what I got out of college, because it's mostly abstract. Sure I got a degree, friends and some awesome stuff for my resume, but really it was all about the experiences. I went into college unsure of anything - Who did I want to be? Who did I want to be with? Where would I live? How would I survive? 3 years later I came out ready to rule the world, my world! College made me realize I wanted to be a teacher, made me realize I could be a teacher and it got me a slamming husband! What more could I ask for?

I have gotten so much out of my college experience. I've learned how to be independent. I've learned how to think for myself. I've learned that my opinion matters. I've learned that I can change the world, and that change can start small and at my own school. Going to school at UC Berkeley opened my eyes to the possibilities I have in the world. I can do anything I want to, but at Cal, I learned that I have to reach out, I have to step forward to take the opportunities. I learned the valuable life lesson that everything is not going to be handed to me.

Setbacks have been the most valuable part of my college experience. Since coming to college, I've had to learn how to deal with situations and life when it isn't easy or streamlined. When I couldn't get into a required class for my major, I had to take initiative to figure out a solution to the problem myself since no one was going to hold my hand and guide me through it. I've had to learn a great deal about persistence, completing assigned readings and studying diligently for my classes in order to earn a satisfactory grade; this lesson was quickly learned after slacking in a few difficult classes and suffering the consequences. Additionally, time management has been a crucial skill that has become invaluable as juggling classes, homework, a research position, excercise and a healthy social life becomes an increasingly difficulty feat. The stress that comes from managing all of my responsibilities is invigorating though, and managing my life has become a testament to my independence. After experiencing college, I'm confident when saying that I feel prepared to take on a job and the problems of life-after-college.

The whole college experience at UC Berkeley is an amazing memory. Berkeley equipped me for my next step on so many different levels. I received a high quality education that honed my critical thinking skills and helped me get accepted into Hollins' graduate program for Children's Literature. My college education has given me confidence to pursue writing. Through Berkeley's Education Abroad Program, I also had the opportunity to study abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. It was a life changing experience, reconnecting with my motherland, learning Korean, and exploring Seoul with exchange students from all over the world. Berkeley's 'liberal' environment also helped me explore passions that I would never have pursued. I co-founded a dance group on campus called The Movement having never danced before. I performed for the Berkeley campus and surrounding community with my group, which opened doors to my first internship at World Arts West, a non-profit dance company in San Francisco. In college, I also made relationships that 10 years later, are still some of my closest friends. With these friends, I studied, danced, explored the Bay Area, and lived with together after college in San Francisco.