To get the most out of your orientation we suggest you follow the five steps outlined below.

  1. Review information sent by your school or college.
  2. Complete a schedule planning worksheet.
  3. Review University requirements.
  4. Learn how to use the Online Schedule of Classes.
  5. Look up course information on the Schedule of Classes.

1. Review all information sent to you from your school/college, including websites and anything mailed to you directly.

The information being sent to you is designed to prepare you to meet your adviser at CalSO. The more you do beforehand, the better your adviser can assist you.

Transfer students: you should also review information about your intended major. Specific departmental websites can be found by searching on the www.berkeley.edu homepage.

Engineering students
Review the packet of materials mailed to you by your college, including the College of Engineering Announcement, and complete your proposed first-semester schedule on the included worksheet.
Home: http://www.coe.berkeley.edu

Announcement: http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/College%20of%20
Engineering%20Announcement%202009-10.pdf

Letters and Science students
Visit the L&S Academic Orienteering site at:
http://ls-orientation.berkeley.edu

Home: http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/

Degree requirements: http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/requirements/intro.html

2. Complete any schedule planning worksheets sent to you by your school/college.

If you haven’t received anything from your college, click here for a general worksheet and plan on coming to CalSO with a list of courses you’re interested in taking.

Note: if you're having problems opening this pdf file, make sure you have the most up-to-date version of Adobe Reader. Go here to download your free version: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat
/readstep2.html

Transfer students: for students transferring from a California community college, you can visit www.assist.org to see what requirements have been satisfied by your previous coursework. Bring a copy of your unofficial transcript(s) as it can take several months before your previous coursework transfers over to Berkeley.

3. Review the following General University requirements to see if you have satisfied them:

Analytical Writing Exam
American History and Institutions
American Cultures

4. Familiarize yourself with the online Schedule of Classes.

Berkeley’s Schedule of Classes, which lists what courses are offered each semester and when and where they take place, is only available online. You will not have access to computers at CalSO, so it's important that you do as much research on the courses you're interested in taking beforehand.

Click here for a quick tutorial on using the online Schedule of Classes.

5. Use the Online Schedule of Classes to look up the following information for each of the courses you plan to take, or are required to take, your first semester (these should be the ones you listed on your scheduling planning worksheet):

Phew! That’s a lot of information. But, remember, the better prepared you are, the better assistance your advisers can provide you. A few final tips:

Don’t try to plan your entire college career now. Focus on your first semester at Berkeley. Get that right, and the rest will come easy.

Do come to CalSO with your questions. That’s what we’re here for. There’s no question too little. We know it’s an exciting and anxious time for you right now, and Berkeley is a big place. We’re here to help make it a little smaller.

Coming to Berkeley isn’t just about academics. School is important, but getting involved outside of the classroom is what will enrich your experience and truly make you a Cal student. Check out Resource (the student handbook) for some of what Berkeley has to offer.

Make sure to get some sleep the night before the program. You'll be on the go from the minute you get here until you leave!

Can’t make it to CalSO? Let us know! It’s the only way we can get you the information you need to sign up for classes before Phase I registration ends.