11 Great Reasons to Consider Berkeley Engineering

1. World-Class Faculty

You may find yourself in a classroom with one of Berkeley's 10 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 80 professors elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and four National Medal of Science winners. These faculty members and their distinguished colleagues choose to teach and study at Berkeley Engineering because of its long legacy of innovative thinking and its exceptional standard for scholarship.


2. World-Class Students

Berkeley draws its students from nearly every county in California, all other 49 states, and more than 100 foreign countries. Among each entering freshman class are over 200 National Merit Finalists and scores of other students who have already distinguished themselves in their academic and extracurricular careers.

3. World-Class Research

One of our principle missions is to expand the base of engineering knowledge through original research . Berkeley Engineering professors are not the only ones on the leading edge — in many cases graduate and undergraduate students participate in their groundbreaking discoveries.

4. Diversity and Variety 

Berkeley students have a few things in common: they're talented, engaged, and have shown their desire to meet academic challenge. That's where the similarities end. In fact, Berkeley is remarkable in that no single racial, ethnic or cultural group forms a majority of its students. The College and University believe that a broad diversity of student experiences, backgrounds, interests and strengths will ultimately enhance the educational experience of its students — both in and out of the classroom.

5. A Reputation for Excellence Means a Marketable Degree

Berkeley Engineering ranks third overall in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report survey of engineering graduate programs and third in its latest undergraduate survey. In the National Research Council's highly regarded study of American graduate programs, Berkeley ranks in the top 10 for "scholarly quality" of the faculty in 35 of 36 program assessed (including eight engineering programs) — more than any other university.  The Times Higher Education Supplement of London named UC Berkeley the number two engineering and technology university on the world.

Thanks to our reputation for excellence, hundreds of recruiters visit campus each spring, hoping to employ talented new Berkeley Engineering graduates. Other grads choose to pursue graduate studies; in fact, more Berkeley undergraduates go on to earn a Ph.D. than graduates of any other college or university.

6. A History of Innovation

 Engineering education and innovation have been a part of Berkeley since it was chartered in 1868; six colleges, including Mechanics, Mining, and Civil Engineering, comprised the young campus. Earlier Berkeley engineers brought water to California's great agricultural lands, pioneered the microelectronics that seeded Silicon Valley, and helped build the unbuildable in structures like Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. Today, Berkeley engineers in every field remain at the center of technological innovation worldwide.

7. Low Cost and High Value

If you are comparing Berkeley to Ivy League or other selective private institutions, you'll see a significant difference when it comes to cost. Fully 67% of all undergraduates receive financial assistance and Berkeley educates more Pell Grant recipients than all of the Ivy Leagues combined. An impressive 88% of Berkeley Engineering students graduate in four years and Berkeley financial aid offers are designed to meet full need as determined by federal guidelines to help make sure college is accessible and affordable .

8. Top-Notch Facilities

Many of the same laboratories, libraries and specialized equipment used to conduct ground-breaking research are also available to Berkeley Engineering students. The Berkeley library is ranked as the best university library west of the Mississippi, trailing only Harvard and Yale nationally. Our 10 million print volumes are housed in 28 separate campus libraries.  Students also have access to state-of-the-art computer labs, excellent sports and recreational facilities and have a wide range of housing choices including newly-renovated dormitories, student apartments and cooperatives.

9. Seven Engineering Departments and an Array of Interdisciplinary Programs

Each of the College's seven departments represent a separate field of engineering, with its own faculty and areas of specialization. Whether you see yourself as a creator of structures, designer of electrical circuits or a builder of operation systems, Berkeley Engineering has a major that's right for you.

10. 800+ Organizations and Endless Opportunities 

Regardless of your academic or social interests, you're likely to find other students who join in your enthusiasm . Berkeley has campus chapters of many organizations you might expect (Phi Beta Kappa, Women in Science and Engineering, Model United Nations), and hundreds more that might surprise you (Cal Hiking and Outdoor Society, California Engineer magazine, Cal Human Powered Vehicle). If you can't find a club that matches your interests, you can always start your own.

11. Berkeley and the Bay Area

It's hard to imagine a place more stimulating than Berkeley. The University, the City of Berkeley, and the San Francisco Bay Area combine to form an extraordinary environment for all types of educational, artistic, and recreational pursuits. Coffeehouses, bookstores, and vendors line the streets near campus, and lecturers, artists, and performers from around the world make sure to visit Berkeley. If you want to head into San Francisco, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is just a few blocks away in downtown Berkeley. Regardless of what you choose to do, you won't find a more temperate climate or a more beautiful setting.