06/28/2019
Thank you for all of the questions you asked last week! Please use the below link to find the answer to your specific question.
⭐️ ALL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: http://bit.ly/FBQandAFL19
Below are the top 3 most popular topics that many of you had questions about — Golden Bear Orientation, Housing and Cal Dining Meal Plans:
⭐️ Golden Bear Experience (includes Orientation) ⭐️
Golden Bear Experience consists of four major components: Golden Bear Advising and Golden Bear Prep (both completed online, before you arrive) and Golden Bear Orientation (GBO) and Getting Your Bearings (in-person programs, completed once you're here). GBO is a mandatory, weeklong program for new undergraduates that helps students, make connections to peers, faculty, and staff, learn more about available resources and experience campus traditions, broaden understanding of this diverse and dynamic community, and create a sense of community with orientation group and trained GBO Leader.
🔹Mandatory tasks to do before arrival and enrollment information: https://orientation.berkeley.edu/before-you-arrive
🔹Important dates and deadlines: https://orientation.berkeley.edu/dates-and-deadlines
🔹What to expect during GBO: https://orientation.berkeley.edu/once-here
🔹Sample schedules for the week of GBO: https://orientation.berkeley.edu/once-here/sample-schedule
🔸 An overview of GBO and reminders about mandatory items have been and will continue to be sent to each student’s berkeley.edu email.
⭐ Housing ⭐️
🔸How do I make sure I get on-campus housing as an incoming freshman?
We are working diligently to accommodate as many students as we can for Fall 2019. Our priority is to provide housing for all new incoming freshman, and as such they receive priority. If you met the housing application deadlines and are flexible about your housing preferences, then you should receive a housing contract offer. One additional tip we can offer: in order to receive housing, students must be open to any room, at any location. Students broaden their chances of receiving a housing offer when they agree to consider an offer that is not among their “top five” preferences.If you need further assistance, contact Cal Housing here: https://housing.berkeley.edu/contact
🔸 When do we find out about roommates and are they preassigned? In mid-to-late July residents will get an email notifying them that their roommate has been assigned. This information will be in the housing portal: https://portal.housing.berkeley.edu
Room transfer requests are processed until mid-July. Students on the room change waitlist will have their requests reviewed based upon the timestamp when they submitted their request. If we reach a student's place on the waitlist and have a housing option in their preferences available, they will be emailed an option for a room change. Students may opt to accept or decline this option and if they decline they will remain in their current housing assignment.
🔹Incoming Freshman FAQ: https://housing.berkeley.edu/incoming-freshman-faqs
🔹Installment Payment Schedule: https://housing.berkeley.edu/installment-payment-schedule
⭐ Cal Dining Meal Plans ⭐️
Three meal plans are available for students who live in the residence halls. The Blue Plan is included in your housing contract. But you have more choices! Pick the plan that works best for you and upgrade anytime throughout the academic year.
🔸Ultimate Plan: Provides unlimited meal swipes per week per designated meal period in the dining commons, and 1,000 flex dollars to use within the academic year (500 per semester). Upgrade for $950 per academic year ($475 per semester). Ultimate flexibility, convenience and value.
🔸Gold Plan: Provides 10 meal swipes per week in the dining commons, one only per designated meal period, and 1,000 flex dollars to use within the academic year (500 per semester). Upgrade for $350 per academic year ($175 per semester).
🔸 Blue Plan: Provides 12 meal swipes per week in the dining commons, one only per designated meal period, and 600 flex dollars to use within the academic year (300 per semester). This plan is automatically included in the Residence Hall contract and fees.
🔹Living ON Campus: https://caldining.berkeley.edu/meal-plans/19-20/living-on-campus
🔹Living OFF Campus: https://caldining.berkeley.edu/meal-plans/19-20/living-off-campus
⭐️ Again, we thank you for your questions and we hope that our answers and resources provide more clarity for your transition to UC Berkeley.
