Why did you choose Cal? If you were attracted to the campus because of our first-rate faculty, isn’t it about time you got to know some of them? During the week of October 4, dozens of Freshman Seminar faculty members will be particularly hoping to meet you.

• Were you interested in a specific seminar, but were unable to enroll in it? This is your chance to ask the instructor a few questions about the topic.
• Are you shopping for spring classes, and hoping to find a faculty member who really inspires you? This is your chance to meet some faculty members before you make your spring selections on TeleBears.
• Are you an undeclared student? Freshmen Meet the Faculty Week is a good time to shop around for a major. You can ask the faculty members what drew them to their disciplines, what careers can result from majoring in the field, etc.
• Have you already selected a major, in one of the big departments? Wouldn’t you be better off if at least one faculty member in that department knew your name?
• Are you hoping to be a research apprentice before you graduate? This is your chance to ask faculty members what they look for in a research apprentice.
• Have you been shy about attending faculty office hours because you are not sure what you would say to them? It’s ok to attend Freshmen Meet the Faculty Week and just listen to what the other students are asking–or you can pick out a question from the list of suggestions below.

Whatever your reasons for being here, your experience is sure to be enhanced if you interact with the faculty. If you come to them with a good question, they are guaranteed to have a good–and possibly unexpected– answer. The questions below are meant only as suggestions: feel free to use one of them or dream up a question of your own. You didn’t get to Berkeley by not asking questions!

• What did you major in as an undergraduate? Are you glad you did?
• How did you decide to go into this field?
• What kind of person do you think would be happiest in your field?
• What else can you do with a degree in X besides teach?
• What has been your most exciting research moment or discovery?
• Do you ever take on undergraduate research apprentices? If so, what do you look for in an apprentice?
• What classes are you teaching next semester?
• What do you like best about teaching?
• What do you think is the key to success as an undergraduate at Cal?
• What do you do in your spare time?
• What’s the best way for an undergraduate to meet faculty members?
• What do you wish all freshmen knew about the faculty? About surviving at Cal?