• Scheduling and course recommendations
• General info about the major
• Course planning in preparation for declaration
• Research opportunities
• Information about pre-med or graduate school requirements

Meet with a peer advisor:

• Drop-in to our virtual Zoom peer advising (see the schedule below): click here to be placed in the waiting room
• Send your questions to: ibpeers@berkeley.edu

Hi! My name is Linnea, and I'm a fourth year IB major, with a minor in Conservation and Resource Studies. I'm from the Central Coast, and I love spending time outdoors, which is what got me into field biology. When I'm not studying or watching TikToks, I like hiking, bird-watching, trying new recipes, and drawing. Feel free to stop by if you have any questions! I'd love to chat about classes with Field Lab components, URAP, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, or if you're interested in spending a semester travelling California and studying cool organisms through UCNRS.

Hi! My name is Maria and I am a senior double majoring in MCB Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Integrative Biology Emphasis 2. I chose to major in BMB because of my interest in organic chemistry and biology. I was born and raised in Orange County. I love to swim, travel, teach, and watch Netflix whenever I can. I am very passionate about studying abroad after having gone twice (Ireland and Singapore). Please feel free to stop by whenever if you have any questions about studying abroad, classes, double majoring, or anything in general! I look forward to meeting you!

Hi! My name is Nicole and I am a third year majoring in Integrative Biology on the Human Biology track with a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. I was born and raised in the Bay Area. I chose Integrative Biology because I was more interested in the macro side of biology and found the classes within the major applicable to what I want to do in the future! I love to travel, try new food places out in the Bay Area, and explore hiking spots within Berkeley. I have a large interest in housing issues in the Bay Area and how that affects homelessness. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions about pre-med, being in a pre-health fraternity, volunteering, research, or anything else!

Hello, my name is Ruben Vargas and I am a 4th year double majoring in Integrative Human Biology & MCB Neurobiology with minors in Global Public Health and Chicano Studies. I was born and raised in a small city, Watsonville, which is about 20 minutes away from Santa Cruz. I chose IB because it gave me more of an opportunity to learn biology from a big picture perspective instead of on the cellular level. With the little free time that I have I enjoy going on hikes with friends, binging a good show on Netflix, and just kicking back on the glade. Please don't hesitate to approach me if you have any questions or concerns about classes, professors, double majoring or anything else really. I look forward to meeting you!

Hi! My name is Anna Leipertz and I am a fourth-year majoring in Integrative Biology with an emphasis in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology. I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and outside of academics, I love hiking, reading, running, listening to music, and going to concerts. I chose the IB major because I love all aspects of biology from areas like ecology and evolution to the medical sciences, and I felt the IB major gave me the most freedom to choose classes across this vast range. Please come talk to me about choosing classes, the URAP program, finding summer research and research in general, study abroad ( just completed a semester at the University of Cape Town), navigating academic institutions, or life in general!

Hi everyone! My name is McKenna and I am a fourth year majoring in Integrative Biology on the Human Biology track. I am from the North Bay and am so grateful that I am able to go to school so close to home. I chose IB because I love learning about the broader aspects of biology and the human body as a whole. Also, I felt that the classes offered in this department better aligned with what I want to do most in the future... being a physician assistant! Outside of class and being a peer advisor, I work at the Cal 1 Card Office over in Sproul and am a member of the Cal Women's Club Soccer team. If you have any questions about what it means to be pre-PA (physician assistant), managing your class schedule, or anything from having a work study job on campus to just needing someone to talk to, feel free to reach out!

Hi, my name is Alyssa! I am a third-year double majoring in Integrative Biology and English. I'm from a small town that has lots of cows near Sacramento, California. I decided to major in IB after participating in the field section of Bio 1B, and I really enjoy the flexibility IB gives me to explore several different areas of biology applicable across humans and other animals! I love to teach, volunteer with animals, read classic literature, learn new languages, and march the tenor saxophone in Cal Band. Please feel free to come talk to me about being pre-health (including pre-vet!), balancing schoolwork with life, double majoring in humanities, or just anything else!

Hi there! My name is Annika and I am a fourth year Integrative Human Biology major from Santa Cruz, CA. From early on I've loved biology, and I chose IB because it allowed me to explore many different realms of the subject. In my free time I enjoy training for triathlon, reading, or hiking in the Berkeley hills. Whether you want to talk about planning your courses, getting involved in research, or your favorite coffee shop at Cal, I'd love to chat!

Hello! My name is Lauren and I'm an IB major from San Diego, CA. I chose IB because the flexibility of the upper division requirements allow students to approach biology from different organizational levels from biochemistry to ecology. I absolutely love being in and around the ocean, so in my free time you can find me surfing, snorkeling, or just chilling on the beach. URAP has been a part of my undergraduate experience since my first semester and I have completed research internships at Duke University and with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, so please come talk to me about undergraduate research opportunities, applying to Ph.D. programs, course planning, the ocean, or anything else!

IB Peer Advising Application

How can I become an IB Peer Advisor?

Application cycles are early in spring semester. You can also talk to Zac in 3060 VLSB for more information on joining the program.

What we look for in an IB Peer Advisor:

Beyond a passion for the IB major and an interest in helping your fellow students, we look for people who are unique, both academically and as a person. Things that can help make an outstanding peer advisor include, but are not limited to: research experience, participation in the honors program, overcoming personal and/or academic adversity, tutoring, participation in clubs on campus, or the transfer student experience. Ultimately, what we want to see on your application is what makes you stand out as a student AND as a person!

Requirements at time of application:

1. Be declared in Integrative Biology at the time of application, or be eligible to declare by the following fall semester.
2. Have completed at least one semester at Cal.
3. Able to work at least three shifts (1 hour each) and attend one 1-hour meeting per week.
4. Willing to commit to working as a peer advisor for at least two semesters.

* Please note that peer advisor positions are unpaid. IB peer advisors earn academic credit for their work.