Is UC Berkeley the same as Cal?
So, I've been looking into University of California schools, and I keep seeing people use the name "Cal" instead of UC Berkeley. I always thought it was just UC Berkeley, so now I'm confused.
Is "Cal" just a nickname that people use for Berkeley, or is there a reason behind it? I saw it a lot in the context of sports teams, but sometimes people even say, "I'm applying to Cal." Just want to make sure I understand because I’m considering applying and don’t want to sound out of the loop.
Does everyone call it Cal or is it more of an alumni thing?
Is "Cal" just a nickname that people use for Berkeley, or is there a reason behind it? I saw it a lot in the context of sports teams, but sometimes people even say, "I'm applying to Cal." Just want to make sure I understand because I’m considering applying and don’t want to sound out of the loop.
Does everyone call it Cal or is it more of an alumni thing?
6 days ago
•
21 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 6 days ago
Advisor
UC Berkeley and "Cal" do refer to the same university. "Cal" is basically an informal name or nickname for the University of California, Berkeley. The nickname comes from the university's full name, and because UC Berkeley was the first campus in the University of California system (established in 1868), people sometimes just called it "California" or "Cal" before other UC campuses even existed.
You'll especially hear "Cal" in reference to athletics—like when someone mentions the "Cal Bears," which is the name for Berkeley's sports teams. But the term "Cal" has become part of the school's identity more generally, and some students, alumni, and locals use it in casual conversation. For example, you might hear someone say, "I study at Cal," or "I'm applying to Cal." It’s not just an alumni thing; plenty of current students and Bay Area locals also use "Cal."
That said, in official contexts or on applications, you should use "University of California, Berkeley" or "UC Berkeley." On your essays or formal documents, stick with the full name, but using "Cal" when chatting about sports or in more informal conversations is completely common. For instance, someone might say, "I'm excited for Cal Day" (which is an open house event for admitted students).
So, if you're talking to students, locals, or people familiar with the school, using "Cal" won’t sound odd at all. And when you see references to Cal online or in conversation, you can be sure they mean UC Berkeley.
You'll especially hear "Cal" in reference to athletics—like when someone mentions the "Cal Bears," which is the name for Berkeley's sports teams. But the term "Cal" has become part of the school's identity more generally, and some students, alumni, and locals use it in casual conversation. For example, you might hear someone say, "I study at Cal," or "I'm applying to Cal." It’s not just an alumni thing; plenty of current students and Bay Area locals also use "Cal."
That said, in official contexts or on applications, you should use "University of California, Berkeley" or "UC Berkeley." On your essays or formal documents, stick with the full name, but using "Cal" when chatting about sports or in more informal conversations is completely common. For instance, someone might say, "I'm excited for Cal Day" (which is an open house event for admitted students).
So, if you're talking to students, locals, or people familiar with the school, using "Cal" won’t sound odd at all. And when you see references to Cal online or in conversation, you can be sure they mean UC Berkeley.
Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
Experience
5 years