Frequently Asked Questions
I’m in 61B, is there anything I should be doing before class starts?
Yes! Please fill out the discussion section matching form by the end of Sunday, January 18th. This discussion forum thread provides more details.
I’m in 47B, is there anything I need to do now?
No. There are no discussion sections for 47B and most of the information below does not apply to you. However, if you want to attend section, you’re welcome to fill out the form, but please only do so if you plan to stick around most of the semester so your group doesn’t lose a member.
Note we will also be holding a small number of weekly drop-in sections that require no long term commitment.
Is discussion section attendance required?
This semester, there will be two tracks for CS61B, a discussion track and a no-discussion track.
For students on the discussion track:
- You will be assigned a discussion section.
- You will be assigned a ~5 person group to work with during discussion.
- Discussion attendance is 2.5% of your grade.
- Each discussion earns 0.25% of your grade (so attending 10 sections maxes your attendance score)
- Projects are 26.67% of your grade.
For students on the no-discussion track:
- You may complete discussion worksheets on your own. You may not attend an in-person group based discussion, but you are welcome to ask questions in office hours or on Ed. We will also hold a small amount of drop-in sections that require no long term committment.
- Projects are 26.67% + 2.5% = 29.167% of your grade. Note: The median score projects is a full score (100%) so there’s no reason to pick the discussion track from a points game theory point of view.
Can I change discussion section tracks?
It is possible to change formats until 11:59pm on Wednesday, February 11.
How do I know which discussion section to go to?
Fill out the form above by Sunday, January 18th. We will send out section assignments Monday, January 19th.
When do discussion sections start?
Tuesday, January 20th.
How do I make sure I can go to the same discussion section as my best buddies?
Fill out the form, selecting the same available times and making sure your desired working speed is within one bin of each other, e.g. if you pick 3, your friends should all pick 2 or 4. Then pick a keyword that only your best buddies know. We’ll put you together in a group.
What if I want to go to discussion section and I don’t want to commit to attending all semester long with a group.
There will be a small number of drop-in sections. Note: These may vary in format significantly from the standard group based discussion section.
Will there be an online discussion?
We have no plans to offer one.
How do I get access to the online discussion forum?
You should already have access. If you’re a concurrent enrollment student, check your @berkeley email account for an invitation. If you do not see one, please email hug@cs.berkeley.edu and cs61b@berkeley.edu.
I’m a concurrent enrollment student. Will I get in?
I’ve directed the EECS department staff to allow all concurrent enrollment students in. You’ll be allowed to join the course with very high probability, but I can’t guarantee this for sure.
Who should I contact if I have questions that are not answered above?
Please post on our online discussion forum.
How do labs work?
There are no assigned labs.
During lab times, you can come in and work on assignments either alone or in groups. TAs will also provide periodic structured guidance on assignments, e.g. making a presentation about the assignment that is currenly due.
You may attend any number of labs in a given week. Labs do not count towards attendance.
Is lecture attendance required?
No, but if your exam scores are below 70%, you can recover some points towards your exam by attending lecture. Details will be available on the full website. Attendance tracking will not happen in the first week.
Is there an online lecture option? Will lecture recordings be provided?
No, but lecture recordings will be provided.
Will there be online options for lectures, discussions, labs, or exams?
No, all aspects of the course are expected to be done in person.
What are the exam dates?
Midterm 1 will by asynchronous and allow you to select your own exam time. Retakes will be possible. The exam will be held in the computer based testing facility. Midterm 2 date is not yet set, but we will post as soon as we know the time. The final exam will be Tuesday, 5/12/2026 from 8 AM - 11 AM.
What if I have an exam conflict? Will there be makeup exams?
If you have a hard conflict with either midterm 2 or the final, we will offer a makeup exam as immediately adjacent to the original midterm or final time as possible. For example, if the midterm is 8 - 10 PM, our make-up exam might be held at 6 - 8 PM. Precise makeup times are to be determined. Anybody taking an exam at an irregular time time may be required to meet with a course instructor to explain their answers and verify their understanding.
What is the remote exam policy?
We will not offer remote exams except by truly exceptional circumstances. In a given semester, we usually offer zero remote exams. In the very rare event that we offer one, it will be a synchronous exam in which you will interactively go through a series of questions in real time with course instructor Josh Hug.