Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion Forum
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Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
I am debating between Penn and Berkeley. Although I will attend admitted student weeks for both schools, I want to discuss my concerns with TLS-ers first.
My biggest concern is finding a job at a firm. It doesn't have to be big, but the more prestigious, the better (obviously, I guess). I know some might be tempted to say, "For East Coast, choose Penn; for West, choose B," but I have no preferences when it comes to a location (I prefer CA slightly more, just because of its weather, but it's a minor point really). I am also highly interested in working in Asia, so regardless of a location, a school that will help me the most in finding a job at a firm is what I care about.
In addition, I am interested in corporate law.
I was leaning toward B because of its grading policy, but TLS-ers' constantly talking about Penn's high placement in big law adds to the difficulty of making a decision. I feel like much more students from Penn would be interested in working at big firms, so I wonder if it could be a bad thing as well by having to compete with many other peers (but there would be more 'firms' to apply at Penn thanks to its proximity to NY, I guess?). Also at Berkeley, I am curious if it is true that, unlike most TLS-ers say here, those from Berkeley trying to work at a NYC firm are better positioned than others from the east coast because only a few Berkeley students are interested in working in NY anyway, hence less competitive. I visited some of the major law firms' websites and looked up the schools their attorneys are from, and couldn't find a much difference in the numbers of graduates between B and P.
I would appreciate if you could give me some advice based on the factors I mentioned I care the most. Thank you so much!
My biggest concern is finding a job at a firm. It doesn't have to be big, but the more prestigious, the better (obviously, I guess). I know some might be tempted to say, "For East Coast, choose Penn; for West, choose B," but I have no preferences when it comes to a location (I prefer CA slightly more, just because of its weather, but it's a minor point really). I am also highly interested in working in Asia, so regardless of a location, a school that will help me the most in finding a job at a firm is what I care about.
In addition, I am interested in corporate law.
I was leaning toward B because of its grading policy, but TLS-ers' constantly talking about Penn's high placement in big law adds to the difficulty of making a decision. I feel like much more students from Penn would be interested in working at big firms, so I wonder if it could be a bad thing as well by having to compete with many other peers (but there would be more 'firms' to apply at Penn thanks to its proximity to NY, I guess?). Also at Berkeley, I am curious if it is true that, unlike most TLS-ers say here, those from Berkeley trying to work at a NYC firm are better positioned than others from the east coast because only a few Berkeley students are interested in working in NY anyway, hence less competitive. I visited some of the major law firms' websites and looked up the schools their attorneys are from, and couldn't find a much difference in the numbers of graduates between B and P.
I would appreciate if you could give me some advice based on the factors I mentioned I care the most. Thank you so much!
- worldtraveler
- Posts: 8676
- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:47 am
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
Why do you want to go and work for a firm? The prestige? Money? You're 100% sure this is what you want?
- JamMasterJ
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- Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:17 pm
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
it completely depends on money, but all things equal, slight lean to Penn
- jselson
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Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
Isn't Wharton going to let Penn JD students take a semester of business school courses soon? For corporate/big law, that would seem to be a big plus.
- Nelson
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- Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:43 am
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
It's not going to happen during 1L before OCI and firms probably won't really care regardless so it shouldn't be a factor in your decision.jselson wrote:Isn't Wharton going to let Penn JD students take a semester of business school courses soon? For corporate/big law, that would seem to be a big plus.
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- JamMasterJ
- Posts: 6649
- Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:17 pm
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
though it may help in getting business sense, firms won't care.jselson wrote:Isn't Wharton going to let Penn JD students take a semester of business school courses soon? For corporate/big law, that would seem to be a big plus.
- Redamon1
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:46 pm
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
Berkeley allows law students to take classes at other schools on campus, including Haas Business School. FYI.jselson wrote:Isn't Wharton going to let Penn JD students take a semester of business school courses soon? For corporate/big law, that would seem to be a big plus.
Check out the the Boalt Qs thread for more info on geographical flexibility; TLDR: those who want to go or return to the East Coast usually don't have problems:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=750
- TaipeiMort
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- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:51 pm
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
Penn is going to give you a better shot at Biglaw and cost less. Caveat: You are from San Diego, OC, LA, Bay Area. I would bet that people from CA with ties at Berkeley have a better shot at biglaw than generic people from uPenn.
Also, a Wharton certificate won't mean a thing in terms of getting Biglaw. It may mean something if you lateral in-house and want to cut over to the business-side of things, especially if you are at an org that actually lets lawyers do so (e.g., midsized enterprise, VC, PE, some F500s, etc.).
Also, a Wharton certificate won't mean a thing in terms of getting Biglaw. It may mean something if you lateral in-house and want to cut over to the business-side of things, especially if you are at an org that actually lets lawyers do so (e.g., midsized enterprise, VC, PE, some F500s, etc.).
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- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:04 pm
Re: Between Penn and Berkeley. Help me with making a decion
Is either school offering you money?