Berkeley for an NY native? Forum
- ballcaps
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- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:20 pm
Berkeley for an NY native?
Hello everyone,
I am above both of Berkeley's medians and recently applied. In many ways it's a great fit for me. However, I am a native New Yorker and may very well want to practice here. Biglaw is by far the most likely goal.
LST says that only about 10% of last year's class now work in NY. Dean Tom has stated that many students, whether in- or out-of-state, end up choosing to stay in California, which may partly account for this.
Do you think Berkeley makes sense for someone in my position? Does anyone have experience finding NY employment, particularly biglaw, from Berkeley?
As always, thanks for the thought.
ballcaps
I am above both of Berkeley's medians and recently applied. In many ways it's a great fit for me. However, I am a native New Yorker and may very well want to practice here. Biglaw is by far the most likely goal.
LST says that only about 10% of last year's class now work in NY. Dean Tom has stated that many students, whether in- or out-of-state, end up choosing to stay in California, which may partly account for this.
Do you think Berkeley makes sense for someone in my position? Does anyone have experience finding NY employment, particularly biglaw, from Berkeley?
As always, thanks for the thought.
ballcaps
- postard
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:39 pm
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
2L here. Plenty of people do NY. They even made us aware of NY's pro-bono reqs for the bar pretty early on. OCI seemed to have plenty of NY spots interviewing, and I know a few people who'll be SAing there. Come. Also, you might change your mind and love CA.
ETA: but I also know as many people who struck out at OCI in general, so there's that.
ETA: but I also know as many people who struck out at OCI in general, so there's that.
- Ramius
- Posts: 2018
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:39 am
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
Also remember you picked the biggest black box (outside of YS) in the admissions process, so being above both medians is not indicative of admission.
You won't be locked out of NYC if you do Boalt, but I wouldn't assume you'll get it based on medians alone.
You won't be locked out of NYC if you do Boalt, but I wouldn't assume you'll get it based on medians alone.
- ballcaps
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- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:20 pm
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
that's very helpful, thank you. i think you're probably right about california.postard wrote:2L here. Plenty of people do NY. They even made us aware of NY's pro-bono reqs for the bar pretty early on. OCI seemed to have plenty of NY spots interviewing, and I know a few people who'll be SAing there. Come. Also, you might change your mind and love CA.
ETA: but I also know as many people who struck out at OCI in general, so there's that.
you mean if i rank at the median?Ramius wrote:Also remember you picked the biggest black box (outside of YS) in the admissions process, so being above both medians is not indicative of admission.
You won't be locked out of NYC if you do Boalt, but I wouldn't assume you'll get it based on medians alone.
and that's completely understood. i'm URM with some solid softs, but i'm not exactly counting on getting in.
- Ramius
- Posts: 2018
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:39 am
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
I meant you just applied, and regardless of URM/numbers/etc. Boalt is a black box, so you shouldn't assume admission based on any conventional metric.
That had nothing to do with the assumed median you might get if you went to Berk.
That had nothing to do with the assumed median you might get if you went to Berk.
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- ballcaps
- Posts: 527
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:20 pm
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
got it, thanks.Ramius wrote:I meant you just applied, and regardless of URM/numbers/etc. Boalt is a black box, so you shouldn't assume admission based on any conventional metric.
That had nothing to do with the assumed median you might get if you went to Berk.
- jbagelboy
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- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:57 pm
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
Lots of CA students go to NYU ect. Why not the reverse. You'll miss out on some in-state tuition discounts, but that's only a few thousand. Cal's a great school.
I'm not sure it's the best place for your goals though considering the other options you'll have as a 3.8+/168+/URM.
If you really do want to enter the private sector in NYC, Columbia, Harvard and NYU definitely have the most representation at elite firms and corner the market on a percentage basis. This doesn't imply much about cut-offs or selectivity though, and there's always the hovering question of self-selection for targeting NY from a school in a desirable market of its own (e.g. SF). On the other hand, Berkeley's firm numbers haven't been great the last few years and you certainly hear more strikeout stories than other top programs. For that reason if NY is your goal I'd feel safer at one of the three listed above or Stanford and Chicago.
I'm not sure it's the best place for your goals though considering the other options you'll have as a 3.8+/168+/URM.
If you really do want to enter the private sector in NYC, Columbia, Harvard and NYU definitely have the most representation at elite firms and corner the market on a percentage basis. This doesn't imply much about cut-offs or selectivity though, and there's always the hovering question of self-selection for targeting NY from a school in a desirable market of its own (e.g. SF). On the other hand, Berkeley's firm numbers haven't been great the last few years and you certainly hear more strikeout stories than other top programs. For that reason if NY is your goal I'd feel safer at one of the three listed above or Stanford and Chicago.
- jingosaur
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Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
Max out your LSAT takes and try to get your score a little higher. Berk is a good law school and will get you to NY, but they're stingy with money so blanket the schools around it and then make a decision once you get all of your acceptances and scholly $.
- postard
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:39 pm
Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
I chose Berkeley over Chicago, but then only because I was sure I wanted to practice on the best coast. Even then I felt trepidation re: firm #s, and I agree Berkeley might not be the best fit. But if you want it otherwise, go for it.jbagelboy wrote:Lots of CA students go to NYU ect. Why not the reverse. You'll miss out on some in-state tuition discounts, but that's only a few thousand. Cal's a great school.
I'm not sure it's the best place for your goals though considering the other options you'll have as a 3.8+/168+/URM.
If you really do want to enter the private sector in NYC, Columbia, Harvard and NYU definitely have the most representation at elite firms and corner the market on a percentage basis. This doesn't imply much about cut-offs or selectivity though, and there's always the hovering question of self-selection for targeting NY from a school in a desirable market of its own (e.g. SF). On the other hand, Berkeley's firm numbers haven't been great the last few years and you certainly hear more strikeout stories than other top programs. For that reason if NY is your goal I'd feel safer at one of the three listed above or Stanford and Chicago.
- iamgeorgebush
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Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
if you really want to practice in NYC, why bother with berkeley? sure, it's a great school in a great place to live, but it really doesn't make much sense to go there if you want to practice in NYC. berkeley is not known to top other schools' scholarship offers, so you'll probably be getting as much (or even more) from, say, cornell, NYU, or columbia, and those latter three schools have way better NYC alumni networks than berkeley.
- ballcaps
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Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
thanks, that makes plenty of sense.iamgeorgebush wrote:if you really want to practice in NYC, why bother with berkeley? sure, it's a great school in a great place to live, but it really doesn't make much sense to go there if you want to practice in NYC. berkeley is not known to top other schools' scholarship offers, so you'll probably be getting as much (or even more) from, say, cornell, NYU, or columbia, and those latter three schools have way better NYC alumni networks than berkeley.
and now i wait.
- Clearly
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Re: Berkeley for an NY native?
If you want nyc, take Columbia, NYU, Penn over Berkeley without question.
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