Berkeley Class of 2012 Forum

[trojans09]

That kinda sounds what UCBs is like. I would say there's plenty of other great options on housing to really consider a co-op, not really the environment for intense studying of law.

[bilbobaggins]

Personally, I would steer clear of most of the co-ops as a law student.

Also, housing can be found for the same cost as listed if you get roommates.

Edit: By roommates I don't mean sharing the same bedroom.

[trojans09]

I'm curious to hear from people on Berkeley vs. Stanford since I'm pretty decided on the bay. I seem to be completely failing at coming up with tangible reason on how Stanford is better other than lay prestige. Am I missing something???

[jacktripper]

I'm curious to hear from people on Berkeley vs. Stanford since I'm pretty decided on the bay. I seem to be completely failing at coming up with tangible reason on how Stanford is better other than lay prestige. Am I missing something???

Palo alto and berkeley are different. That might be something to take into consideration.

[trojans09]

I'm curious to hear from people on Berkeley vs. Stanford since I'm pretty decided on the bay. I seem to be completely failing at coming up with tangible reason on how Stanford is better other than lay prestige. Am I missing something???

Palo alto and berkeley are different. That might be something to take into consideration.

See this a huge edge to Berk for me, as a young person I'd much rather be close to SF in a lively city than the middle of suburbia, academically the schools seem equal, and reputationwise in Cali they seem equal from my talks with lawyers.

[bilbobaggins]

I lived in PA, now live in SF and have several friends in Berkeley and this is my take on it:

Berkeley Pros:
More restaurants/bars/stores
Less dominance of chains (which makes a lot of stuff cheaper)
BART accessible- which means 20-35 minutes and you're in SF
Very, very easy to live there and not own a car
Alternative, intellectual vibe

Berkeley Cons:
More expensive to live
More homeless people
Higher crime rate

PA Pros:
Pristine town and campus
Relatively cheap renting for the Bay Area
High-end shopping

PA Cons:
Pretty characterless
Lots of yuppies
Most places to eat/drink are expensive and sports bar-like
Pretty much have to have a car to go anywhere besides downtown PA
Or...you have to take Caltrain, which sucks on weekends and during non-commute times. A "fast" train will drop you in downtown SF in like 35 minutes, slow ones take an hour. The trains also stop running pretty early

[danrocksout]

Does anyone think I have a chance of getting any scholarship from Berkeley? Chicago gave me 36k.

Also, I'm 168/3.68/URM.

Thanks!

[bilbobaggins]

This is the first time I've ever been able to truly support a college sports team in a real tournament. Go Cal!

[dank4284]

This is the first time I've ever been able to truly support a college sports team in a real tournament. Go Cal!

The first half wasn't pretty (not for either team.) Somehow though they're hanging in there. If they can make some 3s in the 2nd half I think they can pull off a win. UMD is pretty dangerous though.

[Kohinoor]

Does anyone think I have a chance of getting any scholarship from Berkeley? Chicago gave me 36k.

Also, I'm 168/3.68/URM.

Thanks!

If they don't just use the matching program silly.

[Kohinoor]

Berkeley Cons:
More homeless people
Higher crime rate

I'm from NYC. Can anyone touch on whether Berkeley is better, worse, or the same? In NY homelessness is so prevalent that there is a separate homeless culture that exists with its own set of rules and morals. Apparently you can steal a guy's briefcase while he's asleep but can't steal a woman's purse.

[legends159]

Boalt 4/2 ASW TLS meetup

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =8&t=64934

[anotherme]

yay berkeley class of '12!

[jacktripper]

Berkeley Cons:
More homeless people
Higher crime rate

I'm from NYC. Can anyone touch on whether Berkeley is better, worse, or the same? In NY homelessness is so prevalent that there is a separate homeless culture that exists with its own set of rules and morals. Apparently you can steal a guy's briefcase while he's asleep but can't steal a woman's purse.

I also live in NYC and have friends that live in Berkeley. The couple that have come out here to visit say the homeless problem is worse in NYC. I agree, but that does not mean that Berkeley does not have a homeless problem of course. It's relative.

[mijahe]

Does anyone think I have a chance of getting any scholarship from Berkeley? Chicago gave me 36k.

Also, I'm 168/3.68/URM.

Thanks!

If they don't just use the matching program silly.

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think matching is guaranteed.

[Kohinoor]

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think matching is guaranteed.

I like to be a rebel.

[mijahe]

LOL. Well played.

[astathop85]

Berkeley Cons:
More homeless people
Higher crime rate

I'm from NYC. Can anyone touch on whether Berkeley is better, worse, or the same? In NY homelessness is so prevalent that there is a separate homeless culture that exists with its own set of rules and morals. Apparently you can steal a guy's briefcase while he's asleep but can't steal a woman's purse.

I also live in NYC and have friends that live in Berkeley. The couple that have come out here to visit say the homeless problem is worse in NYC. I agree, but that does not mean that Berkeley does not have a homeless problem of course. It's relative.

I live in Berkeley - went here for undergrad and plan to start at Boalt in the fall... and in my opinion, the homeless problem really isn't that bad. There ARE alot of homeless people around, but most of them are harmless and they're kindof like eccentric neighbors - on my block, there's a homeless person who plays the saxophone, a guy who juggles, and another guy named "Rich" who will share conspiracy theories in exchange for a coffee. Like I said, not that bad.

[raskolnikov]

This may be helpful for those of you hoping to establish CA residency:
http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... =4&t=64807

[worldtraveler]

Berkeley just shocked me and I might be joining you guys in the fall. I'm still trying to figure out scholarships and negotiate financial aid, but I might just be going back to the bay area!

[Rotor]

With the ASD approaching, I thought it odd we hadn't yet received a packet with detail of the whens, wheres, etc., so I called yesterday. In addition to coming away even more impressed with the folks running business there at Boalt, I found out the package was ready to be sent, but there was an issue with the mailserver and they couldn't get it out yesterday. If all goes as planned, we should see it on Monday. (It's break for the students, not for the administrators).

[bilbobaggins]

I think the homeless issue is overblown, but I was hard pressed to come up with any other cons.

[TheNerdProject]

This is totally unrelated but....

Berkeley's radio station KALX rox! --LinkRemoved--

And here's another Cali station that plays similar music with less talk: http://www.kcrw.com/

Enjoy!

[iamlife1001]

just get the F out of here you pathetic little man

[feeblemiles]

For what its worth that was not my experience when I visited with some Berkeley 1Ls a few weeks ago. They genuinely felt like they had come to the best law school in the country. They weren't delusional about its ranking or in saying anything bad about other schools, but they argued that the campus was so friendly and supportive that they are all really glad they chose Berkeley. (One of them mentioned a friend of theirs turning down Yale to go to Berkeley and being happy with the choice.)

Maybe it was all BS, but I was buying most of it. Are there students that feel like Stanford rejects? I'm sure there are. The students I was with mentioned friends they had at several other T14s that were not loving the competitive adversarial environment they found themselves in. I left feeling like Berkeley, while perhaps not the best school in the T14, is perhaps the best choice in the T14 (for me at least).

Besides... I got rejected at Stanford.