Berkeley Class of 2012 Forum

[calapp09]

There's a virtual tour you can do online: http://berkeley.edu/tour/

The law school has alot of construction right now, but the campus is beautiful with views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate.

[rhythmgen]

So hey I got the acceptance email 2 weeks ago, and I know they said they were mailing out the letters starting this week, but have you received the package yet? It still seems unreal to me just having the email and the "accepted!" on the status page.

I intend to matriculate, so if any one else is accepted and probably going, look forward to meeting you.

[dueprocess14]

I got the packet today. Their policy about reserving a seat is fantastic. I love Berkeley.

Hey Amy, since I'm buried in snow and not expecting to receive it for a while, can you elaborate on what this is? Thanks! Also, anything else exciting in the packet?

[legends159]

I got the packet today. Their policy about reserving a seat is fantastic. I love Berkeley.

Hey Amy, since I'm buried in snow and not expecting to receive it for a while, can you elaborate on what this is? Thanks! Also, anything else exciting in the packet?

It is a folder containing a viewbook, acceptance letter, another letter from a prof, forms about how to reserve your seat. What's amazing is no deposit. By April 15, you just say either "i am coming" or "i am tentatively coming" and they'll reserve your seat. Then you gotta let them know for sure by June 1. There is also a form for scholarships, which is accepted starting Jan 15 (including an explanation of the matching scholarship program). Also info about the admitted students weekend and a form to send in to stay with a law student during that time. Also a form that you can send it with your info on it so other admitted students can contact you. Nothing "exciting," but lots of info and things to eventually take care of if planning on attending!

What schools are listed in their matching program?

[dueprocess14]

I got the packet today. Their policy about reserving a seat is fantastic. I love Berkeley.

Hey Amy, since I'm buried in snow and not expecting to receive it for a while, can you elaborate on what this is? Thanks! Also, anything else exciting in the packet?

It is a folder containing a viewbook, acceptance letter, another letter from a prof, forms about how to reserve your seat. What's amazing is no deposit. By April 15, you just say either "i am coming" or "i am tentatively coming" and they'll reserve your seat. Then you gotta let them know for sure by June 1. There is also a form for scholarships, which is accepted starting Jan 15 (including an explanation of the matching scholarship program). Also info about the admitted students weekend and a form to send in to stay with a law student during that time. Also a form that you can send it with your info on it so other admitted students can contact you. Nothing "exciting," but lots of info and things to eventually take care of if planning on attending!

[/quote]


Cool! sounds like a lot of fun stuff to do. Thanks for sharing this!!

[mijahe]

Got my packet today! Bit confused about the timing on the matching scholarship program, though. Do we send in all our regular financial aid info and then submit for the scholarship match later? Or do we have to wait until getting the scholarship we want to match before sending it in?

[mijahe]

On a similar note, the about $70,000 price tag for non-residents has me a bit worried...

[Bright*Star]

Hello prospective future classmates

I haven't decided 100% on Berkeley but I was accepted a couple of weeks ago and am waiting for my packet to arrive. Thanks for sharing the info, Amy!

And Pursuit, I do plan on going to admit day but I haven't scheduled a flight through that agency yet. I have never visited the area but have only heard good things about it!

[NoodlesHighChief]

I got the email last week. It is definitely up there in my top 2 or 3 choices. Anybody know what the housing options are like?

[legends159]

I got the email last week. It is definitely up there in my top 2 or 3 choices. Anybody know what the housing options are like?

Manville http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livinga ... ville.html

[NoodlesHighChief]

I got the email last week. It is definitely up there in my top 2 or 3 choices. Anybody know what the housing options are like?

Manville http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livinga ... ville.html

That place looks incredible. Not too as pricey as I had feared either.

[mijahe]

In addition to the finaid question above, I was wondering if anyone has any further guidance on the whole residency matter. I know it's relatively easy to get it, but what steps do you actually have to take to do so. The registrar's website has a list of things you could do, but it doesn't really layout was is actually sufficient for establishing residency (For instance, it says you would need to get a CA drivers license within 10 days of arriving in the state. Are you chances blown if you don't do this?). I also fear they may start getting a little more strict about who qualifies, given the budget problems in the state and for the UoC system.

[dueprocess14]

In addition to the finaid question above, I was wondering if anyone has any further guidance on the whole residency matter. I know it's relatively easy to get it, but what steps do you actually have to take to do so. The registrar's website has a list of things you could do, but it doesn't really layout was is actually sufficient for establishing residency (For instance, it says you would need to get a CA drivers license within 10 days of arriving in the state. Are you chances blown if you don't do this?). I also fear they may start getting a little more strict about who qualifies, given the budget problems in the state and for the UoC system.

Importantly, you also have to spend a full year in California, which means your 1L summer in California, which is a huge downside for me...

[irishlaw]

One of my concerns about Berkeley is the reputation it has for being super liberal. Does anyone have any opinions on this? Politically I'd consider myself a moderate, and while I don't mind clashing with other people's opinions (I quite enjoy it), I don't want an aura of liberal groupthink so pervasive that it has me changing the way I write out my exams in order to get a better grade from my professor.

[ndnlawdc]

One of my concerns about Berkeley is the reputation it has for being super liberal. Does anyone have any opinions on this? Politically I'd consider myself a moderate, and while I don't mind clashing with other people's opinions (I quite enjoy it), I don't want an aura of liberal groupthink so pervasive that it has me changing the way I write out my exams in order to get a better grade from my professor.

John Yoo.

Conservatives apparently do quite well at Berkeley Law. I'm not exactly conservative (and not exactly liberal), and I've been told not to worry about the law school. The town, however, is another story.

[legends159]

One of my concerns about Berkeley is the reputation it has for being super liberal. Does anyone have any opinions on this? Politically I'd consider myself a moderate, and while I don't mind clashing with other people's opinions (I quite enjoy it), I don't want an aura of liberal groupthink so pervasive that it has me changing the way I write out my exams in order to get a better grade from my professor.

yeah within the academic community it's not as liberal as you think

Plus, I doubt any exams would require you to take one stance or another on the liberal conservative spectrum.

[whyamidoingthis]

One of my concerns about Berkeley is the reputation it has for being super liberal. Does anyone have any opinions on this? Politically I'd consider myself a moderate, and while I don't mind clashing with other people's opinions (I quite enjoy it), I don't want an aura of liberal groupthink so pervasive that it has me changing the way I write out my exams in order to get a better grade from my professor.

John Yoo.

Conservatives apparently do quite well at Berkeley Law. I'm not exactly conservative (and not exactly liberal), and I've been told not to worry about the law school. The town, however, is another story.

I mean, the majority of the bay area is really liberal. You kind of just have to accept that as a given and work from there. I actually left for Cali for UG because I wanted to be in a place where people had different politics, just to try to it out. California is a bubble.

That being said: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 214026.DTL
If that's more anyone's thing...

[anotherme]

im in well ive been in but im class of 2012!

[20160810]

One of my concerns about Berkeley is the reputation it has for being super liberal. Does anyone have any opinions on this? Politically I'd consider myself a moderate, and while I don't mind clashing with other people's opinions (I quite enjoy it), I don't want an aura of liberal groupthink so pervasive that it has me changing the way I write out my exams in order to get a better grade from my professor.

Meh. The townies are really far-left on the whole, but it just lends the place an interesting flavor. The student body of the whole campus is probably a minumum of 90% Democratic, so it's definitely left-leaning. That said, if you want to get involved in conservative student groups, they definitely exist. In fact, I believe the largest student group on campus is the Korean Baptists and the second largest is Berkeley College Republicans.

[irishlaw]

Well, I'm very excited for Admitted Students Day. I've never been to California (never been west of the central standard time zone, to be honest), so I can't wait to make the trip.

Anyone talked to Cal's travel agency yet for airline tickets? I'm just trying to decide how long I'm going to stay, as there might be a lot for me to see. I was originally going to fly out Thursday and back home Saturday, but I've been thinking about staying around for an extra day and flying back Sunday. What are other people's plans?

[20160810]

I am arriving Thursday evening and leaving Saturday afternoon, but I am from LA and have been to SF/Berekley a ton of times. I called this morning to make the flight. I would suggest flying into Oakland.

Flying into Oakland is much much easier to connect to Berkeley via BART than SFO. There is a bus which costs I think $3 that goes from Oakland International right to the BART station, and then it's only about 4 stops to Shattuck Ave, Berkeley.

[Outlawed]

I went complete on 11/25, but my file went under review on 12/11. When posters remark that they are part of the "11/24"
batch, am I to assume that they are going by the date of completion or the date when their file went under review? Please clarify. Thanks.

[alleycat3]

I got it the same day. Maybe call them if you haven't heard anything by the end of the day.

[mijahe]

Yeah, I booked mine today at like five and got the confirmation e-mail a few hours later.

[RobbyCano]

I visited the school before I solidified my ED @ NU, just to make sure I wasn't making a mistake.

I don't think I made the wrong move, but I've gotta say, Berkeley was absolutely gorgeous. Even amidst the construction which, once cleared up, will make it even more impressive. I loved that place.