Top Law Schools

Berkeley is my dream school, and while I got in I don't expect to get any $$$. I want to work in CA and am very debt averse, so I'm thinking about UCLA with full tuition, but it's hard to let Berkeley go.... and then theres Duke with $25k yearly.... any thoughts?? thanks!

UCLA

Berkeley hands down--even if you want to practice in LA. And if you know you want to work in CA, why would Duke still be in the running for you if you have Berk and LA?

Go to your dream school.

Check out placement figures this past OCI for UCLA and Berkeley. If UCLA only places 10%, go Berkeley. If it doesn't seem substantially different, go UCLA.

So taking out COL expenses, you're looking at UCLA for free, Duke for $60k total, or Berkeley for about $120k total. If you're really debt averse, I'd go with Duke, because they place slightly worse than Berkeley in CA, but still much better than UCLA. People have been saying that only top 10% at UCLA were safe for jobs this year.

rachelburns wrote:Berkeley is my dream school, and while I got in I don't expect to get any $$$. I want to work in CA and am very debt averse, so I'm thinking about UCLA with full tuition, but it's hard to let Berkeley go.... and then theres Duke with $25k yearly.... any thoughts?? thanks!

First, you're very fortunate to be accepted by your dream school. Second, it just so happens that your dream school will give you better employment opportunities in CA (and some other markets) than the other two schools. I say Berkeley.

My advice, by the way, might be different if you were ambivalent about where you want to go to school. If you were only considering Berkeley because of its USNWR ranking or something, then I would suggest that you seriously consider the other options. But when you combine your love of Berkeley with the excellent opportunities that Berkeley graduates have, I think it's worth paying the extra $$$ for Berkeley. Have fun.

Oh, one more thing: I wouldn't be so sure that you'll have to pay sticker at Berkeley. The ability to offer more merit money is one of the reasons that Berkeley increased its tuition. Berkeley knows that it's going to have to start offering merit money in order to attract the top applicants; based on the numbers in your profile, you definitely belong in that category.

ITT: people read over the part where OP has been offered a full ride at UCLA

UCLA

lawduder wrote:ITT: people read over the part where OP has been offered a full ride at UCLA

UCLA

I didn't read over that part. My advice stands.

And if you look at the OP's profile, she was offered 105K over three years. That's a great offer, but it's not going to be a full ride at UCLA. Not anymore.

go to boalt you will not regret it

lawduder wrote:ITT: people read over the part where OP has been offered a full ride at UCLA

UCLA

rachelburns wrote:Berkeley is my dream school

I would say come and visit Duke if you have not already, just in case. That said, it sounds like you are going to still like Berkeley more.

Have fun at Boalt!

If you are reaaaaly debt averse, UCLA is a good choice. Perhaps you are looking at starting your career with a clerkship or public interest work? Advice stands, UCLA.

If, however, you are probably going to be going for something which pays better than PI, I'd say Berkeley. They'll place you better for biglaw, fer sure.

My $0.02 (which is biased, cause I'm going to UCLA).

I saw something posted in a thread recently about Berkeley's scholarships.

They have a full, official match program that includes all of the T14 except Northwestern.

Enjoy Berkeley with 25k/year

fortissimo wrote:UCLA

this

UCLA. If you're so debt averse, go to the cheapest option. They will all provide you with an outstanding legal education..

can someone point me to the suggestion that only 10% at ucla was safe?

i would have guessed top 1/3. conservatively.

You want to work in Cal, and you are very debt averse. UCLA covers both bases. But if this scholarship matching thing is actually true, then enjoy Berkeley.

Lermontov wrote:I saw something posted in a thread recently about Berkeley's scholarships.

They have a full, official match program that includes all of the T14 except Northwestern.

Enjoy Berkeley with 25k/year

I read the same thing. It's in this thread:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5&t=111317

The post specifically said: Students admitted to Berkeley Law that have also received a scholarship offer from one of the 12 law schools listed below can apply for a Berkeley Law Matching Scholarship.

Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
New York University
Stanford University
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Virginia
Yale University

I don't know the specifics, but according to this you should be able to get at least $25K from Boalt

miamiman wrote:can someone point me to the suggestion that only 10% at ucla was safe?

i would have guessed top 1/3. conservatively.

There is no figure showing 10%. That's something the troll fairy cooked up.. It is top 1/3, and even that is somewhat conservative.

Placement proportions are BS anyways as a much more accurate figure would be the percentage of people who secured BigLaw AND who were looking for BigLaw. UCLA has a ton of PI people, people looking to do academics, and people going into think-tanks. I'd guess that about 50%+ of people who wanted BigLaw got it. (That's still dismal, but so was the economy).

If you are going to troll it up with me here, just look at the NLJ rankings this year (I have a paper copy of it). UCLA places right where it should be: at around #15, and then there's Yale, placed right below it. That should speak to the relevance of the "BigLaw placement statistic" - it's not very relevant in many cases.

SHARK WEEK! wrote:

miamiman wrote:can someone point me to the suggestion that only 10% at ucla was safe?

i would have guessed top 1/3. conservatively.

There is no figure showing 10%. That's something the troll fairy cooked up.. It is top 1/3, and even that is somewhat conservative.

Placement proportions are BS anyways as a much more accurate figure would be the percentage of people who secured BigLaw AND who were looking for BigLaw. UCLA has a ton of PI people, people looking to do academics, and people going into think-tanks. I'd guess that about 50%+ of people who wanted BigLaw got it. (That's still dismal, but so was the economy).

If you are going to troll it up with me here, just look at the NLJ rankings this year (I have a paper copy of it). UCLA places right where it should be: at around #15, and then there's Yale, placed right below it. That should speak to the relevance of the "BigLaw placement statistic" - it's not very relevant in many cases.

You can't go by 2009 data, because they OCI'd in 2007.

We need OCI data for those who did OCI in 2009. Anyone know how many 2L's at ULCA got market paying SA gigs?

Lermontov wrote:I saw something posted in a thread recently about Berkeley's scholarships.

They have a full, official match program that includes all of the T14 except Northwestern.

Enjoy Berkeley with 25k/year

Based on reports from last year, it appears that Berkeley rejects most matching scholarship applications. And, in the few cases where a scholarship was fully or partially matched, the scholarship was from a T6 school (i.e., not Duke). I am hoping that Berkeley is going to be more aggressive with merit money this year. But if Berkeley behaves like last year, then the OP is unlikely to get anything.

SHARK WEEK! wrote:

miamiman wrote:can someone point me to the suggestion that only 10% at ucla was safe?

i would have guessed top 1/3. conservatively.

There is no figure showing 10%. That's something the troll fairy cooked up.. It is top 1/3, and even that is somewhat conservative.

Placement proportions are BS anyways as a much more accurate figure would be the percentage of people who secured BigLaw AND who were looking for BigLaw. UCLA has a ton of PI people, people looking to do academics, and people going into think-tanks. I'd guess that about 50%+ of people who wanted BigLaw got it. (That's still dismal, but so was the economy).

If you are going to troll it up with me here, just look at the NLJ rankings this year (I have a paper copy of it). UCLA places right where it should be: at around #15, and then there's Yale, placed right below it. That should speak to the relevance of the "BigLaw placement statistic" - it's not very relevant in many cases.

Glad someone else realizes this

Dignan wrote:

Lermontov wrote:I saw something posted in a thread recently about Berkeley's scholarships.

They have a full, official match program that includes all of the T14 except Northwestern.

Enjoy Berkeley with 25k/year

Based on reports from last year, it appears that Berkeley rejects most matching scholarship applications. And, in the few cases where a scholarship was fully or partially matched, the scholarship was from a T6 school (i.e., not Duke). I am hoping that Berkeley is going to be more aggressive with merit money this year. But if Berkeley behaves like last year, then the OP is unlikely to get anything.

I see, I see. I never really looked into Berkeley much, so I report only rumors and gossip when I talk about them. Good luck convincing them though.

What's more important to you?

1) Not falling into deeper debt
2) Attending your dream school

As others have stated, it's literally a dream to be accepted to your dream school. Even if you attend UCLA/Duke and have an amazing time, you'll always live with the fact that you had a chance to attend your dream school and passed on the offer. Also, if you attend Boalt, you'll carry the prestige of a degree that's the best in the west (along with Stanford) and a national heavyweight.

By the way... Forget about Duke... This should be Boalt vs. UCLA.