Berkeley vs. Northwestern + $135,000?? Forum

[dubes]

Question for the community:

Having a tough time deciding on this - Berkeley or Northwestern with a scholarship offer of $135,000?

Seems like a no-brainer, I know, but I want some feedback about choosing #10 over #6 in terms of how that might affect job prospects and career placement.

FYI - I LOVE both San Francisco and Chicago (and yes, I know Berkeley is in Berkeley, not SF, but I went there for undergrad so I know my way around the area). Ideally I'd like to work in either SF, Chicago, or New York upon graduating.

Help me choose!!

[amputatedbrain]

rankings don't matter that much, especially when we're talking a difference of 4 spaces within the T10. Unless you have some very specific reason for going to Berkeley (i.e. set on West coast, IP law, or something like that) I think Northwestern is the easy answer. If you have a certain industry you want to go into, it might be worthwhile to see which school places better into it, but I can't imagine the difference will be enough to justify 150k in debt.

Edit: It's probably worth saying that even if you were paying sticker at both, Berkeley would not be a no-brainer . . . they're basically peer schools, slight fluctuations in the rankings aside.

[09042014]

Unless Northwestern raped your children it is TCR.

See you in Chicago.

[ppa840]

hard to turn that kind of cash away. I vote northwestern

[sumus romani]

How is this even a real choice? Enjoy NW; it is a great school.

[stratocophic]

How is this even a question, unless you 100% want to live in California (and even then...)? USNWR's got to stop trolling for Berkeley, it's getting ridiculous.

[dk8]

unless you have a wife and kids that can't leave california, this isn't a choice.

[rayiner]

Did you get CCN?

[stratocophic]

Did you get CCN?

That might make it a ballgame.

[aad]

unless you have a wife and kids that can't leave california, this isn't a choice.

Even then, if your children like the food and shelter that $150,000 can buy, you should probably go to NW. This question is so obvious that it is not worth asking even if you had some strong tie to California.

Another point to consider is that Berkeley hasn't always been ranked #6. It is pretty recent. Perhaps they will stay at that rank or maybe they won't. I don't think 4 slots in rankings that can change over time is worth $150,000.

[NayBoer]

It will not substantially affect job placement to take the money, as long as you're okay landing in Chicago. By many metrics the biglaw placement is better at NU.

[MJMD]

This is what an obsessive focus on rankings leads to.

[jcunni5]

Go to nu Im pretty sure that it places better than boalt anyway besides Cali. Even if u got ccn I would still go to nu this really is a no brainer a t10 education for free

[guyincognito]

NU NU NU. But maybe I'm just a little biased.

[thickfreakness]

My deposit would have been Same-Day Express FedEx-ed to NW yesterday.

[dk8]

Go to nu Im pretty sure that it places better than boalt anyway besides Cali. Even if u got ccn I would still go to nu this really is a no brainer a t10 education for free

agreed

[sfdreaming09]

Berkeley UG here, but NU hands down

[BioEBear2010]

Berkeley UG here, but NU hands down

+1. Too much $$$ to turn down.

[Shot007]

Man, I can't believe you are even asking this question, many comment that Berkeley is overrated, and for placement Northwestern is pretty good. This is before you consider the fact that you have a 135,000 scholarship...Northwestern is TCR, imho.

[Kohinoor]

Berkeley. It's 4 ranks higher. That works out to an increased lifetime earning potential of over 3 million dollars.

[amputatedbrain]

Berkeley. It's 4 ranks higher. That works out to an increased lifetime earning potential of over 3 million dollars.

And if NU moves down to 11th when the new rankings come out . . . oh shit OP's life will be screwed

[goingtolawschool]

As a 1L at Berkeley, I think this thread is weird and you should log off and make a seat deposit at NU.

[lt0826]

For selfish reasons I am going to say pick Berkeley and please ask NU to give that scholarship to me - Deposit will be sent immediately.

[dubes]

Hahaha, alright this is exactly what I figured I'd hear.

Berkeley was my top choice for so long, when I got in I basically wrote off every other school in existence. So really I'm still trying to get used to the switch!

But thanks everyone, I think I needed a lot of angry people telling me what I already knew

[motiontodismiss]

I'm surprised you haven't hand-delivered your deposit to NU yesterday.