Stanford vs Berkeley Forum

[skrillt]

This is a dumb thread. At equal price, there is literally no reason to go to Berkeley over Stanford. Are you asking about whether you should go to law school at all? That's a different question. If so, ask it.

[Tom Joad]

Tell you what OP, let me sweeten the Berkeley pot for you. If you blind cc me to an email expressing you intent to withdraw from Stanford I will Paypal you $100.

[LSATmakesMeNeurotic]

Tell you what OP, let me sweeten the Berkeley pot for you. If you blind cc me to an email expressing you intent to withdraw from Stanford I will Paypal you $100.

That's a dangerous offer

[Geneva]

OP asks for specifics? I shall deliver specifics.

Employment data for Class of 2010 9 months after graduation:

Unemployed and seeking:
Stanford: 0 (1 graduate with unknown info)
Berkeley: 11/296 (3.7%)

Employed at law firms with 250+ attorneys:
Stanford: ~84/174 (48.5%)
Berkeley: 141/296 (47.6%)

Clerkships:
Stanford: ~54/174 (31%, 51/54 federal)
Berkeley: 26/296 (8.8%, 24/26 federal)

It's also worth mentioning that Berekely also had 11/296 graduates in part time positions whereas Stanford had 0. Both are outstanding schools with outstanding placement, but Stanford's clerkship placement really sets it apart.

I believe the one graduate w/ unknown info may have been working on a PhD. If funding is your major concern, you should apply for Berkeley's scholarship matching program ASAP if u haven't done so already.

[slsorhls]

I must admit, the personal email from Dean Kramer was pretty classy. However, Berkeley's system of reserving your spot by giving your word rather than a seat deposit is also pretty classy. Both schools are compelling. I may have to deposit at Stanford and drag out this decision to the June 1 deadline at Berkeley.

not allowed

[Geneva]

I must admit, the personal email from Dean Kramer was pretty classy. However, Berkeley's system of reserving your spot by giving your word rather than a seat deposit is also pretty classy. Both schools are compelling. I may have to deposit at Stanford and drag out this decision to the June 1 deadline at Berkeley.

not allowed

plus you have a month! what new info will u have after both asws? also, think of how sitting on your acceptances affects people on waitlists

[t14fanboy]

I must admit, the personal email from Dean Kramer was pretty classy. However, Berkeley's system of reserving your spot by giving your word rather than a seat deposit is also pretty classy. Both schools are compelling. I may have to deposit at Stanford and drag out this decision to the June 1 deadline at Berkeley.

not allowed

plus you have a month! what new info will u have after both asws? also, think of how sitting on your acceptances affects people on waitlists

Just stop.

[Geneva]

I must admit, the personal email from Dean Kramer was pretty classy. However, Berkeley's system of reserving your spot by giving your word rather than a seat deposit is also pretty classy. Both schools are compelling. I may have to deposit at Stanford and drag out this decision to the June 1 deadline at Berkeley.

not allowed

plus you have a month! what new info will u have after both asws? also, think of how sitting on your acceptances affects people on waitlists

Just stop.

Just chill and ignore the thread if it bothers you that much.

[juliachild-ish]

Better than those of a berk student with the same characteristics.

Of course. Please be more specific. What kind of job prospects would the straight P Stanford grad have?

I'm a Stanford 1L. I can't really speak as to what kind of public interest prospects they'd have, but I do know several 2Ls with straight Ps who still came out of OCI with multiple offers. And I've heard from 3Ls with straight Ps who still have great jobs lined up after graduation.

So the bottom line is, even someone at the "bottom" of the class at Stanford (which doesn't even really exist) still has some great job offers--you might have to be more flexible with where you work, but you'll still be fine, still be making bank at a big firm if that's what you want. The same absolutely cannot be said for the bottom of the class at Berkeley. Going to Stanford essentially means guaranteed employment. Do you really want to pass that up based on your confidence that you'll be higher in the class at Berkeley?

Not to mention that Berkeley is so stingy with their aid that you're likely to end up paying even more there than at Stanford (I say this from firsthand experience last cycle). And their LRAP is nowhere near as good as Stanford's, if public interest is your goal. But really, I would say you would be crazy to turn down Stanford for anything less than a full-ride at another T-14 (and even then I'd still recommend choosing Stanford--everyone here had a chance to go full-ride at other great schools, and no one regrets turning that down).

Boalt is a fine school, but I think even most Boalt students, if they were really being honest, would tell you to go to Stanford. The level of opportunities is just infinitely higher, the safety net is substantial, the cost difference is likely to be minimal...

[hung jury]

Better than those of a berk student with the same characteristics.

Of course. Please be more specific. What kind of job prospects would the straight P Stanford grad have?

Way better than a B student in the bottom third of the class and that is what is relevant. But you sound like a flame.

And, yes, straight Ps at Stanford is biglaw secure with a little geographical flexibility (DC, SF biglaw is harder with straight Ps but not impossible)/a willingness to go beyond the handful of firms that won't touch you because of your grades. Monetizing the difference is just the wrong way to go about this.

I'd stay away from H comparisons due to its size.

[chasgoose]

This is a dumb thread. At equal price, there is literally no reason to go to Berkeley over Stanford. Are you asking about whether you should go to law school at all? That's a different question. If so, ask it.

Also remember both at sticker means SLS is cheaper than Berkeley by at least $5k per year (assuming you are in-state).

[Geneva]

if u haven't submitted scholly matching documents to berkeley and still think u might want to go there, u should do so immediately. aid is being awarded as we speak. however, i tend to agree w/ the consensus that SLS is the better option unless u get SERIOUS $$$ from boalt or have some specific program that draws u to berkeley. for me, it seems that berkeley will actually cost MORE than sls. thank you, gods of need-based aid.