Top Law Schools

I am deciding between Boalt at sticker and UCLA, and I am struggling to choose due to the difference in grading/competition and employment prospects. I want to do BigLaw in CA (LA), but after visiting I think I would be comfortable in either place and happy in LA or Berkeley. I went to UCLA undergrad, but I would be okay with staying or moving. My biggest concern is finding a job after graduation, and the cost difference, which including my scholarship to UCLA is around $90,000. I won't have any debt from UCLA, and I would have some from Berkeley. I submitted a scholarship matching form to Berkeley, but I doubt they will match it.

What school did you send in as a matching candidate and with how much money?

UCLA debt free seems like the easy call here.

I think in the short term UCLA debt free makes sense, but I'm concerned about summer positions and long term job prospects coming out of UCLA. It seems like people are visibly struggling a lot more here than at Berkeley. I submitted $10k a year from Michigan (Should I have sent in Duke instead??) It isn't a lot, but it is enough to make the cost a bit more bearable.

What is "some" debt from Berkeley? Are we talking like 30-50k here?

I think that might be worth it for CA biglaw purposes.

Doorkeeper wrote:What is "some" debt from Berkeley? Are we talking like 30-50k here?

I think that might be worth it for CA biglaw purposes.

Cost difference in the OP is 90k. Is Berkeley 100k better than UCLA? I don't think so. Berkeley for 100k in debt is a good deal though.

Nelson wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:What is "some" debt from Berkeley? Are we talking like 30-50k here?

I think that might be worth it for CA biglaw purposes.

Cost difference in the OP is 90k. Is Berkeley 100k better than UCLA? I don't think so. Berkeley for 100k in debt is a good deal though.

Ah, misread that part. Yea, 90k seems a bit much for Berkeley over UCLA for CA biglaw. I agree though that Berkeley for 100k in a vacuum is a good deal.

Some debt is probably $30-50k, depending upon whether the matching scholarship goes through or not too and whether tutition increases anymore. Basically, I am trying to decide if Berkeley is $100k better than UCLA for biglaw in LA.

I am sorry, but am I missing something? How is it possible for you to come out of UCLA with no debt on only a 75K (total?) scholly? Even on a full ride (without stipend), you would come out with some debt. Do you have money in savings or something?

Berkeley is TCR. I am guessing the student body is just about as smart at UCLA as it is at Berkeley, meaning you'll probably have the same shot of being top of your class either place. I'd much rather have the cushion from Berkeley that A.) you're unranked anyway B.) no real grades, so even if you do poorly you'll at least have a shot at BigLaw (unless you get like straight Ps) C.) better school. I got offered a BigLaw gig from CA in Century City with grades at Berkeley somewhere between median and top third with no LA / CA ties, did not bid high on CA firms, and had no experience in business. I don't think you can find anecdotal cases like that at UCLA as readily. I know a dozen or so people with poor to mediocre grades at Boalt that have landed CA biglaw, I'm guessing you'll need to be in the top third at UCLA to have that shot.

I would come out with almost no debt from UCLA (possibly very little depending on whether or not financial circumstances change), because the difference is greater than the 75k scholarship, because tuition is more, the cost of living will be higher, and I have savings and parental support. However, I don't have enough to pay sticker at Berkeley.

My scholarship to UCLA increased to 90k, still haven't heard anything about Berkeley matching my 30k. Should this make a difference?

If you are dead set on CA. I think UCLA is the right choice here. I mean, UCLA debt free would be awesome. Although, If you are only going to have 30-40K in debt from Berkeley I would do that.

You are not giving enough details on the $$ part. If you go to UCLA and graduate will you also have 50K in the bank? I am assuming this since you will only have 30-40K in debt from Berkeley. So with the scholly you should have a substantial amount of $ in the bank?

Two right answers; no wrong choice.

Sorry the financial aspects are still up on the air, because I have heard literally nothing from Berkeley regarding merit aid. Yes if I go to UCLA, I will have money saved still. Given the scholarship increase, I have enough in savings and will make enough through work to pay off UCLA entirely. I definitely want to end up doing biglaw in LA, my only concern is with all of the uncertainty surrounding job prospects, especially out of UCLA, I don't want to forgo debt now and be unemployed later.

CanadianWolf wrote:Two right answers; no wrong choice.

This.