Berkeley ($), NYU ($), Michigan ($$), UCLA ($$$). Deadline! Forum

[drumstickies]

With deposit deadlines coming so soon, I'm really starting to wonder which choice is best for me and keep going back and forth. I can't seem to see a clear winner here, since Berkeley offered me the smallest finaid package; otherwise I'd definitely attend. I really liked Berkeley when I visited, and my wife and I have close friends and family in the area, which is a consideration in our decision making. I didn't like the feel of NYU as much, and SoHo seemed a little too busy for us. I haven't had a chance to visit Michigan or UVA, but I don't really like the idea of living in Michigan for three years. Charlottesville seems a little more palatable. All input is sincerely appreciated!

-The schools you are considering
Berkeley, NYU, Michigan, UCLA... and UVA (sort of)

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
I received a 15k need-based grant for the first year from Berkeley, which may or may not be renewable for the three years; 50k from NYU; 90k from Michigan; 60k from UVA; full-tuition at UCLA. I've been working for several years and my spouse will be covering COL for the three years. We have some savings. My matching app for Berkeley was denied. With that, here's what I came up with--

Berkeley: 120K; NYU: 170K; Michigan: 60K; UCLA: nothing!; UVA: 100K

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Loans, savings, and spouse's income

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
I have significant ties to both the Bay Area and LA. I'd like to work in the Bay Area

-Your general career goals
BigLaw, but I'm keeping an open mind. I have a pretty strong public interest background.

Thanks for reading and for the help! Also, please don't quote!

[arklaw13]

Berkeley seems like the correct choice in this situation if it will really only cost you $120k.

[yeslekkkk]

It sounds like NYU, UVA and Michigan are out. I say Berkeley. However, if you would rather pay nothing for law school, then go with UCLA. How debt averse are you?

[drumstickies]

It sounds like NYU, UVA and Michigan are out. I say Berkeley. However, if you would rather pay nothing for law school, then go with UCLA. How debt averse are you?

Thanks for responding. I'm somewhat debt adverse, and I'm wondering if Berkeley is actually worth the 120K over UCLA for the Bay market. Should NYU really be out of the picture? After looking at NYU's ABA 509, I thought that a 50k grant was generous for them; it also seems that most NYU students finance their education, so I'd probably be a little better off than the average student. I liked the rest of NYC and also have close friends and family there. Does NYU's name extend to the Bay Area?

[yeslekkkk]

It sounds like NYU, UVA and Michigan are out. I say Berkeley. However, if you would rather pay nothing for law school, then go with UCLA. How debt averse are you?

Thanks for responding. I'm somewhat debt adverse, and I'm wondering if Berkeley is actually worth the 120K over UCLA for the Bay market. Should NYU really be out of the picture? After looking at NYU's ABA 509, I thought that a 50k grant was generous for them; it also seems that most NYU students finance their education, so I'd probably be a little better off than the average student. I liked the rest of NYC and also have close friends and family there. Does NYU's name extend to the Bay Area?

I'm by no means an expert. I can not comment on NYU's name in the Bay Area. I don't think though that 50 K is worth more for NYU than Berkeley... especially since you wrote that you didn't like the feel of NYU. Berkeley will open up tons of doors for biglaw in the Bay. NYU will be great for working in NYC. I'm sure some people get to SF from NYU, but it just seems like Berkeley would be more natural for doing that. It sounds like you like the Bay Area and want to work there, I don't know why you'd pay 50K more to go to NYU.

Also, that's a really good price for Michigan. Ann Arbor is a great town. I visited and really liked it. Don't discount Michigan so easily. A lot of their students do go back to CA.

If you're going to finance any education, it really should be Berkeley.

[jbagelboy]

Scholarship + Desire to work in SF = Berkeley, hands down.

[Redamon1]

Assuming you want a real shot at biglaw or PI after graduation you need to pick among Mich, UVA, NYU, and Berkeley.

Among those schools, Berkeley has a clear edge for Bay Area employment. How much you want to pay is obviously a personal decision, but with family support and a good scholarship, you're paying less for Berkeley than most (to the extent that's a consideration) and it sounds like you wouldn't take on a soul crushing amount of debt. If you find that it's too much for you to pay, you may need to reevaluate your career goals so that you're comfortable with alternate outcomes (geography, small/mid-law) if you pick another school.

[muskies970]

Michigan and it's not even close... with ties to the Bay Area you shouldn't have a problem getting back there after graduation. and for 60k less too...

[TooOld4This]

Knock out NYU (not worth $50k more than Berkeley) and UVA (Berkeley is worth $20k more).

If you are willing to gun and deal with the downside risk of falling short at UCLA, that is a good option. You put a ceiling on what you are likely to get at graduation, but if you don't really care about what you might be missing out on, UCLA for free is a great option. That said, $120,000 for Berkeley is not a crazy risk. Michigan would be a decent split of the difference, if you could handle living there and wanted a few more doors opened up (compared to UCLA) without quite as much debt.

[lecsa]

I'd go to Michigan, especially considering your Berkeley grant isn't guaranteed for three years. Plus no reason to pay at least 60k more for a peer school (which might turn out to be 90k+ more).

[EJL123]

IMHO, with your goals, choose Berkeley first. If not Berkeley, then go Michigan.

[InTheHouse]

Visit Ann Arbor. I'm from Cali and I loved my visit there. In hindsight, I should have gone there. Low CoL, big school atmosphere and the law school is gorgeous. Also, the law students seemed a lot less douchey than some of the other schools I visited.

All that being said, I have no idea if Michigan can get you back to SF/Bay. The smart move seems like Berkeley. Its easy underrate the value of local professional contacts you'll make in law school.

[lecsa]

Its easy underrate the value of local professional contacts you'll make in law school.

Flame. Unless they are good friends or family, your contacts are generally worthless.

[InTheHouse]

Its easy underrate the value of local professional contacts you'll make in law school.

Flame. Unless they are good friends or family, your contacts are generally worthless.

Apparently very easy to underrate.

[muskies970]

Its easy underrate the value of local professional contacts you'll make in law school.

Flame. Unless they are good friends or family, your contacts are generally worthless.

Apparently very easy to underrate.

Michigan has plenty of receptions with Cali firms/recruiters. Plus you have 1L summer to make more connections. 60k+ is not worth the difference for virtually the same employment outcomes.

[drumstickies]

Thanks for the responses! I'm surprised that only a few voted for UCLA. Berkeley does seem like the better option, and it was good hearing from everybody.

[woosah]

Berkeley, hands down.

Michigan and it's not even close.