Berkeley or Reapply Forum

[aicampa]

-The schools you are considering:
I've been accepted to Berkeley and waitlisted at other T14 schools, but its looking like Im gonna strike out on the T7 schools. I also been accepted to GW with 75k but I like Berkeley over GW.

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
Berkeley has yet to send anything so let's just assume I pay sticker price.

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Almost all loans. My family may provide some funds but nothing overly significant.

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
from LA but I want to go to law school elsewhere and practice either NYC or DC, maybe San Fran.

-Your general career goals
I most interested in clerking and then working for the federal government. However, I haven't completely ruled out BigLaw, but PI is what I'm most interested in at this point.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
165
3.5
URM

-How many times you have taken the LSAT
once (Dec 2015)
applied in early January


Overall, if my options remain the same as they are now, should I attend Berkeley? I'm going to visit the school next week for ASW to see how the school is. Berkeley fits my career goals pretty well and their numbers look great on LST, but I'm considering retaking as I think I slightly under performed on the LSAT. Would there be any harm in depositing at Berkeley and retaking the LSAT in June and once I receive my score decide from there? At what point should I seriously consider letting go of Berkeley if my score increases? A two point difference? A one point difference?
Thanks for any feedback.

[krads153]

I would forego going to law school forever if I had to pay sticker price, even for PI....

don't be a moron.

[fliptrip]

You've got to retake. You shouldn't go to Berkeley, or anywhere else, at sticker, especially because I don't see a strong commitment and prior experience to PI that suggests you would be willing to slog the hard road of trying to make PSLF work.

[cron1834]

I'm more than a little surprised that you struck out at the lower T14. Retake and reapply seems to b the answer here. Berkeley at sticker is no-go.