Berkeley ($$$$) vs. Harvard ($$.5) Forum

[clwelch]

Choosing between full-tuition scholarship at Berk and 70% tuition grant at HLS.

-Goals are PI/govt work in environmental and energy law.
-I'm older (31) so debt is a bigger consideration for me. I'll have to take out loans for COL at either school, so assume that's the same(~$100k for 3 years).
-I am interested in a big law SA during 2L summer which would knock about $20k off my grant at Harvard for 3L but can't really see myself doing big law for real after graduation. Also not ready to commit to PSLF path right now.
-Really not excited about Cambridge or winter; much more excited about the setting of sunny California.
-I am an East coaster and would like to end up back in DC after school most likely.

Insight appreciated!

[trebekismyhero]

If you are 100% committed to PI you probably shouldn't do Big Law at all even just for a summer. Others who are PI can chime in, but the experience from my classmates is that they had to make those connections PI world during their summers and a lot of orgs (maybe not FedGov) question the commitment of those that do big law.

If you want to be in DC, I would go with Harvard.

[Rule23andMe]

Both really great options so congrats.

I'd vote for HLS primarily to have a more sure shot at a DC PI/gov job. Of course attainable from Berkeley but think the slight price premium is worth the potentially better odds (/bigger safety net) from HLS. Up to you if it's worth it though + how strongly you want DC vs. e.g. NYC. Would also look more closely at HLS's LRAP/LIPP which could make the debt a non-issue if you ultimately do choose not to go to a firm and which won't be as demanding as PSLF.

[nixy]

What work do you anticipate doing that isn’t biglaw and isn’t PSLF eligible? Partly I’m curious, but partly because if you are committing to something lower paid than biglaw but that isn’t PSLF eligible, the schools’ loan repayment plans are an important factor (Harvard probably wins here but I don’t know any details about either).

Otherwise, I think either is a defensible option. I tend to agree that Harvard is good for DC, although to the extent that law schools have strengths in particular practice areas, I think Berkeley is particularly well known for environmental law, and DC isn’t really ties-sensitive. I also tend to agree that orgs will want to see you do PI stuff throughout (but that fedgov won’t really care if you have other demonstrated commitment to the field).

[CanadianWolf]

Agree that if you want to live & work in Wash DC after completing law school, then Harvard Law School is the better choice between HLS & Berkeley.

[talons2250]

If you are 100% committed to PI you probably shouldn't do Big Law at all even just for a summer. Others who are PI can chime in, but the experience from my classmates is that they had to make those connections PI world during their summers and a lot of orgs (maybe not FedGov) question the commitment of those that do big law.

If you want to be in DC, I would go with Harvard.

I think this advice would make more sense if OP intended to go into public defense or one of the other culty "us against them" types of public interest work. But in terms of public interest work related to energy or environmental stuff? I don't think biglaw would be a red flag unless you were working on cases where your opposing counsel was NRDC or Earthjustice or something like that. (Biglaw firms represent defendants in lots of cases like these, so watch out.) You could always politely decline to work on such cases during your SA summer; most biglaw firms wouldn't mind that.

I would choose Harvard, because you ultimately want to end up on the East Coast. Unicorn PI/fedgov jobs in DC are easier to get from Harvard. You'll be able to build more of a professional connection in the DC area/Northeast from Harvard. Assuming you'll graduate at median at either school (which is a good thing to assume for purposes of making this decision), median at HLS will get you further than median at Berkeley, especially in the Northeast. If you commit to figuring out all the Harvard LRAP/LIPP stuff, I think you'll find that the extra debt is manageable.

[cavalier1138]

It really seems like your primary objection to Harvard is the weather, which is not a good enough reason to walk away from a huge scholarship there.

I agree that Berkeley can get you back to DC, but I don't understand why you would go there if your ultimate goal is to end up back on the East Coast. Berkeley's best selling point relative to Harvard here would be its ability to get you established in California, and since you don't want that, it's just not a proposition that makes sense.

[Dcc617]

You're talking about what, an extra $60K to go to Harvard? That is a ton of money.

Maybe on the margin there are jobs that Harvard gets you that Berkeley doesn't, but I can't think of many.

Also, PI and government in general is less school focused than biglaw. I guess unless you're looking at super high prestige fedgov jobs, but I know nothing about those.

[CanadianWolf]

The difference in COA as expected by OP seems to be about $83,000 (3 X $21,000 plus $20,000 of financial aid lost by working one biglaw summer).

For one targeting Wash DC, Harvard is the better option due to a larger network & due to the competitive nature of the DC market where even a small advantage can make a big difference. If OP was targeting the West Coast, then Berkeley would be the better option.