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G. T. L. Rev. wrote:This probably is not terribly helpful, but IIRC, two Hs with the rest HHs after 2L year is top ~2%.

Berkeley doesn't release top 2%. The only published standings are top 10% (Distinction) top 25% (High Distinction) and the "Boalt Scholars" who are the top 3 ranked students.

vacate123 wrote:Is there anecdotal evidence on what the cutoffs are for top 10% and top 25% at Berkeley Law?

HH = 5.0 (15%)
H = 3.0 (30%)
P = 2.0 (55%)

The same people tend to occupy HHs in general, so this isn't a random distribution.

I know 1Ls and 2Ls at Berkeley get their "class standing" at the end of the school year if they ask, so would someone care to chime in?

I know someone with straight Hs (an exact 3.0 GPA) who is not in top 25%.
This question is so I can figure out whether there's any hope of landing a distinction for clerkship purposes, thus in the employment thread. Hopefully we have some Berkeley clerks here.

I know someone with two HH's, two P's and H's for the rest, fell outside the top 25% in his/her 2L year.

By the way, for 1Ls only, HH is the top 10%, H=top 11-40%, and P = the remaining 60%.

HTH:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=148097

I had a ~2.78 (2HH's, 1H 4 P's) after 1L and that was top 25%. I was surprised (delightfully, of course). Thought that GPA only put me around ~40%.


I know someone who had 2 HH's and the rest H's and was top 10%.

The whole point of their grading system is to blur the lines. You don't know what the grade exactly mean, and it's hard to figure out. So it's not really important, employers won't be able to figure it out either.

That's not to say grades don't matter, but worrying about 40% vs 25% is unimportant.

That's not to say grades don't matter, but worrying about 40% vs 25% is unimportant.

Unless you want to clerk...

Even then, 25% is not going to put you in a great position for Art. III clerkships

Better position than 40% (and therefore worth knowing) is my point.

As a 1L for me: 4 Hs + 2 Ps = distinction (top 25%)

As a 2L: 5 HHs + 5 Hs = high distinction (top 10%)

Also, @ GTL, how would a prof know about top 2% in a rec if the student didn't disclose the information? I'm relatively certain profs only get standing information if students disclose. And no student would be notified of top 2% post 2010 when the new distinction rules took effect.

I think G.T.L. Rev. is right. Even though Boalt students no longer know their class rank, apparently the registrar and certain administrators do know. I've heard that some students have recommenders who do know, or at least who have a more specific idea than the students themselves may even know. This might be estimated in clerkship letters, which is how GTLR (a clerk) would know.

As a 1L, I started a thread like this last year, but no one had answers for me. As a 2L, I've learned a lot more, so I'll share some things in vague terms.

- I've heard that around a 3.9 average (i.e. balance of HH's and H's, slightly more H's) puts you in the bottom of the top 10%.
- Each year, only one or two (or sometimes zero) students tend to get straight HH's. Thus you can definitely get Boalt Scholar without a perfect transcript.
- You can still get "distinction" with several P's, but you need HH's to balance it out (as confirmed by a poster above).
- I've heard that roughly 1/3 of the class has all or almost-all P's.

Note for all 1L's (Boalt and otherwise): there is a lot of variation between first and second semester grades for some people. I know several people who got most/all P's first semester and most/all HH's second semester. I also know people who got great grades first semester and mostly P's second semester. The year is only halfway over -- if you're doing well, don't let your guard down in the slightest. If you weren't happy with your grades, definitely don't give up.

Anonymous User wrote:As a 2L: 5 HHs + 5 Hs = high distinction (top 10%)

What was the unit split between H's and HH's?

I have a 3.4 GPA
Neither top 25% nor top 10%

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:As a 2L: 5 HHs + 5 Hs = high distinction (top 10%)

What was the unit split between H's and HH's?

14 units = HH
15 units = H

14 units = HH
15 units = H[/quote]

How many of your units were Ps?

Does Best Brief or an AmJur affect class standing?

Anonymous User wrote:Does Best Brief or an AmJur affect class standing?

Nope.

Anonymous User wrote:14 units = HH
15 units = H

How many of your units were Ps?[/quote]

1L year:

8 units = P
3 units = CR
19 units = H

2L year as described above (no Ps)

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:14 units = HH
15 units = H

How many of your units were Ps?

1L year:

8 units = P
3 units = CR
19 units = H

2L year as described above (no Ps)

For future references:

Class of 2012 (with ungraded WOA)

1L GPA >= 2.703 will be at least the top 25% at Boalt. (8*2 + 19*3)/(8+19) = 2.703.

2L GPA >= 3.96 will be at least the top 10%. (14*5 +15*3)/(14+15) = 3.96

The GPA here is not accumulated GPA, but one for that year only.

Thank you very much for this invaluable information.

Edit: fixed the quotation problem

For future references:

1L GPA >= 2.703 will be at least the top 25% at Boalt. (8*2 + 19*3)/(8+19) = 2.703.

2L GPA >= 3.96 will be at least the top 10%. (14*5 +15*3)/(14+15) = 3.96

The GPA here is not accumulated GPA, but one for that year only.

Thank you very much for this invaluable information.

Edit: fixed the quotation problem[/quote]

That can't be right. My 1L GPA was: (12*2 + 10*3 + 6*5)/(28) = 3 and I didn't get honors.
Even if you distribute that over the 30 credits I technically took (LRW included), my GPA would be 2.8...

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:For future references:

1L GPA >= 2.703 will be at least the top 25% at Boalt. (8*2 + 19*3)/(8+19) = 2.703.

2L GPA >= 3.96 will be at least the top 10%. (14*5 +15*3)/(14+15) = 3.96

The GPA here is not accumulated GPA, but one for that year only.

Thank you very much for this invaluable information.

Edit: fixed the quotation problem

That can't be right. My 1L GPA was: (12*2 + 10*3 + 6*5)/(28) = 3 and I didn't get honors.
Even if you distribute that over the 30 credits I technically took (LRW included), my GPA would be 2.8...

I think the anonymous poster who shared his class ranks and GPAs belongs to class of 2012. Class of 2012 does not have graded WOA.

Class of 2013 might be more competitive.

Or the graded WOA may screw up the GPA cut-offs.
This is likely because one HH (5 points) could easily boost up one's GPA.

Not sure. Need more data points.

I have a 3.4 GPA
Neither top 25% nor top 10%

Huh? This doesn't seem right. I had 2.7 after 1L and was top 25%.

Anonymous User wrote:

I have a 3.4 GPA
Neither top 25% nor top 10%

Huh? This doesn't seem right. I had 2.7 after 1L and was top 25%.

I assume the "3.4 GPA" poster was referring to their 2L or 3L GPA. The thresholds for 2L and 3L are somewhat higher because of: (1) the ability to take non-curved courses (e.g., independent study with a professor) in which professors usually give out HHs; (2) the slightly more forgiving curve in the curved 2L/3L courses; and (3) the option to take more units credit/no-credit, which allows some students to focus strategically on their graded units.

Still, I'd be surprised if a 3.4 didn't put one near the top 25% for 2L and 3L year.

Very trustworthy source:
3.932/5.0 graduation GPA class of 2011.
No coif.

Anonymous User wrote:Very trustworthy source:
3.932/5.0 graduation GPA class of 2011.
No coif.

Jeezus.