Top Law Schools

I'm trying to figure out whether I should accept Berkeley's offer of admission or gamble on the rest of my applications. I need to commit at Berkeley by the 11th, and I doubt I'll hear from anyone else by then.

Stats: T2 80s, 3.96 GPA, top 5% (highest the school calculates)
Career Goals: Up in the air right now, but I'd like to stay on the East Coast, probably New York City. Not sure if I want to go straight to biglaw or clerk first.
Applied/Waiting For: Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Penn, Michigan.
Accepted: GULC, Berkeley.
Rejected: None yet.

I'd take Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia over Berkeley. I'd prefer Berkeley over NYU, Penn, and Michigan, but if I don't accept Berkeley I need to leave those apps in to increase my odds of getting into a good school. Please share any advice or insight you have on this decision. Thank you.

Well, Berkeley is a great school, and the location is KILLER (I love that part of the bay area). It's also a huge jump from where you're at now. If they're not your first choice, and you'd rather go to one of the other schools you listed, what I'd do if I was in your shoes would be to wait until the last day to put down my seat deposit, and if I hadn't heard from the other schools by then, I'd put my deposit in. If you do end up getting in to a school which you would rather attend, you can always pull out and go there instead. Yeah, you'll loose the money from your deposit, and yeah, it may seem a bit unprofessional, but if you have bona fide reasons for wanting to go to one of the other schools, I'm sure it'd be fine. When I was applying last year I put down a deposit at a school and ended up forgoing my deposit because I was subsequently admitted to a better school that was also much closer to family and friends.

Xferr wrote:I'm trying to figure out whether I should accept Berkeley's offer of admission or gamble on the rest of my applications. I need to commit at Berkeley by the 11th, and I doubt I'll hear from anyone else by then.

Stats: T2 80s, 3.96 GPA, top 5% (highest the school calculates)
Career Goals: Up in the air right now, but I'd like to stay on the East Coast, probably New York City. Not sure if I want to go straight to biglaw or clerk first.
Applied/Waiting For: Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Penn, Michigan.
Accepted: GULC, Berkeley.
Rejected: None yet.

I'd take Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia over Berkeley. I'd prefer Berkeley over NYU, Penn, and Michigan, but if I don't accept Berkeley I need to leave those apps in to increase my odds of getting into a good school. Please share any advice or insight you have on this decision. Thank you.

What do you mean by commit? Is it binding? My answer doesn't change either way - going to Berkeley is a wise choice.

If it's a deposit, you should pay the deposit at Berkeley and keep waiting for the other schools. Worst case scenario is that you eat the deposit for HS C. And just about everyone would kill to have that opportunity. More likely, you probably won't get into those schools and will go to Berkeley.

There is no deposit for Berkeley. They are going by the applicant's word.

I am in the same predicament. I really like Berkeley but I also got into NYU.

What are the general thoughts from TLS? Should I choose Berkeley over NYU? Internationally, which school has the better reputation?

The firms that I like the most are in New York but the Bay Area seems like an exciting to place to be in (I can picture myself living there for a long, long time).

Thoughts? (sorry to hijack this thread)

Xferr wrote:I'm trying to figure out whether I should accept Berkeley's offer of admission or gamble on the rest of my applications. I need to commit at Berkeley by the 11th, and I doubt I'll hear from anyone else by then.

Stats: T2 80s, 3.96 GPA, top 5% (highest the school calculates)
Career Goals: Up in the air right now, but I'd like to stay on the East Coast, probably New York City. Not sure if I want to go straight to biglaw or clerk first.
Applied/Waiting For: Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Penn, Michigan.
Accepted: GULC, Berkeley.
Rejected: None yet.

I'd take Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia over Berkeley. I'd prefer Berkeley over NYU, Penn, and Michigan, but if I don't accept Berkeley I need to leave those apps in to increase my odds of getting into a good school. Please share any advice or insight you have on this decision. Thank you.

Edit: Should've read the post before mine. I know what I'd do. Shady? Perhaps, but it's still what I would do.

So they just ask you to sign something that says you will withdraw from other law schools? This early in the transfer cycle?

That's kind of bullshit. When is the deadline?

I'd rather not reneg on the commitment. They expect you to withdraw all other apps - otherwise this wouldn't be an issue.

Also, this isn't the sort of evaluation I'm looking for. I already know Berkeley is a huge jump and that it's great and all. The question is whether the risk of not getting into any of the six I've got applications at is worth the difference between Berkeley and Stanford/Harvard/Columbia.

Xferr wrote:I'd rather not reneg on the commitment. They expect you to withdraw all other apps - otherwise this wouldn't be an issue.

Also, this isn't the sort of evaluation I'm looking for. I already know Berkeley is a huge jump and that it's great and all. The question is whether the risk of not getting into any of the six I've got applications at is worth the difference between Berkeley and Stanford/Harvard/Columbia.

Actually, it doesn't say you need to withdraw your applications if you accept the offer of admission. If you read the packet carefully, it ONLY says you must withdraw all other applications IF you decide to do the Early Interview Program.

I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

Difficult to suggest that anyone should forego UCal-Berkeley to gamble on a transfer acceptance to Stanford, Harvard or Columbia. It's "gambling advice" because we don't know what is in your application & recommendations. From my viewpoint, this boils down to whether or not you're willing to sacrifice Berkeley for Michigan, Penn or NYU.

P.S. I voted "hold out" because you're not excited enough about UCal-Berkeley to commit yet.

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

No. People mention Berkeley because there are so many other University of California campuses. If I told you I went to the University of California, the next question out of your mouth would be "Oh, which one?" To save your saliva, I would naturally tell you that I went to Berkeley from the get go.

Options:

Cal
Berkeley
UC-Berkeley
UCal-Berkeley
Boalt
Boalt Hall

P.S. And, of course, "Berkely".

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

Not the only: West Point. Annapolis.

ctadash wrote:

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

No. People mention Berkeley because there are so many other University of California campuses. If I told you I went to the University of California, the next question out of your mouth would be "Oh, which one?" To save your saliva, I would naturally tell you that I went to Berkeley from the get go.

i think the pt jurisx is making is that this isnt true for other places...for instance, theres a lot of University of Texas campuses..yet everybody thinks you go to UT Austin when you simply say texas, or UT...nobody thinks you go to UT el paso or arlington or pan am

Since Berk, like Austin, is the states flagship university, saying UoC should automatically refer to Berk. But for some reason it doesnt

Given your numbers (T2 80s, Top 5%), I think you should take it. Barring some slam dunk soft that you aren't telling us, you outperformed your numbers by getting into Berkeley. I wouldn't chance getting lucky again with similarly ranked or higher ranked schools.

Xferr wrote:I'd rather not reneg on the commitment. They expect you to withdraw all other apps - otherwise this wouldn't be an issue.

Also, this isn't the sort of evaluation I'm looking for. I already know Berkeley is a huge jump and that it's great and all. The question is whether the risk of not getting into any of the six I've got applications at is worth the difference between Berkeley and Stanford/Harvard/Columbia.

I totally understand not wanting to renege; I wouldn't do that either. Honestly, Berkeley is a great school, and it'd be a great opportunity. If you would be happy going there, but would maybe be happier at one of those other schools, I'd wait until the last day to accept for Berkeley, and if you don't hear from the other schools by then, just accept; if you subsequently receive an offer from another school which you rather attend, cross that road when you get there. If you do get in somewhere else, just do some soul searching about it. If you would really rather be on the east coast, and you get accepted elsewhere after accepting at Berkeley, just be honest and professional about it if you decide to matriculate elsewhere. Law schools understand this stuff. I most certainly would not turn down Berkeley on the hopes that you get in elsewhere; you've got a great opportunity in hand, and it would be a shame to let it pass.

Last thought, and maybe someone else could chime in on this, but what if you accept but tell them when you accept that you still have an application outstanding at a school out east, and that if you get in, you may consider going there instead because of X (family reasons or other reason that's drawing you out there).

lnllnl wrote:

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

Not the only: West Point. Annapolis.

You do know those are military colleges and those are their names right?

If OP is at Catholic University, UC-Berkeley might be a bit of a culture shock.

thederangedwang wrote:

ctadash wrote:

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

No. People mention Berkeley because there are so many other University of California campuses. If I told you I went to the University of California, the next question out of your mouth would be "Oh, which one?" To save your saliva, I would naturally tell you that I went to Berkeley from the get go.

i think the pt jurisx is making is that this isnt true for other places...for instance, theres a lot of University of Texas campuses..yet everybody thinks you go to UT Austin when you simply say texas, or UT...nobody thinks you go to UT el paso or arlington or pan am

Since Berk, like Austin, is the states flagship university, saying UoC should automatically refer to Berk. But for some reason it doesnt

yep. People in general hear Berkely and don't even know it's UOC related.

CanadianWolf wrote:Options:

Cal
Berkeley
UC-Berkeley
UCal-Berkeley
Boalt
Boalt Hall

P.S. And, of course, "Berkely".

Yet they they say Berkely to sound better.

Society in general gets all wet for that and flacid for the rest.

shock259 wrote:Given your numbers (T2 80s, Top 5%), I think you should take it. Barring some slam dunk soft that you aren't telling us, you outperformed your numbers by getting into Berkeley. I wouldn't chance getting lucky again with similarly ranked or higher ranked schools.

Read a little more carefully - my school doesn't calculate past top 5%. I'm probably rank 1.

Also, the Berkeley website says that the expectation is that you'll withdraw all other apps if you commit. That's the clear expectation, and accepting then reneging is not an option as I said. I'd like those suggestions to stop.

I already asked them about submitting a tentative commitment. They gave me an extension but ultimately you need to absolutely commit by a certain date. There's no false dilemma here - please stick to the options presented in the OP. I've already looked for the clever way out, and there doesn't appear to be any.

Unfortunately, this thread has degenerated into 'Berkeley is great, totally go!' and 'Just call it UC, not Berkeley.' Neither of these strings of comments helps me think about the choice any better. Oh well.

jurisx wrote:

lnllnl wrote:

jurisx wrote:I love how people say "Berkley" and not UOC.

It's the only place I know where people mention the campus location over the campus.

Are the other UOC locations really that much worse?

Not the only: West Point. Annapolis.

You do know those are military colleges and those are their names right?

At least use Wikipedia...They are not West Point and Annapolis (West Point, NY & Annapolis, MD). Those are actually the cities they are located in. United States Military Academy & United States Naval Academy are the official names. And yes, they are military colleges, your point? I'm just pointing out other schools where people mention the campus location more often than the actual name.

Xferr wrote:Unfortunately, this thread has degenerated into 'Berkeley is great, totally go!'

Sounds like you want to chance it and hold out for HSC. After that post, is there any point for other people to suggest Berkeley? If that's the case, then just nut up and decline Berkeley.

Edit: Sorry, Stanford, not Yale.

OP: If, as posted above, you want to stay on the East Coast & your target market is NYC, then NYU, Columbia & Penn might be better options than UCal-Berkeley.