Top Law Schools

Hi all!

I have been admitted to Berkeley, UCLA, and the #1 regional school in my home state (not east coast).

Any reason not to go to Berkeley? Don't live in California, so would have to move down (since not a K-JD, it would be a process).

My current school offered me about and 80% scholarship prior to being admitted anywhere as a transfer and local school gives in-state tuition.
Berkeley would be more expensive than instate option by like 40K total...

Goal is big-law (doesn't have to be true "big-law" mid law sounds appealing as well)

I think this is really a function of where your preferred market is, whether you would like to keep your options open to PI or other areas, etc.

Bartolomeus wrote:I think this is really a function of where your preferred market is, whether you would like to keep your options open to PI or other areas, etc.

Lets say I learn toward wanting to end up in my home state. The regional school places well overall, but only like 20-30% get federal clerkship or big law.

Anonymous User wrote:

Bartolomeus wrote:I think this is really a function of where your preferred market is, whether you would like to keep your options open to PI or other areas, etc.

Lets say I learn toward wanting to end up in my home state. The regional school places well overall, but only like 20-30% get federal clerkship or big law.

Berkeley still probably the right choice (esp. if you home state is on/near west coast; Berkeley's prestige bump might decrease a bit if your market is Atlanta vs. Seattle/Las Vegas/Denver), but you should see if you can get some money out of the regional school. If they gave you a substantial scholarship, then that would be the best choice imo.

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all!

I have been admitted to Berkeley, UCLA, and the #1 regional school in my home state (not east coast).

Any reason not to go to Berkeley? Don't live in California, so would have to move down (since not a K-JD, it would be a process).

My current school offered me about and 80% scholarship prior to being admitted anywhere as a transfer and local school gives in-state tuition.
Berkeley would be more expensive than instate option by like 40K total...

Goal is big-law (doesn't have to be true "big-law" mid law sounds appealing as well)

A $40K bump for Berkeley over the in-state school seems minor compared to the benefit of going there. Have you tried to negotiate a larger scholarship at any of the schools. You could maybe use a UCLA scholarship to try to get Berkeley to up what they've offered.

depends on how biglaw secure you are from your current position.

if your current school is in the state that you want and berkeley isn't (and it doesnt sound like it is) and it's not a major market, i imagine it might actually hurt you more to transfer.

for ex if youre trying to practice in minnesota i'd be willing to bet money that you're better served by staying if you're already biglaw secure at a school in minnesota vs moving to berkeley and having a new thing to explain to firms that might not even recruit there

Your post is missing the most relevant information needed to answer your question: what is your class rank at your current school, and is your current school located in the region in which you want to practice?

rpupkin wrote:Your post is missing the most relevant information needed to answer your question: what is your class rank at your current school, and is your current school located in the region in which you want to practice?

Sorry about that.

TTT, Top 5%
Yes.

Anonymous User wrote:

rpupkin wrote:Your post is missing the most relevant information needed to answer your question: what is your class rank at your current school, and is your current school located in the region in which you want to practice?

Sorry about that.

TTT, Top 5%
Yes.

I lean toward transferring then. If you were, say, in the top 3 (numerically, not percentage-wise) at your current school, I would suggest that you remain, as you'd basically be guaranteed a good firm job in your preferred market. But, while you're certainly competitive for decent midlaw firms in your region at top 5%, your outcomes will be more hit or miss than they will be for the students at the very top of your class.

As for whether you should transfer to Berkeley or the #1 regional school in your home state, it's very hard to answer that question without knowing what the regional school is and/or what market you're in. But tcr is probably Berkeley, unless the regional school is something like UT or Vanderbilt.