UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall) Law Class of 2019 Forum

[spacemonkey001122]

I know it has been somewhat discussed already but if you haven't posted yet, what did you think about admit weekend? (for those who weren't able to attend)

[Lawcat11]

I know it has been somewhat discussed already but if you haven't posted yet, what did you think about admit weekend? (for those who weren't able to attend)

I had a generally positive impression. Everyone was really candid about the scandal, which I thought was really refreshing. People seemed really happy and were eager to show us admits around and answer any questions. In all, it really sold me on the school.

The one kind of negative part for me, other than the not very good housing situation (which to be honest is out of their control and endemic of a larger Bay Area housing crisis) was the sense I got that non-super liberal viewpoints weren't especially welcome. On my tour, one of the guides was openly upset that John Yoo was allowed to teach there, not because of any faults in his teaching or the way he treated students, but simply because of his role in the Bush Administration. I liked the student body and I don't think the people there would be really openly hostile to a moderate or conservative student, but I got the impression that someone who espoused different viewpoints might not find it the best fit. But I did talk to a professor who acknowledged there was a bit of a problem here and said that he always encouraged students to consider both liberal and conservative viewpoints, so it seems like something that they are addressing. I'd love to hear from a current student about this, though!

[skimmilk]

Oh and I didn't see a single Dunkin Donuts

You won't find one, it's all Starbucks and Philz out there.

I kid you not as I am typing this I am eating a DD flatbread and drinking their iced coffee.. I only saw one Starbucks while I was there, but it was in San Francisco.. Also DD is way cheaper. I think making a decision on where to go to law school based on available coffee would be absurd, but I also go to DD almost everyday so at this point it has become a cornerstone of my life lol

[skimmilk]

I know it has been somewhat discussed already but if you haven't posted yet, what did you think about admit weekend? (for those who weren't able to attend)

I had a generally positive impression. Everyone was really candid about the scandal, which I thought was really refreshing. People seemed really happy and were eager to show us admits around and answer any questions. In all, it really sold me on the school.

The one kind of negative part for me, other than the not very good housing situation (which to be honest is out of their control and endemic of a larger Bay Area housing crisis) was the sense I got that non-super liberal viewpoints weren't especially welcome. On my tour, one of the guides was openly upset that John Yoo was allowed to teach there, not because of any faults in his teaching or the way he treated students, but simply because of his role in the Bush Administration. I liked the student body and I don't think the people there would be really openly hostile to a moderate or conservative student, but I got the impression that someone who espoused different viewpoints might not find it the best fit. But I did talk to a professor who acknowledged there was a bit of a problem here and said that he always encouraged students to consider both liberal and conservative viewpoints, so it seems like something that they are addressing. I'd love to hear from a current student about this, though!

Jumping off of this, Berkeley appears to have a very active student body that enjoys protesting. On my tour I couldn't help but notice gruesome paintings of the tortures that occurred at Abu Ghraib. They specifically put up the paintings as a passive aggressive display against a professor teaching there (maybe Yoo?). With that being said, the student body itself seemed more open to discussing other points of view than I expected (they may have been putting on a show but it didn't seem like it). I think if you consider yourself a moderate you will be fine. If your lean very far to the right you can probably expect some arguments, but overall they seem civil.

In regards to the scandal, I think the transparency was really encouraging. The protest/gathering done by the current students upon the release of admitted students from the auditorium (where all of the students gathered outside the doors basically screaming at us, blocking our way, and herding us like sheep) was a bit much in my opinion and overwhelming. Also, just in case activism isn't your thing, when I called this "gathering" a protest the students seemed to be of the opinion that what they did was nothing and wouldn't consider it a protest.. So I imagine a real "protest" in their eyes would probably be pretty extreme for those, like me, who have never encountered anything like it before.

[bamb00zled]

I know it has been somewhat discussed already but if you haven't posted yet, what did you think about admit weekend? (for those who weren't able to attend)

ASW sold me so hard... I just loved the energy from the students, faculty, staff, Deans, everyone. Since job stats and access to experiential programs is pretty much a wash at the top schools (Yes I know there are differences but they are small and don't really influence me) it really comes down to where I will be happiest spending three years kicking off the rest of my life, and for me Boalt seems like that place. I liked that the law school is part of the main campus but in its own spot on the fringes, and Boalt Hall itself was a nice building with cool new additions and nice enough classrooms. The area around the campus seemed fun and full of good, cheap-ish food. And living in the east bay would be relatively affordable and a good lifestyle. The only negative experience I had was during the first night dinner. One food table for a few hundred 20 somethings was a disaster, but I think I will get over missing out on likely-mediocre sushi. And I second everything others have said about appreciating their response to former-Dean Choudry's fuckery.

[berek]

^^^I mean, if the California diet is sushi and champagne...I can get behind that (and the $12 Blue Moon pitchers at some of the happy hours).

Joining the enthusiasm train. I was overall very impressed, and definitely didn't get the "protest" vibe from the students who gathered outside after the initial talk - they were welcoming us! But the solidarity and enthusiasm was indeed a tad overwhelming.

But, yeah. If I can make the money work (// if they match or exceed the scholarship I submitted), then it's now a frontrunner for me after ASW.

RE: Coffee - dude, Peet's ftw. Trust me, you won't miss Dunkin'.

[skaw123]

I want to add my love for Berkeley as well after ASW! I am more on the left so I didn't really think twice about all of that but what really struck me was how happy all of the students were. And not just the ones at the organized panels but also some students I spoke to at one of the lunches who were just sneaking in for some free food. The professors and directors of the clinics also seemed incredibly happy and passionate about what they were doing.

Other than financial issues obviously still being a factor my one major concern is being from NY and probably wanting to end up there after graduation. I know the student panel said it's pretty easy because NY wants Boalt grads and there aren't that many moving to the east because of self-selection and not because they were shut out of NY but I'm still a little apprehensive. I'm curious if anyone else ITT is thinking about going to Berkeley and returning to the east coast after graduation.

[crescentstars]

I want to add my love for Berkeley as well after ASW! I am more on the left so I didn't really think twice about all of that but what really struck me was how happy all of the students were. And not just the ones at the organized panels but also some students I spoke to at one of the lunches who were just sneaking in for some free food. The professors and directors of the clinics also seemed incredibly happy and passionate about what they were doing.

Other than financial issues obviously still being a factor my one major concern is being from NY and probably wanting to end up there after graduation. I know the student panel said it's pretty easy because NY wants Boalt grads and there aren't that many moving to the east because of self-selection and not because they were shut out of NY but I'm still a little apprehensive. I'm curious if anyone else ITT is thinking about going to Berkeley and returning to the east coast after graduation.

Echoing pretty much everything you said here about ASW. I'm also from NY and mulling over the same concerns. I heard a lot of the same feedback at ASW that it's really not too hard to find jobs in NYC/DC because of self-selection, and I'm curious if that's really true for most people who want to move back as well.

That said, I'm not opposed to staying in CA for a bit post-graduation with the intention of transitioning back to the east coast (NYC or DC). I'm more optimistic that this will be easier a few years into my career, but I'm not sure whether it actually works that way lol.

[Lawcat11]

I want to add my love for Berkeley as well after ASW! I am more on the left so I didn't really think twice about all of that but what really struck me was how happy all of the students were. And not just the ones at the organized panels but also some students I spoke to at one of the lunches who were just sneaking in for some free food. The professors and directors of the clinics also seemed incredibly happy and passionate about what they were doing.

Other than financial issues obviously still being a factor my one major concern is being from NY and probably wanting to end up there after graduation. I know the student panel said it's pretty easy because NY wants Boalt grads and there aren't that many moving to the east because of self-selection and not because they were shut out of NY but I'm still a little apprehensive. I'm curious if anyone else ITT is thinking about going to Berkeley and returning to the east coast after graduation.

Echoing pretty much everything you said here about ASW. I'm also from NY and mulling over the same concerns. I heard a lot of the same feedback at ASW that it's really not too hard to find jobs in NYC/DC because of self-selection, and I'm curious if that's really true for most people who want to move back as well.

That said, I'm not opposed to staying in CA for a bit post-graduation with the intention of transitioning back to the east coast (NYC or DC). I'm more optimistic that this will be easier a few years into my career, but I'm not sure whether it actually works that way lol.

I'm curious about placement in NY as well. I wonder if there's away to see a list of firms that do OCI at Berkeley?

[obxt]

has anyone heard back about matching scholarships yet?

[bamb00zled]

has anyone heard back about matching scholarships yet?

Or aid separate from matching?

[KiltedKicker]

has anyone heard back about matching scholarships yet?

Or aid separate from matching?

I believe some students have heard about non-matching aid, and more are supposed to hear this week. I applied and was accepted early but haven't heard. I also have an aid deadline on April 1 that is my matching offer so I emailed them recently to let them know, might be others in the same situation that are going to be taking up a lot of their time

[Dcc617]

Does aid come through an email or is it on the calnet? If anyone knows.

[Califbess]

Speaking as a California native and Cal grad: Now that I've finally visited NYC, I understand people's disappointment in the lack of Dunkin' Donuts. There definitely aren't many super cheap options like it, unfortunately, and donuts are depressingly overpriced near campus. However, you can learn to love boba and get your sugar fix that way.

I agree with everything that's been said, from ASW (loved it, felt like exactly what I wanted from a law school) to housing. This is not a great time to move to the Bay Area. The 12-month leases are a pain, too, though subletting is extremely common here, to the point that some (not all) property owners expect it and are willing to work with you if you leave for the summer.

I will say that Northside generally looks much better than Southside, which Boalt is on unfortunately. Get a place north of Bancroft if you can. PM me any questions and I'll try to answer them.

For anyone who's gone to other admitted student days, did Boalt students really seem that much happier than those at other schools? I can't afford to go to many other admitted days myself, so I would be eternally grateful to hear anyone else's impressions, especially about east coast schools.

[dizzystpizzy]

For anyone who's gone to other admitted student days, did Boalt students really seem that much happier than those at other schools? I can't afford to go to many other admitted days myself, so I would be eternally grateful to hear anyone else's impressions, especially about east coast schools.

+1 especially NYU (the other school with strong PI/social justice credentials)

[Califbess]

For anyone who's gone to other admitted student days, did Boalt students really seem that much happier than those at other schools? I can't afford to go to many other admitted days myself, so I would be eternally grateful to hear anyone else's impressions, especially about east coast schools.

+1 especially NYU (the other school with strong PI/social justice credentials)

I did at least get to see NYU, and it feels more like I'd be attending Greenwich's School of Law. Very little campus, even less so for the law school buildings. It was a bit of a shock to see both it and Columbia (with a very distinct, fancy campus) in the same day. It's a hard sell for me. Lots of bars and pizza of all calibers, though.

[dizzystpizzy]

I did at least get to see NYU, and it feels more like I'd be attending Greenwich's School of Law. Very little campus, even less so for the law school buildings. It was a bit of a shock to see both it and Columbia (with a very distinct, fancy campus) in the same day. It's a hard sell for me. Lots of bars and pizza of all calibers, though.

I've been to NYU's campus on an individual visit, but I would like to get a more general sense of the students and their competitiveness/happiness as compared to Boalt.

[crescentstars]

I did at least get to see NYU, and it feels more like I'd be attending Greenwich's School of Law. Very little campus, even less so for the law school buildings. It was a bit of a shock to see both it and Columbia (with a very distinct, fancy campus) in the same day. It's a hard sell for me. Lots of bars and pizza of all calibers, though.

I've been to NYU's campus on an individual visit, but I would like to get a more general sense of the students and their competitiveness/happiness as compared to Boalt.

I was at NYU's ASD the week before going to Berkeley's, and I got the sense that students were overall pretty happy there as well. But I did get the sense that students at Boalt were happier overall. For NYU, I think the grading curve does put some extra pressure on students, and NYC can be a pretty stressful place to live (NYC native here). Also, I have a lot of current 1L/2L friends there now, and they all love the school for being not too competitive and generally pretty great in terms of PI opportunities and respect for PI as a career path. They just weren't (necessarily) as crazy happy as everyone I met at Berkeley.

The best advice I got at both schools, though, was that it's going to be competitive at any top school since everyone did well to get in, and we all have high expectations for ourselves. And I think if we compare NYU/Berkeley to most other law schools, these two are definitely more chill.

[KiltedKicker]

I've looked at both schools pretty closely and talked to a lot of people from both. I'd say Berkeley students on the whole seem slightly happier and less stressed, but NYU students almost all seemed pretty happy as well. The biggest difference I think is that the location and size of NYU means that the school really isn't much of a community. Students do their own thing and you make your close group of friends, but there isn't a community in the same way there is at Berkeley or most other T10 schools I've looked at. I would also say that the students at each school seemed relatively similar.

I've also been told pretty explicitly that while every T10 school is going to open doors and give you very good job prospects, if you want to work in the Bay Area it will probably be slightly easier coming out of Berkeley than a school somewhere else. Being able to network and having tons of local firms at OCI just makes it a little bit easier.

[dizzystpizzy]

Thanks for the feedback. Pretty much what I got from my NYU visit too. I guess it will really come down to the money then...

[lolRCscrewyou]

Thanks for the feedback. Pretty much what I got from my NYU visit too. I guess it will really come down to the money then...

Which is hard because of Berkeley's matching program. So theoretically they would offer you the same amount (or at least to the point where costs will be the same).

[IcarusOnWheels]

Scholarship Question:

I received 90k from Duke and 90k from Michigan. Which school should I submit for matching? Should I try to negotiate with Duke before submitting for matching?

Thoughts on submitting for matching AFTER receiving my initial offer from Berkeley?

[lolRCscrewyou]

Scholarship Question:

I received 90k from Duke and 90k from Michigan. Which school should I submit for matching? Should I try to negotiate with Duke before submitting for matching?

Thoughts on submitting for matching AFTER receiving my initial offer from Berkeley?

Take Michigan's offer to Duke. If Duke raises, take it back to Michigan. If Michigan also raises, take that to Berkeley.

This is assuming you haven't done any forms on negotiations with duke or Michigan yet.

[KiltedKicker]

Scholarship Question:

I received 90k from Duke and 90k from Michigan. Which school should I submit for matching? Should I try to negotiate with Duke before submitting for matching?

Thoughts on submitting for matching AFTER receiving my initial offer from Berkeley?

Take Michigan's offer to Duke. If Duke raises, take it back to Michigan. If Michigan also raises, take that to Berkeley.

This is assuming you haven't done any forms on negotiations with duke or Michigan yet.

Agreed, try to raise those first and then go to Berkeley. Not sure it will work, but I think it's worth trying.

On a semi-related note, damnit I was really hoping to hear from Berkeley about $ this week

[lebongenre]

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