UC Berkeley School of Law C/O 2020 Applicants (2016-2017) Forum

[godinacup]

Wait listed yesterday after FR, email time stamped 4:48 pm PST. Numbers were low for Boalt, so I'm just happy about not being flat-out rejected.

[Mr_Chukes]

Wait listed yesterday after FR, email time stamped 4:48 pm PST. Numbers were low for Boalt, so I'm just happy about not being flat-out rejected.

Yeah some people don't even get FR.

[Mr_Chukes]

Can someone tell me what it means when you get an e-mail that your application will receive further review and you will have a decision by a specific date? Is this a bad thing? Or does it just mean we're on the path to getting acceptance and this is the normal route? (Panicking a bit)

You are on the right path. They put people they are actually considering on FR and then around that date you can be accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

[spursforever]

.

[crookedsmile]

OMG Fr time. I was Ur for a month lol.

Good luck man, been following your cycle a bit and I hope for the best!

[crookedsmile]

Admitted yesterday through FR! Honestly so surprised they let me in. 2 page PS and no Why Berkeley.
Submitted 11/13; UR 12/12; Pushed to FR 1/12; Admitted 2/02.

Congrats!

[goldenbear2020]

According to this outdated interview, Berkeley used to admit 550 through "administrative review" (i.e., directly by Dean Tom) and 200 through FR (out of 1,400 to 1,600 sent to FR), for a total of 750 admits and 270 enrolled.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/tom-interview.html

Berkeley most recently admitted 1,328 (plummeting yield?) and enrolled 301, so that should be roughly 975 admitted by Dean Tom and 350 admitted by FR (out of 2,500-2,800 sent to FR), assuming the ratios stay about the same.

If they're still sending the same ~1,500 to FR (because of resource contraints), then that could be roughly 1 in 4 chances of getting in by FR.

[latinxlawschool2020]

Sooo I went FR January 12th and was told that I will get a final decision by or around February 3rd, however this morning I recieved this email ( time stamped 1:57am)



I write to inform you that the Admission Committee has decided to include your application in a small group that is being held for further consideration. We anticipate that a final decision will be available on or about February 24.
Thank you for your patience.

Edward Tom
Dean of Admissions

I wrote a "why berkeley" and a diversity statement , I am also an alum and currently still living in Berkeley. Berkeley is my top choice!

Any one else got this or heard about this???

[Monday]

.

[Keilz]

Sooo I went FR January 12th and was told that I will get a final decision by or around February 3rd, however this morning I recieved this email ( time stamped 1:57am)



I write to inform you that the Admission Committee has decided to include your application in a small group that is being held for further consideration. We anticipate that a final decision will be available on or about February 24.
Thank you for your patience.

Edward Tom
Dean of Admissions

I wrote a "why berkeley" and a diversity statement , I am also an alum and currently still living in Berkeley. Berkeley is my top choice!

Any one else got this or heard about this???

they had this last year. good luck!

[goldenbear2020]

Sooo I went FR January 12th and was told that I will get a final decision by or around February 3rd, however this morning I recieved this email ( time stamped 1:57am)



I write to inform you that the Admission Committee has decided to include your application in a small group that is being held for further consideration. We anticipate that a final decision will be available on or about February 24.
Thank you for your patience.

Edward Tom
Dean of Admissions

I wrote a "why berkeley" and a diversity statement , I am also an alum and currently still living in Berkeley. Berkeley is my top choice!

Any one else got this or heard about this???

Looks like you were deferred from FR1 to FR2...still better than a WL or ding. Hang in there!

[chandhi]

...anyone else still just hoping to go UR1? Complete since 1/11.

[futureellewoods123]

...anyone else still just hoping to go UR1? Complete since 1/11.

Yes, been complete since a little after that time.

[freekick]

...anyone else still just hoping to go UR1? Complete since 1/11.

Yes, been complete since a little after that time.

Complete around 1/14, UR 2/1.

[chandhi]

...anyone else still just hoping to go UR1? Complete since 1/11.

Yes, been complete since a little after that time.

Complete around 1/14, UR 2/1.

Does anyone have insight on how they choose which files go UR first?

[170orDie]

Been UR since 1/23. Didn't get any FR email... i know some people are saying if you're on UR for a long time that means a rejection is imminent.

Anyone have any insight on my case? Berk is by far my number 1, but my numbers don't give me a great chance...

[Litt1tUp]

Been UR since 1/23. Didn't get any FR email... i know some people are saying if you're on UR for a long time that means a rejection is imminent.

Anyone have any insight on my case? Berk is by far my number 1, but my numbers don't give me a great chance...

Well I think its too early to tell, I was in UR from like October to January then went FR, so it does take some time! Just for reference I think these are the pathways for Berk:

Complete -> UR -> Acceptance/Rejected

OR

Complete -> UR -> FR -> Acceptance/Waitlisted/Rejected (I think FR is the only way to be waitlisted)

[Instrumental]

11 days isn't a particularly long time. I wouldn't stress.

[ethanknight]

Admitted last night, or early this morning. By email at 12:48am on 2/3/17. I am honestly surprised, I didnt think I would get in.

LSAT 165, one point below median. GPA 3.98 but from a state university.

Context: I am a reapplicant. I originally applied 3 years ago for class of 2017, right out of undergrad. I was waitlisted by faculty review committee. I now have 3 years of "real" experience, including a year at a top political / election law firm as an account supervisor. I have a very good letter of rec from John A. Perez, a UC regent and Berkeley undergrad alumni who just got his own exhibit in the Cal library. I did a Why Berkeley statement and think it was pretty good.

So I guess all of this put me barely over the top. I applied 10/6/16, went under review shortly after (dont remember exact date), faculty review on 1/12/17, and admited 2/3/17.

Yes, I got in on my own merit, but I also got very lucky. There are people with much higher numbers than me who have been waitlisted, denied, or forwarded to second FR. These law schools want to build a CLASS with 300 (or however many are enrolled) distinct voices, and its very random and arbitrary from the outside. I believe my experience post undergrad and strong articulation as to how it would make a distinctive contribution to Berkeley sold the FR review members. I imagine they put my application on a wall with 5 others and threw a dart, and it hit mine. Thats probably not what literally happened, but if we went back in time to the beginning of the cycle and rolled the dice again, I could have easily been rejected on first round.

[Rigo]

Admitted last night, or early this morning. By email at 12:48am on 2/3/17. I am honestly surprised, I didnt think I would get in.

LSAT 165, one point below median. GPA 3.98 but from a state university.

Context: I am a reapplicant. I originally applied 3 years ago for class of 2017, right out of undergrad. I was waitlisted by faculty review committee. I now have 3 years of "real" experience, including a year at a top political / election law firm as an account supervisor. I have a very good letter of rec from John A. Perez, a UC regent and Berkeley undergrad alumni who just got his own exhibit in the Cal library. I did a Why Berkeley statement and think it was pretty good.

So I guess all of this put me barely over the top. I applied 10/6/16, went under review shortly after (dont remember exact date), faculty review on 1/12/17, and admited 2/3/17.

Yes, I got in on my own merit, but I also got very lucky. There are people with much higher numbers than me who have been waitlisted, denied, or forwarded to second FR. These law schools want to build a CLASS with 300 (or however many are enrolled) distinct voices, and its very random and arbitrary from the outside. I believe my experience post undergrad and strong articulation as to how it would make a distinctive contribution to Berkeley sold the FR review members. I imagine they put my application on a wall with 5 others and threw a dart, and it hit mine. Thats probably not what literally happened, but if we went back in time to the beginning of the cycle and rolled the dice again, I could have easily been rejected on first round.

You is special. You is unique. You is important.

[Colonel_funkadunk]

Admitted last night, or early this morning. By email at 12:48am on 2/3/17. I am honestly surprised, I didnt think I would get in.

LSAT 165, one point below median. GPA 3.98 but from a state university.

Context: I am a reapplicant. I originally applied 3 years ago for class of 2017, right out of undergrad. I was waitlisted by faculty review committee. I now have 3 years of "real" experience, including a year at a top political / election law firm as an account supervisor. I have a very good letter of rec from John A. Perez, a UC regent and Berkeley undergrad alumni who just got his own exhibit in the Cal library. I did a Why Berkeley statement and think it was pretty good.

So I guess all of this put me barely over the top. I applied 10/6/16, went under review shortly after (dont remember exact date), faculty review on 1/12/17, and admited 2/3/17.

Yes, I got in on my own merit, but I also got very lucky. There are people with much higher numbers than me who have been waitlisted, denied, or forwarded to second FR. These law schools want to build a CLASS with 300 (or however many are enrolled) distinct voices, and its very random and arbitrary from the outside. I believe my experience post undergrad and strong articulation as to how it would make a distinctive contribution to Berkeley sold the FR review members. I imagine they put my application on a wall with 5 others and threw a dart, and it hit mine. Thats probably not what literally happened, but if we went back in time to the beginning of the cycle and rolled the dice again, I could have easily been rejected on first round.

You is special. You is unique. You is important.

much wow. quoting for posterity.

[malysh]

Admitted last night, or early this morning. By email at 12:48am on 2/3/17. I am honestly surprised, I didnt think I would get in.

LSAT 165, one point below median. GPA 3.98 but from a state university.

Context: I am a reapplicant. I originally applied 3 years ago for class of 2017, right out of undergrad. I was waitlisted by faculty review committee. I now have 3 years of "real" experience, including a year at a top political / election law firm as an account supervisor. I have a very good letter of rec from John A. Perez, a UC regent and Berkeley undergrad alumni who just got his own exhibit in the Cal library. I did a Why Berkeley statement and think it was pretty good.

So I guess all of this put me barely over the top. I applied 10/6/16, went under review shortly after (dont remember exact date), faculty review on 1/12/17, and admited 2/3/17.

Yes, I got in on my own merit, but I also got very lucky. There are people with much higher numbers than me who have been waitlisted, denied, or forwarded to second FR. These law schools want to build a CLASS with 300 (or however many are enrolled) distinct voices, and its very random and arbitrary from the outside. I believe my experience post undergrad and strong articulation as to how it would make a distinctive contribution to Berkeley sold the FR review members. I imagine they put my application on a wall with 5 others and threw a dart, and it hit mine. Thats probably not what literally happened, but if we went back in time to the beginning of the cycle and rolled the dice again, I could have easily been rejected on first round.

You is special. You is unique. You is important.

much wow. quoting for posterity.

In reality it looks to me as if they are trying to give out as little aid as possible. Looking at lsn, lots of people accepted who can be given little if any aid. But probably i'm just bitter i'm interested to see if my "theory" holds. Congratulations anyways, your gpa is killer

[irongirl51]

I went UR on 1/4. Hasn't changed since. No FR...no nada. Should I just move on with my life? Reverse splitter.

[Mr_Chukes]

I met John Yoo tonight. He is a really cool and bright guy. He is a very nice person. I talked to him for about three hours. I sat next to him at a dinner that we had for him after he gave a talk at my school. He told me he hoped to see me next year lol.

so yall know I'm really about that life.

[+] Spoiler

[brinicolec]

Sooo I went FR January 12th and was told that I will get a final decision by or around February 3rd, however this morning I recieved this email ( time stamped 1:57am)



I write to inform you that the Admission Committee has decided to include your application in a small group that is being held for further consideration. We anticipate that a final decision will be available on or about February 24.
Thank you for your patience.

Edward Tom
Dean of Admissions

I wrote a "why berkeley" and a diversity statement , I am also an alum and currently still living in Berkeley. Berkeley is my top choice!

Any one else got this or heard about this???

Are you under like... FR2? Because your notification date is the notification date I was told and I just went FR the other day.