Berkeley 2010 Forum

[Neelio]

so just for speculation's sake... since we are seeing some low GPA, high LSAT acceptances, what are the chances of seeing the reverse? That's my boat... and I'm yet to see anyone with a lower LSAT and higher GPA get in.

[Amelie]

I hate how there will be 2-3 acceptance at once on this forum, so then I get all nervous/excited, and then nothing happens for the next six hours. It's really messing with my blood pressure.

+1

I've posted this in another thread, but about a week before the Sept. LSAT scores came back I was at the doctor, and she told me my blood pressure was too high (and it's always been fairly low). She was actually concerned, and told me I should do breathing exercizes to calm myself down. The law school admissions process is actually affecting my health.

[amidea]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

[OneKnight]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

Fordham/NYU/Columbia?

[0L Hoping for 1]

Please dont stop today Berkeley!

[OneKnight]

Please dont stop today Berkeley!

+1

[amidea]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

Fordham/NYU/Columbia?

That would be awesome. I'm kind of a goody two shoes so no checking my voicemail until after class... I'm not getting my hopes up though.

[bilbobaggins]

yay you guys, so many congratulations in order! berkeley is so fantastic. i strongly encourage you to come check out boalt, particularly the wonderful atmosphere among all of the students, and see if you'd be a good fit here. and to everyone who's still hoping to hear... berkeley does things its own way, it took them fully three months to get back to me and i was an early-november applicant. no news can still be good news.

+1

[Veritas]

lunch break

[Jericwithers]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

Fordham/NYU/Columbia?

That would be awesome. I'm kind of a goody two shoes so no checking my voicemail until after class... I'm not getting my hopes up though.

No voicemail checks, but you have no problem with posting/browsing through TLS in class? (Im just jealous that most my classes ban laptops---stupid facebook).

[LawLucy]

Okay, so weird situation for me…I got the phone call on Tuesday (12/1), but didn’t answer it because I thought it was one of the professors that I was doing research for during undergrad (I went to Berkeley and he always calls me from different 510 numbers). I didn’t feel like talking to him at the time, so I didn’t call him back till today. Then when I call, the person who answered said, “Hello, this is Dean Tom.”

So, yeah, HUGE surprise. I’m in and they’re flying me out for the ASW.

Btw, Dean Tom really seems to be very heavily in involved in the process. As soon as I mentioned my name, he immediately knew my last name and the fact that I’m living in LA right now. Really nice to see that they get to know the applicants so well.

Now have to decide between Harvard and Berkeley.

That would be a TOUGH decision for me...for different reasons. I am applying to Berkeley in the fall of 2010 (a car accident this fall screwed my preparation for apps this year - yes, life happens).
Good Luck. Are you flying out to Boston to check out HLS?

[LawLucy]

There is hope for you low GPA folks. I got in with a 3.5x.

I AM IN FUCKING SHOCK.

I am not.

What was your LSAT score? If your background is smokin'...this should not be shocking at all.

[Lieut Kaffee]

My understanding is that people routinely turn down full rides at Columbia to go to Harvard. I'm surprised HLS/Berk is a tough call for people.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Just passing through. I hope I wasn't foolish to cross Berkeley off my list solely because of my 3.62 GPA.

Only foolish if you're really interested in Berkeley. Lots of people have gotten in already with less than that...if you're interested, apply!

[bilbobaggins]

My understanding is that people routinely turn down full rides at Columbia to go to Harvard. I'm surprised HLS/Berk is a tough call for people.

I know at least one person who turned down Stanford for Berk. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others around.

[Tangerine Gleam]

There is hope for you low GPA folks. I got in with a 3.5x.

I AM IN FUCKING SHOCK.

What!? How? Please for the love of all thing holy tell us exactly what you did?

What was your LSAT?

What indigenous tribe are you the last remaining member of?

What was your PS about?

I have a 3.53 so I wasn't even going to bother applying.

I'm white bread...non URM.

LSAT was 172...definitely above the Boalt 75% but definitely not a mind-blowing score, either.

I expanded my PS to a full four pages and included lots of stuff on my love for Berkeley. Also had Berk-specific LOR's because I knew that it was a top choice.

As for softs, I haven't cured cancer but I had some success and 3 years of W.E. in a creative field (music). Interesting in its own right, but nothing shocking.

[LawLucy]

My understanding is that people routinely turn down full rides at Columbia to go to Harvard. I'm surprised HLS/Berk is a tough call for people.

For me personally? I lived on the East Coast for three years. Loved it. Most people can never acclimate.
East vs. West in my opinion are complete different birds. I travel to SF every 8 weeks on business for 1-2 weeks at a time. There is nothing to NOT love about the Bay area. Ruby Skye (one of the top 5 hottest nightclubs in that nation), SUN, great concerts, great access (BART) everywhere, clean, great museums, skiing in (amazing) Tahoe 1.5 hours away, etc.
But then Boston is cool too.

[amidea]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

Fordham/NYU/Columbia?

That would be awesome. I'm kind of a goody two shoes so no checking my voicemail until after class... I'm not getting my hopes up though.

No voicemail checks, but you have no problem with posting/browsing through TLS in class? (Im just jealous that most my classes ban laptops---stupid facebook).

Luckily for me laptops are not banned I can pretend I'm taking notes on my laptop, but I feel bad blatantly checking my phone.

[tintin]

I know at least one person who turned down Stanford for Berk. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others around.

if I had the choice I might do the same. Palo Alto reallly sucks.....

[kittenmittons]

I know at least one person who turned down Stanford for Berk. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others around.

if I had the choice I might do the same. Palo Alto reallly sucks.....

So does Oakland

[thorntll]

Another acceptance on LSN. 172/3.53

Sigh.

[0L Hoping for 1]

Another acceptance on LSN. 172/3.53

Sigh.

Are you sure that isnt Tangerine?

[Tangerine Gleam]

I know at least one person who turned down Stanford for Berk. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others around.

if I had the choice I might do the same. Palo Alto reallly sucks.....

So does Oakland

Berkeley slightly > Oakland. Plus, Boalt is 20 minutes from everything great that is SF.

Palo Alto is a good 40-45 minutes...with no traffic. Big difference IMO.

[amidea]

I'm sitting in class and I just got a phone call and got really excited, but it's a 212 number.. sigh.

Fordham/NYU/Columbia?

It was a family wanting to see me when he comes to my campus this weekend. I don't know if I've ever been less enthusiastic about talking to him.

[bilbobaggins]

I know at least one person who turned down Stanford for Berk. I wouldn't be surprised if there were others around.

if I had the choice I might do the same. Palo Alto reallly sucks.....

So does Oakland

Berk's not in Oakland

Also, Rockville and Lake Merritt areas are decent.