Penn v. Berkeley...which one would you choose? Forum

[CardinalRules]

Definitely Berkeley. Why go to the fifth-best law school on the East Coast when you could go to the second-best law school on the Best Coast?

Blatant anti-UVA troll!

Aren't we discussing Penn?

Yeah, but if UVA>Penn, then Penn is the sixth-best law school on the East Coast. That's the joke, I think.

Penn>UVA (8>10).

[moali88]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

[T6Hopeful]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

Well in that situation I'd say 99 times out of 100 Berkeley. 17k/year is MUCH more manageable than 45k/year (assuming both are before cost of living is factored in?). Unless you have an unbelievably strong desire to switch coasts (and even then I don't think Berkeley would be TERRIBLE), UCB is totally the right choice.

[Mike12188]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

That's not even a question.

[penn0Ler]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

How do you already know about $ from Berk? Are they releasing aid decisions?

FWIW, I was choosing between P and B, and after visiting both schools and talking with plenty of students, decided on P (both at around 32k/year).

[invisiblesun]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

definitely berkeley in this situation, perhaps unless you really want east coast biglaw

[obrienfa]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

How do you already know about $ from Berk? Are they releasing aid decisions?

FWIW, I was choosing between P and B, and after visiting both schools and talking with plenty of students, decided on P (both at around 32k/year).

I am curious about how you know about money coming from Berkeley as well....

[Bankhead]

I've heard that Berkeley's (non-public interest) job prospects are lagging behind Penn and other similarly situated schools.

[RVP11]

Penn for the East Coast, Berkeley for the West Coast, probably tied for the Midwest. So I'd take Penn for the Ivy and lay prestige.

If OP is from CA, then Penn for everywhere.

[DreamShake]

If money wasn't an issue, Berkeley every time. Differential in job prospects isn't enough to compensate for the superiority of Boalt's location.

[im_blue]

Penn for the East Coast, Berkeley for the West Coast, probably tied for the Midwest. So I'd take Penn for the Ivy and lay prestige.

If OP is from CA, then Penn for everywhere.

Actually agree with this, Berkeley OCI has not gone well this year due to their lack of transparent grades.

[justhoping]

"Penn v. Berkeley...which one would you choose?" --> I wish I have such a problem to worry about!
I say Penn because I'm East-Coast-biased

[whymeohgodno]

I think you people are underestimating Berkeley's lay prestige.

[005618502]

I think you people are underestimating Berkeley's lay prestige.

Not true. Im from California and go to school in the South. People in cali think Berk is great, but people in the south and southeast just think its a decent public school with rediculous hippies running around smoking weed. (though i love Berk)

[whymeohgodno]

I think you people are underestimating Berkeley's lay prestige.

Not true. Im from California and go to school in the South. People in cali think Berk is great, but people in the south and southeast just think its a decent public school with rediculous hippies running around smoking weed. (though i love Berk)

Well in the northeast, Berkeley's prestige is very high (at least among the people I talk to).

[daisyduke]

I think you people are underestimating Berkeley's lay prestige.

Not true. Im from California and go to school in the South. People in cali think Berk is great, but people in the south and southeast just think its a decent public school with rediculous hippies running around smoking weed. (though i love Berk)

I don't know about the south, but I go to school in the northeast and that is definitely not the case. Berk is very well respected.

Edit: Haha. Glad we posted similar feelings at the same time

[2807]

Southern CA guy here.

No one talks about Penn unless they refer to his partner Teller and their Vegas show.

Penn is the one that talks, right?

[im_blue]

Southern CA guy here.

No one talks about Penn unless they refer to his partner Teller and their Vegas show.

Penn is the one that talks, right?

No, Penn is the one with JoePa.

[2807]

Southern CA guy here.

No one talks about Penn unless they refer to his partner Teller and their Vegas show.

Penn is the one that talks, right?

No, Penn is the one with JoePa.

I had to google that.

[Knock]

I'd take Berkeley over Penn, money being equal. Although I completely agree that it really comes down where you'd rather live for three years and what coast you'd rather practice in after graduation. I want to stay on the West Coast, so i'd attend B. Berkeley has great lay prestige in California btw, although it definitely does have somewhat of a "hippie" reputation attached to it.

[NoleinNY]

berkeley for 17k a year, or penn for full price? btw, i'm from cali, and my sibling goes to berk. also.

I might be crazy, but I actually like Philly more than the Bay Area; if it's going to get that chilly for that long then I want snow for my trouble dammit...

That said, in this case, I would choose Cal w/ $$$ and never look back.

[bilbobaggins]

Everyone I know has a job lined up.

[r6_philly]

I'd take Berkeley over Penn, money being equal. Although I completely agree that it really comes down where you'd rather live for three years and what coast you'd rather practice in after graduation. I want to stay on the West Coast, so i'd attend B. Berkeley has great lay prestige in California btw, although it definitely does have somewhat of a "hippie" reputation attached to it.

I may have to choose this. But my wife just got into Penn today (UG) so now it's complicated.

[r6_philly]

I am surprised to read people would choose Penn prestige over Berkeley. But I want tech law, and I already will have a Penn degree. So is Penn for west coast better than Berkeley for east coast?

[whymeohgodno]

I am surprised to read people would choose Penn prestige over Berkeley. But I want tech law, and I already will have a Penn degree. So is Penn for west coast better than Berkeley for east coast?

West coast? I'd say Berkeley wins by a mile.