Berkeley c/o 2016 Applicants (2012-2013 cycle) Forum

[insidertimes]

I feel sorry for you guys who are freaking out about what faculty review could mean so I'll fill you in as a Boalt alum formerly involved with the process. The admissions people (mostly Dean Tom) initially put you in a yes, no, or maybe pile. Maybe is the FRs. The FRs go to a committee made up of a faculty member and a student (remember on your application you gave permission for a student to look at it?). This committee then chooses a pre-designated number of people for acceptance, waitlist, or rejection (and sometimes hold for people from FR1 who get passed onto FR2.) These student/faculty decisions have very little to do with your GPA/LSAT and everything to do with your overall strength as a candidate in terms of personal statement, rec letters, life experiences, your fit with Boalt, and what you would add to the law school. Basically, once you've made it to FR, your numbers don't really matter. So, you guys who were accepted from FR and are posting your numbers are not actually providing any relevant information. Hope this is helpful and that people relax a little bit and stop giving each other worthless advice.

[Rory19]

I feel sorry for you guys who are freaking out about what faculty review could mean so I'll fill you in as a Boalt alum formerly involved with the process. The admissions people (mostly Dean Tom) initially put you in a yes, no, or maybe pile. Maybe is the FRs. The FRs go to a committee made up of a faculty member and a student (remember on your application you gave permission for a student to look at it?). This committee then chooses a pre-designated number of people for acceptance, waitlist, or rejection (and sometimes hold for people from FR1 who get passed onto FR2.) These student/faculty decisions have very little to do with your GPA/LSAT and everything to do with your overall strength as a candidate in terms of personal statement, rec letters, life experiences, your fit with Boalt, and what you would add to the law school. Basically, once you've made it to FR, your numbers don't really matter. So, you guys who were accepted from FR and are posting your numbers are not actually providing any relevant information. Hope this is helpful and that people relax a little bit and stop giving each other worthless advice.

Thank you! Is there any rhyme or reason to some acceptances being called prior to others?

[eav1277]

Thanks insidertimes. So longtime lurker? Stumble across the site?

And how was your berkeley experience? If you were on a student helping with admissions, I assume it went well

[sonny]

I feel sorry for you guys who are freaking out about what faculty review could mean so I'll fill you in as a Boalt alum formerly involved with the process. The admissions people (mostly Dean Tom) initially put you in a yes, no, or maybe pile. Maybe is the FRs. The FRs go to a committee made up of a faculty member and a student (remember on your application you gave permission for a student to look at it?). This committee then chooses a pre-designated number of people for acceptance, waitlist, or rejection (and sometimes hold for people from FR1 who get passed onto FR2.) These student/faculty decisions have very little to do with your GPA/LSAT and everything to do with your overall strength as a candidate in terms of personal statement, rec letters, life experiences, your fit with Boalt, and what you would add to the law school. Basically, once you've made it to FR, your numbers don't really matter. So, you guys who were accepted from FR and are posting your numbers are not actually providing any relevant information. Hope this is helpful and that people relax a little bit and stop giving each other worthless advice.

Any insight why they are still holding on to some UR's with no other movement instead of sending out rejections yet?

[simplycatalina]

I feel sorry for you guys who are freaking out about what faculty review could mean so I'll fill you in as a Boalt alum formerly involved with the process. The admissions people (mostly Dean Tom) initially put you in a yes, no, or maybe pile. Maybe is the FRs. The FRs go to a committee made up of a faculty member and a student (remember on your application you gave permission for a student to look at it?). This committee then chooses a pre-designated number of people for acceptance, waitlist, or rejection (and sometimes hold for people from FR1 who get passed onto FR2.) These student/faculty decisions have very little to do with your GPA/LSAT and everything to do with your overall strength as a candidate in terms of personal statement, rec letters, life experiences, your fit with Boalt, and what you would add to the law school. Basically, once you've made it to FR, your numbers don't really matter. So, you guys who were accepted from FR and are posting your numbers are not actually providing any relevant information. Hope this is helpful and that people relax a little bit and stop giving each other worthless advice.

Any insight why they are still holding on to some UR's with no other movement instead of sending out rejections yet?

I would also like to know this.

[believeit]

Me too. UR 11/21.

[tokyomewmew]

Just got the call and wanted to post to give hope for those who submitted in October and have been waiting as anxiously as me! Submitted 10/15, UR 10/26, FR1 1/23. 167/3.87, Non-URM. Hang in there everyone! Good news may be coming soon for you!

Did your status checker change before the call?

Nope, my status checker didn't change beforehand, and I just checked it again now but it still says "Under Review".

[tokyomewmew]

Just got the call and wanted to post to give hope for those who submitted in October and have been waiting as anxiously as me! Submitted 10/15, UR 10/26, FR1 1/23. 167/3.87, Non-URM. Hang in there everyone! Good news may be coming soon for you!

Did you tailor your app for Berk in any meaningful way? 4 page PS? Why Berk?

I didn't tailor my app specifically to Berk and I didn't mention Berk programs/clinics/etc specifically, but my softs/clinical research reflect a lot of the same interests as Berk law programs. Also had the length at about 3.5 pages. Hope this helps!

[FringeFan]

I'm still somewhat confused after reading a good portion of this thread: will the application status tracker page change from "Your file is under review" to "Faculty Review" for FR1 and FR2?

I went UR on 1/7, and nothing else has happened since then. It's only been a month, I know, but I'm posting this since someone else in this thread went UR on 1/7 and was accepted today.

[ManOfTheMinute]

I'm wrong

[sean21]

I am sad.

-FR1 soon-to-be reject.

[insidertimes]

There are only ever two rounds of faculty review. People are only sent to the wait list from faculty review. Remember that most of the people on this forum are purely speculating.

[FringeFan]

There are only ever two rounds of faculty review. People are only sent to the wait list from faculty review. Remember that most of the people on this forum are purely speculating.

Was the wave of acceptances today tied to FR2?

[FlowBro]

There are only ever two rounds of faculty review. People are only sent to the wait list from faculty review. Remember that most of the people on this forum are purely speculating.

You make it sound like nobody ever gets accepted from FR...or perhaps you mean that FR is a necessary condition for drawing WL iron

[insidertimes]

I meant that faculty review is a necessary step to end up on the waitlist.

[amonthofsundays]

There are only ever two rounds of faculty review. People are only sent to the wait list from faculty review. Remember that most of the people on this forum are purely speculating.

You make it sound like nobody ever gets accepted from FR...or perhaps you mean that FR is a necessary condition for drawing WL iron

I think it means that people only GET on the wait list after having been sent to FR. If you don't get FR and you don't get an admit, its probably gunna be a ding. Not a WL. At least how I interpreted it.

Edit: Scooped

[FringeFan]

There are only ever two rounds of faculty review. People are only sent to the wait list from faculty review. Remember that most of the people on this forum are purely speculating.

You make it sound like nobody ever gets accepted from FR...or perhaps you mean that FR is a necessary condition for drawing WL iron

I think it means that people only GET on the wait list after having been sent to FR. If you don't get FR and you don't get an admit, its probably gunna be a ding. Not a WL. At least how I interpreted it.

Edit: Scooped

So I can assume that I'm going to get a ding since I've had no activity since 1/7?

[HankBashir]

Do they typically do FR all at once, or would it come in two split waves?

If not, maybe people like me who are still UR will get an answer fairly soon.

[BigZuck]

If he sorts people into a yes, no, and maybe pile then why are there people who have been complete for 5 months that have neither been accepted, denied, or sent to FR? If they were yes then they would have been accepted, no then denied, or maybe they would have gone to FR. Why wouldn't he act on their apps by this point?

[spyke123]

I feel sorry for you guys who are freaking out about what faculty review could mean so I'll fill you in as a Boalt alum formerly involved with the process. The admissions people (mostly Dean Tom) initially put you in a yes, no, or maybe pile. Maybe is the FRs. The FRs go to a committee made up of a faculty member and a student (remember on your application you gave permission for a student to look at it?). This committee then chooses a pre-designated number of people for acceptance, waitlist, or rejection (and sometimes hold for people from FR1 who get passed onto FR2.) These student/faculty decisions have very little to do with your GPA/LSAT and everything to do with your overall strength as a candidate in terms of personal statement, rec letters, life experiences, your fit with Boalt, and what you would add to the law school. Basically, once you've made it to FR, your numbers don't really matter. So, you guys who were accepted from FR and are posting your numbers are not actually providing any relevant information. Hope this is helpful and that people relax a little bit and stop giving each other worthless advice.

thanks for the info but looks like I am going to get dinged in FR2.... nothing in my app says berk..

[amsong]

Relax, y'all. It's out of our hands now.

[shntn]

Saw a post on FB by someone who got in today.

Forever FR.

[iteachtenthgrade]

Hey FR1 homies,

Don't fret if your status checker looks the same as it has for the past three weeks. Mine does too even after being admitted early this afternoon. There's still hope. I doubt Dean Tom can call everyone in one fell swoop.

With all the status checker drama earlier I figured I'd check to see what mine was up to these days and report back.

[eav1277]

Hey FR1 homies,

Don't fret if your status checker looks the same as it has for the past three weeks. Mine does too even after being admitted early this afternoon. There's still hope. I doubt Dean Tom can call everyone in one fell swoop.

With all the status checker drama earlier I figured I'd check to see what mine was up to these days and report back.

Thanks for the support. I'm def less stressed now after the insider man/woman's post. Still cant wait to find out though. Best of luck to everyone. Tomorrow is the 15th :0

[Rory19]

Hey FR1 homies,

Don't fret if your status checker looks the same as it has for the past three weeks. Mine does too even after being admitted early this afternoon. There's still hope. I doubt Dean Tom can call everyone in one fell swoop.

With all the status checker drama earlier I figured I'd check to see what mine was up to these days and report back.

Thank you! Here's to hope for FR1!