Berkeley Law School c/o 2018 Applicants (2014-2015 cycle) Forum

[dasani13]

So I've been lurking on this page because Berkeley is a top choice for me. I am posting today because I haven't seen anyone else with this situation.

I was part of the FR review bunch who received the email on Jan. 13. We were supposed to get decisions today or around today. Well here is what happened to me. Berkeley did email me today with a short and sweet email. This is it word for word.

"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 27.

Thank you for your patience.

Edward Tom
Dean of Admissions"

What could this mean? I am super happy I wasn't WL'd or ding'd, and my condolences to those who were but I'm sure all of you have some awesome options and congrats to all new admits! I was just wondering if anyone had any idea what this could me. Could it be a good thing, bad thing or just something indifferent?

FR1.5?? I'm guessing they just haven't gotten through all the apps yet and were overly optimistic with the Feb 6 deadline so they're trying to push it back.

Certainly better than a ding/WL today. I'm guessing it's neutral.

Yeah, +1. I was reading the old threads last night and this happened to someone in 2012. I think they also said they were one of the first to receive a decision when the deadline for FR2 came around (like a day before everyone else or something).

[Drowninmyowntears]

Sorry if this is really ignorant, but could someone please explain the FR to me? Trying to keep up with all the TLS lingo. I think it means final review but what does that entail? What are FR1, 1.5, and 2?

Heeelllpppppp

[spencercross]

Sorry if this is really ignorant, but could someone please explain the FR to me? Trying to keep up with all the TLS lingo. I think it means final review but what does that entail? What are FR1, 1.5, and 2?

Heeelllpppppp

Faculty Review. Berkeley's status checker steps are:

Application Received
Complete (a few days)
Under Review (a few weeks)
If you are pushed to faculty review...
Faculty Review 1
Faculty Review 2

There isn't really a FR1.5; lc39 was making a joke because they pushed back a small group but didn't officially put them in FR2. More here: What to Expect When You're Expecting Part Two: Class of 2018

[Drowninmyowntears]

Sorry if this is really ignorant, but could someone please explain the FR to me? Trying to keep up with all the TLS lingo. I think it means final review but what does that entail? What are FR1, 1.5, and 2?

Heeelllpppppp

Faculty Review. Berkeley's status checker steps are:

Application Received
Complete (a few days)
Under Review (a few weeks)
If you are pushed to faculty review...
Faculty Review 1
Faculty Review 2

There isn't really a FR1.5; lc39 was making a joke because they pushed back a small group but didn't officially put them in FR2. More here: What to Expect When You're Expecting Part Two: Class of 2018

Thank you!!!!!!!! Do you know - Does everyone go through faculty review or only people they still aren't sure about?

[spencercross]

Sorry if this is really ignorant, but could someone please explain the FR to me? Trying to keep up with all the TLS lingo. I think it means final review but what does that entail? What are FR1, 1.5, and 2?

Heeelllpppppp

Faculty Review. Berkeley's status checker steps are:

Application Received
Complete (a few days)
Under Review (a few weeks)
If you are pushed to faculty review...
Faculty Review 1
Faculty Review 2

There isn't really a FR1.5; lc39 was making a joke because they pushed back a small group but didn't officially put them in FR2. More here: What to Expect When You're Expecting Part Two: Class of 2018

Thank you!!!!!!!! Do you know - Does everyone go through faculty review or only people they still aren't sure about?

Not everyone. Only people who are not an immediately obvious admit/decline.

[1mill]

Been UR since 11/17. No movement since. Even after all of the decisions today my status is still the same. Not quite sure what to make of it. I'm going with the "no news is good news" stance for now.

+1 I'm in the same boat as you date wise bjack. It's interesting that according to lawschoolnumbers there were people UR before us and after us which both got rejected and accepted today. There has to be some sort of method to their madness but Maybe we're just deeper down in some massive pile.

Sorry to be a debbie downer and love to be wrong, but I didn't see anyone get in through auto admit after FR2 were announced in previous cycles.

[dasani13]

someone said the 12 students in FR don't know the applicants' numbers and just have access to the rest of the apps. does anyone know if this is true or just speculation?

[LeeAllen]

someone said the 12 students in FR don't know the applicants' numbers and just have access to the rest of the apps. does anyone know if this is true or just speculation?

Although I have no personal knowledge, I'd be very surprised if this were the case. Although, presumably, if you made it to FR, your numbers are in the ballpark, I don't think that they'd completely divorce your GPA and LSAT from the process.

[lokikoala]

I'm FR2, GPA below 25th and LSAT between 50th and 75th. Re-took LSAT on Saturday for higher score and felt good about it. Is there any reason I SHOULDN'T tell Berkeley to wait on that score before they decide? Only downside seems to be finding out after 2/27 since scores don't get released until early March. This seems like a no-brainer, but just covering all of my bases.

[leslieknope]

I'm FR2, GPA below 25th and LSAT between 50th and 75th. Re-took LSAT on Saturday for higher score and felt good about it. Is there any reason I SHOULDN'T tell Berkeley to wait on that score before they decide? Only downside seems to be finding out after 2/27 since scores don't get released until early March. This seems like a no-brainer, but just covering all of my bases.

I'd definitely ask them to wait in your case. They specifically told me that they don't re-review applications because of new scores, and you 100% know that they will render a decision before scores come out if you don't ask for a hold. I really can't imagine asking for them to wait to decide for a week would have any adverse effect on your chances.

[nefedova]

I've been under review since 1/5.... this is so frustrating. Is anyone in the same boat??

[dude2nd]

11/5 for me

[LaraCroftEsq]

1/12 here.

[lizzielemon]

I've been under review since 1/5.... this is so frustrating. Is anyone in the same boat??

+1

[Kaizen428]

I've been under review since 1/5.... this is so frustrating. Is anyone in the same boat??

+1

11/17

[hearsay77]

Dinged just now via status checker. UR 12/8. First rejection, but I expected it.

Edit: Also got the email a few minutes later.

[arewevoting]

11/5 for me

11/3 here. if you're going to ding me just ding me....

[lizzielemon]

Spoke too soon. Just got dinged. Oh well!

Goodluck to evryone else

[LaraCroftEsq]

Ding here too. Womp wompp. Best of luck y'all!

[RareExports]

Ding here too. No surprise. LSAT=75th, GPA<25th

[usn26]

Dinged just now via status checker. UR 12/8. First rejection, but I expected it.

[caliplaw]

Ding here via email. SC also updated. Expecting it.

[spencercross]

Ding here too. No surprise. LSAT=75th, GPA<25th

Ugh. I've only been UR since 1/27, but I'm LSAT>75th, GPA<<25th and sitting here watching everyone get dinged and knowing it's coming but not anytime soon is excruciating.

[miamiri]

Dinged just now via email. Good luck to everyone still hanging on...

[Ris19]

I've been under review since 1/5.... this is so frustrating. Is anyone in the same boat??

+1

11/17

+1 , November crowd hanging in there