Ultimate California Application Thread Forum

[Veritas]

With all the discussion over CA schools and the state's economy I thought it would be interesting to gather conversations together in one thread. We should also say where we are applying/stats (or whatever) to use it as a CA school tracking thread, too.

Some discussion topics:

- UC tuition hikes
- CA T2s with money versus Davis/Hastings at sticker
- general state of the CA economy and how law schools are faring
- information on OCI/Placement at CA schools
- UC Irvine versus more established options
- Anything else

[rw2264]

hastings is raising in-state tuition 20% next year to $39,000. this makes me want to go to a private school.

[Veritas]

So I have applied to:

UC Irvine
UC Davis
UCLA
UC Hastings
UC Berkeley
Loyola
USC
Santa Clara (accepted/8k/withdrew)
USD (accepted)

[Veritas]

Tuition increases:

Hastings:


For simple comparison, Loyola and USD are both at 40k

[Veritas]

Irvine is offering at least 1/2 tuition to all students: http://www.law.uci.edu/press_releases/12-21-09.html

[TWoodWil]

For CA schools, I applied to:

UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Hastings
Loyola
Pepperdine
USC
Santa Clara (11k/year scholarship)


I went to grad school at Pepperdine and undergrad at another school on the list.

-------

Might as well make a substantive post -

A point on UCI -
I think its rise, especially its future employment prospects, will be stronger than many believe. While the market in LA is certainly not wanting for grad and the Orange County market can only take so many without turning down USC/UCLA people, UCI has a majorly underdeveloped ace in the hole - the Inland Empire.

Currently the IE, a region with a population of around 4 million people, only has one law school - La Verne. An area with a population greater than 24 states has only a single ABA law school. I'm not one to disparage schools, but UCI is clearly already more of a powerhouse than La Verne. UCI, compared to LA-area schools, is also much better located to completely dominate the underdeveloped and growing legal market in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

[ruleser]

A point on UCI -
I think its rise, especially its future employment prospects, will be stronger than many believe. While the market in LA is certainly not wanting for grad and the Orange County market can only take so many without turning down USC/UCLA people, UCI has a majorly underdeveloped ace in the hole - the Inland Empire.

Currently the IE, a region with a population of around 4 million people, only has one law school - La Verne. An area with a population greater than 24 states has only a single ABA law school. I'm not one to disparage schools, but UCI is clearly already more of a powerhouse than La Verne. UCI, compared to LA-area schools, is also much better located to completely dominate the underdeveloped and growing legal market in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

I believe Inland Empire just made the news for having one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, and/or the worst housing market. I think was just below Detroit...

I'm aping all the usual:
USC
UCLA
Loyola
Threw an ap at Berkeley to help keep them in business
And did just recently go ahead and submit to UCI

My take on UCI is that once it is accredited and ranked, depending where on the ranking it goes, it does fill a needed hole - people often say there is too much of a drop off after UCLA/USC to the next tier, and don't want to have to go way up to Davis or Hastings. UCI could fill that - though if there was still the cheap instate tuition they really would have killed.

Basically Chapman is a bit miffed, but for now, UCI's classes are pretty small and the future uncdertain - ITE, once the scholarships go, what will happen? Honestly, what will happen with UCLA/Berkeley with the tuition pops, nevermind poor Davis/Hastings, lower T1's with Harvard fees.

To me, Loyola becomes very high up because they give solid $$ for those who can't get them at UCLA/USC. I think the second tier schools may benefit a bit off of all this, and UCI for the moment - honestly, half the price for a UC Law program ITE is very tempting.

It's really sad though to witness the instant destruction of public education in a state that bragged the best.

[bananasinpajamas]

does berkeley have locked in rates? (you pay the price all 3 years at the tuition rate at the yr u started)

[charcop]

does berkeley have locked in rates? (you pay the price all 3 years at the tuition rate at the yr u started)

Do any of the UCs have locked in rates?

[Dignan]

does berkeley have locked in rates? (you pay the price all 3 years at the tuition rate at the yr u started)

Nope. If the rate goes up and you're a continuing student, you pay the new rate.

Berkeley is, for all intents and purposes, becoming a private school. If Berkeley wants to remain an elite school, it's going to have to start offering more merit-based scholarships. Otherwise, too many high-quality applicants, including California residents who in the past would have attended Berkeley because of the relatively cheap in-state tuition, will abandon Berkeley for $$$ at NYU/UVA/Michigan/Northwestern.

[rw2264]

i wonder how much hastings will raise the tuition? i was sort of counting on going there because i have a GPA near the median and an LSAT several points above the 75th percentile, i have CA residency and i'll get need-based financial aid/a slice of the limited merit scholarships they have available. but if they're gonna keep raising the rates it's not going to be worth it for me to go public.

and what if in the future the UC system has to suspend LRAP? i'll be fucked as a public interest lawyer making $40k/year with $60-120 k in loans.

the up side: i'll get to occupy something.

another edit: applied to UCLA, USC, UC Hastings. probable WL at the first two. sending a letter along with the third to prove my genuine interest to avoid a YP rejection.

[Borhas]

I've applied to

UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Hastings
U San Diego
UCLA
USC

my preferences are in that order... I'm out of state from Virginia, my numbers: 3.38/165....

actually it'll be tough to decide between Davis Irvine and Hastings, and I won't get into Berkeley (nor USC and UCLA for that matter... but I've got no inclination to live inside LA)

hopefully UCI will respond in January

[98234872348]

This thread makes me so contented I didn't peruse my wl/acceptance at UC Hastings last cycle...

[General Tso]

This thread makes me so contented I didn't peruse my wl/acceptance at UC Hastings last cycle...

how did you know you were accepted if you didn't read the letter?

[General Tso]

hastings is raising in-state tuition 20% next year to $39,000. this makes me want to go to a private school.

Loyola/USD/Pepperdine/Santa Clara still provide far weaker career prospects than Davis/Hastings. And don't forget about their GPA req's.

[crackberry]

I love California. I moved here from NYC for UG and I'm never leaving. All people talk about is doom and gloom, but let's be honest: the rest of the country's success is dependent on the success of California. We will make it work.

Anyway, I applied to the following schools in our awesome state:

Stanford (accepted)
UC Berkeley (accepted)
UCLA (accepted with $30K/year scholarship)
USC (accepted -> withdrawn)

[jameschae]

Wow! My first reply on TLS.

I've applied to the following CA schools:

UC Berkeley
UCLA
USC
UC Irvine
UC Davis
UC Hastings

My numbers are 3.7 / 165

Im probably out at the first three. I am really interested in UC Irvine. Along with the 50% scholarship, I was interested because of their Korea Law Center. I currently reside in Korea and with the upcoming ratification of the FTA between the two countries, which will increase interaction, I think UCI would be ideal for me. Does anybody have more detailed information about their center?

[ruleser]

Good point about gpa requirements, loyola gives 37% of students schols, but you have to be in top 1/3 to keep it, so at least 4% lose them, in reality more do - then you are at t2 for sticker

[Danteshek]

Be aware of Loyola's anti transfer policies

[los blancos]

I'm applying to Berk (my top choice), Stanford, UCLA, and USC.

I really want to go to CA but I don't see myself ending up there... I'm not going to get Boalt and Stanford, and I think I'll get one of MVP and maybe NYU which will basically rule out UCLA and USC...

[chubbysworld]

I'd consider also the 100k in debt you'll be in going to most of these schools. 100k is fine if you get a biglaw job or know for certain that you can get debt repayment through public interest, but otherwise that's a lot of money.

--LinkRemoved--

[rw2264]

hastings is raising in-state tuition 20% next year to $39,000. this makes me want to go to a private school.

Loyola/USD/Pepperdine/Santa Clara still provide far weaker career prospects than Davis/Hastings. And don't forget about their GPA req's.

i meant somewhere else. what am i to do when GWU lets me in and it costs the same as hastings?! i'm gonna have to live in DC, damnit!

[CAHopeful]

Be aware of Loyola's anti transfer policies

Loyola has an anti-transfer policy? Can you explain?

[Danteshek]

Be aware of Loyola's anti transfer policies

Loyola has an anti-transfer policy? Can you explain?

Loyola 1Ls who ask for recommendation letters or letters of good standing (required to transfer) are disqualified from participation in OCI. Sounds fantastic, but it's true. So if you do well enough at Loyola and want to transfer, there is no looking back.

[rw2264]

Be aware of Loyola's anti transfer policies

Loyola has an anti-transfer policy? Can you explain?

Loyola 1Ls who ask for recommendation letters or letters of good standing (required to transfer) are disqualified from participation in OCI. Sounds fantastic, but it's true. So if you do well enough at Loyola and want to transfer, there is no looking back.

wow, what douchebags.