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UVA vs Berkeley (advice please)

allbygodsgraceallbygodsgrace Free Trial Member
edited November 2018 in General 44 karma

Let's assume total COA will be the same (edit: negligibly different). I know the numbers from LST, but I was hoping I could gain some more anecdotal input or data from other resources.

My goal is big law, particularly NYC, but I'm also extremely open to working in LA or SF. I basically want to practice in any major city, except for those in Texas.

I think I will be fine on either campus, so which school would better help me reach my goal?

Id appreciate any input :)

Comments

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage
    3256 karma

    If you want NYC, I'd go to UVA. If you want West Coast, I'd pick Berkeley. Of course the problem with this type of analysis is that the COA will most definitely not be exactly the same at both schools.

  • allbygodsgraceallbygodsgrace Free Trial Member
    44 karma

    @MissChanandler said:
    If you want NYC, I'd go to UVA. If you want West Coast, I'd pick Berkeley. Of course the problem with this type of analysis is that the COA will most definitely not be exactly the same at both schools.

    True. I edited my post. But I have no strong preference for NYC over other major cities. It's just my number one choice, but not by much.

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    3279 karma

    "help me reach my goal"
    You haven't provided enough information to get a meaningful response. All you've told us is that you don't want to work in Texas. Neither of those schools place people in Texas.

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage
    3256 karma

    The difference likely won't be negligible though. Out of state tuition at Berkeley is $53,315. Out of state tuition at UVA is $61,300. Eight thousand dollars per year means that Berkeley is 24,000 dollars cheaper. And this is assuming sticker at both- what about scholarships? Cost of living in both of the cities?

    If you have no preference about where you live/work other than not Texas, and you don't care about the cost difference, and you will be fine on either campus...I really don't know how you'll make the decision.

  • allbygodsgraceallbygodsgrace Free Trial Member
    edited November 2018 44 karma

    @MissChanandler said:
    The difference likely won't be negligible though. Out of state tuition at Berkeley is $53,315. Out of state tuition at UVA is $61,300. Eight thousand dollars per year means that Berkeley is 24,000 dollars cheaper. And this is assuming sticker at both- what about scholarships? Cost of living in both of the cities?

    If you have no preference about where you live/work other than not Texas, and you don't care about the cost difference, and you will be fine on either campus...I really don't know how you'll make the decision.

    Basically, which one is more likely to help me reach big law (accounting for factors like self-selection)? I'm pretty new to LST and law school admissions, so I was hoping to gain some input from people who are more familiar with these schools or at least gain some idea about what factors could influence BL+FC rates at top schools.

  • xenonhexafluoroxenonhexafluoro Alum Member
    428 karma

    Both would do a solid job of helping you get into big law.

    I'd recommend looking at the LinkedIn page for each school of law and seeing the breakdown of where their alumni (who are on LinkedIn) work. Schools seem to report regions/states in employment statistics, but not cities. ~4K Berkeley law alumn work in SF, ~1K in LA, and ~500 in NYC. For UVA the numbers are ~3K in DC, ~1.5K in NYC, and ~900 in Charlottesville. Mind you that LinkedIn is probably including current student and outdated profiles in those numbers, but that doesn't mean they're useless. LinkedIn'll also break down the places of employment (e.g. firms), but I imagine the schools do a better job of providing accurate information about that.

    Berkeley Law says that ~66% of the Class of 2017 went on to law firms and ~12% went on to clerkships. Of those who went on to law firms, 75% went to law firms with 501+ attorneys. 75% of UVA's Class of 2017 went on to law firms and 11% to clerkships. Of those who went to law firms, 80% went to law firms with 501+ attorneys.

    LinkedIn can provide an overview of what firms these schools feed into. Berkeley's top five are Latham, Orrick, Cooley, Mofo, and Fenwick. UVA's are Latham, McGuireWoods, Hogan Lovells, Morgan Lewis, and Jones Day.

  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27809 karma

    Have you been accepted into both?

    Both will have excellent placement in big law, so that’s unlikely to be a meaningful point of differentiation. Do your research, but those metrics are likely to be very close.

    You need to visit both schools/cities and see what the impression they leave on you is. Maybe you find that you absolutely love Charlottesville. Or maybe the culture at Berkeley fits better. If you’ve been accepted at both, you need to go find out. If this is more theoretical, that may be a little preemptive, but still worth a visit if it’s easily within your means.

  • redshiftredshift Alum Member
    edited November 2018 261 karma

    Second what Cant Get Right said. UVA and Berkeley are both fantastic schools, but the vibes in the Bay Area and the vibes in Charlottesville are way different. You're going to want to visit both to see where you might enjoy attending more. As an aside, the cost of living in Charlottesville is going to be cheaper than in Berkeley, if you factor in going out in SF/etc.

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    edited November 2018 3652 karma

    Damn did you get into both already?
    UVA probably better for NYC biglaw and it’s a cheaper COA. If your goal more generally is just biglaw...any t13 will get you there.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    As the others said, the difference between them in BigLaw numbers is negligible. I think you’d likely need to decide based on what school you think is just a better fit. East coast and west coast are very different vibes, obviously, and the schools will be too. I’d be saving up money for visits to both. They both are very good schools that have a very good chance at getting you where you want to be. I’m a west coast girl and would go Berkeley hands down, but that’s completely arbitrary haha.

    FYI, something to consider in cost if attendance is that CA let’s you establish residency even while you’re in school. So you would have to pay out of state tuition only for 1L, then could get in state tuition for the last two years. There is one catch though - in order to establish residency, you have to live in the state for 1 straight year. So for 1L summer, you’d have to stay in CA. If you went to Berkeley though and wanted to go for a job in CA, that’s where you should be doing your networking and summer jobs anyway. But just something to know.

  • KaterynaKateryna Alum Member
    984 karma

    I am in the same boat. Got in Berkeley and UVA with their first waves and I am really torn. I have no clue as to how to make the decision. Still waiting on scholarship info which should be released some time in february...

    Hello fellow possible classmate btw!

  • Raychul123Raychul123 Member
    179 karma

    I am also making the same decision and I am very torn as well (from NYC and eventually want to be back here for work in big law). I am assuming that much of the CA big law placement out of Berkeley is a result of self selection, but it is definitely something I will be asking about at ASW. Are you guys attending?

  • BamboosproutBamboosprout Alum Member
    1694 karma

    @xenonhexafluoro said:
    Both would do a solid job of helping you get into big law.

    Really interesting approach! Great insight

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