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How to write the “why berkeley law” essay with examples.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 12/20/23

Getting ready to write your "Why Berkeley Law?" essay? In this blog, we'll offer tips and examples to help you write a standout essay.

When applying to Berkeley Law , one of the most crucial components of your application is the optional essay. This essay provides you with an opportunity to express your genuine interest in the school and explain why you are a perfect fit. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into strategies for crafting an effective "Why Berkeley Law?" essay, explore examples of successful essays, and address frequently asked questions.

Writing the "Why Berkeley Law?" Essay

If you’re applying to Berkeley’s Public Interest Scholars Program , you'll find an optional essay prompt that gives you up to 350 words to answer the following question:

“Tell us more about your interest in Berkeley Law. What makes our school a good fit for you in terms of academic interests, programmatic offerings, and learning environment?” 

Let's explore how you can effectively respond to it. 

Discover What Sets Berkeley Law Apart

Berkeley Law has a rich history and a lot to offer prospective students. When tackling this extra essay, be sure to explore the school's traditions, the variety of programs it offers, and the unique qualities that align with your academic goals. 

Reflect on Academic Goals

Now, take a moment to think about your academic goals, including what you want to achieve in the short term and the long term. Think about the specific academic interests that have drawn you to Berkeley Law. Explore how the school's academic offerings can help you reach these goals.

Are there specific courses, areas of study, or research chances that align with your interests? Make sure to express these connections clearly in your essay to demonstrate how well your academic aspirations match with Berkeley Law.

Forge a Regional Connection

The Bay Area is a thriving legal hub, but breaking into it can be challenging without prior connections. If your goal is to practice law in California , don't hesitate to mention it in your essay. Take it a step further by aligning yourself with a specific Bay Area population or legal specialization, such as tech law.

Embrace Diversity and Activism

Berkeley prides itself on its diversity and rich tradition of activism, like the historic Free Speech Movement. Incorporate this culture into your essay to show your appreciation for a vibrant and inclusive campus if you want to stand out. 

Though this isn’t necessarily a diversity essay , it is a good idea to highlight any personal experiences or values that demonstrate your commitment to diversity and social justice. Whether it's through your own background, extracurricular activities, or future aspirations, make it clear that you'll actively contribute to and benefit from Berkeley's diverse community.

Highlight Leadership and Initiative

Berkeley values students who take the lead and make a positive impact. Share examples of your leadership roles, whether in school, work, or community organizations. Highlight instances where you took the initiative to solve problems or create positive change. Demonstrating your potential to contribute actively to the Berkeley community will strengthen your essay.

Connect Your Past Experiences to Future Goals

Your essay should tell a story of your academic and personal journey, culminating in your desire to attend Berkeley. Explain how your past experiences have shaped your ambitions and why Berkeley is the ideal place to continue your growth. Discuss specific resources or opportunities that will help you achieve your long-term goals.

Be Authentic and Reflective

Lastly, be yourself in your essay. Berkeley is looking for authentic individuals who can contribute to their diverse and intellectually vibrant community. 

Share your true passions, values, and aspirations. Reflect on your experiences and insights, and don't be afraid to acknowledge the challenges or setbacks you've faced. A genuine, thoughtful essay will make a lasting impression.

Structuring Your "Why Berkeley Law?" Essay

To effectively write the essay prompt, make sure to follow a structured approach:

Introduction (Approx. 50-75 words)

• Start by introducing yourself and your intention to join Berkeley Law.
• Mention your passion for public interest law and why you are excited to apply.

Academic Interests (Approx. 75-100 words)

• Talk about your academic interests and how they align with Berkeley Law's offerings.
• Highlight specific courses or professors that pique your interest.

Programmatic Offerings (Approx. 75-100 words)

• Explain why the Public Interest Scholars Program stands out to you.
• Discuss how the program's features, like mentorship or clinics, will benefit your career goals.

Learning Environment (Approx. 75-100 words)

• Describe what you admire about Berkeley Law's learning environment.
• Mention the diverse community and the emphasis on activism, and explain why these aspects resonate with you.

Conclusion (Approx. 25-50 words)

• Summarize your main points and reiterate your enthusiasm for Berkeley Law.
• Express your eagerness to contribute to the Berkeley Law community and make a difference in public interest law.

This approach will help you effectively convey your genuine interest in Berkeley Law's Public Interest Scholars Program within the 350-word limit.

Mistakes to Avoid in Your “Why Berkeley Law” Essay

As you work on your essay, it's crucial to steer clear of common mistakes that could hinder your application's impact.

• Generic Responses : Avoid generic statements that could apply to any law school. Your essay should be tailored to Berkeley Law specifically.
• Lack of Specifics : Provide concrete examples and specifics about Berkeley Law and how they relate to your goals.
• Negativity : Refrain from negative comments about other law schools or institutions.
• Ignoring the Word Limit : Stick to the specified word limit. Admissions committees appreciate applicants who can communicate concisely.

Examples of Successful “Why Berkeley Law” Essay

In this next part, let's dive into “Why Berkeley?” law essay examples that really hit the mark, demonstrating the applicants' genuine alignment with the school's ethos, academic programs, and dedication to public interest law.

Example Essay #1

“As an aspiring public interest attorney, Berkeley Law's commitment to social justice and its extensive programmatic offerings make it the ideal institution for me. From my research, it's clear that Berkeley Law's values align perfectly with my passion for advocating for marginalized communities. The Public Interest Scholars Program, in particular, stands out as an opportunity to further my commitment to public service.

Berkeley Law's wide array of clinics and centers, such as the Policy Advocacy Clinic and the International Human Rights Law Clinic, strongly resonates with my academic interests. These hands-on experiences will allow me to apply legal theory to real-world situations, honing my skills while making a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need. Additionally, the Pro Bono Program's emphasis on community service deeply aligns with my commitment to giving back.

The vibrant and inclusive learning environment at Berkeley Law is another compelling reason for my interest. The diverse student body and faculty create a dynamic atmosphere where I can learn from different perspectives and foster a global understanding of legal issues. The Berkeley Law community's dedication to activism and the Free Speech Movement is particularly appealing, as it mirrors my own desire to be a catalyst for change and contribute to a more just society.

‍ In my pursuit of a legal career focused on public interest, Berkeley Law's dedication to fostering social justice and providing extensive resources for students aligns perfectly with my aspirations. I am eager to engage with the Berkeley Law community, contribute to its legacy of activism, and take full advantage of the opportunities it offers to develop into an effective public interest attorney.”

Why This Essay Was Successful

This essay succeeded because it showed that the applicant's goals match what Berkeley Law offers. They clearly expressed their passion for public interest law and mentioned specific programs and opportunities at the school that interested them. 

They also talked about how Berkeley Law's diverse community and commitment to activism aligned with their values. Overall, the essay made a strong case for why the applicant would be a good fit for Berkeley Law.

Example Essay #2

“Berkeley Law is the epitome of my academic and professional aspirations as a future public interest attorney. Its exceptional academic offerings, programmatic diversity, and commitment to social justice have convinced me that this is where I belong.

My academic interests lie in environmental justice and sustainable development. Berkeley Law's esteemed Environmental Law Program, renowned for its interdisciplinary approach and impactful research, perfectly aligns with my goals. I am eager to engage with faculty members such as Professor [Faculty Name], whose work on environmental justice has been a constant source of inspiration for me.

Furthermore, the Public Interest Scholars Program is the embodiment of my career aspirations. It offers unparalleled resources and mentorship opportunities that will not only help me refine my legal skills but also empower me to make a meaningful difference in disadvantaged communities. The program's emphasis on experiential learning through clinics and community engagement resonates deeply with my commitment to public service.

The Berkeley Law community's dedication to diversity and activism is also a significant draw for me. Having been an advocate for social justice throughout my undergraduate years, I am excited about the prospect of contributing to Berkeley's legacy of activism and making a positive impact on pressing societal issues.

In conclusion, Berkeley Law's academic excellence, programmatic offerings, and unwavering commitment to social justice make it the perfect fit for my academic and career goals. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of joining the Berkeley Law community, where I can harness my passion for public interest law to effect change and promote justice for marginalized communities.”

This essay succeeds because it shows a strong match between the applicant's goals and Berkeley Law. They clearly express their interest in environmental justice and sustainable development and explain how Berkeley Law's programs align with these goals. 

The essay also mentions a specific faculty member who inspires them, demonstrating their genuine interest in the school. Additionally, the writer emphasizes their commitment to hands-on learning and public service, which fits well with Berkeley Law's offerings. 

Finally, they express their excitement about contributing to the school's diversity and activism, making a strong case for why they are a good fit for Berkeley Law.

Navigating the application process for Berkeley Law can be complex, but our FAQ section is here to provide you with clear and concise answers to your most pressing questions.

1. What Makes Berkeley Law School Unique?

Berkeley Law stands out for its commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and innovation. It offers a diverse range of courses, renowned faculty, and numerous clinics and centers focused on various legal fields.

2. What Is the Mission Statement of Berkeley Law?

Berkeley Law's mission is to educate leaders who will contribute to the development of law and society. They aim to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity while fostering a supportive and collaborative community.

3. What Is the Optional Essay for Berkeley Law?

Berkeley Law provides an optional essay prompt that allows applicants to address any aspects of their application they wish to clarify or expand upon. While it's not required, it can be a valuable opportunity to provide context if needed.

Writing the "Why Berkeley Law?" essay requires thoughtful reflection and a deep understanding of what makes Berkeley Law unique. By following the strategies outlined in this guide and studying successful examples, you can craft an essay that not only impresses the admissions committee but also conveys your genuine enthusiasm for joining the Berkeley Law community. 

Remember to be specific, passionate, and authentic in your writing, and best of luck with your application!

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How to Write a “Why X” Essay

There are three basic models for a “why school X” essay.

1. The Narrative Model

In a narrative “why school X” essay, you tell a story about your evolving enthusiasm for a school. You might start by saying what first piqued your interest—a comment from a friend, an interview you saw with a dean—and then explain how your interest grew as you did more research. Describe your visit to the school, if you made one, or your conversation with a student or alumnus, if you spoke to one. Conclude with the strongest possible statement of your interest.

Here’s an outline with example first sentences:

• I first became interested in school X when I came across a YouTube video with the dean/heard about a friend’s experience/visited campus for a rugby game.
• As I learned more, I imagined taking professor’s Y’s class/got excited about the specialization in Z.
• But it was my conversation with student Q that confirmed my belief that school X would be perfect for me/I was blown away by the helpfulness and friendliness of the students I met on my visit.
• I am beyond excited about the possibility of attending school X.

2. About Me, About You

In an “about me, about you” essay, you’ll begin by talking about an aspect of your background before explaining how the school will complement your experience and help you fulfill your ambition.

It might look something like this:

• I founded my first company in college. (Describe your history of social entrepreneurship.)
• Startup@BerkeleyLaw will help me bridge my experience with my new ambition for the future. (Describe how Berkeley Law will prepare you to advise startups or some such.)
• But Berkeley Law’s incomparable program in law, technology, and business is not the only reason I want to attend. (Describe what else draws you to Berkeley Law.)
• Given my background in technology and entrepreneurship, I’m convinced that Berkeley Law is the perfect school for me.

You can also put the “about me” me part after the “about you” part.

Note that you’re not writing a second personal statement. You’re just explaining why the school is a good fit for you, and why you’d be a good fit for the school.

3. The Straightforward Essay

The straightforward essay isn’t as sexy as the first two, but it gets the job done. It might look something like this:

• Paragraph about your interest in Texas Law’s Capital Punishment Clinic
• Paragraph about your interest in Texas Law’s Entrepreneurship Clinic.
• Paragraph about your interest in Texas Law’s mentoring program.

Strong Openers

Here are a few examples of openers that work:

When I began to consider studying law, I wrote a list of the qualities that I was seeking in a program.

In this narrative of evolving interest, the author explained how she became more and more convinced that school X had the qualities she most valued.

Four years ago, I found a dog tied to a street sign by a railroad.

In this “about me, about you” essay, the author went on to explain how she developed an interest in animal rights before describing her interest in school X’s animal law program.

In 1995, X Law invited the former president of Taiwan, Lee Teng-Hui, to deliver a public speech.

In this straightforward essay, the author went on to describe how X Law’s decision to invite Lee despite pressure from mainland China demonstrated its commitment to free speech.

Strong Closers

Telling a school you’ll enroll if they accept you is the single strongest move you can make:

X Law is my first choice, and if I’m admitted, I will withdraw my other applications immediately so I can attend.

If you can’t promise to marry them, you can still flirt:

I hope I’m given the opportunity to attend X Law.

Many strong essays close with a very short “about me” line:

In everything from my work with Amnesty to my current position at Xenon, I’ve done my best to support my peers. I hope I get a chance to do the same thing at X Law.

You can also reiterate the reasons you want to go:

I want to go to X Law so I can lie on the law quad and laugh with students like Elle and Vivian. I want to go to X Law so I can work with fellow advocates for asylum seekers. I want to go to X Law so I can learn from Professor Callahan and fight for the next Brooke Windham. Finally, I want to go to X Law so I can become a proud student ambassador, introducing the school to prospective students at home.

As you might have gathered from that last example, enthusiasm really shines through. The best “why school X” essays—the ones that might actually move the needle—feel organic and earnest.

Formatting and Length

If a school doesn’t specify, aim for about one double-spaced page, or roughly 250–350 words.

Format your “why school X” the same way you format your personal statement , but write “Interest in School X” in the header, unless the application refers to the essay differently (e.g. “Supplemental Essay One”).

Learn about our admissions consulting and editing services .

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Home — Application Essay — Law School — Why Berkeley Law: Social Justice, and Global Impact

Why Berkeley Law: Social Justice, and Global Impact

• University: University of California, Berkeley

About this sample

Words: 793 |

Published: Feb 15, 2024

Words: 793 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

I have spent countless hours pondering the path that my future will take. I have questioned what it means to pursue a career that aligns with my passions, allows me to make a meaningful impact on society, and challenges me to continuously grow and learn. It is with this introspection that I am drawn to Berkeley Law, a place where innovation, social justice, and intellectual curiosity intersect in a distinctive and powerful way.

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Berkeley Law's reputation as a top-tier institution is well-established, but what truly sets it apart is its unyielding commitment to service and its progressive approach to legal education. The school's rich history of activism and its history of producing influential change-makers resonate deeply with me. I am inspired by the legacy of Berkeley Law graduates who have fearlessly championed causes ranging from civil rights to environmental justice.

One aspect of Berkeley Law that particularly excites me is its interdisciplinary approach to legal education. The school recognizes that the complex challenges we face in the world today require a multifaceted understanding that goes beyond traditional legal knowledge. By encouraging students to explore other disciplines and offering joint-degree programs, Berkeley Law creates an environment that fosters innovative thinking and prepares graduates to tackle the multifaceted issues of the modern legal landscape.

Berkeley Law's emphasis on experiential learning and hands-on opportunities is also a crucial factor in my attraction to the program. The school's robust clinical program, where students have the opportunity to work with real clients and engage in direct legal advocacy, aligns perfectly with my desire to actively contribute to positive change. I firmly believe that learning happens most effectively through practical application, and Berkeley Law's commitment to providing students with meaningful real-world experiences is unparalleled.

Additionally, Berkeley Law's vibrant and diverse community resonates with my own values and experiences. I am drawn to the opportunities for collaboration, dialogue, and growth that come from being surrounded by individuals from various backgrounds and perspectives. The chance to engage in thoughtful conversations and challenge my own beliefs while respecting the viewpoints of others is an invaluable aspect of a transformative education. I believe that Berkeley Law's commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity is not just a box to check, but a core value that permeates every aspect of the school.

Furthermore, Berkeley Law's global reach and impact provide students with the chance to engage with legal issues on an international scale. I am eager to take part in the school's numerous international programs and immerse myself in different legal systems and cultures. The ability to gain a global perspective and develop cross-cultural competency is crucial in today's interconnected world, and Berkeley Law's commitment to global engagement aligns perfectly with my own aspirations.

Beyond the academic and programmatic offerings, I am particularly drawn to Berkeley Law's strong sense of community. The school's commitment to cultivating an environment of support, collaboration, and mentorship creates a space where students can thrive both personally and professionally. The opportunity to learn from and alongside esteemed faculty members and engage with a passionate and diverse student body is one that I eagerly anticipate.

Ultimately, my decision to pursue law at Berkeley Law stems from a deep-seated desire to merge my passions for justice, advocacy, and critical thinking into a career that allows me to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. Berkeley Law provides the perfect platform for me to embark on this journey, offering a unique blend of academic excellence, social responsibility, and innovative thinking.

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In conclusion, the distinctive attributes of Berkeley Law make it an ideal fit for my aspirations. From its legacy of social activism to its commitment to interdisciplinary education, experiential learning, inclusivity, global engagement, and community, Berkeley Law embodies the values and qualities that I hold dear. Through my experiences and dedication, I am confident that I will not only contribute to the legacy of Berkeley Law but also be transformed by the rich opportunities it offers. I eagerly anticipate the prospect of joining the vibrant Berkeley Law community and embarking on this transformative journey of passion, purpose, and service.

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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

February 8, 2023

How to Get Accepted to Berkeley Law [Episode 504]

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Kristin Theis-Alvarez, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the UC Berkeley School of Law, shares her insider perspective on the recent decision to withdraw from US News Rankings and describes how students can demonstrate the Berkeley ethos to secure a spot in this prestigious program. [Show Summary]

Thanks for joining me for the 504th episode of Admissions Straight Talk . Are you applying to law school this cycle? Are you planning ahead to apply to law school next year or later? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted’s Law School Admissions Quiz can give you a quick reality check. Just go to accepted.com/law-quiz , complete the quiz, and you’ll not only get your assessment but also tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus it’s all free. 

I’m delighted to have on Admissions Straight Talk , Kristin Theis-Alvarez, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of California Berkeley School of Law . Dean Theis-Alvarez earned her BA in Rhetoric and Native American Studies from UC Berkeley and her JD from Stanford Law , graduating from Stanford in 2000. She has been with Berkeley Law in different roles since 2007 and became Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid in 2018.

In addition to her duties at Berkeley, she’s a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee for the Law School Admissions Council. 

Can you start by giving an overview of the more distinctive elements of the Berkeley Law JD program? [2:08]

It’s a little bit challenging to encapsulate them, but I will try to hit some of them and I imagine through the rest of the questions, others may emerge. 

I like to start with the first year because frankly, it’s a point of distinction between us and a lot of our peer schools. We are firm believers that there are a lot of law schools that give a really great education and it becomes more about fit and where you want to spend three years as well as what in particular you want to get out of it.

One of the places where we are different is in what we will allow people to do in the first year. You may have this idea that all of the curriculum in the first year is set and you just sort of suffer through it and then you get to do fun stuff in your second and third years. That’s the case probably in many places, but certainly not the case at Berkeley.

We made a really distinct choice, many years ago that if we’re going to recruit, and we do like to recruit students who have a strong track record of engagement, then we should allow them to be engaged and to do what they care about most. That shouldn’t take away from, but augment their experience. We will allow people to join any of the journals except California Law Reviews as first-year students.

We’ll allow students to get involved in our pro bono program, which has a number of distinct aspects, but the most well-recognized is the student-initiated legal projects, which are hands-on legal work, supervised by attorneys and community partners. First-year law students are actually doing things that make a difference like representing someone who is in the process of seeking asylum. There are over 40 of them this year. 

We also let people try out for the competition team. If you’re someone who’s really passionate about moot court or mock trial and you plan to be a litigator and you want to keep doing that, you can do that in your first year. 

Similarly, the curriculum is actually not nearly as fixed as it used to be. We went through curricular reform a few years ago, and we made the decision to remove property, which is typically one of the core required courses, not only as a first-year requirement but as a graduation requirement.

We also took a unit from torts and reduced it by a unit to add a unit, which sort of equates to hours in legal education to the legal research and writing program so that people were getting more practice, developing more skills, and having more examples of their writing also to enter the employment market with. Functionally, that means that there are three required courses in legal research and writing in the fall. Then in the spring, there’s only one remaining required course, plus written and oral advocacy.

Many students would choose to take constitutional law, which is a graduation requirement, but even if you do, you still have remaining units to take an elective and frankly, you could take two or three depending on the number of units. That has really opened things up. We had a lot of interesting conversations about it, but I do think it speaks to the fact that we like people who are highly specialized. These are people who want to go into patent law and don’t need to wait out for the first year to get involved in the things that they care about. They’re also people who are creative explorers looking to put together different aspects of the curriculum and have them be informed by one another from the very beginning.

Beyond that, I mean I think there’s an incredible breadth and depth of curriculum here. The faculty actually enjoy teaching, which is hard to express and sometimes sounds like a little too muchmarketing. I think Dean Chemerinsky, is a really great example of someone who’s an incredible leader and thinker, but also who loves to teach. He teaches constitutional law every spring to first-year students and usually teaches either criminal procedure or first amendment law in the fall to 2Ls and 3Ls. That really sets the tone. 

The only other thing I’ll say is that I think that the education, curriculum, and opportunities at Berkeley really emphasize experiential education and interdisciplinary education. Beyond the pro bono program, we have 14 clinics, six in-house, and eight in the community. We have a really robust field placement program that includes opportunities to go to the Hague for a semester or Washington D.C. or something along those lines. You could also do it part-time and locally while taking classes. It’s sort of infused. There are all of these places you can really take what you’ve learned in the classroom and practice it in some way. 

We really fundamentally believe that most of the complex legal problems in the world are not going to be solved by a single discipline if that makes sense. It makes sense to build yourself a set of courses that include environmental law and racial justice and criminal law and international law. There are problems that are cross-national, complex things like immigration driven by global climate change. Those are the kinds of thinkers that we hope to enroll and then that’s the kind of education that we hope to provide.

Does the flexibility in the curriculum enhance students’ abilities to get internships between the first and second year? [7:09]

Potentially. We have a very strong law and technology or intellectual property program, for example. We’re adjacent to Silicon Valley, and also there’s a huge biotech hub in San Francisco and in the East Bay. So if there’s a firm that knows they’re looking to hire people who are going to be patent prosecutors or something along those lines, then they’re very interested in getting their hands on those students quite early. It does help that the students have had some intro to IP, patent, or something else that they can take in their first semester before they go off into a law firm to learn how to be a summer associate, which is a unique experience unto itself.

Can you touch on the grading system which is supposed to enhance collaboration and cooperation and create a positive culture at UC Berkeley Law? [8:36]

Yeah, it is fairly different. There are some other schools that have their versions of alternative grading, which I would broadly describe as just non-A through F’s.

You’re still getting evaluated. I sometimes say we give out grades, not hugs. You actually do get feedback. It’s still on a curve but the way that it works is that it’s not tied to the A through F system. So you’ll never have a GPA or a class rank. But essentially the top 10% of any given class will get an HH, which is high honors. The next 30% will get an H, which is honors, and then the remainder of the students will get a pass. It is possible to get a restricted pass or a low pass or a non-pass. It’s extremely unusual but it does exist.

There is accountability. I have some theories about this and sort of its effect on culture. I don’t know that it changes the culture in the way people think it does. Somehow people think, “Ah, I don’t have to worry about grades. I’ll just be nice now.” I don’t think that’s how it actually works. People worked really hard to get here, and they don’t stop being people who are very interested in working very hard and doing really well. Obviously, there are a lot of benchmarks along the way. Things like summer jobs and clerkships, and all of those kinds of opportunities that people are fairly focused on.

I think if you get into Berkeley, you get into a lot of great schools, usually. There’s a lot of overlap with many of our peer schools. As I mentioned in the beginning, I think it comes down to fit. So if you’ve had an experience where you were at an extremely competitive undergraduate school and you think, “Well, I’ve done that, I don’t particularly want to do it again.” One of the variables you start to look at is the culture and community variable, which is really best understood if you go to visit, rather than listening to anyone like me talk about it.

But if that is important to you as you weigh it against things like net cost or placement or bar pass or something else, then you choose based on it. If you choose based on it, you typically hold it as a value so it becomes this shared value of collaboration. We pick Berkeley for a different experience, therefore we work hard to create a different experience. There’s not a lot we as administrators could do to make people be kind.

I try to pick kind people when I’m admitting them, but it’s sort of a self-reinforcing system. What I will say about the grades is that you still will spend most of your time in the library, but you have space to say, “Well, I’m not so worried about how I’m going to do in torts. It creates a little bit of breathing room. Or people can say, “I’d like to join a journal because I’d like to work on the citations part of this and I think it’ll be helpful in my career search, et cetera.” Or “I’m not enjoying much at all about the first-year curriculum, but I came here to do workers’ rights and labor work and so I’m going to get involved in some of those projects through pro bono and it’s going to remind me kind of my why. So when I’m struggling in a particular class or just with law school and why I chose to come.” 

You were quoted as saying that removing the test requirement could actually increase disparities in law school admissions. How do you see that happening? [12:50]

If anyone can’t fall asleep at night, they can go read the comments of the American Bar Association. One of them was co-written by me and a colleague at the University of Wisconsin. 

It’s 19 pages long because I approached the question of whether we need a test and what the role of the test is with an attempt to be open-minded about it. Frequently we get cited as people who are opposed to getting rid of the test. People assume that somehow we’re out here on a campaign for the law school admissions council and for the test. I spent a lot of this summer frankly just doing independent research because the reality is I hadn’t thought a lot about it. I actually have a high school senior going through the college application process right now, and we’re dealing with the question of what it means to go test-optional. It’s been an interesting time. I did a ton of my own research and then wrote this lengthy memo with footnotes and all.

What really became problematic for me, as someone who reads thousands of applications every year, is that a lot of people are making rules who don’t actually do this work. One of the things that became true for me, and the research seemed to bear out is that there’s just as much disparity in GPA. That disparity in GPA is compounded by limited access for some people to more elite institutions. You get the double whammy of a GPA that might not be an exceptionally high GPA and a GPA that might not be high or is high at an institution where there’s the likelihood of bias in terms of people’s sense of the reputation of that institution. 

There is research that shows that the students who were admitted test optional for undergrad were not more racially diverse, or maybe just slightly for some groups and that actually there were fewer people admitted who were low-income and first-generation college students. It actually hurt some people while maybe just slightly helping some other people. Then there’s emerging research that maybe the attrition rates and graduation rates might not be the same.

I worry a little bit about that suggesting something around mismatch, which I really struggle with. My interest is more from a reader’s perspective. We’re doing a holistic read. There are only two places where there are numbers. One is the GPA and one is a test score. If you remove test scores from the equation, I don’t know that schools are, at least initially, going to be very adept at figuring out how to do something like score personal statements or score interviews or add numbers back in, which is helpful when you’re dealing with an applicant pool of my size and creates a sense of reliance on undergraduate GPA.

That’s affected by so many things and becomes really problematic, especially as you put the questions of prestige together with the questions of performance. I was just telling someone as I was reading binding early decision applications, that this is what people don’t understand. At some schools, there were as many people, or more, admitted because of their test scores as there might have been who were not admitted because of their test scores.

I had someone apply from a small Christian college in the middle of the country. I don’t know much about it. I looked at the transcript really carefully. I read the letters of recommendation really carefully. I still was sort of not sure exactly what it meant. I’ve never seen an applicant from the school. They had an exceptionally high LSAT score. So the first and fundamental question of whether I think they could be academically successful through the combination of their performance at undergrad and LSAT, I felt fine about that. Then I moved on to things in terms of other qualifications. And that going away is going to be a challenge.

From my perspective, and I’ve also read thousands of applications at this point in time, are there definitely times when the test is going to be the piece of evidence? What if somebody worked their way through undergraduate college? Even at a public Ivy. They’re going to have struggled with some grades. But if they have the time or they focus for a little while on the test, they might test great. [17:47]

When we talk about applications, I say that applicants perceive this as a three-part test, which is, “Do I have a good enough LSAT score?,” “Do I have a good enough GPA?,” and “Do I have good enough extracurriculars?” which is not at all the endeavor that we’re engaged in. The first question is, “Do we think you can come and do the work?” The next one is, “What will you contribute beyond being a good student?” And the third is, “Are you a good fit for our institution?”

We’re very careful then to say, even with GPA, it’s much more complicated than that. It’s the academic record or history as an indicator and predictor of future success. GPA is nestled in a collection of factors that include rigor, study, age of grades, major obligations outside, division one athletes, full-time employees, people who are single parents, people who are reentry students, and so on. Also, the explanations people provide are important. They had a medical emergency. They had a death in the family. There’s all of the juicy context.

There are other kinds of patterns. They have a high GPA, but they took two classes pass/fail every single semester. There’s just all kinds of possible stuff. People somehow don’t think that’s true for the LSAT. Of course, it’s true for the LSAT. It’s why we have a prompt to say, “If you don’t believe that your test scores are indicative of your potential, tell us why. What should I be relying on instead in your record?” There are multiple test scores and patterns of cancellation, but now there are things that we don’t see which are problematic like the use of score preview, test prep programs, et cetera. And that can be trickier.

I watched the debate at the American Bar Association Council when they were discussing this and someone raised the issue of, “Why do we need to do this?” We raised this in our memo. Why do we need to do this when any school could just decide to weigh the test less? We’re told to use a test, but we’re not told how to use that test or how much importance to give it. So a school that really wants to radically depart from this idea of being driven by tests or that is really disturbed by what is a demonstrated score gap for racial minorities could simply say, “We require the LSAT per the ABA standards and we just don’t give it a lot of weight.”

The reason people don’t do that, which is a segue into your next question, I think largely has to do with US News & World Report . There was this strange piece of that conversation where someone said, “Well, maybe this will change” because they were referencing the changes the schools had announced that they weren’t going to participate in US News & World Report. It seems very strange to me to change something about the admissions process and requirements that schools and admissions professionals are saying is helpful to them because we don’t like the behavior of a third party and the influence of the third party on the schools themselves and the pressure it creates for us to emphasize something we don’t think should be emphasized.

Part of why I think it’s exciting to see schools depart from US News & World Report is because it’s taking what we have griped about for years and actually putting it out into the world. I think if we do more of that, there’s a way to keep test scores a part of the process, but lead courageously in terms of how we treat and regard those scores. But we are where we are. I’m a realist. We have two years to figure this out. The new rule, assuming it gets through the state council house of delegates will be implemented in application season ’25-’26. 

Berkeley Law is no longer participating in the US News rankings. I gather you’re celebrating the fact that you won’t have to fill out those rankings reports. Are there any misgivings? [22:04]

Yeah. I just got a week of my life back, but that was not the motivation.

We can’t control what US News & World Report does, and I think they have already said pretty clearly in public that they’re going to continue to rank schools. We’re a public institution, so a lot of our information is public. In fact, we are going to form a committee to think about how we can represent on our website using some public-facing dashboards and other tools, a lot of this information, because we agree and feel that the consumer information is important and that ABA 509 reports are helpful, but it might be useful to visualize that data in a different way. It could be useful to provide more data than we would otherwise provide elsewhere.

Most of it’s going to be available. I think there are some schools right now that maybe would withdraw if not for the fact that they think the thing that helps them the most is per pupil expenditures, which is probably the only piece of data US News & World Report really can’t get its hands on without the school volunteering it.

If you’re a school saying, “Our reputational ranking and all these other things are not so great, but per pupil expenditures are exceptionally high, that’s what has pushed us into the top 20.” I can understand some real reticence to leave. Ultimately, I think ours was not a decision, and I’ll speak for myself, but from my perspective, I was an advocate for non-participation, and it was a decision that didn’t have to do with strategy.

I think if we had gone down the strategy wormhole of, “How does this help us? How might this hurt us? What are our peers doing?” then we’re still living in a world where rankings reign supreme and I’m still waking up in mid-March going, “Oh my gosh. I’m going to live and die by what someone on a website thinks of my school,” which is just silly. Part of it was this desire to not be in that world so much anymore. 

We are ranked by many entities that are not US News & World Report. There are rankings on specialties. There are rankings for people who have blogs. There are rankings for people who are consultants. There are just so many ways and that’s always going to be true. But we are imbuing this particular ranking with some special significance because we’re volunteering data that wouldn’t otherwise be available and then we were railing against it or sort of complaining about it. That just seems absurd, frankly.

We didn’t make a forever decision. I don’t know how other schools have thought about that. I still personally have an issue with the fact that the methodology is entirely opaque, that the only way we can see and reverse engineer what analysis was applied is by purchasing for a fee, the full data set, and that it changes from year to year. To me, if you’re providing a tool to help people really understand clearly with transparency how to compare schools, you would need to keep the methodology stable for chunks of time and see how schools perform against that methodology.

If you change it every single year, it doesn’t actually do that anymore. I would personally love to see a commitment to make the methodology more transparent and then to hold it stable for a period of time and convene a group of deans or leaders in legal education to help inform changes periodically every three or five years to that methodology to reflect a changing environment.

I’m not going to get what I want, just to be clear. Nobody is asking me either, so that’s totally fine. But it’s been really fascinating. I really applaud the deans at Yale and at Harvard as well for going out front on this issue. We were the third school. There have been many schools that have followed both public and private. But I do think that our colleagues at those schools recognized they were in a unique position and took the initial step. Yale has never not been number one. It’s absurd if US News report suddenly ranks them 12. So I just want to give credit where credit is due. That foresight in leadership has really been transformative.

Someone asked whether or not we thought somehow this was a negotiation tactic. I actually don’t think that US News & World Report cares a ton about law schools, but it would be really problematic if undergraduate institutions or business schools chose not to participate as those  schools draw from a more international audience. I think to the extent that anyone is worried that it might become a cross-discipline trend, that’s what’s likely to bring folks to the negotiation table and not just us drawing the line in the sand.

Considering the formal application deadline is February 15th and it’s now January, is it too late to apply? Are applicants at a disadvantage applying closer to the deadline? [28:30]

It’s a great question, and a question I get all the time. It’s directly related to an understanding and misunderstanding of what rolling admissions mean. We are a school that employs rolling admission, which is to say we don’t wait until February 16th to crack open 6,000 applications and try to read them in the next four weeks. We start reading them as they come in and we start making decisions as they come in.

I think people are right to suspect that as a pure numbers game, their “chances” look worse in February. Picture the lines on a graph. In September, we have very few applicants, and all of those 800-900 spots that we’re going to offer. Over time we start filling those seats. Then the line for applicants isn’t a straight line up, it’s more like a bumpy line that has a lot to do with LSAT administration and score releases. What is absolutely true is that we get a spike at the end of the cycle as people approach the deadline. If your odds are 100 apps and 800 spots in September, that looks pretty good. If your odds are 2,000 apps and 100 spots in February, that doesn’t look so good. 

We would be terrible at our job if we said, “We have an application deadline on February 15th, but we’re just done admitting people on January 15th,” or something along those lines. We know that there are good applicants that are coming. We know that there are people for whom something happened in their test administration in November and they really feel like they need to take the January test to show us what their true ability is. We know that there are people who don’t have access to the same kind of pre-law advising that explains some of this to them and the benefits of applying early. We absolutely have space in the class in February. It would also be very silly of me to admit someone who I didn’t think was a great person for Berkeley, simply because they applied in October or to deny someone who was amazing simply because they applied in February.

When you zoom out to the 10,000-foot view, there is an impact. When I am in a given person’s application, there isn’t an impact. If I read someone who got assigned to me on the 15th and I was reading them on the 20th and I knew we have no space but they were amazing, I would say, “Well Dean Chemerinsky, we’re going to be a person over.” Because we’d want them. So in that sense, I don’t think people need to stress about it impacting them directly.

In the world of law admissions, there are only so many things that people can control. You can’t control what you did as an undergrad and what your LSAC or GPA are but you can control when you apply. What we tend to tell people is that because that’s something that you can control and because there’s at least the potential for a little bit of benefit earlier in the cycle, we encourage you to apply at the earliest point at which you have your strongest application prepared. That’s the general advice. 

The second part of this question we get is if we’re going to run out of money. We do both initial gift aid offers and a process called reconsideration. Even if you didn’t get an initial gifted offer, it wouldn’t be because of the time you applied, but if you did, you could still request reconsideration, which doesn’t open until mid-March after our admit weekend. That’s a separate set of money and we plan for this phased approach. There are absolutely scholarships available to someone who applied on February 15th and got admitted.

Who should apply via the binding early decision program? Does it have a higher acceptance rate than a regular decision? [32:33]

It’s a timely question as we sent out decisions yesterday. Our binding early decision program requires some things. It requires you to apply by mid-November. It requires you to have taken an LSAT or a test no later than sort of October so we can get your scores in. It requires you to write an essay describing why you applied to Berkeley. It requires you to sign a binding early decision agreement signifying that you actually understand what you’re entering into, which is to say that if you are accepted, you are firmly committed to attending Berkeley and you must withdraw your application from everywhere else where you’ve applied even if you haven’t received a decision. 

On the flip side, I feel really strongly that one of the more inequitable things in admissions, in general, is binding early decision programs that take a fair number of people, particularly at the undergraduate level, but do not offer non-loan financial support at that time.

When I launched this program a few years ago, we launched it with a $25,000 scholarship award. We didn’t just make that number up. $25,000 per year, or $75,000 total, was the number tied to the average award of anyone admitted the previous year. I could say with a straight face that you were not at a financial disadvantage. You were guaranteed, in fact, what had been the average award for any student. Sure, you’ll never know whether you might have gotten a larger award but we’re not trying to trick people into committing because I think they need the benefit of the admission. This year we upped that to $30,000 because last year’s average scholarship award was closer to $29,000. Because we’ve tied those two together, we made that adjustment.

Is that award regardless of need? [34:35]

Yes, and people can apply for need later in the spring and we will increase awards. 

To answer your question of who should apply, people who know that Berkeley is absolutely their first choice. They don’t need to know if they got into other schools. They don’t need the option to stay closer to home. They don’t need a full ride or aren’t counting on one. I tend to think of it as people who would come to Berkeley for nothing. The fact that they can come to Berkeley and get a $90,000 scholarship spread over three years, they’re over the moon about that.

I don’t think that most people can apply by an early decision and say, “Oh, I’m just so relieved to be done on December 6th and I don’t need to know whether if I would’ve gotten into those other 15 schools and I don’t need to know if I would’ve gotten a full ride somewhere.” I think we’ve built a great program and I also think that you should approach all binding early decision programs as an applicant with a lot of skepticism about whether it’s the right thing for you. You’re giving something up when you are committing so that’s a really important consideration.

To answer your question about admit rate, it varies. I don’t have a set number that I must or may not admit. We’ve admitted between 35 and 60. It just depends on the caliber of the applicant and not on a fixed sort of number in terms of how many people we’re trying to enroll through that program.

Last year the number was lower than the overall admit rate, which was 12%. We took only 35 last year and I think the admit rate was about 10%. This year the admit rate is about 13.5% because we took a larger group although we also had 100 more applicants than in the past. It varies, but it’s about the average admit rate plus or minus a percentage point on either side.

Berkeley Law accepts the LSAT or the GRE and occasionally the GMAT. Approximately what percentage of the applicant pool is applying with the GRE or the GMAT? [37:29]

Oh, it’s small. This cycle is the first time we’ve accepted the GRE with no questions asked.

We took the GRE in the past as a pilot program like we take the GMAT. Because the numbers are so small, it’s hard to study how those people have actually performed. We only accepted the tests from people who were applying to a joint degree program or who had taken the test in the last few years for the purpose of applying to another masters or PhD program.

That kept the numbers very, very small. I can’t tell you this year how many people will apply with the GRE. I expect it to be more. We are going to have to look back at the cycle and crunch the numbers. Right now my eyes are seeing a lot of GRE score reports, but it’s also because we’re requiring you to send the GRE score report even if you have an LSAT. If you took the GRE because they were required for the ABA to report the scores of people who took either or both tests even if we didn’t use it for admission.

I’m seeing a ton of them, but if they’re applying with LSAT, we really consider them LSAT test takers. There will be a little number crunching that has to be done and the question of how many people were GRE applicants versus how many people were GRE plus LSAT applicants is unclear at this stage.

One of the things that’s fascinating is proponents of the GRE, or just maybe of expanded test options. They don’t think the LSAT is the end all be all in a variety of ways. I think there are some applicants who think, “I’ve heard the LSAT is really hard. I took the GRE. Well, maybe that’s better.” What’s fascinating is that the LSAT is just a score across all of the three sections that are scored when you take the test.

With the GRE, we get subsection scores. There’s actually much more data for us which could be good or not good for someone. I could say, “I’m not so worried that you didn’t score in the 97th percentile in the quantitative section, but I’m pretty worried that you only scored in the 50th percentile in writing.” Suddenly I know that as opposed to the LSAT writing sample, which is unscored. There are some interesting pros and cons at work and it has been fascinating to see more data.

Do you have any suggestions for how applicants should choose which test to take and submit? [40:15]

My general advice right now, and obviously, this advice is only good from 2023 to 2025 is that I would take the LSAT, if it were me or if I were advising my kid. The plain reality is that not all schools accept the GRE and far fewer except the GMAT. If you’re making a pure choice, unless your list of schools is exclusively GRE-accepting schools and unless you feel like you can get your hands on some data that helps you understand how your GRE score compares to people who’ve been admitted at that school with a GRE, which is also elusive, I think that you’re wise to take the LSAT. It’s just more portable.

You could apply to a bunch of schools and then think, “This seems like a competitive cycle. I might want to apply to a few more schools.” There are things you just can’t know. And if there are those few schools that don’t take the GRE, then you’re signing up for the LSAT in January or in March. That can be really problematic.

What’s your number one tip for the personal statement? [41:27]

I’m going to say:  keep it personal. 

Don’t write about a student in your second-grade class that you’re teaching. Tell your story. I am not especially interested in a description of where you are right now and where you plan to go. You should think about the personal statement as more like a proxy for an interview.

I’m very interested in you telling me something about your journey to this point and with a certain amount of momentum, that feels like you going to law school is the necessary and inevitable conclusion of that tale. Tell me how you grew up, why you care about the things that you care about, the way that you see the world, and how that lens has been shaped by personal experiences. People can talk about their childhood. People can talk about something they did in college. People can talk about work, but ultimately we’re trying to learn more about you.

The metaphor I sometimes use is rounds of interviews. The first interview for a job is to look at your resume. Does this person seem qualified? That’s not your personal statement. That’s other aspects of your application. And then I invite you in for an interview in my office, and you’re wearing a suit, and it’s very formal. I have your resume and I am sort of checking if you have the skills. There are some generic questions, but if you got over that hurdle, the next thing I’d probably do is try to set up an hour where we could meet for coffee, or you could meet with me and my team for lunch. In that moment, you would not probably be dressed in a suit, nor would I, and we would be talking about very different things. “Where did you grow up? What interests you about this? I’m just so curious about how you came to want to work in admissions. Tell me more about that.” 

That’s the conversation that I think the personal statement is attempting to simulate. If you are extremely business-like and it’s not particularly personal, you’re really operating the space of that in-office interview. I just don’t get to know you as well, and it would be unlikely if I were selecting someone for a job here that I would pick the person who I didn’t know as well.

I sometimes refer to admissions deans as the keepers of the culture. We’re responsible for 85% of the people in the building so we really care about knowing who you are in some way. We don’t have interviews, at least not at this time. This is it. This is your shot. If there’s something that you need to say, say it.

Do you encourage applicants to submit addenda and are there any addenda that you prefer to see? [45:12]

I would maybe break the group that you’re referencing up into two or three categories. One would be optional statements, and for us that’s the why Berkeley statement and the diversity statement, which is what you will contribute in terms of diversity. Those are very helpful as supplements to your personal statement.

Your personal statement should be the foundation and everything else is helpful information that surrounds it and enhances or deepens our understanding of some elements of it. I really enjoy reading either or both of those. Our personal statement is up to four pages, which is fairly unusual. I will say that there are people who will write a four-page personal statement that does the work of also answering the questions of why Berkeley and what will they bring in terms of diversity and how is that shaped their viewpoint in their personal statements. That’s why they’re optional. It’s not a strict requirement, but especially if you’ve written a shorter personal statement that you’re maybe using for more than one school, I would encourage you to write the optional statements. 

There are required addenda for character, fitness, and prior matriculation. There is also an optional addendum that asks, “If you don’t believe that your academic record GPA or LSAT scores test scores are indicative of your potential for success, please tell us why and what is.” Then there’s just the world of broad addenda, which is things I didn’t ask for, and you want to send me. If you think about it that way and you narrowly constrain addenda as things I didn’t ask for, but you want to send me, that list is probably pretty short. I don’t actually really want to receive your honor thesis or your photography portfolio or something along those lines that’s just not going to be helpful in my analysis.

But I do think that if there’s something that we should know, especially when understanding something related to your work experience or lack thereof, your academic history and your test scores, then you really should find a place to put it. In all likelihood, that’s an addendum that is not taking up space in any of your other statements.

Do you like to see work experience that is closely related to law working in a legal office or legal clinic? [47:41]

We like to see experience. I have no preference for it being law-related. I think there’s a tendency to think that being a paralegal or doing an internship at a law firm is somehow going to be the cherry on top of your application, and that’s just not the case. Oftentimes, when you’re at a law firm, what you’re really doing is very mundane and not very interesting work whatsoever. Other times it might be quite dynamic and interesting. 

Fundamentally, we really do like people with experience. I don’t care if it’s experience accrued in undergraduate. There’s no requirement that it be a postgraduate experience. Have you been busy? What do you do with your time? Is it leadership? Is it campus involvement? Is it helping your family run a business? What, beyond being a student, do you do?

That kind of goes to that second question I referenced. What will you contribute beyond being a good student? For a lot of people that is post-graduate experience. Sometimes that’s also in getting a master’s degree or getting a teaching credential. Sometimes it’s people who have traveled, taught English in another country, or just taken a break from law school. 

Mainly, I’m very interested in knowing that the class is going to be full of people who have a track record of engagement and who are the kind ofpeople who will take action.

That’s kind of the Berkeley ethos, the” let’s do something about it” attitude. Demonstrating that you’re someone who has had that draw to do something is helpful. You could be a 20-year-old undergraduate who fulfills that, absolutely and you could be someone who has been working in organic farming and community organizing for three years and has realized that the way they want to make a change in the world is to get a law degree. That’s also very reasonable.

You have a JD so you obviously applied to law school. What would you today tell your applicant self if you could? [50:23]

That’s a good question. What I often say when asked what I would tell people that I didn’t know at the time, but really worked out for me, was to not listen to people who tell you that your chances are non-existent or that you have no right applying to that school.

I had the benefit of ignorance. I just applied to the schools that I thought I would love to be at. I liked what they offered. Their faculty seemed great. Their programs were a good fit for me and I went for it. It worked out fine. I just think there are so many people now whose lists are constrained by their perception or other people’s perception of whether or not they can be admitted.

If I had to tell myself something back then, it actually probably would’ve been not to be just as interested in schools around ranking as frankly, I was, which is ironic. We do grow and change, Linda.

It’s like me telling people who were stressed about jobs, “I promise you your first legal job will not be your last legal job. You’re not signing a contract forever.” So I had some options and I chose the school, which was a great school, but a school I think at the time that was number two in the country. I had a really lovely time, but also many things about legal education have changed. 

There were very few people that grew up in a very low-income household, which I did. I didn’t really think about that as a variable. It was a little bit challenging for me to suddenly be in an environment with people who were third-generation graduates at the school. There were some variables I wish I had thought about and sort of kicked the tires a little bit more around what I was looking for. Part of that, to be clear, was my own lack of experience, ironically. I applied to law school at 21 and went directly from undergrad. 

The advice I would give to anyone now would be to take some time off. Law school will still be there. You’ll only be a better applicant for waiting a little bit. But I didn’t ask some of the questions that I now try really hard to counsel people to ask even if it means they don’t pick Berkeley. Who do you want to be around for three years? What kind of environment are you looking for? Where do you see yourself ultimately ending up, et cetera.

It felt very strange to even contemplate at the time saying no to a school that was that school. That probably is true for a lot of people now but I had many other really good options and I think had I made a less reflexive or automatic decision, I might have had a different experience.

Is there anything you would’ve liked me to ask? [54:03]

Your questions are fantastic.

I think one question that should get asked more in general is, “Are your students happy?” I cannot say that every student at Berkeley is…I mean, it’s also finals and it’s a terrible time to ask. Nobody is happy right now. But I think that we, as an industry, produce far too many unhappy attorneys. There’s a study that said something like 70% of attorneys wouldn’t recommend the profession.

I think if we figured out a way, whether it’s through rankings or elsewhere, to think about how we determine whether students are happy, even if things are really hard and they’re challenged, that we would be better served not just as legal educators but as members of the profession. This is an incredibly important profession and it requires a certain amount of stamina, and stamina can be fed by anxiety or joy. I think we should work for it to be fed more by joy.

Where can listeners learn more about Berkeley Law? [55:32]

I would go to our main website, www.law.berkeley.edu and poke around to see what we have to offer.

Related links:

• Berkeley Law Admissions
• Are You Ready for Law School? (Accepted’s Law School Admissions Quiz)
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Law School Application Essays

Related shows:

• How to Get Into Georgetown Law | Accepted
• Duke Law Interview with Dean Mark Hill
• UVA Law interview with Dean Blazer
• USC Gould Law School Interview with Dean Kirschner
• UCLA Law School: How to Get Accepted

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Essay on Berkeley Law

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Berkeley Law is a great place to study law. It has a long history, excellent programs, and great teachers. If you want to become a lawyer, it is a good place to go.

250 Words Essay on Berkeley Law

About berkeley law.

Berkeley Law is a famous law school. It is part of the University of California, Berkeley. This school is known all over the world for its strong law programs. It is one of the top law schools in the United States.

Programs Offered

Berkeley Law offers a lot of programs. Some of these are for people who want to become lawyers. Others are for people who already are lawyers but want to learn more. They have programs in many different areas of law. This includes things like business law, environmental law, and human rights law.

The teachers at Berkeley Law are very good. They are experts in their field. They have written many books and articles about law. The students at Berkeley Law are also very good. They come from all over the world to study law here.

Impact and Influence

Berkeley Law has had a big impact on the world. Many of its students have gone on to do important things. Some have become judges. Others have become leaders in business or government. The school is also known for its research. This research helps to shape the law in many countries.

In short, Berkeley Law is a very good place to study law. It offers a wide range of programs, has excellent teachers, and its students go on to do great things. If you are interested in law, you should definitely consider Berkeley Law.

500 Words Essay on Berkeley Law

What is berkeley law.

Berkeley Law is a famous law school. It is part of the University of California, Berkeley. This school is one of the best places to study law in the United States. It is often listed among the top 10 law schools in the country. It’s not just known in America, but all over the world.

The History of Berkeley Law

Berkeley Law started in 1894. It was first known as the Department of Jurisprudence. Then in 1912, it became the School of Jurisprudence. In 1948, it was named School of Law. Since 2008, it’s been called Berkeley Law. It’s named after a former dean, Dr. Herma Hill Kay. She was the first woman to lead a top law school in America.

What You Can Study at Berkeley Law

At Berkeley Law, you can study many different areas of law. Some of these are environmental law, business law, and human rights law. There are also other areas like criminal justice, technology law, and public interest law. This means students can choose what they are most interested in.

The Teaching Style at Berkeley Law

Berkeley Law uses a special way of teaching law. They don’t just use books and lectures. They also use real-life cases and problems. This helps students understand how law works in the real world. They also get to work with real clients. This gives them practical experience.

Life at Berkeley Law

Life at Berkeley Law is not just about studying. There are also many clubs and activities. Students can join debate teams, sports teams, and other clubs. This helps them make friends and learn new skills. The school also has a big library with many books and resources for students.

The Impact of Berkeley Law

Berkeley Law has a big impact on society. Many of its students have become successful lawyers, judges, and lawmakers. They have helped to make important laws and decisions. The school also does research on important legal issues. This helps to improve the law and make it fairer for everyone.

In conclusion, Berkeley Law is a very important law school. It has a long history and a big impact on the world of law. Its unique way of teaching and wide range of study areas make it a great place to study law. Despite the hard work, students also enjoy many fun activities and make lifelong friends.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Transcript Magazine Spring 2023 Volume 60 Berkeley Law

Sampler Platter Offers Tasty Synergies

Business law? Check. Tenant and housing rights? Check. Negotiation competitions? Check. And the list goes on.

As a University of Arizona undergrad, his wide-ranging activities included leading a spring break public service trip, competing for the school’s ballroom dance team, and interning at the International Rescue Committee. Whitthorne brought that same unquenchable approach to Berkeley Law.

Valued Voices Across the Legal Landscape

Faculty honors & scholarship:.

Assistant Dean, Communications Alex A.G. Shapiro

Managing Editor & Senior Writer, Communications Andrew Cohen

Creative Direction Laurie Frasier

Original Design & Layout Arnaud Ghelfi, l’atelier starno

Contributing Artist Davide Bonazzi

Contributing Photographers Jim Block Sascha Nour Fawaz Brittany Hosea-Small Cheska Torres Ibasan Shelby Knowles Darius Riley Update Your Address Email: [email protected] Phone: 510.642.1832 U.S. Mail: University of California, Berkeley, School of Law Development & Alumni Relations 224 Law Building Berkeley, CA 94720-7200

Visit www.law.berkeley.edu

Twitter & Instagram: @BerkeleyLaw Facebook: UCBerkeleyLaw TikTok: @ucberkeleyLaw