Should I ED to UCLA? 3.756/171 Forum

[dashmot]

Hi all,

I am thinking about EDing to the UCLA Distinguished Scholars Program. It is a full tuition scholarship. If I don't ED, I'll apply to the UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship Program which is non-binding but full tuition. It's for disadvantaged students (I fit the bill). You can't apply to both.

My goal is to do transactional work in SoCal biglaw and I have no ties to California. I'm from the east coast and I want to study in California. I'm moderately debt averse, and would not pay sticker anywhere besides maybe Stanford. These are the schools I'm seriously considering:

Stanford: My ideal choice. I doubt I would get in with my GPA. My GPA is not a 4.0 because of one semester only, for which I'm writing an addendum. My LSAT is at their median. I'm unlikely to get in and I'm aware but I wish I could get in, lol. I'm not too sure if it would be worth the big price if I just want Los Angeles biglaw. I don't want a federal clerkship or a gig at an elite litigation boutique.

Berkeley: Seems all around perfect for my goals, but they are stingy with scholarships. I was thinking of applying to other T-14s to try and match scholarships here.

UCLA: If I got in with a full scholarship, it would be a solid choice as I want to practice in Los Angeles and their biglaw + federal clerkship rate is about 45%. That figure impresses and scares me. I know that 15% does PI. But I basically don't know how competitive it will be to get biglaw. TLS says to assume median, and if I am, then I don't know if I'll be in a good enough position.

USC: If I got the Rothman full tuition scholarship, I'd take it in a heartbeat. It also comes with a stipend and a guaranteed 1L SA at Skadden. But it's only given to one student and I doubt that would be me. Otherwise, I wouldn't go to USC and would go to UCLA instead.

What do you advise, TLS?

[Dcc617]

Honestly, the best advice for your goals would be to apply across the T14 (and add UCLA and USC). That way you can maximize your scholarship and employment numbers. Then get a California 1L summer job and manufacture as many ties as possible.

[dabigchina]

with those numbers, i'd be shocked if UCLA didn't throw you a full (or close to full) scholly even if applied regular decision.

apply broadly. you're not missing anything by keeping your options open.

[QContinuum]

Honestly, the best advice for your goals would be to apply across the T14 (and add UCLA and USC). That way you can maximize your scholarship and employment numbers. Then get a California 1L summer job and manufacture as many ties as possible.

Dcc is correct. OP, I get that you don't have CA ties. But, firms generally don't count attending law school in a state as a legit "tie." So, you wouldn't gain as much as you might think by attending a CA law school. Of course you'd be golden with Stanford (same with Yale), but otherwise, for SoCal BigLaw you should attend the best-priced/highest-ranked T13 you can get into. You would absolutely have a better shot if you were to go to, say, CCN, versus if you were to go to UCLA or USC.

[The Lsat Airbender]

LA is ties-sensitive among major markets but it's not ties-necessary like Seattle or Nashville or Miami.

Do you have a particular compelling reason for wanting to study in California, besides wanting to work there? Would you rather make $60k as a lawyer in SoCal or get biglaw elsewhere? I'd only pick UCLA over a T14 (e.g. Michigan) if you have good reasons to say "yes" to both questions.