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UC Berkeley Law School: How to Get In & Admissions Statistics

February 14, 2023
Contents

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Reviewed by:

David Merson

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

Reviewed: 01/16/23

If you’re interested in joining one of the premier law schools in the United States, read on to learn more about how to get into UC Berkeley Law School!

Robotic legs, atomic bombs, and wetsuits. While these elements sound like a terrible sci-fi movie, they’re actually all inventions and contributions made by faculty at UC Berkeley! Aside from producing valuable inventions, UC Berkeley is also well known for producing excellent lawyers!

UC Berkeley’s law school is one of the top-ranking schools in the country and offers a diverse, constantly evolving curriculum to help students become world-class attorneys.

If you’d like to join UC Berkeley’s successful alumni, read on to find out more about getting into Berkeley Law.

UC Berkeley Law School Programs

Depending on where you are in your law school journey, there are various law programs UC Berkeley offers prospective students:

J.D. Program

This is a traditional three-year program.

LL.M Program

UC Berkeley offers several LL.M (Master of Laws) programs for students to choose from. With diverse courses, students are able to customize their degrees to match their interests and obtain various certificates of specialization in their preferred area of law.  

Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP)

This graduate program is best suited for students interested in policy research and analysis.

J.S.D. Program

The Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D.) program is Berkeley’s most advanced law degree. It emphasizes independent research and legal scholarship.

UC Berkeley School of Law Admissions Statistics

As you consider attending UC Berkeley’s Law School, it may be beneficial to know its major admission statistics.

UC Berkeley Law School Acceptance Rate

The UC Berkeley Law School acceptance rate is competitive, at a low 13.7%. This acceptance rate is consistent with many other high-ranking schools like Harvard, which has an acceptance rate of 13%.

UC Berkeley Law School LSAT Score

As a top-ranking law school, UC Berkeley’s LSAT score is high. The median LSAT score is 169 but ranges from 165-171.

UC Berkeley GPA

Unsurprisingly, Berkeley Law has high GPA requirements as well. While accepted GPAs range from 3.74-3.92, the median accepted GPA is 3.83.

UC Berkeley Law School Application Process

Much like other law schools, UC Berkeley requires the standard materials from interested applicants:

UC Berkeley Law Requirements
  • A Bachelor’s Degree from an Accredited University: UC Berkeley doesn’t have a preference for the type of degree you choose to complete.
  • LSAT: you must complete the LSAT within five years of your application.
  • Personal Statement: you must write a personal statement that is ideally four double-spaced pages.
  • Resume: you must submit a resume of relevant post-secondary education and extracurricular experience (there is no page limit).
  • Letters of Recommendation: you must submit two to four letters of recommendation. It is recommended that two come from academic faculty and one comes from a non-academic source.
  • An Addendum: addendums are optional and should only be written to explain unfavorable aspects of your application.
  • Optional Essays: There are two optional essays students can write. One is a diversity statement, and the other is a “why Berkeley Law” statement. Both should be 350 words maximum.

While this application checklist seems extensive, it is essential you put equal effort into each component to maximize your chances of gaining admission to UC Berkeley.

To ensure you apply on time, you should keep the following deadlines in mind:

JD Admission Dates UC Berkeley
Source: UC Berkeley Law School

As you can see, the application process is lengthy! Ensure you begin preparing to apply well before applications become available in September.

UC Berkeley Law School Ranking

UC Berkeley’s Law School has garnered an impressive reputation for itself. It ranks ninth as the Best Law School in the nation, first in Business/Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Environmental Law, and second in Criminal Law!

Considering these high rankings, UC Berkeley is one of the best law schools aspiring lawyers can attend!

Tips to Get Into UC Berkeley School of Law

Considering its prestige, UC Berkeley is difficult to get into! Since the admissions committee only wants the best and brightest students to join their programs, it is highly selective.

However, there are tips you can implement in your application to increase your chances of standing out:

Tips to Get Into UC Berkeley Law

1. Pick the Right Major 

As your GPA is a major deciding factor in the application process, you’ll want to ensure you complete a degree you know you can do well in. Luckily, UC Berkeley has absolutely no preference on which major you choose! Choose a degree that interests you, so you’re more likely to put in enough effort to maintain a high GPA.

2. Stay Busy

Another important part of your application is your resume. Your resume should prove you are the type of person who always makes good use of your free time. You don’t want to have any lengthy gaps in your resume, as the admissions committee will question this.

Try to get involved in your community, at your school, and even in the legal field if you can. You want to show you are a capable, intelligent, and adaptive individual who can not only juggle various tasks at once but also excel at them.

3. Ace Your LSAT

This tip is probably a no-brainer, but you should study hard and create the perfect study schedule in order to get a high LSAT score.

4. Make Excellent Connections

As another part of the application process is submitting several letters of recommendation, you need to make good connections with all of your mentors. These mentors must be able to paint you as a one-of-a-kind person in order for these letters to have positive bearings on your admission chances.  

You want to be perceived as extraordinary by the admission committee. These letters give the committee direct insight into how others see you, which can influence the way they see you as well. Ensure you impress your mentors and form strong connections to secure outstanding letters of recommendation.

5. Trust the Experts

If you’re worried you won’t be able to implement all of these tips, or you just don’t know where to start with your application, Juris can be your guide! Our experts are dedicated to helping you realize your dreams and will help craft the perfect application for you.

FAQs: UC Berkeley Law School

In case you have more questions about getting into UC Berkeley’s law school, here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Berkeley Law.

1. Is it Hard to Get Into UC Berkeley Law?

Yes, like any other high-ranking law school, UC Berkeley Law is difficult to get into! With a low acceptance rate and high score requirements, UC Berkeley is competitive. But, with a stellar application and steadfast dedication, gaining admission to this prestigious school is definitely possible!

2. Is UC Berkeley a Good Law School?

Yes, aside from consistently ranking as the best law school in the nation, UC Berkeley offers comprehensive, hands-on curriculums that prepare students for prosperous law careers.

3. Is UC Berkeley a Top 10 Law School?

Yes, UC Berkeley ranks ninth as the Best Law School in the United States.

4. What is UC Berkeley Law School Known For?

While UC Berkeley Law School is known for all of its legal programs, it is especially known for its intellectual property law program.

5. Does UC Berkeley Interview Students?

No, UC Berkeley does not interview any students. Instead, personal statements are used to introduce the students to the committee.

6. How Much Does it Cost to Attend UC Berkeley?

UC Berkeley’s tuition reflects its reputation. Residents can expect to pay around $59,306 yearly in tuition and fees, and non-residents can expect to pay around $67,816 yearly.

Getting Into UC Berkeley Law With Juris

Whether you’re interested in attending UC Berkeley Law School to say you go to the school that helped invent atomic bombs, or you simply want to receive the best possible education to become a successful attorney, it’s crucial you submit an incredible application.

Luckily, you don’t have to bear the burden of this pressure alone! Juris’ team of skilled admission counselors can give you complete end-to-end application support to maximize your chances of acceptance and minimize your stress!

Schedule A Free Consultation

Plan Smart. Execute Strong. Get Into Your Dream School.

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