How to Get into the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
- University of California, Berkeley, School of Law Overview
- About the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
- What Does Berkeley Law Offer
- Class of 2025 Acceptance Rate and Statistics
- Application Requirements
- University of California, Berkeley, School of Law FAQs
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law Overview
The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law was ranked ninth in the United States in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Law Schools list. The school’s national reputation, notable alumni, and distinguished faculty draw many applicants, as does its location near San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
Close to 7,000 people apply to Berkeley Law each year, but only around 20% of those applicants are accepted. Having competitive standardized test scores and a strong undergraduate GPA is key to gaining admission to Berkeley Law. In addition, knowing some key facts about the school can help enrich your application and set you apart from other applicants.
In this blog post, we at Stratus provide a comprehensive overview of what you need to know to increase your chances of getting into Berkeley Law.
About the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
History and ranking
Founded in 1894, Berkeley Law is one of 14 schools at the University of California, Berkeley. As noted earlier, U.S. News & World Report ranked Berkeley Law ninth in the publication’s 2023 Best Law Schools list.
Acceptance rate and class size
Berkeley Law’s acceptance rate in 2022 was 20.2%, and the school has approximately 1,000 students. A typical JD class consists of roughly 300 students. Berkeley Law tends to have a medium-sized class compared to the other T14 schools, providing students with an extensive peer network while also enabling them to build one-on-one relationships.
Post-graduate status
Berkeley Law’s 2021 bar passage rate for first-timers was 95%. (The bar passage rate is weighed down a bit by the California bar, which is one of the hardest bar exams to pass.) About 96% of recent Berkeley Law graduates are employed, and slightly more than 97% of the school’s recent graduates are working in jobs that require passing the bar. Typically, a little over 11% of a Berkeley Law class clerks, and most clerk for high-profile federal courts such as the Ninth Circuit and the Central District of California.
Faculty
Berkeley Law employs more than 500 faculty and boasts such high-profile members as Associate Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit Judge William A. Fletcher.
Alumni
Berkeley Law’s alumni include former Chief Justice Earl Warren, former Attorney General Edwin Meese, and former Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco.
What Does Berkeley Law Offer?
First-year curriculum
In their first year of studies, students are required to take courses on such topics as civil procedure, contracts, tort law, and criminal law. In addition, Berkeley Law recommends but does not require students to take a constitutional law course. First-year students must also take a course on legal research and writing in the fall, followed by a course on written and oral advocacy in the spring. As is typical at other law schools, students must also complete a legal professions course before they graduate.
Berkeley Law offers hundreds of courses, ranging in size from ten students to more than 100. Many classes revolve around lectures, with one end-of-semester exam determining the student’s grade. Other courses are seminars whose grades are based on papers and class participation. Lecture courses often cover standard topics such as corporations and bankruptcy, while seminars usually cover more niche legal subjects such as political philosophy and law and economics.
Writing and experiential requirements
Berkeley Law requires students to complete six experiential credits in addition to a writing project before graduation. Students can satisfy the latter requirement by submitting either one long paper as part of an independent study/course or two smaller papers for one course.
Clinics
Berkeley Law’s 14 clinics deal with traditional legal issues such as criminal law and environmental law as well as more niche areas including starting new businesses and policy advocacy.
Student clubs
The roughly 100 student organizations at Berkeley Law cover many different legal topics and social causes. Notable clubs on campus include the Community Defense Project and the Intellectual Property Law Society. The clubs organize lectures, discussions, social mixers, and intramural sports games for students to attend, providing them with opportunities to further explore their legal interests and connect with their classmates.
Journals
Berkeley Law publishes 13 journals, including the Berkeley Journal of International Law, the Berkeley Technology Law Journal, and the California Law Review. Participating in the school’s journals gives students opportunities to publish their own work, edit academic papers, and attend conferences and symposiums.
Centers
Berkeley Law has six centers and institutes, including the Korea Law Center and the Human Rights Center. The centers organize events, publish papers, and advocate for positions on related issues. Students can participate by helping with events and conducting research.
Class of 2025 Acceptance Rate and Statistics
During its most recent application cycle, Berkeley Law received 6,825 applications, and 279 students ultimately enrolled in the Class of 2025.
Of the Class of 2025,
- 63% are female, 36% are male, and 1% are non-binary.
- 32% identify as LGBTQIA+.
- 54% are people of color.
- The average age of an incoming student is 24, but the age range is 21 to 37.
- 6% of students are older than 30.
- 20% are the first in their family to earn a college degree.
- 14% have advanced degrees.
- 16% have STEM degrees.
Students in the Class of 2025 represent 32 states and 11 countries.
In terms of statistics,
- For the LSAT, the 25th percentile was 167, and the median was 170. The 75th percentile was 172.
- Berkeley Law also accepts the GRE but has not released data on it.
- For undergraduate GPA, the 25th percentile was 3.74, and the median was 3.83. The 75th percentile was 3.90.
Class of 2021 Post-Graduation Statistics
According to Berkeley Law’s employment report, of the 327 graduates in the Class of 2021,
- 313 were employed.
- 305 had jobs that require passing the bar.
- Seven were working in positions where having a JD is helpful.
- One was working in a non-professional full-time job.
- Five were searching for work and unable to find a position.
Of the graduates working at law firms,
- 78.83% were at firms with 501 or more attorneys.
- 6.76% were at firms with 251 to 500 attorneys.
- 3.15% were at firms with 101 to 250 attorneys.
- 2.70% were at firms with 51 to 100 attorneys.
- 2.25% were at firms with 26 to 50 attorneys.
- 2.25% were at firms with 11 to 25 attorneys.
- 4.05% were at firms with one to ten attorneys.
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law Application Requirements
- Online application and application fee
- LSAT or GRE
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- Official undergraduate transcript
- Resume
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Addenda
Application Details
Berkeley Law’s application typically opens at the beginning of September and closes in mid-February. If you apply for early decision, the deadline is usually mid-November, and you should receive the school’s decision within two to three weeks. If you apply for early decision and do not get in, your application will be reviewed again along with the regular decision applicants. If you get in through early decision, you will receive a scholarship of $30,000 per year.
LSAT or GRE
Berkeley Law accepts either the LSAT or the GRE. However, if you are enrolled in a concurrent program that requires the GMAT or are applying to one that does, you can submit your GMAT score instead of an LSAT/GRE score.
Resume
Make sure you customize your resume for your Berkeley Law application. Use professional and consistent fonts, and avoid small page margins. As far as content, avoid jargon so the admissions committee can easily understand your accomplishments, and be sure to balance your work experience with law school–related skills. Your resume should include sections on your education, experience, and personal information.
Letters of recommendation
On its website, Berkeley Law states that applicants should submit two letters of recommendation from an academic source and a third from a non-academic source. If you have worked five years or more, you can substitute non-academic letters for the academic ones. You should only submit a fourth recommendation if you feel that the fourth recommender has something to add that the other three did not cover.
Personal statement
Berkeley Law leaves its personal statement relatively open ended, saying it should be a maximum of four pages, double-spaced, and could address such topics as why you want to attend law school, the impact you would have both inside and outside the classroom, and how you have demonstrated leadership. The statement could also include any information that is important to know about you that is not in your application or explain why you chose to share particular information on your resume. The school also stresses that the statement should be in your own voice and should not repeat the content in your resume or address only law-related topics.
Addenda
Berkeley Law’s application also includes several addenda, which are short statements on different topics. Some are required, while others are optional. For example, you have the option to submit a 350-word statement explaining how your experience will contribute to the diversity of Berkeley Law’s community as well as a 350-word essay on why you are specifically interested in Berkeley Law. It is important to note that Berkeley Law does not interview applicants, so the optional essays provide an opportunity to share additional information that will help the school evaluate you.
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law FAQs
What if I attended a low-ranked undergraduate institution?
It does not matter. Berkeley Law is mainly interested in your undergraduate GPA.
If I take time off between college and law school to work, do I need to do legal work?
No. Berkeley Law values all kinds of work experience, including internships, a desk job, service industry work, or volunteer work.
Is Berkeley Law looking for applicants with a particular undergraduate major?
No. The school accepts students from a variety of academic backgrounds.
I have a low GPA but a difficult major. Will Berkeley Law overlook that?
Generally, no. Law schools are primarily interested in your overall undergraduate GPA. They will allow some flexibility for applicants with particularly difficult majors, such as a STEM major, but this will not excuse a low GPA.
Does it matter when I apply?
Applying early decision often helps improve your chances, but it is binding. For regular decision, given that Berkeley Law follows a rolling admissions process, it might help you to apply earlier because there will be more slots available. But applying by December is generally fine; after December, the spots fill up quickly. If you think you can improve your LSAT/GRE score by taking it one or two more times in the fall, remember that substantially increasing your score will help your chances a lot more than applying a few weeks earlier. If you are considering applying for any Berkeley Law scholarships, take note of their requirements and the school’s recommendations for applicants.
Do I need to take time off between college and law school to work in order to gain a competitive edge?
Although having work experience might help improve your odds of acceptance, a lack of work experience is not a deal breaker. It’s difficult to quantify how much work experience helps. If you have competitive stats and you want to enroll immediately after completing your undergrad studies, you should not feel that you need to take time off to work.
Are you considering applying to Berkeley Law? Whether you are looking for comprehensive law admissions consulting, hourly help, or perhaps interview prep, we at Stratus Admissions Counseling can help you! Sign up for a free consultation today!