Any advice? I guess I'm leaning towards Berkeley only because of life quality (and lower tuition), since I believe both are comparable on the academic side.

hi, same situation here, although i clearly prefer chicago's academia to berkley's. i am interested in financial law, and although berkeley is a great school and the location and campus are probably the best in the US, Chicago has a better finance, corporate and economic programs. Berkeley I understand is better in enviromental, internet law and human rights, etc.. So I guess my choice will be Chicago. Do you agree?

Any advice? I guess I'm leaning towards Berkeley only because of life quality (and lower tuition), since I believe both are comparable on the academic side.

I applied and got admitted to Berkeley, intend to specialize in IP (since i work for an international internet gaming operator in my home country).

I agree with "time", i believe that that tuition costs are probably the same, although in reality housing and living expenses are considerably cheaper in the Chicago metropolitan area than they are in the SF Bay area.

I don't know anybody in my country who went to Berkeley for school, but i have been there (SF Bay area) and it is a nice place; although Chicago is architecturally better and the social life is also better (been there several times as well, but not to the school itself); I do have former colleauge who works at local law firm who did LL.M in corporate law at Chicago; he absolutely love it, the school is said to be very well connected to major chicago financial instituions and to both mercantile exchanges located in the city, so you get alot of real life teaching and networking oportunity. I don't really think that Berkeley is known as or "sells" itself as a "top" corporate LL.M program, that would be Stanford, Columbia, Harvard (Finance Law), NYU, and Chicago (in that same order). As to weather, the reality is that Berkeley is nice and sunny only during the Spring, since the autum season is cold, breezy, and rainy, same as Chicago during autum (but add the snow in the case of Chicago); Chicago is a beautiful place to be during the Spring, lake Michigan gets swamped by college folks and local alike.

I applied to Berkeley, Cornell, Miami, and a few others, luckily got admitted to all, but only Berkeley is relevant to my IP interest. I will most likely be heading to Berkeley since it is the IP Mecca (followinf Stanford, to which i did not apply), since i don't really care about the other places.

My personal opinion, is that Chicago has way more recognition and connections (as well as better curriculum; i was looking at the schedule of offered classes at Berkeley for last year and it is not look corporate/finance orientated program) in the corporate law world than Berkeley, but Berkeley outclasses it in IP and Environmental.

Congratulations on your admissions!

Guys,
Thanks for your opinions. In fact, I seek a top school and a nice place to live (since my spouse will go with me). I think Berkeley environment feels more like a "campus experience" when compared to Chicago. Moreover, living in the West Coast is a different experience, and establishing an academic network in Berkeley is something important for me professionally (I have several work mates that attended Chicago, CLS, SLS, etc, but none that attended Berkeley). But I completely agree that Chicago has a strong program and I felt particularly attracted by the small program and by the personnal way they deal with admitted students. Let's see what happens, I'm still waiting for a response on financial assistance request from Chicago that may ease my decision.

@grugani
did you receive any financial assistance from Berkeley?

i did not, only referrals to grant providers and other sources of funding (none of which are much help).

Nope. No financial aid from Berkeley...

comandante, thank you for the detailed information.

just one question, why are you saying that columbia is on top of chicago for financial/corporate law? is that such a clear decision to make? It is my understanding that columbia as it is in nyc will facilitate networking at local law firms and financial institutions, however, chicago's name and faculty, as well as the proximity and contact with exchanges i.e. CBT, CME, do offer valuable assets. You see, I am currently waitlisted at CLS, and I am debating on the two schools. Please explain your ranking.

historically, because of two reasons: (i) as you stated, first, and least importantly, the physical proximity to Wall Street, although (and here is why I said "least importantly") the current day Wall Street is not the same (in form and composition as it was in years past, that is, we no longer have the Lehmans, Bears Stears of this world, Goldman and Citibank are a shadow of what they were; entire firms have shutdown or materially shrunk their operations and presence in NYC --moving the less expensive places such a New Jersey and North Carolina-- cut down on recruiting and branding expenses, etc.) and (ii) and most importantly, Columbia, unlike Berkeley and Chicago is in the "Ivy League".

In this environment, I would prefer Chicago, the Chicago financial infrastructure has remained pretty much intact (not like Wall Street which has faced an economic and reputational slaughter), the exchanges (CBOT and CME) have and continue to flourish, and do not forget, Chicago is the center of the US's insurance industry.

I think you are in a great place, don't think much about about being waitlisted at Columbia, in the corporate law/finance law area, i think Chicago is currently the best bet. (and remeber the likes of Milton Friedman and Merton, and many other Nobel Prize holder in economics and finance are associated with Chicago!!!)

Did you get any financial aid from any school you got admittance?

Thank you again for your reply. No, I have not yet received information on the financial aid I asked for in Chicago.

Sorry to be so specific, but, in terms of curriculum (including the fact that you can tailor your pensum in Chicago and not in Columbia), and faculty, would you still rank columbia above chicago for a degree in financial law, ignoring the current circunstances or historical reasons.

@ time

Is a BMW better than a Mercedez? :)

It is a personal choice thing, if i had to chose today (or over the next few years -- all other things being constant ), given what is currently occuring, i would chose/rank Chicago above Columbia. As i stated earlier, my ranking was a personal "historical" ranking based on historical issues. The recent changes in the NYC/Wall Street/world financial system will/have cost Columbia's progam, the effects will be evident soon (e.g. there was alot of Columbia faculty who where head honchos at major financial instituions, the teaching gig being a "love to do" kinda thing for them; many have lost (such) jobs and connections, and are emmigrating out of NY and or the vicinity); etc.

but to answer your question simply: i would chose Chicago, don't sweat the Columbia waitlsit thing, you are very fortunate!!

Is a BMW better than a Mercedez? :)

@ Santa,

oh, the volkswagen in a fancy dress. :)

what's the 'x' for? Inbetween the school names.

@ grugani

i seems that they do not offer much (or any at all) financial aid, they are beginning to strike me as a "money hungry" school, they don't even provide much assistance to admitted students, like you are just a "number" to them, this is beginning to upset me, especially, since i hear from people admitted at other schools (e.g. Chicago, Northwestern, Stanford) about how those schools offer a very "personalized" treatment to their admitted students..... go figure!

what's the 'x' for? Inbetween the school names.