UC Davis v. UC Hastings

[econtutorNV]

Besides the obvious (tuition, location) is there any significant difference between these two schools?

[matteo]

This may be as obvious as location, but Davis has a large undergraduate university as well as a law school, whereas Hastings is a law school and nothing else. If you like the big-campus undergrad feel, Davis may be more to your liking than Hastings. Personally, the transition from a big-campus school to Hastings was not difficult for me to make at all. But if you're one of those people who can't be around ONLY law students or you'll go crazy, it's something to consider. I also believe there is a difference in terms of the U.S. News and World Report rankings, but I don't know which is ranked higher at the moment.

Hope this helped. Good luck.

[econtutorNV]

I keep forgetting that UC-Hastings is its own seperate entity. I'm not to concerned about the way both schools bounce back and forth in the rankings between each other. Both are in locations I could easily see myself settling in.

They seem to have pretty similar employment outcomes (at least as far as I could tell) and similar entry stats.

Matteo, how do you like Hastings?

[Davis1L]

Don't forget class size! Hastings' law class is about twice the size of Davis'. Also, and Matteo can correct me if I'm wrong because I'm speaking purely anecdotally...but Hastings seems to have a different breed of students.

I have two 1L friends at Hastings who told me that the majority of Hastings students want BigLaw or want to transfer higher up. While there are a number of students at Davis who want biglaw, it does not appear (again, this is from the viewpoints of my friends...I can't really say since I do not attend Hastings and do not mind being corrected) to be as bad as Hastings. This pretty much feeds the whole gunner reputation at Hastings, but I've heard really conflicting things on that front. Some say its just as bad as the rumors, others say its vastly overstated. More likely than not it probably depends on your section, as even Davis has gunner sections.

That being said, Davis has a really laid back personality in terms of the majority of its students. The best thing you could do is visit both schools and see where you fit in best. I wanted Hastings initially, but after visiting, I sorta fell for Davis. Conversely, I know others who couldn't imagine spending 3 years in Davis because of its small size and lack of...well...a nightlife.

[econtutorNV]

Don't forget class size! Hastings' law class is about twice the size of Davis'. Also, and Matteo can correct me if I'm wrong because I'm speaking purely anecdotally...but Hastings seems to have a different breed of students.

I have two 1L friends at Hastings who told me that the majority of Hastings students want BigLaw or want to transfer higher up. While there are a number of students at Davis who want biglaw, it does not appear (again, this is from the viewpoints of my friends...I can't really say since I do not attend Hastings and do not mind being corrected) to be as bad as Hastings. This pretty much feeds the whole gunner reputation at Hastings, but I've heard really conflicting things on that front. Some say its just as bad as the rumors, others say its vastly overstated. More likely than not it probably depends on your section, as even Davis has gunner sections.

That being said, Davis has a really laid back personality in terms of the majority of its students. The best thing you could do is visit both schools and see where you fit in best. I wanted Hastings initially, but after visiting, I sorta fell for Davis. Conversely, I know others who couldn't imagine spending 3 years in Davis because of its small size and lack of...well...a nightlife.

Another excellent point! I've been to Davis (the town) an number of times, my brother is in a graduate program there and he loves it.

[Davis1L]

Don't forget class size! Hastings' law class is about twice the size of Davis'. Also, and Matteo can correct me if I'm wrong because I'm speaking purely anecdotally...but Hastings seems to have a different breed of students.

I have two 1L friends at Hastings who told me that the majority of Hastings students want BigLaw or want to transfer higher up. While there are a number of students at Davis who want biglaw, it does not appear (again, this is from the viewpoints of my friends...I can't really say since I do not attend Hastings and do not mind being corrected) to be as bad as Hastings. This pretty much feeds the whole gunner reputation at Hastings, but I've heard really conflicting things on that front. Some say its just as bad as the rumors, others say its vastly overstated. More likely than not it probably depends on your section, as even Davis has gunner sections.

That being said, Davis has a really laid back personality in terms of the majority of its students. The best thing you could do is visit both schools and see where you fit in best. I wanted Hastings initially, but after visiting, I sorta fell for Davis. Conversely, I know others who couldn't imagine spending 3 years in Davis because of its small size and lack of...well...a nightlife.

Another excellent point! I've been to Davis (the town) an number of times, my brother is in a graduate program there and he loves it.

But yeah, you should totally check out both schools. Hastings is a great place, and I honestly don't doubt that with the new dean (well, relatively new at least), they'll continue to climb the rankings and possibly end up low 20s (like 29) to low 30s. I think Davis will forever be stuck in the 35-50 range lol. So if rankings matter to you (which they don't seem to, but lets face it...law is all about prestige so you'll care a little), that's another thing to consider.

[econtutorNV]

I plan to check out both schools (at least take a precursory glance) over the MLK day weekend. I realize that I won't get to see much during the weekend but I figure I can always go back if I get accepted to one, the other, or both.

[katx]

I plan to check out both schools (at least take a precursory glance) over the MLK day weekend. I realize that I won't get to see much during the weekend but I figure I can always go back if I get accepted to one, the other, or both.

What's the verdict?

[LawDog3]

for what it's worth, I have heard absolute horror stories about Hastings...not in terms of the quality of education, but the culture. Hastings students have a reputation for playing "dirty"; it's one of those schools where, as people say, pages will come up "missing" out of books in the library, or study group members will turn on you at the last minute.

From the stories I have heard, the students have "Stanberkucla Syndrome" bad, as many of them were waitlisted by at least one of the Cali-4 and believes they should have been admitted - not unlike some BU/BC students and Harvard. So the proverbial "CHiPs" (couldn't resist) on these students' shoulders are rather large - if we are to believe such accounts - and the administration doesn't help by grading on rigid curves and reporting class rank to employers. The confluence of these factors does not a collegial environment make. 

[econtutorNV]

Other than where they're situated I didn't really get to investigate the schools. Hastings is definitely positioned nicely, right next to a bunch of courthouses/museums/city hall, and the "tower", though I only saw the lobby, is the most impressive "dorm" I've ever seen. I was surprised by the amount of homeless people but knowing that Hastings is in the Tenderloin I shouldn't have been. While I know that I won't have much free time in law school I also know that living in SF or the surrounding areas I'd never be at a lack for something to do. I hadn't visited SF in years but it is an incredibly cool city.

As an aside, I am very impressed by SF's mass transit. Aside from trips outside of the bay I don't see a reason to own a car as a student there.

Davis is interesting in that it is what one would expect of a college town e.g. lots of smaller stores and unique restaurants. I always associate CA with its huge mega-cities so seeing such a laid back little town right between the Sacramento and the bay always surprises me. It definitely would be a nice change of pace, I don't live in a very large city but it would be nice to have the college town experience. Davis is also close enough to Sacramento (which, oddly enough for being what my friends describe alternatively as the most non-descript city in the USA or the world's largest strip mall, I really love) and closer to home than Hastings.

As for a verdict, I still have to hear back from both schools, then if/when I'm admitted I'll take time off of work to go sit in some classes and get a better feel for the two schools' environments. As of right now the schools offer two highly distinct experiences and I'm not honestly sure which one I'd enjoy more. I really did like the urban buzz surrounding Hastings and SF is one of the coolest places I've ever been to, but, Davis's college town atmosphere is something that I didn't get to try in UG and is also very appealing to me. Of course the decision could be rendered entirely moot if only one (or neither) accept me