The last few days have delivered the kind of perfect late-summer-in-the-Bay Area weather that just can’t be beat. It’s been downright warm (at least by our standards,) with temperatures in the mid- to high seventies, but we continue to enjoy the reprieve offered by a slight breeze off the Pacific. In other words, it’s warm enough to wear shorts and lay on the grass eating a slice of the Cheese Board pizza, but not so warm that you can’t comfortably walk wherever you need to go. Here’s the forecast for the rest of the week:

Looks like things will only get better! For a different perspective, check out the current view of the area from a live webcam at Lawrence Hall of Science: http://sv.berkeley.edu/view/

Last Friday three of us from the Admissions Office headed up to the courtyard outside Boalt for the Student Activities Fair. This was a time for returning 2Ls and 3Ls to entice the new 1Ls to join their journals or organizations, and it was an amazing sight. It’s one thing to read a list of all the student groups at Berkeley Law as it appears on a computer screen, but it’s another thing entirely to see them all lined up on a sunny afternoon - talking, laughing, eating (free food from Top Dog!) and sharing ideas and plans for the upcoming year. It was a real treat to walk amongst tables hosted by organizations as wide-ranging as OWLS (Older and Wiser Law Students,) Berkeley Journal of African-American Law and Policy, Middle Eastern Law Students Association, Environmental Law Society, Boalt Hall Queer Caucus, Berkeley Law Foundation, Boalt Hall Federalist Society, and many others.

The new students seem to be settling into their classes and their new apartments, and the slightly overwhelmed look of two weeks ago is being replaced with one of curiosity and determination. They came to the fair, giant textbooks in tow, and picked up fliers, signed up for meetings, and chatted with their peers. From an Admissions perspective, it felt like all the hard work was worth it. From a personal perspective, it made me think about the kind of lawyers this world needs: Engaged, balanced, indomitable. I think our students fit the bill.

…and welcome to the first Admissions Blog for the 2008-09 application cycle. Actually, it’s the first Admissions Blog ever. Never having enough to do in the Admissions Office, we decided to add blogging to our job descriptions.

The application season is growing nearer and we’ve been looking for a more efficient and more conversational way to get (some) important and (a lot of) fun information to prospective applicants and admits. Blogging seems like a great option. And besides, how else will I justify spending my lunch hour walking around campus in order to find all the sushi restaurants and list their Cal-themed rolls? (Golden Bear Tutoring roll, Berkeley roll, Telegraph roll, Shattuck roll, Golden California roll...) Where else will you be able to discover whether we consider your high LSAT score or an average of your scores? And how else can we tell you about the excellent adventures fall travel season brings and share some of the questions you ask at our table? Hopefully we’ll successfully turn anecdote into opportunity and provide some useful tips along the way.

In the mean time, enjoy the newly redesigned website and check back often for updates and insights. Berkeley Law is an exciting place to learn and engage all at the same time and we hope our blog will bring a little bit of Berkeley to you. I’m off to try the Zoolander roll!